SCM Merchant 1

[Bruce Farley]

I have a SCM Merchant 1 calculator in excellent condition. It's in its original box with instruction book and accessories. I has nixie tube display and all works like new. What do you think It's worth?

[Rick Paulos]

It sure bears a resemblance to my Sears C1. Same key shapes. The
Sears suffered from the liquid leaking out of the lcd display which
looks to be 2 layers of glass with the digits sandwiched in
between. I've had quite a few LCD calculators where the display
failed over time. We all know Sears didn't make anything (other than
money) so it would have been manufactured by someone else
(Rockwell?). As to value, not anything if the display is shot. It
is just your basic 4 or 5 function calculator. More functions = more
value IMO. Nixie tubes are sure worth more too. They do hold up
better than the early LCD. With the box and papers sure
helps. looking at sold ebay listings, they are all over the place
on price. And almost identical model sold for $125.

rick

At 09:50 PM 2/9/2016, you wrote:
>I have a SCM Merchant 1 calculator in excellent condition. It's in
>its original box with instruction book and accessories. I has nixie
>tube display and all works like new. What do you think It's worth?
>
>

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><https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1oLM0dbtrHs/VrqzZGii6dI/AAAAAAAABBU/H4wWimVb2pY/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B9.jpg>
>[]
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[Bruce Farley]

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these rebranded as a Sears. The display works perfectly and although it is only a 4 function it does have some useful accounting features as you can see from this  webpage https://toomanyobsessionstoolittletime.wordpress.com/category/nixie-tubes/nixie-tube-calculators/

[Richard Piotter]

Your Sears C1 would be based on the Lloyds Accumatic 100. I have a Data+Brain 1000 and a RapidMan 1208LC, both variants of the same hardware, using the same style keyboard, and a similar shape, similar to the C1, but more, boxy. (the screen is raised, rather than embedded). The Marchant 1 is a model I don't yet have, and want, as it'd go nicely next to my SCM Cogito 240SR, but at the moment, I can't afford to make an offer for it. :(

This was a popular keyboard design for 4 bangers of the era. I actually have 2 additional keyboards that I got surplus, years before I ever started collecting calculators!

Richard

richfiles

Begin forwarded message:

[Richard Piotter]

And yes, forgot to confirm. DEFINITELY a Rockwell chipset in all those early LCD models. The Lloyds Accumatic 100, Sears C1, Rapidman 1208LC, and Data Brain 1000 are all essentially the same machine.

I have no idea who did the chipset in the Marchant 1.

The SCM Cogito 240CR I mentioned owning is discrete components, primarily Resistor-Diode logic, with transistors for flip-flops and signal buffering and inversion. It uses a CRT with vector based segment "drawing".

Richard
richfiles


Begin forwarded message:
> From: Rick Paulos <rick-...@uiowa.edu>
> Subject: Re: [oldcalculatorforum] SCM Merchant 1
> Date: February 10, 2016 12:58:09 PM CST
> To: <oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com>
> Reply-To: oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com
>

[GCNige]

The Marchant 1 is listed in Ball & Flamm "The Complete Collector's Guide to Pocket Calculators" as having an orange tube display and being first sold in Spring 1971. The value listed there is $90-120.
Although having some resemblance to other models, it does not have an LCD display but appears to be a gas-discharge (cold cathode) type.

Regards,
Nigel Tout

[Richard Piotter]

The Marchant 1 is definitely equipped with actual nixie tubes. A rare portable nixie tube device! Truth is, I've seen them go for up to a couple hundred dollars in the past. If I had the money, I would honestly spend that on one. That are a pretty uncommon thing. The old Monroe/Compucorp portables (Like my Monroe Statistician 344) used a Panaplex gas discharge display (7 segment). I'm not certain if there are any other models that combined genuine nixie tubes with a portable machine. If there are others, then they may be even more uncommon than the Marchant 1. Display technology advanced pretty quickly. Panaplex displays became available at that time, followed by VFD tubes, multi VFD panels, and LED. Of course we all know LCD killed the lot of the competing technologies, with VFD only holding some territory for desktop office and point of sale machines.

