17 Jul
2000
17 Jul
'00
11:12 a.m.
Rumor has it that Tony Duell may have mentioned these words:
I perhaps go to the opposite extreme -- I try to repair
just about
anything. For example, when a Zenith MDA monitor failed (a not
particularly interesting monitor), I soon discovered that the horizontal
drive transformer was open-circuit. Most people would have given up -- I
made up a mandrel and rewound the thing, counting the turns by hand.
Pointless? Sure. Fun? To me, yes.
And I agree with you, on no matter how uninteresting an item it is, if it
can be fixed, it should be fixed. (on a related, but side note: I also
share your opinion that if a classic computer can only be fixed with newer
parts (a.k.a. not original timeline parts) it should be fixed and used).
However, you seem to have a *lot* of useful tools that not the average "joe
blow" would have. I wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Hades on repairing
that transformer myself, and that monitor would've (sadly) become "dumpster
fodder."
I have the ability to burn most "mainstream" eproms that would be used in
classic machines (from 2716's up to IIRC 27128 or 27256's) which I do know
many other folks don't have the ability to do... So I think part of the
"what would you fix vs. part out" question has a lot to do with what people
actually have the ability to fix.
I'm also one of the few people (I think) who
repairs 3.5" floppy drives.
Again, it may be cheaper to buy a new one, but then hobbies are not meant
to make financial sense!
That depends on the floppy drive... Most PeeCee drives are hard-wired (not
jumpered) for most things like drive number, density & whatnot... so a lot
of newer drives can't be used in a classic machine. IMHO it's very good
that you'd choose to repair an older drive - I'm not nearly as good with
repair as you, but in my defense - at least when I find an older (jumpered)
drive that someone's going to toss [[especially if you can jumper the
density as well, turning it into a 720K drive]], I'll rescue it usually
mumbling something to the effect "gotta have a spare drive for the Atari
ST/CoCo/etc..."
BTW, I'd repair *any* drive I have if I had the knowhow... I have most of
the tools you'd need (including 'scope) - except no alignment disks. IIRC,
however, I *think* I have some 'scope waveforms on how to fix certain
things on a CoCo floppy drive in the FD502 Technical Manual... but it's
been years since I even *looked* at that. (and, of course, my CoCo floppy
drive hasn't broken yet... ;-)
Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it... :-P
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger "Merch" Merchberger --- sysadmin, Iceberg Computers
Recycling is good, right??? Ok, so I'll recycle an old .sig.
If at first you don't succeed, nuclear warhead
disarmament should *not* be your first career choice.