#152 is alive! (and a question about "bookshelf mode")

[Jeremy Radwan]

After a minor build issue (which turned out to be a bad solder joint on a resistor, not the switch), PiDP-1 #152 is alive and blinking! It has joined its siblings on my cabinet:

The addition to this kit of the case assembly was a fun new challenge for my soldering skills, but I seem to have gotten everything aligned and squared up (I really botched the wooden case for my PiDP-8 back  in the day). Another awesome quality kit, love it. Haven't built the controllers yet, but those'll be next. I also need to edit up my traditional timelapse video of the build.

Quick question: is it possible to "auto load in" the tape set by the sense switches? As you can see from my photo I have all my PiDPs on a shelf and they automatically boot into their blinkenlights. I'm going to add pdp1control to systemd so it starts automatically when the PiDP-1 boots (rather than waiting until someone logs in), but all that does is mount the "tape" so I have to physically press the "Load In" switch to get it to run. Is there a way to automate that for "bookshelf mode"?

[Sean Sliwinski]

Nice family there!

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[R Clark]

Very Nice collection.  One of these days I'd like to add the Altair also.

[Jeremy Radwan]

Finished my timelapse assembly video.

PiDP-1 assembly timelapse

[Whit Turner]

Nice work! Very helpful for us prospective PiDP-1 builders.

I had to slow it down to .5x to avoid getting dizzy. 😂😂😂

Whit

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[José Gregorio León]

Great Jeremy!

Great time lapse and very well lit.

Thanks a lot.

Best regards,

Jose

[Jeremy Radwan]

I do have the real-time assembly video available (with chapters) available here, if you need/want to examine a specific section of the build:

PiDP-1 real-time assembly

Just don't make fun of my singing or swearing. :-)

[Malcolm Ray]

Great video!

I wonder why so many people have trouble with switches? So far, I've built:

PiDP-1

PiDP-8

PiDP-10

PiDP-11

IMSAI 8080 replica

which is more switches than I care to count, and I didn't kill any. Or any other components.

I don't think I'm particularly skilled, but I do use a temperature-controlled iron, and leaded solder.

Maybe the higher temperatures typical with lead-free solder are to blame?

[Bill E]

Mostly it seems people use too much heat, and I imagine it's because they use a cheap soldering iron.

I don't know how many thousands of solder joints I've done, but I use a temp-controlled iron and yes, lead solder.

I have been doing this a long time, though, and was certified for doing NASA and DOD quality-controlled stuff, but it's really not that hard.

Don't just let the iron sit, heat up the joint with solder touching it, not the iron. When the solder melts, done. Check for coverage, a shiny joint is a good joint.

Bill

[Whit Turner]

Those little toggle switches are very prone to melting with too much heat. I have many years of experience building electronics (that's not a brag, just a result of longevity 😀), yet I still managed to wreck a few of them in other projects, and that was using a temp controlled Weller and lead solder. Perhaps it is a result of poor materials (low melting point) in some of the cheaper versions of these.

Whit

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[R Clark]

I've also, knock on wood, never killed a switch in all of my projects.  Now, I've had bad solder joints and then not seat switch correctly into the base board ... but they have always worked in the end :) .  Lead solder here.