RSX11M+
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2011
- Messages
- 1,075
I'm finally getting to rehabilitate some racks and cabinets I have here (purchased at a local auction in the 90's) So I could use some experience and advice from those of you who have refurbed or repaired their hardware.
Here's a bit of forgotten detail - Color and touch-up paint.
We used to manufacture the sheet metal for our products, because each installation was custom designed. It was decided, that since our system was DEC based, and that it was a major selling point - that we should use the same paints. This gave the entire system the look as if it were of one manufacture, and the illusion worked quite well.
So, I used to have a ready supply of paint to deal with the inevitable scratch, scuff or occasional custom sheet metal which had to be painted to match. (I once had our sheet metal wizzards make an end panel for a corporate cabinet when we separated our TE16 from the 11/70)
Does anyone out there know of a modern day equivalent paint that matches DEC color?
I think the original was a heavy "lacquer" bit I'm not certain. It's funny, but I don't recall the smell... which I'm usually pretty good at, so it could have been an enamel.
I have need for two colors... The grayish paint on the removable side panels of the DEC standard 6 ft rack (vintage 11/34) and the textured off-white of the low 48 inch cabinet of the 11/730 and 11/44 style. (is that a "Low Boy?)
So much for paint.
Cabinet Damage -
I don't know why it is, but I see damage to those removable rack sides a lot. I have two of the 6 ft cabinets. One's sides are in very good shape with hardly a kink or dent. The other, looks like it's been in a train wreck. I haven't even managed remove the sides yet - they won't budge. From what I can see it may be because the substructure is bent and sprung. The rack frame itself appears fine as is the rear door. It's the panels themselves which are clearly distorted on the inner side, but not so apparent on the outside.
Any experiences to share on how to straighten them?
Slides -
I seem to have more slide mounts here than drives or boxes. They all need TLC of one kind or another - and I'll need mounts for at least 1 RL and up to 4 RK05 drives. They should probably all be derusted and refinished with a preservative even if only to end up being stored. One is that elaborate tilting rig, probably for an 11/34 box.
Do you use a chemical rust remover or the elbow grease method? What kind of finish - Paint? Grease? Dry Slide?
TS05 -
The TS05 drive needs disassembly and cleaning. It's interior will require a meticulous going over as some mechanical parts have slight signs of metal corrosion. The main electronics board will have to be removed, washed and dried in a vacuum oven before I can even check it. (looks like squirrels)
One of the first things to do is make backups of the main board's ROM contents. As long as they are still good, that should present no problems. I've got both UNIBUS and QBUS options - NIB so that end should be covered. The technical manual looks very complete. It looks like this task is going to be mostly mechanical in the beginning. There are instructions for checkout without the BUS controllers, which is very helpful.
Has anyone else had any experience with this unit or cautionary tales to share?
R80 -
It came with the 11/730. Is this an RA80 or something else? It looks the same at first glance. I haven't had the CPU box open yet. If it's connected via a UDA50 I guess I'll have my answer - unless someone can save me the research? (so much to do...)
1/2 inch tape storage -
This is getting ridiculous. I really need to come up with a storage unit for all these. I must have 50 reels or more - small and large diameter. (gotta be over 100 lbs worth of tapes) I recall hanging them in a special media cabinet back in the day, but not now of course. Any ideas what to use for a substitute?
What about re-attaching the labels? (contact cement? or will the fumes be bad for the tape)
Might as well think about the TK50s too... I'd like to get back the shelf space in my bookcases they occupy now. (Manuals keep piling up - finally got an RT11 set)
RL Packs -
I'll mention these too. If everything were unboxed, they'd occupy considerably less room. Of course, I wouldn't destroy the original cartons, so they'd still need a home too - but not in the house (I guess)
Originally, I was thinking one of those wire "Bicycle Rack" kinda things we used to put them in. While that's still a nice idea for current projects, I don't have enough room to store them all that way. I haven't counted lately, but figure 40 packs? (leaves me a little room to spare) Come to think of it, there are some RK05 packs too - make that 40 definite.