Richard
richfiles


Begin forwarded message:

> From: GCNige <ni...@nigeltout.com>
> Subject: [oldcalculatorforum] Re: SCM Merchant 1
> Date: February 11, 2016 3:34:13 AM CST
> To: OldCalculatorForum <oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com>
> Reply-To: oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com

> --
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> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to oldcalculatorfo...@googlegroups.com.
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> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Adam Jones]

I'd be interested in buying it.  Can you send a picture of it on?

Adam Jones

Sent from my mobile. 

[Bruce Farley]

h

Here you go

[Richard Piotter]

That SCM Marchant 1 is a true thing of beauty!
If I had the cash, I'd SO make an offer for it.

Richard Piotter
richfiles


Begin forwarded message:
> From: Bruce Farley <brucedo...@gmail.com>
> Subject: [oldcalculatorforum] Re: SCM Marchant 1
> Date: February 16, 2016 10:41:27 PM CST

> To: OldCalculatorForum <oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com>
> Reply-To: oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com
>

> h
>
> Here you go

[Bruce Farley]

I'ts up for grabs here. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131731210939?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

If it doesn't sell on there I'll just hang on to it. 

[Richard Piotter]

Trust me... It'll sell!

Richard

richfiles

Begin forwarded message:
> From: Bruce Farley <brucedo...@gmail.com>

> Subject: [oldcalculatorforum] Re: SCM Merchant 1
> Date: February 19, 2016 10:21:32 AM CST

> To: OldCalculatorForum <oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com>
> Reply-To: oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com
>

> I'ts up for grabs here.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/131731210939?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
>
> If it doesn't sell on there I'll just hang on to it.
>
>

[Rod Walsh]

I have an SCM I, anyone know where I can get a manual?

Thanks,

Rod

[Cinnamum]

Hello Bruce,

this article is a bit older, but I just wanted to ask if the computer is still for sale?

Thank you very much for a short answer and

best regards

[Rod Walsh]

Not at this time. May be sales next year.

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[Motivational Staircase Podcast]

You know year it was introduced?

Sent from my iPhone

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[CalcGuy]

The SCM Marchant 1 was first sold in the spring of 1971 for $495 (about $3000 in today's dollars).

For the younger trivia buffs, SCM was formed when the major typewriter company, Smith Corona, merged (around 1960) with Marchant, one of the oldest and largest makers of mechanical and electro-mechanical calculating devices (primarily for business and school markets who could afford them).  In the very early 1970s, SCM sold some of the first portable electronic models, though they couldn't compete with some of the models from Bowmar and the Japanese companies. Our initial research only found SCM producing a few models  (the Marchant 1, 210, and F80 models).  There may have been a few more.

The Marchant 1 was pretty cool with an orange tube display, flip-up display cover, and a separate slide over the keypad for closure.  (And a battery meter!)  

On Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 7:42:13 AM UTC-8, Motivational Staircase Podcast wrote:

You know year it was introduced?

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 23, 2018, at 10:54 AM, Cinnamum <osz...@web.de> wrote:

Hello Bruce,

this article is a bit older, but I just wanted to ask if the computer is still for sale?

Thank you very much for a short answer and

best regards

Am Mittwoch, 10. Februar 2016 04:50:45 UTC+1 schrieb Bruce Farley:

I have a SCM Merchant 1 calculator in excellent condition. It's in its original box with instruction book and accessories. I has nixie tube display and all works like new. What do you think It's worth?

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[Rod Walsh]

For inventory services the Marchant I was the best you buy. Of course, other, better devices came along in time. But, I still have one or two of the Marchant I.

On Sun, Nov 25, 2018 at 8:46 AM CalcGuy <mrc...@pacbell.net> wrote:

The SCM Marchant 1 was first sold in the spring of 1971 for $495 (about $3000 in today's dollars).

For the younger trivia buffs, SCM was formed when the major typewriter company, Smith Corona, merged (around 1960) with Marchant, one of the oldest and largest makers of mechanical and electro-mechanical calculating devices (primarily for business and school markets who could afford them).  In the very early 1970s, SCM sold some of the first portable electronic models, though they couldn't compete with some of the models from Bowmar and the Japanese companies. Our initial research only found SCM producing a few models  (the Marchant 1, 210, and F80 models).  There may have been a few more.

The Marchant 1 was pretty cool with an orange tube display, flip-up display cover, and a separate slide over the keypad for closure.  (And a battery meter!)  

On Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 7:42:13 AM UTC-8, Motivational Staircase Podcast wrote:

You know year it was introduced?

