360 mockups Re: Has anyone hear of the Computer History Archives Project?

---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: Re: 360 mockups Re: Has anyone hear of the Computer History Archives Project? From: "Peter Coghlan" <cctalk at beyondthepale.ie> Date: Thu, October 22, 2015 9:14 pm To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oh, it's quite real :) I have some ideas on machining the inserts from blocks of ABS plastic, incuding the curved depression on the front. I have some red ABS that is the right colour but not thick enough so I'll pay another visit to the plastics shop to get something more suitable. Just another of my gunnadoos... A lot of consoles are mounted on the wall or in a wooden frame, which is ok but doesn't excite me very much. So.... My display concept is to replicate the front of the 2040 CPU to approx 100mm depth, using a welded steel frame and painted wood or folded sheetmetal sides. The masthead to go on top (I have derived the measurements of the screw posts in CAD, another machining job). The frame supports the console and the operator table. I've cut a replica of the 2040 operator's table from a large white Laminex benchtop using the measurements from page 40 of GC22-6820-12 System 360 Installation Manual Physical Planning. That doesn't give the table thickness so I derived it in CAD from some period photos, and my table is close (and didn't cost me anything as it was being thrown out at work!). I've almost finished replicating the iconic Eames PSCC-4 secretary's shell chair seen in many, many 360 machine rooms (and the 360 SLT video discussed here) using an original Eames base/castors with an ABS replica shell. Would you believe the modern shell's screw holes align perfectly with the original base!. A real PSCC-4 is > $700 USD on eBay but mine is working aout about $120 USD with a lot of that being postage from the US. With the originals it's the fibreglass shell that's the pricey bit, the bases are much cheaper. I have drawn the cushions in CAD from photos but have yet to make them, most likely in some lurid red vinyl to give it that 60s/70s look. BTW I've also seen the PSCC-4 chair appear in 370, DEC, Teletype photos, and a variant in a Bendix G15 advertisement. I would like to get a few square metres of vintage raised floor tiles, but have not had much luck here in Oz. That's something that would be prohibitively expensive to import. No ideas yet on how to replicate them but couldn't be too hard. Then all I need is the 1052 hahahahahahahaha I did have an MTST I/O writer long ago but that has been lost in moving aaaarrrgggh :( Anyway I have ideas for that too.