deskthority

Myoth wrote: ↑https://www.leboncoin.fr/informatique/1 ... htm?ca=1_s

pls guys help me deal with this ....

I know this might not be the right thread but I also found one of these and I only saw this thread going about these :/

Wow, that is an IBM System 32. This is a different system than mine but is still a beamspring desk. That is a very neat find. I hope you can pick this up? I would grab this in a heartbeat if it were close to me.

Edit: The System 32 is the successor to the System 3.
http://www.corestore.org/32.htm

JP! wrote: ↑

Myoth wrote: ↑https://www.leboncoin.fr/informatique/1 ... htm?ca=1_s

pls guys help me deal with this ....

I know this might not be the right thread but I also found one of these and I only saw this thread going about these :/

Wow, that is an IBM System 32. This is a different system than mine but is still a beamspring desk. That is a very neat find. I hope you can pick this up? I would grab this in a heartbeat if it were close to me.

Edit: The System 32 is the successor to the System 3.
http://www.corestore.org/32.htm

It's not very far from me (about 300km) but i can't really take it home since it must weight a lot and be really big. I'll try to though !

Any more updates on this? Interested to see what has been done in the last couple of months!

orihalcon wrote: ↑Any more updates on this? Interested to see what has been done in the last couple of months!

I have not forgotten about this project but progress has been slow. I also had started work on a few other project keyboards and have not had as much time on weekends to really dig into some of this stuff. Basically this is an end-game keyboard for me which currently is not quite practical for me to use until I get a bigger place due to the size of the desk. Since I have not had a major impetus to complete this project, the smaller and more easily achievable projects have received more attention. With the success of emdude's 3277 pcb's, I think that now perhaps is a good time to start work on something similar.

JP! wrote: ↑

orihalcon wrote: ↑Any more updates on this? Interested to see what has been done in the last couple of months!

I have not forgotten about this project but progress has been slow. I also had started work on a few other project keyboards and have not had as much time on weekends to really dig into some of this stuff. Basically this is an end-game keyboard for me which currently is not quite practical for me to use until I get a bigger place due to the size of the desk. Since I have not had a major impetus to complete this project, the smaller and more easily achievable projects have received more attention. With the success of emdude's 3277 pcb's, I think that now perhaps is a good time to start work on something similar.

I am still curious to see how the plastic bezel and other restoration goes. I get that the rest of the desk is going to require a car body collision specialist basically to replace sections of sheet metal. The PCB will be the easy part!

So I have not touched the case beyond simple cleaning. Honestly I am not quite ready to tackle the case yet. I have been considering everything needed to make it look as good as new though. Also some of the experience gained in my recent endeavors and further readings here on DT should prove to be useful when I do start the work. I should have an update to this thread by next month or so.

JP! wrote: ↑So I have not touched the case beyond simple cleaning. Honestly I am not quite ready to tackle the case yet. I have been considering everything needed to make it look as good as new though. Also some of the experience gained in my recent endeavors and further readings here on DT should prove to be useful when I do start the work. I should have an update to this thread by next month or so.

This is one case where I completely understand I mean this is a XXXL project of the special kind and it's not been done [here] before.

JP! wrote: ↑Edit: The System 32 is the successor to the System 3.
http://www.corestore.org/32.htm

You've really inspired me on this thread.

I have a custom desk I designed and built out of oak plywood back in the late 1990s. It was designed for a style of computer that really doesn't exist anymore and is a little out of place and awkward now because of it.

When I go to replace it, I'm going to go with a design similar to one of the old IBM workstations. I'll design and create a new desk that's in that style of the old ones, but with some more modern conveniences added to make it a really nice user space. I'll also keep my eye out for some of these old workstations and if I find one just restore it.

Thank you for posting this thread!

Edit: I'm thinking of something like this. One side for sitting when needing to, the other for standing, and with a large surface area for working on various projects. And probably a tall barstool-style seat as well for me as my aging legs get more and more tired at the end of the day.


And I could definitely use this:

JP! wrote: ↑So I have not touched the case beyond simple cleaning. Honestly I am not quite ready to tackle the case yet. I have been considering everything needed to make it look as good as new though. Also some of the experience gained in my recent endeavors and further readings here on DT should prove to be useful when I do start the work. I should have an update to this thread by next month or so.

Looking forward to this! For sure nothing like this has been done here before so best of luck!

I am glad this thread has been inspirational. Rick, I would love to check out your neat furniture ideas once they start to take shape. A standing desk certainly would be useful though. Also lots of desk space for projects would be nice as well. The height adjustable desks where I work at are quite popular.

In the meantime until I have any big updates I figured I would post some pictures of IBM 3740 related items I have recently acquired. I have an interesting little article from a vintage magazine, but I need to scan than one yet.

Vintage press photo:

If anyone is interested, here is an article I scanned from a vintage Resonator magazine which was a publication for Hodaka motorcycles. This article really captures how these systems were used and why they were useful for their time.

The secretary looks like she feels dead inside.

Here is a bit of good news, I was able to acquire some missing and replacement parts for my Data Station. These parts include power cord, power switch, spare solenoid, and toggle switches! My power switch was missing and my toggle switches were damaged. Also I found someone who knows someone who might have a CRT, Power Supply, and the motherboard for a floppy drive. Also if everything goes to plan, I should have some more good updates soon.

Glad you were able to find some parts. I am still impressed by this undertaking. Most people, including collectors, would have sent this to the scrap heap. I suppose we are getting to the point where things are becoming scarce enough that even a rusting hulk is a starting point, much like those who restore WWII aircraft.

