19 Jul
2016
19 Jul
'16
11:29 a.m.
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 5:01 AM, <COURYHOUSE at aol.com> wrote:
also a Rare Digital DEC H-500 Computer Lab, 1960s,
Same Switches as
PDP-8/I, Vintage for 700+
( we have an extra one of these Computer Lab, if anyone here is
interested)
Does anyone have a modern source of pins that fit the socket holes in
the Computer Lab? ISTR there are a few of us here who have an H-500,
but very few, or no, patch cables. I think Molex pins have been tried
and rejected.
Also, the 1969 Computer Lab Handbook is on bitsavers (in
'dec/handbooks'). I recall a 8.5"x11" book on the Computer Lab, newer
layout, probably a 1970s publication date, possibly a teacher's guide.
I was given one as a kid, but it vanished decades ago. Anyone
remember this? Anyone have one for scanning?
-ethan
19 Jul
19 Jul
11:32 a.m.
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 11:29 AM, Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote:
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 5:01 AM, <COURYHOUSE at
aol.com> wrote:
I have the Computer Lab Workbook, not Handbook. Maybe that's what you're
looking for.
--
@ BillDeg:
Web: vintagecomputer.net
Twitter: @billdeg <https://twitter.com/billdeg>
Youtube: @billdeg <https://www.youtube.com/user/billdeg>
Unauthorized Bio <http://www.vintagecomputer.net/readme.cfm>
also a Rare Digital DEC H-500 Computer Lab,
1960s, Same Switches as
PDP-8/I, Vintage for 700+
( we have an extra one of these Computer Lab, if anyone here is
interested)
Does anyone have a modern source of pins that fit the socket holes in
the Computer Lab? ISTR there are a few of us here who have an H-500,
but very few, or no, patch cables. I think Molex pins have been tried
and rejected.
Also, the 1969 Computer Lab Handbook is on bitsavers (in
'dec/handbooks'). I recall a 8.5"x11" book on the Computer Lab, newer
layout, probably a 1970s publication date, possibly a teacher's guide.
I was given one as a kid, but it vanished decades ago. Anyone
remember this? Anyone have one for scanning?
-ethan
11:50 a.m.
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 11:32 AM, william degnan <billdegnan at gmail.com> wrote:
The PDF floating around (bitsavers, elsewhere) is entitled "Computer
Lab Workbook", my mistake, but it's the size of DEC handbooks. I've
seen a cover for the first edition dated 1968, and the PDF is of a
second edition, dated 1969. What I'm looking for is a (probably)
later publication, approx 8.5"x11" and around 1/2" thick. Totally
different contents.
-ethan
Also, the 1969
Computer Lab Handbook is on bitsavers (in
'dec/handbooks'). I recall a 8.5"x11" book on the Computer Lab, newer
layout, probably a 1970s publication date, possibly a teacher's guide.
I was given one as a kid, but it vanished decades ago. Anyone
remember this? Anyone have one for scanning?
I have the Computer Lab Workbook, not Handbook. Maybe that's what you're
looking for. 
12:25 p.m.
Does anyone have one of the patch cables, and can they measure the diameter
of the pin and it's length?
Also, is it a straight pin or like a bannana jack with springy sides?
There is a company www.mill-max.com that makes almost any type of
pin/socket that you can think of -
take a look thru their con-line catalog.
Karl
----- Original Message -----
From: "william degnan" <billdegnan at gmail.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: DEC H-500 Computer Lab pins and docs (was Re: Straight 8 up on
Ebay just now)
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 11:29 AM, Ethan Dicks
<ethan.dicks at gmail.com>
wrote:
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 5:01 AM, <COURYHOUSE
at aol.com> wrote:
I have the Computer Lab Workbook, not Handbook. Maybe that's what you're
looking for.
--
@ BillDeg:
Web: vintagecomputer.net
Twitter: @billdeg <https://twitter.com/billdeg>
Youtube: @billdeg <https://www.youtube.com/user/billdeg>
Unauthorized Bio <http://www.vintagecomputer.net/readme.cfm> also a Rare Digital DEC H-500 Computer Lab,
1960s, Same Switches as
PDP-8/I, Vintage for 700+
( we have an extra one of these Computer Lab, if anyone here is
interested)
Does anyone have a modern source of pins that fit the socket holes in
the Computer Lab? ISTR there are a few of us here who have an H-500,
but very few, or no, patch cables. I think Molex pins have been tried
and rejected.
Also, the 1969 Computer Lab Handbook is on bitsavers (in
'dec/handbooks'). I recall a 8.5"x11" book on the Computer Lab, newer
layout, probably a 1970s publication date, possibly a teacher's guide.
I was given one as a kid, but it vanished decades ago. Anyone
remember this? Anyone have one for scanning?
-ethan
12:43 p.m.
From: Karl-Wilhelm Wacker: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 9:25 AM
Does anyone have one of the patch cables, and can they
measure the diameter of
the pin and it's length?
Also, is it a straight pin or like a bannana jack with springy sides?
It is a smooth-walled brass taper pin with a crimp connector for the
wire. There's a photo at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/computerlab/computerlab.php
you can click on for a (slightly) better view.
The diameter is similar to the pins that go in the old connectors that
DEC used for current loop connectors. Wider at the wire end, though,
to provide the wedging action.
The central feature, which is seldom seen anymore, is the taper that
allows the pin to smoothly insert, yet firmly wedge in there when
inserted. That makes it more suitable, in my opinion, as it's really
hard to screw anything up (other than having it still a little loose
because you didn't insert it firmly).
I can attempt to measure one up.
Vince
6:43 p.m.
