Don't for a moment think that you don't deserve the award. Through hard work, determination and a love of this old technology, you have built a most peculiar niche of your own, and you occupy it well. Congratulations!
Thank you so much! Seriously, though, everyone at the event had stellar exhibits and huge amounts of passion. It must have been tough for the judges for sure!
@@UsagiElectric And I really loved the panel you were on with Fran, Adrian and Jeri with Bil Herd mc'ing about what it takes to do what everyone does. Computers is one thing, documenting it on video and gaining an audience is yet another whole thing. 👍
THank you! And while I agree on some level, most of the really rare machines there were up and running and churning away on something, which is an impressive feat and definitely deserved of recognition. Especially for some machines like the Enterex machines Forgotten Machines had on display. That took some serious skill to bring those rare beasts back to life!
@@UsagiElectric don't sell yourself short. Building a computer yourself is just as impressive if not more as restoring an old broken one. Even if its rare. There are not many people building vacuum tube computers, there is definitely something unique in that.
You have a well-deserved role in that place I'm glad you did you've been an amazing and strategic point of education as well as retro archeology and retro computing, you've earn your place in history my friend, and I'm very happy for you, you've worked so hard tho get to this point your absolutely welcome into the hall of fame !
Back in the day, early 90’s I used a wire wrapping tool to straighten pins. I found it quick, non invasive and consistent. Great video and excellent craftsmanship, thank you! 💯
I have been following this channel for a little while, not because I even remotely understand what is going on most of the time (because I don't), but I respect and appreciate the obvious enthusiasm and joy that drives the work on these old machines. The tools that humans make to shape our world aren't simply objects, but also reflections of their creators and also come to be much more than objects for those that use them. I suspect that this probably has something to do with your best in show award-- you're devoting a huge amount of time, passion and resources to maintaining tangible tangible links between the ancestors of so much of what we take for granted today and a world that moves ever onwards.
Thank you so much! And I agree 100%, a lot of people see these machines as just old objects, but they're so much more. So many engineers poured blood, sweat and tears into these machines to build something that they truly loved. That drive and passion is evident in every facet of these machines, and that's what I find the most fascinating about them!
Might I suggest a couple of "c" handles along the sides of the device that sit higher than the tubes. Not only could this help with moving the board but if it tips, it would most likely protect from direct impact damage, and not look out of place in the design scheme as they could be made of wood.
Great idea. My first thought was a plexiglass cover plate, but then I realized that would trap too much heat. But some 'guard rails' around the sides would go a long way. Maybe one or two near the middle as well, in case the board flexes too much?
When my brother and I were children about 40 years ago, we often played with old tubes that my father had in stock ... having a shape that remembered a rocket, we pretended that they were Saturn 5, which inevitably destroyed themselves in the landing ... now I come to cry remembering my father...and thinking of those destroyed treasures. Great job, congratulations...
You absolutely deserve that award my man, you bring to life a more rare section of computing history that many are fascinated with, but lack resources to get into. Stay awesome. The way you produce your videos makes me feel like I am in your studio watching over your shoulder as you work.
Damn awesome event, congrats about the star! And pity about Kevin... We can rebuild him, we have the technology! Nice recombobulation. Seeing the bent angular goldpin connectors gave me another idea: maybe using upright pin headers and jumper boards with female connectors? Sure, it's a lot of work machining and soldering them, but in case something smashes into a board, the joint will come apart at worst, but not damage any traces. Oh, and if you want, it may be a good opportunity for a dissection video of 6AU6 from different manufacturers to show the differences in their internal build. 15:50 of all things, I'd never expect a resistor to fail. Keri register recombobulated and go for launch, haha!
Yeah, I'm quite curious myself about why and how that power resistor failed. Might be worth someone with machine tools cutting the thing open to see what's going on in there. (For me, anyway, since I use that type myself for various power-supply-related testing.)
Thanks Keri! The 90-degree pin connectors was not a great choice, but one that become obvious in hindsight. For the second board, I'll be almost exclusively using upright pin headers and jumper boards with female connectors. It's more machining, but it's definitely a better connection method. Though, still not the most ideal, for UE-2, we'll be doing it proper!
@@Curt_Sampson I didn't talk about it in the video, but I have a pretty good idea. When loading it up on the way too the event, my dis-coordinated self accidentally slapped a tube, bending the pins up. Instead of spending a few minutes to straighten the pins, I reached into my 6AU6 grab bag and just replaced the tube. Unbeknownst to me, I accidentally grabbed a 12AU6, which created a much lower resistance path to ground. I think that may have put a little too much stress on that 0.8 ohm resistor and burned it up.
