At Last - A Control Data 160-A!

[Lyle Bickley]

On Wednesday 20 April 2005 00:41, Billy Pettit wrote:
> Eric Smith wrote:
>  >> Put it in the garage, powered it up and it ran!
>  >
>  >What???  You didn't test the DC power supplies first?  Naughty, >naughty!
>
> So I felt pretty confortable turning on AC without a pre-test.

Consider youself fortunate - Capacitors do fail when they have not been 
re-formed.  We found several such instances in restoring the PDP-1 - and I've 
seen it on other older systems (like my former PDP-12).

BTW: I am "happily" envious of your acquisition.  The CDC-160A was my first 
"home computer" back in the late sixties.  I was working in IBM's 
Poughkeepsie System Development Lab on System/360 - but I wanted a home 
computer so bad I could taste it.  I shopped around - and a used CDC-160A was 
all I chose to "afford".  Mine, however, used a Frieden Flexowriter for I/O 
along with the usual PT reader and punch.  Sigh, fond remembrances...

>  >Los Altos Typewriter.  They restored the IBM Model B electric
>  >typewriters used as console devices on CHM's IBM 1620 and DEC PDP-1.
>  >Don't expect them to do anything with the computer interface part, but
>  >they do great work on the typewriter mechanism.
>  >
>  >Eric

I second Eric's "motion" that the LA Typewriter folks are really good - and 
would add they are interesting folks.  It's been a family run typewriter 
business in Los Altos for many years...

> My biggest worry - the rubber belts and power roller look to be in great
> shape.  Even the platen doesn't seem to be hard or cracked.

That's really great! - the platen's often show wear, tear and cracks.

> It's the chassis panels that I will need help with.  I can get the rust
> off and primer it.  But to keep the original texture, I'm going to have
> to match the color and paint type.  These were originally given multiple
> coats and baked.
>
> How far do you go on restorations?  Match original paint or just the
> color?  Use current spray paint or the old enamels?  What have others on
> the list done for paint restoation?
>
> What do the museums do?

Try to be close to the original as possible in type, finish, etc...

Best wishes on you restoration!!!!

Cheers,
Lyle
-- 
Lyle Bickley
Bickley Consulting West Inc.
http://bickleywest.com
"Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"