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RJS03/04 - any experience out there?

I

iainmaoileoin

Experienced Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
216
Location
inverness
I am the proud owner of an RJS03 fixed-head disk system.

I don't have the guts to power it up yet - Scotland cant afford to lose another Hunterston reactor over the cold period :p

More seriously I need to strip down the boards, inspect, clean, reassemble before I go anywhere near putting power towards it.

I have no idea yet if the motor even spins up.

Does anybody have any experience of one of these drives?
Anything I should watch out for (except putting my back out) before I apply power and toast it by mistake.

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi All;

Iainmaoileoin, I am the proud owner of an RJS03 fixed-head disk system. Congratulations !!

A Picture would be nice, so I don't stick my foot any further into my Mouth..

I don't know what this is, as far a what size (how much storage) and How big it is.. ( 3 feet by 2 feet)
But, I had a CDC 9427H, (HAWK) which was a 5 Meg Removeable, 5 meg fixed Disk Drive, About the size of a Washing Machine..
I still have one in the Living Room..
I am assuming this is a Big monster, and if it is not ignore my comments
Anyway, seperate the Heads with a cotton Ball and a Rubber Band, so they Don't bang into each other Or into the Platter..
Take the Belt off of the motor to the Spindle If it has one, and that way You can test the motor..
On the CDC You could fake it into thinking it had a Platter in it when it didn't and so cause the Head Movement without any surface to Scratch either the Heads or the Platter..
Check for Air Flow, Most likely the Air Filter is Clogged or mostly clogged.. If possible get another one or unclog the one You have or throw out the filter and find something that will work in its place..
Air Flow IS very Important in these OLD Drives..
If it is Caught fast enough the Heads can be saved from a Head Crash, and the Platter may only need to be Replaced..
I have done all of this and Much more..
IF I can be of any Help, Please ask, even though I know nothing about This particular Drive..

THANK YOU Marty
 
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I will get some photos as soon as the rust is off the cabinet. DoM is 1977
I have circuit diagrams and theory of operation for the boards and the PSU - so that might help a lot.

The beast is not too big - RL02 size - perhaps a little deeper.

Thanks for your thoughts, I will add them to my list of "common sense".

I believe the drive is totally fixed head, so I wont have any fun with cotton buds.

I expect I lose the next 3 weeks on this job!
 
I am very interested in seeing pictures of this fixed head hard drive. We have a RS08 and a DF32. I am not sure of the status. But maybe the RS08 is similar? 128 heads as far as I remember.

Keep us updated on the progress working with this drive!
 
running out of time
what few photos I have are here http://www.scotnet.co.uk/iain/DEC/RS03/ I will photo things as I open them up.
My biggest problem for now is the corrosion on the fan impeller (et al) and the aluminium debris that is being shed.

HEPA still make the filters for this beast - but will I have to buy 1000x10^47 to get 1?
 
HEPA filters are still available for the RS03

HEPA filters are still available for the RS03

iainmaoileoin said:
HEPA still make the filters for this beast - but will I have to buy 1000x10^47 to get 1?
Click to expand...

The HEPA filter for my disk is in the (c) 1985 HEPA online product brochure. HEPA have told me that they have no old cases, but can still make the filter. Individual units are possible - not min order 100. I would not have thought it possible to get such things after 40 years. Good for that company. I will get this beast spinning yet.

Any thoughts about the best way to get rid of the corrosion from around this impeller?
fan_corrosion.jpg
 
iainmaoileoin said:
Any thoughts about the best way to get rid of the corrosion from around this impeller?
Click to expand...

I don't think that you can chemically treat that (it's aluminum, right?). I've heard that blasting with nut-shell material (as opposed to *sand*) is a reasonable option. But I have absolutely no personal experience.

In these modern times the standard answer probably is "3d print one" :->.
 
Paul is right, the fan would be best bead-blasted, or soda blasted as the media (bicarb of soda) is comparatively gentle on the work item. And then get them to etch prime after which you could probably leave it like that.
 
Hi All;

There is an aluminum treating brush on can, I think made by Rustoleum.. (I think, it's by them)..
When I officially get up I can look at what I have for sure, I have seen it used on old Radio and TV chassis..

THANK YOU Marty
 
blast it

blast it

1944GPW said:
Paul is right, the fan would be best bead-blasted, or soda blasted as the media (bicarb of soda) is comparatively gentle on the work item. And then get them to etch prime after which you could probably leave it like that.
Click to expand...

Blasting seems to have the vote.

Hey, I am Scottish, a crofter, and I live in the middle of nowhere - so the concept of "get them" is very strange to my ears :p

[I will look up etch prime to understand what that does - never heard of it]

I am assuming that the aluminium oxide that forms will do the job for another 40 years.

I was just going to use my airhose and spark-plug cleaning pot to throw some things (bicarb sounds great) at the vanes.
The other thought was to dip it in my ultrasonic ammo case cleaner and see what that does for it.

Martys "chassis chemical" may be ideal for a wee guy in a corner;

BTW the DIGITAL manual says the MTBF of this disk is computed at 4700 hours.
 
Thanks Marty, a car "alloy wheel cleaner" followed by a water-jet spray and then 5 mins in my ultrasonic "used-shooting-brass" cleaner did the trick, It is not perfect but nothing flakes/drops off any more when I shake it. I will post a photo tomorrow when I get to some higher-speed broadband.
 
cleaner that it was

cleaner that it was

iainmaoileoin said:
The HEPA filter for my disk is in the (c) 1985 HEPA online product brochure. HEPA have told me that they have no old cases, but can still make the filter. Individual units are possible - not min order 100. I would not have thought it possible to get such things after 40 years. Good for that company. I will get this beast spinning yet.

Any thoughts about the best way to get rid of the corrosion from around this impeller?
fan_corrosion.jpg
Click to expand...
Alloy wheel cleaner
followed by some ultrasonic

DSC_0006_51.jpg

DSC_0007_48.jpg
 
seriously?

seriously?

m_thompson said:
A little black paint and it will look like new.
Click to expand...
So that is what all the goop on the aluminum was - before I geid it a dunk in the chemicals?

If it should be black it will go back to black.

I guess I can use some roof bitumen :wow: and give it a lick of paint.

I have never had access to an RJS03 bits before, so have no idea what it should look like.

Are you serious that it used to be non-anodised black? Can you tell me if it was anodised or was it "just" painted?

Remember that I am planning to run this beast again - but probably for not more than the MTBF of 4700 hours.
Thus I wont paint it to make it look right - only if that is what it was.


Ta
 
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