Consider adding a full-length handle/guard rail along the sides of your tube computer that sticks up higher than the tubes. It would help prevent future damage and maybe even make it easier to transport.
I thought of an acrylic front screwed in the same screw places of the boards , but probably the guard rail is the best option for minimum added weight.
After hearing the list of all the machines that you brought to the event, I would have been surprised if you hadn't won the event. Your award was well-deserved. Congratulations! 👍🏼👏🏼✔️🇺🇲🇺🇦😉
Congratulations on the award! I know it was well-deserved. I'm just sorry I wasn't able to make it to the event. Probably as an occupational hazard from being down an ENIAC rabbit hole for a few years, but your tragedy with the UE-1 reminds me of the filre in the ENIAC prior to being moved to Aberdeen. It's wonderful to see the damage wasn't any worse and you were able to get it runnning again.
One of the absolute top things about youTube is how the retro and vintage computing community has just exploded using it to spread the word. Congratulations on your win!
You should get another award for tenacity - I dropped an EZ81 last week and thought it a tragedy, but you not only rebuilt the whole valve computer but fixed it as well!
Great recovery from that disaster ! So many bags of tubes ! I love it. Happy it was such a rewarding show for you. Love your videos. ❤ Sorry I missed meeting you at VCF East this past April. Next time 😊
Was great meeting you at VCFSW, and again, congrats on winning Best in Show! Definitely enjoyed your talk and getting the opportunity to chat with you. I feel like the wind didn't blow the entire weekend, so you really got unlucky while trying to put the vacuum tube computer in your car! Great video from the bad luck though. Keep up the badassery on your channel!
It was painful to watch those poor tubes broken, but your positive attitude got it working again. I love the 6AU6! Thanks for sharing this awesome project with us!
Congratulations in the award - you deserved it! I suggest putting posts slightly taller than the vacuum tubes on at least the corners, to reduce the damage if it falls again.
Congratulations! Very well deserved! To me it always feels a little bit like cheating when your own designs break.. but the good kind. If you planned for repair and it's reasonably documented it feels so rewarding that troubleshooting is a breeze and you can "just fix it".
A nice thick Perspex cover might be in order. Im sure you definitely deserve that award, reality is how many others made their own computer let alone out of vacuum tubes, all power to you
I feel bad for you. I know the feeling when something goes horribly wrong and you are sitting there heart sick over what just happened. Very glad you were able to fix it.
I didn’t get to talk to you or Sean from Action Retro but I did run across the centurion and your other equipment and I was starstruck. This was my first time going to VCF and it was great. I brought my son with me and he had a blast as well. Congrats on the award! You deserve it.
You absolutely deserve that award for all the hard work you put into making your own computer! No one said it had to be perfect. It just had to be amazing, and it is. Now, as for preventing mishaps like this in the future, I would advise you to build a detachable weighted base to hold it up instead of propping it up like an easel or a bike. Something that you can fill with rocks or a sandbag or whatever to weigh it down and prevent it from being knocked over again.
Someone who builds road cases for musical instruments should be able to make you a very nice case for your tube computer. Completely reinforced outer shell with fitted foam inside to keep those tubes safe from breakage. Congrats on the project and the award!
Accidents happen, but I have no doubt you'll bring that vacuum tube computer back to life. Can't wait to see it in action next year, with extra caution against gusty winds. :)
as a tube-amp aficionado, I'd advice you to look for a metal "pin-rectifier". They existed for 9 and 7 pin tubes. They work a lot faster than pliers. Or ... maybe, you could get it machined. Sometimes you can find them on military tube-testers. Great job !!! Liked this vid a lot!
Congratulations on the award! After all the love and devotion you've showed your machines it's most definitely deserved. Also, it's fantastic to see so many women on the UA-camr panel! Overall it just sounds like a fantabulous event, and I wish I could have been there!
I luv the way go beard, then clean every few months it's such a cool look. I also luv luv luv all your machines, one day I'll get my own PDP-11 until then you keep me smiling.
2:47 THE Jeri Ellsworth sighting! Congrats for the award! Would somekind of guardrails around the boards help with preventing another literal crash? Maybe also help moving it around?
The straightforward repair shows how well it was designed and built, definitely worth a Best of Show. And I'm looking forward to next year as well. (I was the guy who didn't know how to pronounce Nuvistor, which I only just now realized IS pronounced like transistor! Doh!)