From: Karl-Wilhelm Wacker: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 9:25 AM
Does anyone have one of the patch cables, and can they
measure the diameter
of the pin and it's length?
The width goes from about .093" near the tip to 0.1" near the
crimp. The length of the tapered region is about 0.32". The
rounded tip has a radius of .046" or so, and the crimp area
is about .28" long, accommodating the stranded hook-up
wire and insulation. The wire extends beyond the crimp into
the tapered section, but I can't see in there to determine if it
is soldered or what.
Also, is it a straight pin or like a bannana jack with
springy sides?
Miniature banana jacks (not the regular ones) actually fit the holes
OK, but are horribly expensive, and also wear on the soft brass holes.
I've bought some of the stackable jumpers, and used them in a pinch,
but it isn't that great of a solution. (It was actually on H901 lab panels,
which have similar brass grommets.)
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/lab/lab.php
Vince
8:21 p.m.
This company does custom tapered pins in brass -
There are others out there I'm sure.
I would find out what their minimum is and get a bulk order together.
http://www.stanlok.com/Taper_Pin_Pages/an386.html
A place I worked for in the past had www.mill-max.com do a custon part for
them,
in the 100's - I would talk to them about a part also.
Karl
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vincent Slyngstad" <v.slyngstad at frontier.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: DEC H-500 Computer Lab pins and docs (was Re: Straight 8 up on
Ebay just now)
From: Karl-Wilhelm Wacker: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 9:25
AM
Does anyone have one of the patch cables, and can
they measure the
diameter of the pin and it's length?
The width goes from about .093" near the tip to 0.1" near the crimp. The
length of the tapered region is about 0.32". The rounded tip has a radius
of .046" or so, and the crimp area is about .28" long, accommodating the
stranded hook-up wire and insulation. The wire extends beyond the crimp
into the tapered section, but I can't see in there to determine if it is
soldered or what.
Also, is it a straight pin or like a bannana jack
with springy sides?
Miniature banana jacks (not the regular ones) actually fit the holes OK,
but are horribly expensive, and also wear on the soft brass holes.
I've bought some of the stackable jumpers, and used them in a pinch, but
it isn't that great of a solution. (It was actually on H901 lab panels,
which have similar brass grommets.)
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/lab/lab.php
Vince
20 Jul
20 Jul
2:29 a.m.
From: Karl-Wilhelm Wacker: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 5:21 PM
This company does custom tapered pins in brass -
There are others out there I'm sure.
I would find out what their minimum is and get a bulk order together.
http://www.stanlok.com/Taper_Pin_Pages/an386.html
A place I worked for in the past had www.mill-max.com do a custon part for
them,
in the 100's - I would talk to them about a part also.
From what I can gather from the websites you referred
me to,
the tapered part of the pin's dimensions are very close to the
narrow end of a standard taper #4/0 in the 3/4" length? Have
I done the math right on that?
From there it would seem to be a matter of getting a
way to
mount the wire, and optionally to shorten the overall length
of the pin and wire attachment to .65" from .75". (Or maybe
just slot the pin's fat end, solder in the wire, and call it good.)
I also thought about using a taper reamer to create molds and
perhaps casting with solder around the fluxed wire. (Casting
brass or bronze seemed to require more heat than I could
generate easily.)
(For some reason that I've forgotten over the years, my eBay
search for suitable pins looks for "42107" and "42279". Never
gotten any results for it, though.)
Vince
19 Jul
19 Jul
12:26 p.m.
From: Ethan Dicks: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 8:29 AM
Does anyone have a modern source of pins that fit the
socket holes in
the Computer Lab? ISTR there are a few of us here who have an H-500,
but very few, or no, patch cables. I think Molex pins have been tried
and rejected.
Nope. I've been looking for those for some time. I didn't like the
Molex pins, as their retention clips aren't really the right thing and
scratch the brass rings that should interface smoothly with the proper
brass taper pins.
Also, the 1969 Computer Lab Handbook is on bitsavers
(in
'dec/handbooks'). I recall a 8.5"x11" book on the Computer Lab, newer
layout, probably a 1970s publication date, possibly a teacher's guide.
I was given one as a kid, but it vanished decades ago. Anyone
remember this? Anyone have one for scanning?
I have an old scan of the teacher's guide at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/pdf/
This came from another listmember, years ago. Perhaps I should
link to it from
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/computerlab/computerlab.php
Vince
12:56 p.m.
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 12:26 PM, Vincent Slyngstad
<v.slyngstad at frontier.com> wrote:
From: Ethan Dicks: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 8:29 AM
Right. It was your experiences I was thinking of with Molex pins.
I myself have no original pins to measure.
Does anyone have a modern source of pins that fit the socket holes in
the Computer Lab? ISTR there are a few of us here who have an H-500,
but very few, or no, patch cables. I think Molex pins have been tried
and rejected.
Nope. I've been looking for those for some time. I didn't like the Molex
pins, as their retention clips aren't really the right thing and scratch the
brass rings that should interface smoothly with the proper brass taper pins. I have an old scan of the teacher's guide at
http://www.so-much-stuff.com/pdp8/pdf/
This is certainly a contemporary teacher's guide, but it's
stylistically and typographically 1960s and does not resemble the one
I'm remembering. Was there perhaps a later DEC logic lab from 1972 to
1975 that would have had a later manual? Perhaps that's what I'm
thinking of. I just remember being given a workbook by a relative who
was a school teacher right about the time I was first learning logic
and BASIC. It had problems and large blank sections for drawing your
work, among other differences.
-ethan
2920
days inactive
2921
days old
9 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
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billdegnan＠gmail.com -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
kwwacker＠ptd.net -
v.slyngstad＠frontier.com