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 23, 2018, at 10:54 AM, Cinnamum <osz...@web.de> wrote:

Hello Bruce,

this article is a bit older, but I just wanted to ask if the computer is still for sale?

Thank you very much for a short answer and

best regards

Am Mittwoch, 10. Februar 2016 04:50:45 UTC+1 schrieb Bruce Farley:

I have a SCM Merchant 1 calculator in excellent condition. It's in its original box with instruction book and accessories. I has nixie tube display and all works like new. What do you think It's worth?

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[J Respler]

Additional trivia: SC later sold Marchant to Olivetti where I worked in
the service department.  Only a few people were trained on Marchant
service. It may be that the main reason for the purchase was to have
users trade in their Marchant for an Olivetti add/calc.

--
Jay Respler
ADVANCED BUSINESS MACHINES CO.
JRes...@superlink.net
Monroe Township, New Jersey

[Motivational Staircase Podcast]

Can anyone tell me how to make a cord for Toshiba bc 1260 ??
Maybe someone has a cord?
3 prong

Sent from my iPhone

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[Paulos, Richard G]

Lots of older equipment has removable cords and the plugs are all different shapes with different connector layout with round or bladed terminals. Trying to find replacements is quite a challenge.

One easy way is to remove the socket and hard wire the machine. There are all kinds of clips for the hole in the chassis that will hold the cord in place and keep the cord insulation from getting cut by the metal case. Or just drill a new hole to the right size for those clips and cut the wires off the back of the existing socket. Any cord of suitable weight and number of wires will do. Cut the end off an extension cord or old lamp or drill and use that. Solder and insulate the connections inside the case. Heat shrink works well as insulation.

To make a cord with the right size and shaped plug to fit your machine's socket is a lot more work. use appropriate round or bladed connectors, crimped or better yet soldered to a power cord. Use a layer of heat shrink to keep the latex from penetrating in to the connector and to keep the live connection from poking out through the latex. Line the socket with a thin plastic like a sandwich baggie. Double stick tape to hold it in place. Build a wall around the edge of the socket with modeling clay or strips of plastic held in place with tape, up an inch or so to totally cover the connectors. Use a liquid latex to fill in around the wires to form your plug. Underwriters Laboratories surely won't approve this method. Silicone or latex won't set up as hard as many plugs but leave it connected and it won't get abused. There are numerous videos on uTube on working with molding materials.

Wire size. 18 gauge is rated for 7 amps. That's what is used on most table lamps and light weight home extension cords. I would think most motorized electro/mechanical and calculators draw well below 7 amps. Many power drills use round 14 gauge cords, good to 15 amps.





________________________________________
From: oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com <oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Motivational Staircase Podcast <jts...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2018 9:38 PM
To: oldcalcul...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [oldcalculatorforum] Re: SCM Merchant 1

[Jake Wildstrom]

And it came to pass that on Tue, Nov 27, 2018 at 06:37:24AM +0000,
in accordance with the prophecy, Paulos, Richard G spoke, saying:

> Line the socket with a thin plastic like a sandwich baggie.
>Double stick tape to hold it in place. Build a wall around the edge of
>the socket with modeling clay or strips of plastic held in place with
>tape, up an inch or so to totally cover the connectors. Use a liquid
>latex to fill in around the wires to form your plug. Underwriters
>Laboratories surely won't approve this method. Silicone or latex won't
>set up as hard as many plugs but leave it connected and it won't get
>abused.

I'm wondering if one could use 3-D printing material (probably ABS for
strength; it's also a tolerably good insulator) to build the plug
housing. If the plug shape has 1a reasonably straightforward geometry
and the spacing of the prongs/blades is known, one could build a really
well-fitting plug with 3D design. The actual electrical connectors would
have to be metal parts sourcedelsewhere, of course, and the idea of
using heatshrink on the internals would probably help out a lot with
making a snug fit and a reliable connection.


--
-Jake

He solemnly conjured me, I remember, to take warning by his fate; and
to observe that if a man had twenty pounds a-year for his income, and
spent nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence, he would be
happy, but that if he spent twenty pounds one he would be miserable.
-Charles Dickens

[Nick Barbour]

I had to 3d print a set of spools for my Victor 600. Someone was trying to sell me one spool for £35. I only paid £2.50 for the Victor.