Congratulations on the well deserved award. Great to see the valve computer operational again. Maybe some stand offs dotted around the sides and corners for protection?
You won for one simple reason, you had a well designed vacuum tube computer, similar to the ones built in WW2. Home built and running, well done. I would have given you the award myself if I had been there. Those vacuum tube computers are hard to get going and keep running. I worked on one in college a very long time ago, back at the dawn of the solid state IC. I would recommend that you mount all boards on the backboard using standoffs. Also as others have said, some guard rails around the boards would be good. Perhaps 3 d print up some board carriers. Make them steampunk looking and all will be good.
Steampunk looking? Maybe some nice brass drawer handles at Home Depot? They would need a little extension, but could give a nice look to the project, in addition to accident resistance.
Really wanted to go to the VCF event, but the last time I was in Dallas getting around was such a pain that I decided not to go. I hope they do an event in Austin or Houston next.
This was in Richardson, and UTD is in grid-streets land. There are a lot of hotels along US-75, and even Micro Center was conveniently close. My only trouble was on the way home, I missed the turn to I-35 and ended up on I-30 almost all the way to Arlington before I noticed.
To avoid future falls, just a simple wooden base with 4 wheels that the vertical frame can be screwed onto perpendicular, with some L brackets, would aid demonstrations, and moving around, and as others have suggested, a wooden lid that covers the tubes and latches to the side of the vertical frame (when the aforesaid wooden base is removed), would make travel less stressful.
You may consider putting a frame in a light material around the board so that it's the frame that would be hit instead of the tube. A simple frame made out of light material like aluminum, PVC or wood would be enough.
Congratulations on the reward! Deserved! Especially getting that Centurion running! When you first got it I had my doubts and I'm happy to say that I was proved wrong. Can you share the brand of the tube pin sockets you use in your builds? Or if anyone know please share!
@@kalletechnologies7649: Oh no! I'm in the habit of wearing my IBM baseball caps (a wide selection available at 'IBM Logo Store - run by Staples), but I brought about twice as many as I wore there. Yeah, I was the only UA-cam panelist (as shown in this video @3:20) wearing a hat! But unlike the other Dave - I didn't lose my voice!
I think it's time to build a travel case for the vacuum tube computer. A couple sheets of plywood, some 2x4s, foam, latches, and handles would do. Even cardboard and bubble pack would be better than nothing. Don't forget an anemometer with a siren.
I think you did very well going to those events. Being in Idaho. Anything like that was not and still not. Well we do have local Ham events. Around the late 90's I picked up a Burroughs B21 or 22. Not sure what model number. Big old 8" drive, and typical missing key on keyboard. It fired up and sure enough I found word perfect. But, with tons of other around that time. It got chucked along with Several Wang terminals, cables and printers. I still to this day go around to museums and such point out what I owned, if it worked, what I did with it and what I passed up. You taking your Centurion to the show was just what everybody needs. I droll all over your Centurion, Wang and soft of vax systems you have. I also Droll over Curious Marc hp systems. These are the type of systems I consider classic. That I wanted to use or collect growing up. So I just wanted to say Thank You.
You should build a removable wooden cover to put over the vacuum tube computer for transport. Just screw on some 1x4's around the perimeter and that should give you enough height to clear all the tubes then just attach a flat panel that sits on the 1x's.
Just a thought - if you put standoffs on each corner of the back board, and maybe a pair in the middle on the sides, you could screw another piece of wood on to "sandwich" the tubes and protect them during transport
One slight improvement when you are doing repairs like this: The board-board interconnects would be better if they used jumper boards or standard jumper cables. This would allow each board to be easily removed or reinstalled. Also hooking up additional meters or diagnostics in the linkages would then be possible.
Congrats on the award, great job on the repair. I remember those IBM card punches and the Juki replicas. The documentation was just like the Japanese vcr manuals of the day. Lots of English words but not necessarily in the right order.
Yeah, roll bars might do it. Be aware that the sicket pins took ab impulse load and be prepared to resolder any cracked solder joints. Hopefully none, but if you see intermittents consider that as something to remedy. Congrats on Best of Show and that reflects on your supporters and team
maybe you should think about using copper tubing to create a brace around the outer edge of the OSB to give it a kind of roll cage (and maybe a good handle for moving it around). Aged copper would look great on it I would imagine and be pretty light!
Great video! Have you ever tested/used 1T4 pentodes? They are already designed for lower voltages, 1.4 V filament, 90 V or less plate and screen. EG my 7 tube 1t4 radio uses 54 vdc plate/screen.
