2 Mar
2016
2 Mar
'16
11:16 a.m.
Hi all,
I found switch levers and a mounting frame design (
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:360853) that I would like to have casted
with molded-in color, close to the originals as reasonable.
Has anyone already done this that I can simply buy from? If any injection
molds have been built I'd love to put those to work. Would it be better to
just paint a 3D print of these?
Also has anyone created the front panel PCB design? I use EAGLE and would
love to at least have a CAD outline from which to start as I build my
emulated PDP-8/e. Pretty much like the SBC6120 but emulated on a 32-bit
micro as opposed to the HD6120.
I await your thoughts!
--
Anders Nelson
+1 (517) 775-6129
www.erogear.com
2 Mar
2 Mar
11:31 a.m.
On 3/2/2016 11:16 AM, Anders Nelson wrote:
I found switch levers and a mounting frame design (
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:360853) that I would like to have casted
with molded-in color, close to the originals as reasonable.
Has anyone already done this that I can simply buy from? If any injection
molds have been built I'd love to put those to work. Would it be better to
just paint a 3D print of these?
Also has anyone created the front panel PCB design? I use EAGLE and would
love to at least have a CAD outline from which to start as I build my
emulated PDP-8/e. Pretty much like the SBC6120 but emulated on a 32-bit
micro as opposed to the HD6120.
I await your thoughts!
Have you seen this: http://obsolescence.wix.com/obsolescence#!pidp-8/cbie
It might just satisfy your 'need' (and there are a lot more blinkin' lights on
the 8i then on the 8e).
If this is not quite right, the basic design may make a good jumping off point
to get to an 8e variation.
Oscar's design is a scaled (~2/3) configuration, so it is not an 'exact'
replica
per se. There is another
project in the works to create exact PDP-8e/f/m etc replica front panels (Rob
Smallwood IIRC) but
I believe that is the acrylic panel only, nothing else. You need to supply all
the other 8e parts yourself.
Don
1:43 p.m.
I've been wanting to get some reproduction switches for my 8/e, simply
because I have a blue panel, but the orange switches. I would love to get a
set of the blue paddles.
I would go in on a set if they were injection molded or cast; unless
they're some of the higher resolution eboxy based prints.
I have thought about just making a silicone mold of an existing switch and
attempting to cast some myself, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 11:16 AM, Anders Nelson <anders.k.nelson at gmail.com>
wrote:
Hi all,
I found switch levers and a mounting frame design (
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:360853) that I would like to have casted
with molded-in color, close to the originals as reasonable.
Has anyone already done this that I can simply buy from? If any injection
molds have been built I'd love to put those to work. Would it be better to
just paint a 3D print of these?
Also has anyone created the front panel PCB design? I use EAGLE and would
love to at least have a CAD outline from which to start as I build my
emulated PDP-8/e. Pretty much like the SBC6120 but emulated on a 32-bit
micro as opposed to the HD6120.
I await your thoughts!
--
Anders Nelson
+1 (517) 775-6129
www.erogear.com
2:56 p.m.
From: Anders Nelson: Wednesday, March 02, 2016 11:16 AM
I found switch levers and a mounting frame design (
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:360853) that I would like to have casted
with molded-in color, close to the originals as reasonable.
I naturally suggest mine, available at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/cad/3d.php
I've done some work to make the fit as close as I can to the
original handles.
Has anyone already done this that I can simply buy
from? If any injection
molds have been built I'd love to put those to work. Would it be better to
just paint a 3D print of these?
I've ordered handles in "strong and flexible, polished", from
Shapeways.com. They aren't cheap, but they're easy and they
do work well.
I've had good luck just spray painting them with an appropriate
paint. Shapeways' color choices for dyed parts are OK, but not
particularly close to the original colors. If you decide to go with
the dyes, you'll want to use urethane floor polish or the like to
seal the pores and provide a satin finish. If you don't seal the
pores, they pick up dirt, and are a bear to keep clean.
Finding the switch bodies to put them on is challenging.
Also has anyone created the front panel PCB design? I
use EAGLE and would
love to at least have a CAD outline from which to start as I build my
emulated PDP-8/e. Pretty much like the SBC6120 but emulated on a 32-bit
micro as opposed to the HD6120.
If you want the actual 8/E PCB design, I've re-drawn the bulb PCB at
http://svn.so-much-stuff.com/svn/trunk/Eagle/projects/DEC/8ePanel/
Here's the big list of other PCBs I've drawn, for what that's worth:
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/cad/boards.php
If you're wanting a panel for a modern micro, I concur with the
recommendation or Oscar's 8/I replica as a starting point. Interfacing
the pi to something behind Rod's front panel artwork would be pretty
cool. (Though I'm a bigger fan of the 8/I panel, myself.)
Vince
3:36 p.m.
On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 2:56 PM, Vincent Slyngstad
<v.slyngstad at frontier.com> wrote:
I naturally suggest mine, available at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/cad/3d.php
What, no DSSI bus ID plugs? :)
3:43 p.m.
From: Glen Slick: Wednesday, March 02, 2016 3:36 PM
On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 2:56 PM, Vincent Slyngstad
wrote:
I had to Google what those were, being basically a PDP-8 geek.
(I found a set for sale on eBay.) Those do look like something
that shouldn?t be too hard to print. I don't know the magic
encoding (or indeed anything else about them), though.
Vince
I naturally suggest mine, available at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/cad/3d.php
What, no DSSI bus ID plugs? :) 
9:33 p.m.
On 02/03/2016 23:36, Glen Slick wrote:
On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 2:56 PM, Vincent Slyngstad
<v.slyngstad at frontier.com> wrote:
In between my adventures in Panel Land I also
looked at PDP-8 switches
and other items that could be 3d printed. I came up with the following:
1, For replacing one or two missing switch levers 3d printing
is ideal.
2, I believe the plastic to be ABS
3. For example LEGO bricks were ABS, They are now changing to a
greener type of plastic.
4. Matching the colo(u)r might prove interesting.
5. For those who need larger quantities then good old injection
moulding is still the best way to go.
6. Mould making costs used to be high but modern CNC machines
can do the job in short order.
7. The split line on a PDP-8 lever is clearly visible. This
shows they were made in a two part mould.
8, How many per mould were there I don't know but say ten would
not be beyond even small machines
9. As soon as I get to a ship from stock situation on panels I
might revisit switches.
10. And finally .. would I trust the Chinese? Probably not!
Rod
I naturally suggest mine, available at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/cad/3d.php
What, no DSSI bus ID plugs? :)
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anders.k.nelson＠gmail.com -
glen.slick＠gmail.com -
north＠alum.mit.edu -
rodsmallwood52＠btinternet.com -
saburwulf＠gmail.com -
v.slyngstad＠frontier.com