Speaking of rusting hulk, the desk is currently in the hands of auto body specialists for sandblasting, metalwork, and paint. Originally most of the panels were powder coated but to do something this big would be pretty expensive I would imagine.

Edit: Actually I am not 100% positive that this was originally powder coated, but the paint has a textured appearance which my particular body shop / paint guy would not be able to replicate unless it was powder coated. I believe a powder coat chips rather peels so I guess that is the best way to tell.

I have some great news. I was able to acquire a replacement keyboard and top bezel from our very own Orihalcon. Thanks again. This was quite a find and certainly makes things much easier. The replacement keyboard keys have some wear to them but it has all of the keys. I still plan to fix up my original though, but will be a little further down my to do list.

This is starting to sound like the old broom with three new heads and five new handles ;-)

Yep, just like my grandfather's axe which has had the handle and head replaced

I knew it should go to a good home

Was kind of looking forward to coming up with a custom case for it, but I have other keyboards in need of cases that will satisfy my curiosity for case design ...Once I have the time for it

i am really looking forward to seeing your project complete - I imagine desk mounted beamsprings are damn convenient to use, and look great,

Really congrats to your find ü, and kudo that you are facing the troubles and doing the work.

Hey JP!,

Is this the replacement PCB you're looking for?

To give you context, I have a keyboard module (but no bezel - boo!) (OHHAI orihalcon? - got extras?). I looked at doing the electronic interfacing but the requirements were too severe for me so I knocked-up this replacement PCB for it.

It terminates to a ribbon-cable which goes to a CapSense controller running the software that DMA wrote.

There is a path to modernity if you want it.

fwiw, my 'deadline' for shipping the above PCB off for fabrication was originally going to be midday on Sunday. I have a lil more ground to pour before I send it and the addition of cats (because all my PCBs have cats on them, coz).

__red__ wrote: ↑To give you context, I have a keyboard module (but no bezel - boo!) (OHHAI orihalcon? - got extras?). I looked at doing the electronic interfacing but the requirements were too severe for me so I knocked-up this replacement PCB for it.

It terminates to a ribbon-cable which goes to a CapSense controller running the software that DMA wrote.

There is a path to modernity if you want it.

fwiw, my 'deadline' for shipping the above PCB off for fabrication was originally going to be midday on Sunday. I have a lil more ground to pour before I send it and the addition of cats (because all my PCBs have cats on them, coz).

Nice job on that pcb design and thanks for sharing! Yes, cats are a nice touch. I think your design is missing one pad on the top row at the far right, at least compared with my pcb. I would love to see some pictures once you have yours converted.

I started down the path of custom a custom pcb with the help of emdude and others here but lost a bit of my momentum, but not for too long. I would like to go with an Xwhatsit pcb design for now as I already have a beamspring xwhatsit and a solenoid driver.

A picture of my pcb:

JP! wrote: ↑I have some great news. I was able to acquire a replacement keyboard and top bezel from our very own Orihalcon. Thanks again. This was quite a find and certainly makes things much easier. The replacement keyboard keys have some wear to them but it has all of the keys. I still plan to fix up my original though, but will be a little further down my to do list.

Wow what a find, this project is really taking off now!

__red__ wrote: ↑Hey JP!,

Is this the replacement PCB you're looking for?

pre-datastationpcb.jpg

Does look like that PCB could be used with an Xwhatsit still, but not the beamspring variant, you'd have to use a Model F Xwhatsit running the inverted keystate firmware that I posted on the Displaywriter Modded Model F Xwhatsit controller thread, so that's still an option. I agree that it does appear to be missing that right upper set of pads, so definitely should add that before you go have them manufactured!

Perhaps your keyboard module is a different variant? Either way, even if the extra pads went unused, it wouldn't cause any harm to have them there.

orihalcon wrote: ↑

__red__ wrote: ↑Hey JP!,

Is this the replacement PCB you're looking for?

pre-datastationpcb.jpg

Does look like that PCB could be used with an Xwhatsit still, but not the beamspring variant, you'd have to use a Model F Xwhatsit running the inverted keystate firmware that I posted on the Displaywriter Modded Model F Xwhatsit controller thread, so that's still an option. I agree that it does appear to be missing that right upper set of pads, so definitely should add that before you go have them manufactured!

Perhaps your keyboard module is a different variant? Either way, even if the extra pads went unused, it wouldn't cause any harm to have them there.

That's great news if this works with a modded Model F Xwhatsit. Thanks for chiming in.

orihalcon wrote: ↑I agree that it does appear to be missing that right upper set of pads, so definitely should add that before you go have them manufactured!

Yup, you guys are right - I dropped one. Adding the pad as we speak (err, I type).

I'm not using xwhatsit, I'm using the CY8CKIT-059 and DMA's CapSense firmware. The hardware can be gotten here for < $10.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/ ... ND/5184557

Here's how it looks inside my other beamy...
Something to bear in mind, I'm doing development work here so this is not as 'turn-key' as xwhatsit, but it is infinitely more tolerant to imbalanced capacitance. In other words, this module really doesn't give two shiznits how consistent the values are between pads, only between boots.

UPDATE - Board due to ship on the 22nd. I'll either be high on success or inconsolable next Tuesday

Just got this neat board in the mail today from Red It will be a little bit yet before I can get the keyboard reassembled and calibrated.

The desk after paint