I have a piece of vintage TEKTRONIX equipment being a type 561b oscilloscope with a 3b4 time base and 3a6 amplifier, the story of how i got it is quite funny The machine was originally purchased new from factory by ohio medical in 1971 (confirmed as i have the original reciept) and my grandfather used it to callibrate large industrial machines, by the time he left he was the only person at that facility that knew how to use it so they gave it to him, it sat under his workbench gathering dust for something like 20-40 years im not to sure, but one day last year i saw it and asked my grandfather about it, he happily showed it to me and said if i wanted it i could take it and so i did, he also had almost all of the documents and manuals for it intact and i got those as well, the machine works a treat and i havent had any issues with it, it is a vacuum tube machine and as far as i can tell they have never been replaced, which is mind blowing that it still runs perfectly with factory tubes Edit: i also have some questions, 1 are vacuum tubes okay to touch, i have wanted to pull the tubes on my scope and clean them but i dont know if thats a good idea or not 2 what are your thoughts on the scope i described in the comment, im always curious what people think of it and the wild story it has
Congrats on the award! I was wondering if you could post a link to where i could buy some of those socket pins as i am interested in building a vacume tube circut myself
Omedetou gozaimasu, Nakazoto-sensei. I'm so glad the vacuum tube computer is back up and running. It's a tribute to your design skills that it was so easy to troubleshoot and repair. I hope I can make it to a VCF one year soon.
Have you thought about using core memory instead of flipflops? I think that would enable you an order of magnitude more central memory without much overhead.
NB: 1) Purchase flightcase 2) Load computer into case _before_ leaving the building. (Or build a packing crate, the kind you close up with a battery screw driver 🎁🔫)
Don't for a moment think that you don't deserve the award. Through hard work, determination and a love of this old technology, you have built a most peculiar niche of your own, and you occupy it well. Congratulations!
Thank you so much!
Seriously, though, everyone at the event had stellar exhibits and huge amounts of passion. It must have been tough for the judges for sure!
@@UsagiElectric I would say that you filled a vacuum(or niche) in the retro computing YT space, and that warms my heart😇
@@UsagiElectric And I really loved the panel you were on with Fran, Adrian and Jeri with Bil Herd mc'ing about what it takes to do what everyone does. Computers is one thing, documenting it on video and gaining an audience is yet another whole thing. 👍
He looks a bit like an older Louis Rossmann. hehe
@@carpetbomberz And building / designing your own unique system is something COMPLETLEY different!
Bringing a rare machine does not require skill. Restoring one requires skill, building one even more. Best of Show was well earned.
THank you!
And while I agree on some level, most of the really rare machines there were up and running and churning away on something, which is an impressive feat and definitely deserved of recognition. Especially for some machines like the Enterex machines Forgotten Machines had on display. That took some serious skill to bring those rare beasts back to life!
@@UsagiElectric don't sell yourself short. Building a computer yourself is just as impressive if not more as restoring an old broken one. Even if its rare. There are not many people building vacuum tube computers, there is definitely something unique in that.
@@bzuidgeest if it's rare
Time to build a proper "crate" or cover to protect the tubes?
Yep, he better do it.
At least a cage
Or even some door stop bumpers on the corners
Good idea.
Something close to a box on wheels.
You have a well-deserved role in that place I'm glad you did you've been an amazing and strategic point of education as well as retro archeology and retro computing, you've earn your place in history my friend, and I'm very happy for you, you've worked so hard tho get to this point your absolutely welcome into the hall of fame !
Thank you so much!
It means a ton to hear that the work I'm doing in the little shop out there is appreciated!
Back in the day, early 90’s I used a wire wrapping tool to straighten pins. I found it quick, non invasive and consistent. Great video and excellent craftsmanship, thank you! 💯
I have been following this channel for a little while, not because I even remotely understand what is going on most of the time (because I don't), but I respect and appreciate the obvious enthusiasm and joy that drives the work on these old machines. The tools that humans make to shape our world aren't simply objects, but also reflections of their creators and also come to be much more than objects for those that use them. I suspect that this probably has something to do with your best in show award-- you're devoting a huge amount of time, passion and resources to maintaining tangible tangible links between the ancestors of so much of what we take for granted today and a world that moves ever onwards.
Thank you so much!
And I agree 100%, a lot of people see these machines as just old objects, but they're so much more. So many engineers poured blood, sweat and tears into these machines to build something that they truly loved. That drive and passion is evident in every facet of these machines, and that's what I find the most fascinating about them!