Geeze that's a lot of stuff scattered about. I feel really disorganized. :wallbang:
Here's a bit of forgotten detail - Color and touch-up paint.
We used to manufacture the sheet metal for our products, because each installation was custom designed. It was decided, that since our system was DEC based, and that it was a major selling point - that we should use the same paints. This gave the entire system the look as if it were of one manufacture, and the illusion worked quite well.
So, I used to have a ready supply of paint to deal with the inevitable scratch, scuff or occasional custom sheet metal which had to be painted to match. (I once had our sheet metal wizzards make an end panel for a corporate cabinet when we separated our TE16 from the 11/70)
Does anyone out there know of a modern day equivalent paint that matches DEC color?
I think the original was a heavy "lacquer" bit I'm not certain. It's funny, but I don't recall the smell... which I'm usually pretty good at, so it could have been an enamel.
I have need for two colors... The grayish paint on the removable side panels of the DEC standard 6 ft rack (vintage 11/34) and the textured off-white of the low 48 inch cabinet of the 11/730 and 11/44 style. (is that a "Low Boy?)
So much for paint.
Cabinet Damage -
I don't know why it is, but I see damage to those removable rack sides a lot. I have two of the 6 ft cabinets. One's sides are in very good shape with hardly a kink or dent. The other, looks like it's been in a train wreck. I haven't even managed remove the sides yet - they won't budge. From what I can see it may be because the substructure is bent and sprung. The rack frame itself appears fine as is the rear door. It's the panels themselves which are clearly distorted on the inner side, but not so apparent on the outside.
Any experiences to share on how to straighten them?
Slides -
I seem to have more slide mounts here than drives or boxes. They all need TLC of one kind or another - and I'll need mounts for at least 1 RL and up to 4 RK05 drives. They should probably all be derusted and refinished with a preservative even if only to end up being stored. One is that elaborate tilting rig, probably for an 11/34 box.
Do you use a chemical rust remover or the elbow grease method? What kind of finish - Paint? Grease? Dry Slide?
TS05 -
The TS05 drive needs disassembly and cleaning. It's interior will require a meticulous going over as some mechanical parts have slight signs of metal corrosion. The main electronics board will have to be removed, washed and dried in a vacuum oven before I can even check it. (looks like squirrels)
One of the first things to do is make backups of the main board's ROM contents. As long as they are still good, that should present no problems. I've got both UNIBUS and QBUS options - NIB so that end should be covered. The technical manual looks very complete. It looks like this task is going to be mostly mechanical in the beginning. There are instructions for checkout without the BUS controllers, which is very helpful.
Has anyone else had any experience with this unit or cautionary tales to share?
R80 -
It came with the 11/730. Is this an RA80 or something else? It looks the same at first glance. I haven't had the CPU box open yet. If it's connected via a UDA50 I guess I'll have my answer - unless someone can save me the research? (so much to do...)
1/2 inch tape storage -
This is getting ridiculous. I really need to come up with a storage unit for all these. I must have 50 reels or more - small and large diameter. (gotta be over 100 lbs worth of tapes) I recall hanging them in a special media cabinet back in the day, but not now of course. Any ideas what to use for a substitute?
What about re-attaching the labels? (contact cement? or will the fumes be bad for the tape)
Might as well think about the TK50s too... I'd like to get back the shelf space in my bookcases they occupy now. (Manuals keep piling up - finally got an RT11 set)
RL Packs -
I'll mention these too. If everything were unboxed, they'd occupy considerably less room. Of course, I wouldn't destroy the original cartons, so they'd still need a home too - but not in the house (I guess)
Originally, I was thinking one of those wire "Bicycle Rack" kinda things we used to put them in. While that's still a nice idea for current projects, I don't have enough room to store them all that way. I haven't counted lately, but figure 40 packs? (leaves me a little room to spare) Come to think of it, there are some RK05 packs too - make that 40 definite.
Geeze that's a lot of stuff scattered about. I feel really disorganized. :wallbang:
