The TU56/TD8E is running well now. I have been given some DecTapes, used Dump/Restore to get OS/8 running from it, and I can run a system - even Fortran IV, although that certainly gives the tape a bit of a workout doing the compile and load!
So now onto the next phase with the RK05. I've removed all traces of DEC's infamous black foam. Even the seal round the blower had disintegrated to dust. Stripped the blower and washed out the impeller. Removed the absolute filter and blew it out backwards to clean it out a little. I don't have a prefilter, not even the metal case for it but I don't suppose that matters too much in the short term. Cut some replacement seals from foam for the blower and the seat for the cartridge inlet. Cleaned the brown dust off the heads. Replaced the retract battery which had made a bit of a mess. Cleaned everything - even the drive belt had adhered pretty firmly to the pulleys - and finally fired it up. No smoke, the airflow seems fine, the switches and lights work and if I push the microswitch the spindle runs up OK with no squeaking.
Next I tried the diskless controller test last night which failed early on with a Data Register fail. Easy to track down and fix though so by close of play the RK8E passes that diagnostic and I'm ready to start in earnest on the RK05. This needs a little care because disk packs for the 8 are scarce and new heads even scarcer. The next big step is to try loading a disk. I'm unsure whether or not to clean the disk first or whether to rely on it having been safe in its plastic bag all these years. I think I'll dismantle and clean it just to be sure for the sake of the heads. That'll be today's job. I'm still recovering from the strain of lifting the unit onto my workbench.
I hope the heads are OK. The unit has had some knocking about, and with the batteries shot the heads had bounced off the duckbill and rattled back and forth a bit. We'll see!
So now onto the next phase with the RK05. I've removed all traces of DEC's infamous black foam. Even the seal round the blower had disintegrated to dust. Stripped the blower and washed out the impeller. Removed the absolute filter and blew it out backwards to clean it out a little. I don't have a prefilter, not even the metal case for it but I don't suppose that matters too much in the short term. Cut some replacement seals from foam for the blower and the seat for the cartridge inlet. Cleaned the brown dust off the heads. Replaced the retract battery which had made a bit of a mess. Cleaned everything - even the drive belt had adhered pretty firmly to the pulleys - and finally fired it up. No smoke, the airflow seems fine, the switches and lights work and if I push the microswitch the spindle runs up OK with no squeaking.
Next I tried the diskless controller test last night which failed early on with a Data Register fail. Easy to track down and fix though so by close of play the RK8E passes that diagnostic and I'm ready to start in earnest on the RK05. This needs a little care because disk packs for the 8 are scarce and new heads even scarcer. The next big step is to try loading a disk. I'm unsure whether or not to clean the disk first or whether to rely on it having been safe in its plastic bag all these years. I think I'll dismantle and clean it just to be sure for the sake of the heads. That'll be today's job. I'm still recovering from the strain of lifting the unit onto my workbench.
I hope the heads are OK. The unit has had some knocking about, and with the batteries shot the heads had bounced off the duckbill and rattled back and forth a bit. We'll see!