21 Oct
2000
21 Oct
'00
8:11 a.m.
I'm already up to the ceiling, check out the picture on my home page:
http://people.mn.mediaone.net/fauradon/index.html
On top of that I have the laundry room wall (the one without the appliances)
loaded up from floor to ceiling.
At this point I have exhausted all storage solutions for in house storage
and I can't even get to the far end of my office without planning the trip
at least a week in advance :)
Right now the only choice is OUT. That means the shed or a rental space.
I would much prefer the shed.
Thanks
Francois
-----Original Message-----
From: Claude <claudew(a)sprint.ca>
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2000 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: Cold storage
Sue & Francois wrote:
>
> Hi all
> I have to refer to the collective wisdom of the list.
> Here's the problem:
> I live in the frozen land of Minnesota, I have a 12'x16' shed full of
empty
cardboard
boxes, I have a house full (and I mean full) of computers.
I would not submit my computer collection to the low low temperatures
you get in Minnesota (like here in Quebec)...
One answer for more space : SHELVES, SHELVES, SHELVES...I taught I was
running outta space until I installed approx a total of 48 feet (3 times
16 feet of 16" wide shelves seperated by 14") attached to drywall with
metal brackets. About $8-$10 for the 8 foot long white wood shelves and
$1 for each bracket. A good investement...
Second : do regular clean ups...Yes you might throw away something that
can be used one day...but still...space is space...I rather have less
stuff all clean and neat then a ton of stuff in a mess...but thats me...
For "home" PC collecting it is great. Most of my collection (Atari,
Apple, Macs, Trs80s...) is there and can be admired and connected and
booted in less then 2-3 minutes...But I don't think the drywall and
shelves could hold up a VAX...
Claude
Would it be safe for the computers to spend the winters in the cardboard
boxes in the shed?
Should I insulate the shed first?
I would not let my collection live in sub 0 temperatures.
> Should I move to the shed and store the computers in the bedroom?
>
> Thanks
>
> Francois 
21 Oct
21 Oct
10:56 a.m.
I'm already up to the ceiling, check out the
picture on my home page:
http://people.mn.mediaone.net/fauradon/index.html On top of that I
have the laundry room wall (the one without the appliances) loaded up
from floor to ceiling. At this point I have exhausted all storage
solutions for in house storage and I can't even get to the far end of
my office without planning the trip at least a week in advance :)
Right now the only choice is OUT. That means the shed or a rental
space. I would much prefer the shed. Thanks Francois
At one time I operated a "roadie" business out of Montreal and we
would often move band equipment to many northern venues during
the winter in very extreme temperatures. The travel times could be,
quite lengthy and only the cab was heated. On the longer runs it
might be late evening before we arrived with temperatures
sometimes down to -50 .(sounding like a "when I was a kid" story
but true, never-the-less). The current wisdom was that the worst
thing you could do was immediately move the equipment into a
heated space, and many times would be left overnight when it was
very cold to be moved in and slowly warmed up before using. The
only casualty I remember was an amp that one of the musicians
immediately moved into the heated bandroom, despite our
admonissions, and turning it on. after arriving in Chicoutimi from
Montreal in sub-zero temperatures, IIRC an 8hr trip.
Since most electronics are built to withstand high temperatures,
it stands to reason that they should also be able to withstand lower
ones. The biggest problem being brittleness when subject to jars or
rapid heating which would act on minute flaws due to expansion.
I am going to be moving myself and most of my collection to my
retirement home in central Manitoba (a hop-skip-and jump away
from you) next fall, and will be facing similiar
problems. There is
also a shed I intend to use for storage.
I would do some insulation and make sure it is free from moisture,
leaky roof etc. If you're very concerned you might do what we did in
the chicken coop when I was a kid there and leave a light on during
extreme cold. Can't recall ever losing a chicken :^) Don't know
what we used before being electified. Maybe a coal-oil lamp.
A bigger problem might be critters and insects.
ciao larry
Reply to:
lgwalker(a)look.ca
1:54 p.m.
I had occasion to glance at the environmental specs for my
PowerComputing PowerCurve and they state that for 'storage', -40/+122
deg F is acceptable. Yup, forty below.
"Environmental Requirements
- Operating temperature: 10 - 40 degrees C (50 - 104
degrees F)
- Storage Temperature: -40 - 50 degrees C (-40 - 122
degrees F)
- Relative Humidity: 5% - 95% noncondensing
- Altitude: 0 - 3048m (0 - 10000 ft)"
Move 'em into the shed!
Jim Arnott
4:25 p.m.
LGwalker's advice is right on the money.
Last winter I deinstalled a 9 track drive from a dry, unheated warehouse
in sub-zero centigrade conditions. I brought the drive home and left it
sit for several hours before installing it in my DG minicomputer.