Might I suggest a couple of "c" handles along the sides of the device that sit higher than the tubes.
Not only could this help with moving the board but if it tips, it would most likely protect from direct impact damage, and not look out of place in the design scheme as they could be made of wood.
Great idea. My first thought was a plexiglass cover plate, but then I realized that would trap too much heat. But some 'guard rails' around the sides would go a long way. Maybe one or two near the middle as well, in case the board flexes too much?
When my brother and I were children about 40 years ago, we often played with old tubes that my father had in stock ... having a shape that remembered a rocket, we pretended that they were Saturn 5, which inevitably destroyed themselves in the landing ... now I come to cry remembering my father...and thinking of those destroyed treasures.
Great job, congratulations...
We were so glad to have you at the show and participating in the panel. Looking forward to next year!
It was an absolute pleasure Jay, and I can't wait for next year!
You absolutely deserve that award my man, you bring to life a more rare section of computing history that many are fascinated with, but lack resources to get into. Stay awesome. The way you produce your videos makes me feel like I am in your studio watching over your shoulder as you work.
Congratulations on a very well deserved award! Best channel ever!
You DO deserve it. You built that valve computer from scratch.
Congratulations !
Fantastic resilience! Well done and glad it is all working again!
VCF SW was an absolute blast! It was great checking out your exhibit and listening to you speak during the panel. Congrats on your award!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you were able to make it out, it was an awesome event!
Damn awesome event, congrats about the star! And pity about Kevin... We can rebuild him, we have the technology! Nice recombobulation.
Seeing the bent angular goldpin connectors gave me another idea: maybe using upright pin headers and jumper boards with female connectors? Sure, it's a lot of work machining and soldering them, but in case something smashes into a board, the joint will come apart at worst, but not damage any traces.
Oh, and if you want, it may be a good opportunity for a dissection video of 6AU6 from different manufacturers to show the differences in their internal build.
15:50 of all things, I'd never expect a resistor to fail.
Keri register recombobulated and go for launch, haha!
Yeah, I'm quite curious myself about why and how that power resistor failed. Might be worth someone with machine tools cutting the thing open to see what's going on in there. (For me, anyway, since I use that type myself for various power-supply-related testing.)
Thanks Keri!
The 90-degree pin connectors was not a great choice, but one that become obvious in hindsight. For the second board, I'll be almost exclusively using upright pin headers and jumper boards with female connectors. It's more machining, but it's definitely a better connection method. Though, still not the most ideal, for UE-2, we'll be doing it proper!
@@Curt_Sampson I didn't talk about it in the video, but I have a pretty good idea. When loading it up on the way too the event, my dis-coordinated self accidentally slapped a tube, bending the pins up. Instead of spending a few minutes to straighten the pins, I reached into my 6AU6 grab bag and just replaced the tube. Unbeknownst to me, I accidentally grabbed a 12AU6, which created a much lower resistance path to ground. I think that may have put a little too much stress on that 0.8 ohm resistor and burned it up.
Fun running into you at VCF. You did deserve the award. Pretty strong competition!
Thank you so much! And I'm glad you could make it out!
I really enjoyed this one. It's not everyday somebody diagnoses and repairs a vacuum tube computer. That and I like the soft start circuits.
Guess who’s name was in the #1 spot? That’s, Bob “he’s literally everywhere I go” Darlington.
Thanks Bob!
It was a pretty easy repair thankfully, I bet we're going to have a much more difficult time diagnosing and bringing up the Bendix!
@@beefchicken stalker.
Consider adding a full-length handle/guard rail along the sides of your tube computer that sticks up higher than the tubes. It would help prevent future damage and maybe even make it easier to transport.
I was thinking a tie down or bungee cord fixed to a stable point would subdue the Murphy. 💪
I thought of an acrylic front screwed in the same screw places of the boards , but probably the guard rail is the best option for minimum added weight.
@@fordesponja An acrylic cover would probably not be good for ventilation of the fire bottles.
What a cool show, I was glad to see it in person and help jumpstart the revival of the event. Congratulations on Best in Show, you earned it!
It was a blast hanging out!
Can't wait until I get to see the Cactus in person!
