New Case Sample Ordered

[Chris Davis]

So I have a manufacturer making a single case as a sample, so I can verify everything is correct.  I don't expect any issues so I would assume I can get my first batch of full-size cases by September.  In the meantime I'm going to get boards and components to fit the Altair-Duino in the full size cases.

Here's my question:  This will require a fairly large outlay of cash for the first batch.  Would you guys be interested in pre-ordering and pre-paying for either the empty case (for the Altair 8800c) or a full Altair-Duino kit in the new case?  It wouldn't be a two-year pre-order (like a recent vintage case project) but more like a couple months.

I would wait until the sample case arrives and verify everything is good before I open the site for pre-orders.

[Chris Davis]

BTW, I'm not asking anyone to commit.  I just want to know if this would be an option anyone would consider.

You can still sign up for a notification when they're ready: https://adwaterandstir.com/product/altair-reproduction-case/

[Tom Wilson]

Heck yeah! I’ve been wanting to rebuild my “sleeper” machine for a while, now. 

I’d be interested in a kit in the new case. 

Question: does this mean you’re calling the AD up to 1:1, to fit Mike’s case design? 

Tom Wilson
wils...@gmail.com
+1(619)940-6311 

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[jay....@gmail.com]

Count me interested.

 

From: altair...@googlegroups.com <altair...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Tom Wilson
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 3:36 PM
To: Chris Davis <famousd...@gmail.com>
Cc: Altair-Duino <altair...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: New Case Sample Ordered

 

Heck yeah! I’ve been wanting to rebuild my “sleeper” machine for a while, now. 

 

I’d be interested in a kit in the new case. 

 

Question: does this mean you’re calling the AD up to 1:1, to fit Mike’s case design? 

Tom Wilson
wils...@gmail.com
+1(619)940-6311 

 

On Tue, May 21, 2024 at 1:22 PM Chris Davis <famousd...@gmail.com> wrote:

BTW, I'm not asking anyone to commit.  I just want to know if this would be an option anyone would consider.

You can still sign up for a notification when they're ready: https://adwaterandstir.com/product/altair-reproduction-case/

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 11:33:02 AM UTC-5 Chris Davis wrote:

So I have a manufacturer making a single case as a sample, so I can verify everything is correct.  I don't expect any issues so I would assume I can get my first batch of full-size cases by September.  In the meantime I'm going to get boards and components to fit the Altair-Duino in the full size cases.

 

Here's my question:  This will require a fairly large outlay of cash for the first batch.  Would you guys be interested in pre-ordering and pre-paying for either the empty case (for the Altair 8800c) or a full Altair-Duino kit in the new case?  It wouldn't be a two-year pre-order (like a recent vintage case project) but more like a couple months.

I would wait until the sample case arrives and verify everything is good before I open the site for pre-orders.

 

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[John Galt]

I'm interested. i signed up for the case availability notification.

i have one of the middle of the road versions of the Boards from 2020. 

i could get a complete new setup that also has the I/O Bus and then i can add hardware cards to it and a real disk drive if those come around again.

[Chris Davis]

>>Question: does this mean you’re calling the AD up to 1:1, to fit Mike’s case design? 

Yes.  The Altair-Duino Pro will be replaced by an Altair-Duino in Mike's case.  Because you asked for that like six years ago! :)

The Altair-Duino Experimenter will have a new aluminum frame and a VT100 emulator card, but it will still be the 4/5ths size.  I want there to still be an "affordable" kit version.

[Tom Lake]

I'll preorder. We know the amount of work you've already done and how much will go into this project. We know you'll finish what you start and we won't be left hanging.
Just let us know when we can  pre-order. I can't wait to put the expansion backplane(s) internally. 

[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

I hope it's the same size as the Altair Clone/Altair 8800c box ... I want one to build another Altair 8800c computer.  

I'm also thinking that IF all the Altair-Duino Pro kits migrate to the larger format that it will make it more interesting for people to build and use them, and should they decide to migrate over to a real S-100 computer, it would be a much more affordable step already having the cabinet.  

.

[Christopher Bock]

I'm very interested in a new 8800c compatible case! I'm just began an Altair 8800c project, but my case is going to be plywood until I find something more "official".  

Christopher Bock

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 12:33:02 PM UTC-4 famousd...@gmail.com wrote:

[Chris Davis]

The manufacturer just sent me this photo of the completed sample piece (of course the nameplate will be trimmed).

[John Galt]

do you think you will do another Disk drive kit run to go along with the new case kits?

[Chris Davis]

Well, the acrylic cases for the drive will not match the new Altair clone cases.  The original acrylic drive cases were time consuming and putzy which is why I have not made any more.  I have thought about making an Altair 680 case that could be repurposed for a drive case, but that's probably a year or two in the future.

[Chris Davis]

The construction files for the case are available on the website if you have access to a laser cutter and want to make your own.

[John Galt]

if you do think some time in the future you might make a semi matching disk drive kit then i would just wait for that.

i figure when you have the new kits ready to get that with the backplane and a disk controller and then wait.

[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

As I want another sheet metal AltairClone/Altair 8800c cabinet for one more metal cabinet build, I've switched to making Oakwood cabinets for the computers and both 8" floppy drives and full-height 5-1/4" floppy drives.  

I've made some of the design files available on my website:  http://www.brainless.org/Altair/Repository.html#section20  I do plan to make more generic files available for the IMSAI mini-Front Panel board.  

These are pre-sanding and staining ... easy to laser cut, engrave and assemble and are very strong using 5mm thick Oak plywood.  