The trick is as simple as the directions that come with most hard disks
and computers these days. Don't subject the device to any sharp change in
temperature and then try to operate it without letting it 'aclimate'.
I think that it is probably not good to store sensitive gear at
temperatures that humans can't exist in though. If you could wrap up and
live, then your gear is probably just fine as-is.
One thing that was not mentioned is static electricity. Just be careful.
Cold conditions and proper storage mean a high risk for electrostatic
discharge.
The other point that was made was a small heat source in the shed. That
sounds like a fantastic idea and wouldn't be too burdensome energy-wise. A
single 100 watt lightbulb produces as much heat as three humans properly
weatherized. If you have ever cuddled up next to a human, you know that's
a lot of heat. ;-) I'd bother only if the temperatures got WAY below
freezing. At very low temperatures, the lubricants used in drive motors
and such might be negatively affected as might batteries, and flexible
materials such as rubber or latex. I know this from maintaning vehicles in
the Seabees. Some lubricants turn to slush at extremely low temperatures.
Even Gasoline will freeze. In Alaska, we would leave a drop-light inside
the engine compartment of a vehicle to prevent the oil from freezing.
As with my 30 year old BMW motorcycle, it is a good idea to perform
preventative maintainence post-storage prior to use. Check all bearings
to make sure they are free etc. I love that bike. Chrissy wants me to
sell it and buy a new(er) one, but I say 'over my dead body'. I'll get a
newer bike, but not by selling my baby Beemer.
Regards,
Jeff
--
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey S. Worley
President
Complete Computer Services, Inc.
30 Greenwood Rd.
Asheville, NC 28803
828-277-5959
THETechnoid(a)home.com
-----------------------------------------------------------
6:19 p.m.
At 12:11 PM 10/21/00 -0500, Francois wrote:
I'm already up to the ceiling, check out the
picture on my home page:
http://people.mn.mediaone.net/fauradon/index.html
Chuckle! That looks about like my house but mine is piled higher.
Perhaps we should all post a picture of our houses and we can have a
cluttered house contest! :-) FWIW I already have THREE sheds full of stuff
in the back.
But I doubt anyone can top one of the guys that I know down here. His
house was FULL. I mean stuff stacked neatly and tightly from floor to
ceiling in EVERY room. He had tiny pathways throughout the house but some
rooms were completely filled and the doorways blocked solid. In addition,
he had OVER fifty large cars (Cadilacs and Lincolns) outside and they were
all full! Furthermore he had rows and rows and rows of large garden sheds
(12x20 feet) and they were all full. To top it all off he had rows and
rows of stuff sitting on pallets up on blocks. Now THAT'S a pack rat!
Joe
5:43 p.m.
On Sat, 21 Oct 2000, Joe wrote:
Chuckle! That looks about like my house but mine is
piled higher.
Perhaps we should all post a picture of our houses and we can have a
cluttered house contest! :-) FWIW I already have THREE sheds full of stuff
in the back.
My Warehouse
http://www.siconic.com/crap/vtcrc.jpg
This is actually as of maybe a year ago. I'm in the process of moving out
of this space.
But I doubt anyone can top one of the guys that I
know down here. His
house was FULL. I mean stuff stacked neatly and tightly from floor to
ceiling in EVERY room. He had tiny pathways throughout the house but some
rooms were completely filled and the doorways blocked solid. In addition,
he had OVER fifty large cars (Cadilacs and Lincolns) outside and they were
all full! Furthermore he had rows and rows and rows of large garden sheds
(12x20 feet) and they were all full. To top it all off he had rows and
rows of stuff sitting on pallets up on blocks. Now THAT'S a pack rat!
That's a severe sickness.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
7:13 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sellam Ismail" <foo(a)siconic.com>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 10:43 PM
Subject: Re: Cold storage
process of moving out
On Sat, 21 Oct 2000, Joe wrote:
> Chuckle! That looks about like my house but mine is
piled higher.
> Perhaps we should all post a picture of our
houses and
we can have a
> cluttered house contest! :-) FWIW I already have
THREE
sheds full of stuff
in the back.
My Warehouse
http://www.siconic.com/crap/vtcrc.jpg
This is actually as of maybe a year ago. I'm in the of this space.
OK I'll ask the question people ask me WHY?
I still get my hands on my machines, and use them one in a
while.
When it gets this big does it get any use?
Is it for investment purposes?
How often do these machines get fired up?
I heard about several Semi trailers full of machines about
to be sold by the pound for metal recovery, I may get them
for .30/lb
I'm planning on refurbishing them and sending them back out
for use. Most are 486 and low end Pentiums but I did see a
K2 in the bunch.
This guy had great stories about removing water cooled
IBM's for the metals and was thinking who would have a
garage big enough to hold one and a power supply big enough
to plug it in.
