KIM Uno /PiDP-11 plans...

[dave at 661.org]

On Thu, 22 Oct 2015, Oscar Vermeulen wrote:

> Hi,
>
>>> Oscar is already working on another very promising product.
>>> [..]He will
> also pay a visit to my "museum" to take a few measurements.
> Sorry, can't say more
>>> I'll leave that up to Oscar. Perhaps he
> want to stay "below the radar" until that project is finished ...
>
> Thanks for the kind words on my strange replica mania! We all need to do 
> silly things at some point in our lives.
>
> No secret... I'd love to do an "Open Source Hardware" PDP-11/70 replica 
> (or remake - whatever choice of words is preferred). Electronically, it 
> would a simple variation on the PiDP-8 (i.e., simh brains on a Raspberry 
> Pi, hiding behind a front panel PCB). It's just a different emulator 
> from the simh stable with less LEDs.
>
> But a 11/70 replica needs two physical 'cosmetic elements': proper 
> switches, and the white bezel/frame. The switches *seem* to be feasible 
> to produce cheaply (I will know in a month with PDP-8/I switches...). 
> The white bezel though brings me into unknown territory. 3D CAD (based 
> on Museum Measurements), then injection molding or vacuum forming. Or 
> any technique to produce a plastic object in medium quantities. All I 
> know so far is that it's very feasible - and much cheaper to do than 
> just a few years ago.
>
> If anyone here *does* have know-how in this field, I'd love any advice. 
> I got some preliminary quotes and recommendations on making a case 
> replica using vacuum forming. Which is relatively cheap. Not perfect, 
> but low cost is very important for such a gadget.

I'd love to get my hands on one or two bezels for the 11/70 front panel. 
Invariably, whenever a front panel shows up for sale, the bezel is 
missing.


-- 
David Griffith
dave at 661.org

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