Seeking paper tape punch

[Paul Koning]

> On Feb 21, 2022, at 4:26 PM, Guy Fedorkow via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> [apologies if this is a dup, but I didn't see it coming back in any of the cctalk digests]
> 
> Greetings CC-Talk,
>   I've been working on a low-budget project to help to introduce students to history of computing through material we have from MIT's 1950's Whirlwind project.  The activity would have more of a hands-on feel if we could use actual paper tape.
>   A simple reader is easy enough, but a punch is a bit harder.  We don't need anything "authentic", or fast, or high performance, just something fairly reliable.
>    If anyone can suggest where to find such a machine, could you let me know?  Fanuc PPR, GNT 4601/4604, and the DSI NC-2400 have been cited as possible candidates, but I don't see anything that looks like a good match on ebay.
> 
>   Thanks!
> /guy fedorkow

Do you mean a punch as a computer peripheral, or a keyboard operated tape punch?  For the former, the ones you mentioned are obvious choices; BRPE is another.  Also the DEC paper tape reader/punch (PC01 or some such number).

For keyboard operated, there's Teletype, Flexowriter, Creed, Siemens, depending on where you're located.  ASR33 is a common 8-bit punching terminal.  Older models that use 5-level tape ("Baudot") may also be around, and those could certainly serve for 1950s era machines that may well have actually used those.  I don't know what Whirlwind used, but I know some other 1950s machines that used 5 bit tape for their I/O.  Electrologica X1 is an example.

	paul