22 Oct
22 Oct
6:18 a.m.
On Sun, 22 Oct 2000, Mike Kenzie wrote:
OK I'll ask the question people ask me WHY?
I still get my hands on my machines, and use them one in a
while.
When it gets this big does it get any use?
Is it for investment purposes?
How often do these machines get fired up?
Yes, it is an investment of sorts. It's an investment in history. My
intent has always been to create a historical archive. It's something I
am passionate about. However, the time I have available does not match my
passion, and so I haven't yet been able to accomplish the things I have
planned, the least of which is organization :)
But I have started the process of cataloguing books. I'm currently
looking for a more permanent home (this warehouse was to be my base but I
lost the lease on it). Once I have found that place, things will start to
get sorted out.
In the meantime, my collection is and always has been open to anyone
who wants to browse through it, as well as borrow things for their own
research. I have machines and documentation currently loaned out to both
individuals and commercial entities. I charge the commercial interests
and I let individuals have access for free.
Once I find a permanent home, the plan (as it has always been) is to
create a public resource center, for both research into computer history
as well as to provide computer resources and educational programs to the
local community.
I have a substantial collection, but I'm not trying to be the biggest or
the best. I'm not trying to compete with other established organizations
such as The Computer Museum History Center. However, I am trying to be a
provider of resources for those interested in exploring computer history.
The way I see it, no one organization will ever be able to "have it all".
And I don't think there should be one place that does. I think a network
of computer history organizations around the globe comprised of both
"professional" entities and individual collectors that work with each
other and share their resources is the way to go, and I have had
discussions with TCMHC's director about this, who shares the same idea.
So there you have it...what have been my ruminations for the past several
years in a tidy little nutshell.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
7:51 a.m.
At 07:43 PM 10/21/00 -0700, Sellam wrote:
On Sat, 21 Oct 2000, Joe wrote:
Nice collection of stuff but I can see part of the floor so I'd have say
you're disqualified.
Chuckle! That looks about like my house but
mine is piled higher.
Perhaps we should all post a picture of our houses and we can have a
cluttered house contest! :-) FWIW I already have THREE sheds full of stuff
in the back.
My Warehouse
http://www.siconic.com/crap/vtcrc.jpg
This is actually as of maybe a year ago. I'm in the process of moving out
of this space.
A ssevere case of collectoritous!
Joe
But I doubt anyone can top one of the guys
that I know down here. His
house was FULL. I mean stuff stacked neatly and tightly from floor to
ceiling in EVERY room. He had tiny pathways throughout the house but some
rooms were completely filled and the doorways blocked solid. In addition,
he had OVER fifty large cars (Cadilacs and Lincolns) outside and they were
all full! Furthermore he had rows and rows and rows of large garden sheds
(12x20 feet) and they were all full. To top it all off he had rows and
rows of stuff sitting on pallets up on blocks. Now THAT'S a pack rat!
That's a severe sickness.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer
Festival
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
International Man of Intrigue and Danger
http://www.vintage.org
10:49 a.m.
On Sun, 22 Oct 2000, Joe wrote:
At 07:43 PM 10/21/00 -0700, Sellam wrote:
>On Sat, 21 Oct 2000, Joe wrote:
>> rooms were completely filled and the doorways blocked solid. In addition,
>> he had OVER fifty large cars (Cadilacs and Lincolns) outside and they were
>> all full! Furthermore he had rows and rows and rows of large garden sheds
>> (12x20 feet) and they were all full. To top it all off he had rows and
>> rows of stuff sitting on pallets up on blocks. Now THAT'S a pack rat!
>
>That's a severe sickness.
That's what happens when one's house isn't large enough. Oddly, I'm
surprised that I've never seen any references to the proper cure for
these symptoms in any books, and my abnormal psych. teacher failed to
mention it as well. Obviously, the solution isn't to cure someone of
their collecting habit, it's to help them acquire a larger house.
A ssevere case of collectoritous!
Which is a good thing,
...combined with a classic case of housetoosmallia, a bad thing. That
is, it's a collectoritous/housetoosmallious disorder. :-)
--
Copyright (C) 2000 R. D. Davis "The best way to gain a true understanding of
All Rights Reserved Wile E. Coyote on the Roadrunner cartoons is to
rdd(a)perqlogic.com 410-744-4900 fly, head-first, off a horse into something like
http://www.perqlogic.com/rdd a fence or a tree; trust me, this works." --RDD
8675
days inactive
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9 comments
8 participants
participants (8)
-
fauradon＠mn.mediaone.net -
foo＠siconic.com -
jrasite＠eoni.com -
KenzieM＠sympatico.ca -
lgwalker＠look.ca -
rdd＠smart.net -
rigdonj＠intellistar.net -
THETechnoid＠home.com