8 Feb
2002
8 Feb
'02
12:03 p.m.
On Fri, 8 Feb 2002, Tony Duell wrote:
Sounds like I need to learn more about DEC's older systems.
If I actually have the part, I'd repair a board, but if I have to go out
and pay more for the part than a whole board, I might not.
I have a few myself, but the number has shrunk in the last few years as I
started repairing more of them. The next big investment I need to make is
in a hot-air soldering station. It would allow me to repair a number of
boards and drives I currently have packed away.
Especially when you have other functioning units that are in use in
equipment.
I don't yet have that equipment either, but it is certainly on my list ;)
I hope eventually to also have the equipment and space to repair older
hard drives.
I guess I'll have to do some research and find a suitable
victim^Wsubject^Wboard that I've stored away somewhere to test on.
-Toth
Sounds like
the same reasons I write code. My favorite stuff to work on
are old boards full of nothing but logic gates and such. Modern gear
Mine too... Which is why I like the PDP11/45, PERQ, PDP8/e, etc. Or, the part
is so expensive, that replacement would cost more than the
Sometimes even then I just replace the part.... It may depend on what
I have in stock -- if I have the part then I'll use it to get running
again as soon as I can. whole board.
In those cases, I pack the board away in a box with a note to
myself as to what is wrong with it and why I didn't repair it. I've later
Yes, I've got a number of boards like that. Mostly HP
calculator-related (these machines have a lot of custom chips for a
good reason). Things like an HP45 logic board with 'bad A&R' written
on it (A&R == Arithmetic and Registers == the data path of the CPU) repaired some
boards like this, when the parts that were needed eventually
turned up.
Alternatively they can be useful as a source of other custom parts... I'm the
same way. If it isn't potted in epoxy, I can repair it. I've
Hmm, I'm not that good yet... I don't have the equipment to rebuild
CRTs at home, for example :-) repaired a few
small bits of stuff that were potted, but larger stuff is
somewhat difficult to unpot w/o damage. I've heard there are some solvents
that will soften the compound to allow it to be removed, do you know what
those might be called?
I am told glacial ethanoic (acetic) acid is one thing that's sometimes
used. I've not tried it though.