15 Jun
2003
15 Jun
'03
12:38 a.m.
In message <043401c33266$0bb88180$21378490(a)vic.bigpond.net.au>
"peter tremewen" <ptremewe(a)bigpond.net.au> wrote:
Opinion 2: The collector who collects with the
intention of
restoration. Who might go to extreme lengths to rebuild and restore the item
he has brought, because to him the idea of keeping something that isn't
working as planed is against God and nature.
That's me in a nutshell.
I collect microcomputers, especially microcomputers that were designed and
built by British companies - Jupiter Cantab, Sinclair, Acorn, etc. If it's
British-made and it's about the size of (or smaller than) a Sinclair ZX
Spectrum +2A, then I want it.
My Jupiter Ace, BTW, is almost repaired. I've got the 16K RAM Pack, manual
and demo tape for it. The only thing missing is the power supply. If I can't
locate an original PSU, I'll build a one-amp linear regulated 9V PSU with a
"crowbar" overvoltage protection circuit. Yes, I'm paranoid enough to add a
crowbar...
Without getting into protracted discusion
about the theology of either
collector, I would like to hear the opinions on the list about how far a
restoration should go before it starts detracting from the value of the piece.
I
try and replace as little as possible. If a chip has failed and I've got
both a replacement chip and a replacement board, I'll fit a socket and use
the chip. If I need to, I will repair damaged tracks on the board.
I insist on keeping a log of every repair done to a machine. In this way, if
the machine fails again in future and (shock horror) I can't identify the
dead component, I've got my notes to help troubleshoot the board.
I know this is a complex issue, and obviously depends
on allot of factors, but
surely there are SOME guide lines that should or could be followed. I am about
to start a complex restoration on the EDUC-8 and am hoping the experts on the
list will give me some ideas based on their experience with other systems.
If you
need to remove a failed DIL-packaged IC, use a craft knife or hacksaw
blade to cut the pins off. Then desolder the pins and clean out the holes
with a solder-sucker. NEVER use desolder wick on through-hole boards - it
eats pads and tracks for breakfast.
I supose I could just clean it up and place it in a
"display case"
but I tend to be a collector of more the second opinion than the first.
I guess
you're in the majority then. Most of the people here insist that the
machine must work properly. In the words of Tony Duell:
ARD> Well, my view is simple. The machine originally worked. I want to restore
ARD> it to as near original condition as possible. Therefore it must work again...
IOW, it left the factory in an operational state. Ergo, it must be restored
to the extent that it works properly.
Later.
--
Phil.
philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/