I love how you designed it. It's so modular. I've never seen a resitor of that size go open before.
be interesting to see a tear down of it
After hearing the list of all the machines that you brought to the event, I would have been surprised if you hadn't won the event. Your award was well-deserved. Congratulations! 👍🏼👏🏼✔️🇺🇲🇺🇦😉
Congratulations on the award! I know it was well-deserved. I'm just sorry I wasn't able to make it to the event. Probably as an occupational hazard from being down an ENIAC rabbit hole for a few years, but your tragedy with the UE-1 reminds me of the filre in the ENIAC prior to being moved to Aberdeen. It's wonderful to see the damage wasn't any worse and you were able to get it runnning again.
One of the absolute top things about youTube is how the retro and vintage computing community has just exploded using it to spread the word. Congratulations on your win!
You should get another award for tenacity - I dropped an EZ81 last week and thought it a tragedy, but you not only rebuilt the whole valve computer but fixed it as well!
Great recovery from that disaster ! So many bags of tubes ! I love it. Happy it was such a rewarding show for you. Love your videos. ❤ Sorry I missed meeting you at VCF East this past April. Next time 😊
Congratulations for the award! I sincerely can't think of anyone more deserving.
Congrats on Best In Show! You definitely deserve it!
Btw, I mentioned you and your channel in my upcoming Make: Magazine feature!
Thank you so much!
And thanks for the mention! I've been keeping a close eye on your channel waiting for the next homemade vacuum tube!
it's always a bummer when a computer crashes
Congrats on the award! You run a great channel and are truly committed to preserving computing history.
Was great meeting you at VCFSW, and again, congrats on winning Best in Show! Definitely enjoyed your talk and getting the opportunity to chat with you. I feel like the wind didn't blow the entire weekend, so you really got unlucky while trying to put the vacuum tube computer in your car! Great video from the bad luck though. Keep up the badassery on your channel!
It was painful to watch those poor tubes broken, but your positive attitude got it working again. I love the 6AU6! Thanks for sharing this awesome project with us!
Fabulous 👌 👏 Amazing 👌..Hardworking pays good returns
Congratulations! Very impressive award!!! You deserve it 100% ! 🙂 Seems even the wind was jealous! ;-)
Congratulations in the award - you deserved it! I suggest putting posts slightly taller than the vacuum tubes on at least the corners, to reduce the damage if it falls again.
Congratulations on the award! You do deserve it!
And a roll cage for the VTC! Well deserved award!
Preservation of such "ancient" technology in accompany of such enthusiastic nerds is a respectable service and important for our future development. 👍
Congratulations! Very well deserved!
To me it always feels a little bit like cheating when your own designs break.. but the good kind. If you planned for repair and it's reasonably documented it feels so rewarding that troubleshooting is a breeze and you can "just fix it".
A nice thick Perspex cover might be in order. Im sure you definitely deserve that award, reality is how many others made their own computer let alone out of vacuum tubes, all power to you
That might require some forced ventilation. A cover might cause a heat problem??
@@mikefochtman7164 definitely, or a matrix of holes just to reduce the chances of the valves being bent
I feel bad for you. I know the feeling when something goes horribly wrong and you are sitting there heart sick over what just happened. Very glad you were able to fix it.
I didn’t get to talk to you or Sean from Action Retro but I did run across the centurion and your other equipment and I was starstruck. This was my first time going to VCF and it was great. I brought my son with me and he had a blast as well. Congrats on the award! You deserve it.
Best in show is well deserved. You had the cleanest setup with the number of machines you brought IMO .
You absolutely deserve that award for all the hard work you put into making your own computer! No one said it had to be perfect. It just had to be amazing, and it is. Now, as for preventing mishaps like this in the future, I would advise you to build a detachable weighted base to hold it up instead of propping it up like an easel or a bike. Something that you can fill with rocks or a sandbag or whatever to weigh it down and prevent it from being knocked over again.
You look SO much better without your beard!
SENSATIONAL content, Great, Thank you from Thailand - Phuket - expat Australian here 🙂
Congratulations, you absolutely deserve the recognition!
Someone who builds road cases for musical instruments should be able to make you a very nice case for your tube computer. Completely reinforced outer shell with fitted foam inside to keep those tubes safe from breakage. Congrats on the project and the award!
Accidents happen, but I have no doubt you'll bring that vacuum tube computer back to life. Can't wait to see it in action next year, with extra caution against gusty winds. :)
Thanks so much for sharing. 😉👌🏻
as a tube-amp aficionado, I'd advice you to look for a metal "pin-rectifier". They existed for 9 and 7 pin tubes. They work a lot faster than pliers.
Or ... maybe, you could get it machined.
Sometimes you can find them on military tube-testers.