Cabinets are stained using MINWAX "GoldenOak" wood stain ... it looks the best;  

Building an IMSAI mini-Front Panel computer:  

My BBS computer running the 1976 CBBS:  

I've contemplated doing a design for my two Altair-Duino Pro computers ... Acrylic plastic doesn't last forever.  

.

[Chris Davis]

Here are the cut pieces for my sample case, before bending and powder coating.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 11:33:02 AM UTC-5 Chris Davis wrote:

[John Galt]

exciting :-)

[John Kennedy]

That front panel looks epic! 

[Stéphane Pitteloud]

Hi, I'm totally interested, already signed up and happy to prepay it if you go this wa!

[Chris Davis]

I should be able to get the prototype from the shop on Friday or Monday.  They sent this photo.

[brian...@gmail.com]

That's really cool!

[Mike Douglas]

There may be issues fitting in the front dress panel with the inside radius they have on the four corners of the front bezel. It looks like the weld was done on the inside of the corner instead of the outside of the corner. The outside weld is done by removing a small section from the outer edge of the two pieces being welded, then filling that void during the weld process which restores the outside corner (needs a quick grind to reshape, of course). See the front bezel weldment notes in the drawing package.

Mike D

[Chris Davis]

That issue has been addressed after this photo was taken.

[John Galt]

[Mike Douglas]

That’s great - almost there!

[Tim Geuy]

When this goes into production would it be possible to add an option for a case with a blank front panel? While I am collecting the parts needed to build an Altair clone and will need a case for that, I have an older system that really needs a better home that the wooden box it's lived in for the past 40+ years that doesn't support a front panel (Digicomp Pascal 100). For it I just need a power and reset switch on the front.

Tim 

[Chris Davis]

It would not be economically feasible to carry blank panels on the rare occasion someone wants one.  However, there are a multitude of resources online that can custom produce one for you.  frontpanelexpress.com immediately comes to mind.

[Chris Davis]

Here's the new case with a full-size Altair-Duino in it:

[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

Is the new cabinet going to be exactly the same as Mike's to host an Altair 8800c computer or the new Altair-Duino computer?  

.

[Chris Davis]

Yes.  It is built from Mike's designs.

[John Galt]

what plans do you have adapting the Duino, will there be boards for the I/O bus and extensions out the back for ports? or will all that be up to the builders?

[Chris Davis]

It will be very similar to the Altair-Duino Pro.

[Tom Wilson]

Looking at the pictures, I noticed a pin connector on the top right of the rear of the main PCB. If I had to guess, I’d bet that’s the backplane connector.

So if one was to get the extension cable Chris linked to in another post, then one could simply mount the backplane in the case, using appropriate standoffs. 

Personally, I’m already contemplating how to make that work. (Although I can’t do anything in that respect until next year…)

[Chris Davis]

That's not exactly a backplane connector.  It's where the expansion card (which includes the backplane) connects, but it has additional connections.  It's a 36 pin connector.  However you could use that cable I linked to go from one card connector to an external backplane if you want.

[Richard McDonald]

Count me in.  I have registered for a notification when available (although with a different email address).

[Jeff Galinat]

I would be willing to pay money up front to help defer the initial cash outlay. This of course depends on the final cost.  I don’t know if a ballpark figure has been discussed as I am a little late to this thread. 

Thank you for all your efforts!

Best regards 

Jeff Galinat

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 1:22:29 PM UTC-7 Chris Davis wrote:

BTW, I'm not asking anyone to commit.  I just want to know if this would be an option anyone would consider.

You can still sign up for a notification when they're ready: https://adwaterandstir.com/product/altair-reproduction-case/

[Chris Davis]

My goal is to keep it as close to Mike's original price as I can.  I believe his price was $300 for the case and faceplate (plus shipping).  

[Jim Rauser]

Count me in.  I've just spent the last week trying to source board and whatnot to rebuild my first large-ish HW/SW project, from waaaaaaaay back in time (trigger was the availability of a running S100 computer [an Altair 8800] and Steve Ciarcia's article "Sound Off" in the July 1979 issue of Byte Magazine, describing a project to construct a sound card centered around a triphonic General Instruments tone generator chip [the AY-3-8910],  plus a book of sheet music for J.S. Bach's keyboard pieces, in particular the "two-part inventions" and "three-part sinfonias", a dozen or so which I transcriber note for note into assembly constants for a custom piece of sofware to drive them through the board with correct timing.

This group was recommended to me by John T. Kennedy in the S100Computers group.  The story so far: this page -  https://deramp.com/altair_8800c.html says under "Cabinet" that

"As of Spring 2024, Chris Davis has taken over production of the Altair 8800 Clone cabinet. Visit this page fover more information."

i just posted my first thread here, titled "Looking to reach "Chris Davis" for an Altair 8800 clone cabinet ..."

after following the "Visit this page" link and signing up for notification as to when the cases might be ready to order/ship, but I haven't heard anything yet.  If there's a good alternative out there that you know of (and that will work with Tood Goodman's 9-slot backplanes and the front panel board from https://deramp.com/altair_8800c.html) I'd be willing to give it a try, since at this point I think I've sourced/ordered most of the main necessary compoents to build an 8800 clone.  If there's interest I'd be willing to put together a google sheet/PDF of the basic set of large parts, where I'vre found them, and what the costs are.  My memory and a large-ish collection of gmails under my label "Altair" are reaching their limits.

CAVEAT: At this point I've only dipped my toes into the water to find mostly bare boards.  The next step will be to decide on wire-wrap vs. point-to-point soldering (likely the former) and begin chasing down the chips, resistors, capacitors, LEDs and switches needed to pupulate them.

Thanks,

Jim Rauser

[Brian Decker]

Chris I am also happy to prepay for a case+shipping if that helps defray your costs.