Great job !!! Liked this vid a lot!
Many of my favourite UA-cam creators and others I'll definitely check out!
You got surprisingly lucky with this computer, no cracked circuit board to boot. And Congratulations on earning the well hard-earned award.
I was at the show and saw your display. I didn't fully understand or appreciate our setup. I hope to ask more questions next year! :)
Congratulations on the award! After all the love and devotion you've showed your machines it's most definitely deserved. Also, it's fantastic to see so many women on the UA-camr panel! Overall it just sounds like a fantabulous event, and I wish I could have been there!
I luv the way go beard, then clean every few months it's such a cool look. I also luv luv luv all your machines, one day I'll get my own PDP-11 until then you keep me smiling.
Congrats on your award!
You need to build a transport case for it.
This is a beautiful tribute to old computers.
2:47 THE Jeri Ellsworth sighting! Congrats for the award! Would somekind of guardrails around the boards help with preventing another literal crash? Maybe also help moving it around?
I love how much fun you had, awesome ❤ best in show 🏆🥇
The straightforward repair shows how well it was designed and built, definitely worth a Best of Show. And I'm looking forward to next year as well. (I was the guy who didn't know how to pronounce Nuvistor, which I only just now realized IS pronounced like transistor! Doh!)
Curious Marc is the shit. Love watching his stuff.
Congratulations on the well deserved award. Great to see the valve computer operational again. Maybe some stand offs dotted around the sides and corners for protection?
You won for one simple reason, you had a well designed vacuum tube computer, similar to the ones built in WW2. Home built and running, well done. I would have given you the award myself if I had been there.
Those vacuum tube computers are hard to get going and keep running. I worked on one in college a very long time ago, back at the dawn of the solid state IC.
I would recommend that you mount all boards on the backboard using standoffs. Also as others have said, some guard rails around the boards would be good. Perhaps 3 d print up some board carriers. Make them steampunk looking and all will be good.
Steampunk looking? Maybe some nice brass drawer handles at Home Depot? They would need a little extension, but could give a nice look to the project, in addition to accident resistance.
Congrats on the award! Now, if only YT subs would reflect that. Maybe all this exposure will help.
It was great meeting you at VCF!
Really wanted to go to the VCF event, but the last time I was in Dallas getting around was such a pain that I decided not to go. I hope they do an event in Austin or Houston next.
This was in Richardson, and UTD is in grid-streets land. There are a lot of hotels along US-75, and even Micro Center was conveniently close. My only trouble was on the way home, I missed the turn to I-35 and ended up on I-30 almost all the way to Arlington before I noticed.
that feeling of not being able to sleep until you get your stuff fixed is really strong i got to say
Glad you got it fixed!
You and the tube computer are looking good.
To avoid future falls, just a simple wooden base with 4 wheels that the vertical frame can be screwed onto perpendicular, with some L brackets, would aid demonstrations, and moving around, and as others have suggested, a wooden lid that covers the tubes and latches to the side of the vertical frame (when the aforesaid wooden base is removed), would make travel less stressful.
Congratulations for your Reward
You may consider putting a frame in a light material around the board so that it's the frame that would be hit instead of the tube. A simple frame made out of light material like aluminum, PVC or wood would be enough.
That will do it.
Congratulations on the reward! Deserved! Especially getting that Centurion running! When you first got it I had my doubts and I'm happy to say that I was proved wrong.
Can you share the brand of the tube pin sockets you use in your builds? Or if anyone know please share!
That's a pretty cool project! I want a time machine so bad I can taste it! I thought I had vacuum tube problems working on guitar amps for 35 years.
Wow. Congratulations!!
Hey! - I lost my beard after VCFSW too!
And i lost my hat!
@@kalletechnologies7649: Oh no! I'm in the habit of wearing my IBM baseball caps (a wide selection available at 'IBM Logo Store - run by Staples), but I brought about twice as many as I wore there. Yeah, I was the only UA-cam panelist (as shown in this video @3:20) wearing a hat!
But unlike the other Dave - I didn't lose my voice!
Cool!
I think it's time to build a travel case for the vacuum tube computer. A couple sheets of plywood, some 2x4s, foam, latches, and handles would do. Even cardboard and bubble pack would be better than nothing. Don't forget an anemometer with a siren.
I think you did very well going to those events. Being in Idaho. Anything like that was not and still not. Well we do have local Ham events. Around the late 90's I picked up a Burroughs B21 or 22. Not sure what model number. Big old 8" drive, and typical missing key on keyboard. It fired up and sure enough I found word perfect. But, with tons of other around that time. It got chucked along with Several Wang terminals, cables and printers. I still to this day go around to museums and such point out what I owned, if it worked, what I did with it and what I passed up. You taking your Centurion to the show was just what everybody needs. I droll all over your Centurion, Wang and soft of vax systems you have. I also Droll over Curious Marc hp systems. These are the type of systems I consider classic. That I wanted to use or collect growing up. So I just wanted to say Thank You.
I ditched my beard this week too. Summer is unpleasant when you have a sweaty beard.
Very nice! Thx!
Thats a kewl looking peace of equipment. Would love to have that hanging on my wall.
You should build a removable wooden cover to put over the vacuum tube computer for transport. Just screw on some 1x4's around the perimeter and that should give you enough height to clear all the tubes then just attach a flat panel that sits on the 1x's.
Just a thought - if you put standoffs on each corner of the back board, and maybe a pair in the middle on the sides, you could screw another piece of wood on to "sandwich" the tubes and protect them during transport
One slight improvement when you are doing repairs like this: The board-board interconnects would be better if they used jumper boards or standard jumper cables. This would allow each board to be easily removed or reinstalled. Also hooking up additional meters or diagnostics in the linkages would then be possible.
Congrats on the award, great job on the repair. I remember those IBM card punches and the Juki replicas. The documentation was just like the Japanese vcr manuals of the day. Lots of English words but not necessarily in the right order.
Yeah, roll bars might do it. Be aware that the sicket pins took ab impulse load and be prepared to resolder any cracked solder joints. Hopefully none, but if you see intermittents consider that as something to remedy. Congrats on Best of Show and that reflects on your supporters and team
maybe you should think about using copper tubing to create a brace around the outer edge of the OSB to give it a kind of roll cage (and maybe a good handle for moving it around). Aged copper would look great on it I would imagine and be pretty light!
To prevent accident like this one, you could add a plexiglass protection on top of the UE-1, with holes in it to help heat go away
Great video! Have you ever tested/used 1T4 pentodes? They are already designed for lower voltages, 1.4 V filament, 90 V or less plate and screen. EG my 7 tube 1t4 radio uses 54 vdc plate/screen.
I see you are one of those that never respond. Oh well.
I have a piece of vintage TEKTRONIX equipment being a type 561b oscilloscope with a 3b4 time base and 3a6 amplifier, the story of how i got it is quite funny
The machine was originally purchased new from factory by ohio medical in 1971 (confirmed as i have the original reciept) and my grandfather used it to callibrate large industrial machines, by the time he left he was the only person at that facility that knew how to use it so they gave it to him, it sat under his workbench gathering dust for something like 20-40 years im not to sure, but one day last year i saw it and asked my grandfather about it, he happily showed it to me and said if i wanted it i could take it and so i did, he also had almost all of the documents and manuals for it intact and i got those as well, the machine works a treat and i havent had any issues with it, it is a vacuum tube machine and as far as i can tell they have never been replaced, which is mind blowing that it still runs perfectly with factory tubes
Edit: i also have some questions,
1 are vacuum tubes okay to touch, i have wanted to pull the tubes on my scope and clean them but i dont know if thats a good idea or not
2 what are your thoughts on the scope i described in the comment, im always curious what people think of it and the wild story it has
Congrats on the award! I was wondering if you could post a link to where i could buy some of those socket pins as i am interested in building a vacume tube circut myself
Sell broken tubes in a shadowbox with a signed pic. Im a sentimental collector
You should add some kind of protection, like some standoffs, to the VTC which would protect the tubes in case it topples over.
The UE-1 is probably the only computer that can win "Best in show" at VCF and the annual space heater convention ;-)
Omedetou gozaimasu, Nakazoto-sensei. I'm so glad the vacuum tube computer is back up and running. It's a tribute to your design skills that it was so easy to troubleshoot and repair. I hope I can make it to a VCF one year soon.
Maybe consider adding "roll bars" to protect the tubes in future. LOL! Also, more PDP-11 please.
Might i suggest putting some panel handles to help protect the tubes in the event it falls again.
Nice recovery
if you ever take this on show again i strongly advice bulding a frame to put around it or make i box what foam protection
Have you thought about using core memory instead of flipflops? I think that would enable you an order of magnitude more central memory without much overhead.
NB:
1) Purchase flightcase
2) Load computer into case _before_ leaving the building.
(Or build a packing crate, the kind you close up with a battery screw driver 🎁🔫)