Recent content by Paolo B

The metal cage is just a shield. Main concern is to avoid getting electrocuted (follow the instructions for discharging the fly back), and - of course - avoid cracking the neck of the tube. Replaced all the caps on my N4000 unit some years ago. Tricky, but doable.

https://ebay.us/m/lPeqeo

I warmly recommend the book, it’s indeed a must have for any NeXT lover.

The best source is definitely the book “Inside NeXT - A guide to the Black Hardware“, where you can find a list of capacitors for each item. Concerning the MO Drive, I have refurbished a few units, with fair rate of success (5/6). I did the last two units a few years ago using surface mounted...

I am against retrobrighting. 40+ years old machines shall look the part and wear the scars of time.

I would tend to agree. The amount and the pattern of the resin (whatever it is) seems to be random, like something dispensed by an industrial gun. The pulsating (alternating) nature of the current is sufficient to induce fatigue in the components, till they break (As we’ve seen in another...

If I remember correctly, the actual function of the epoxy is to keep in place a plastic wedge that in turn keeps the assembly tightly packed together. I guess the vibrations induced by the pulsating nature of the circuit may loosen it up, hence the epoxy. I used red silicone paste for high...

Just my experience, but some other people may have different opinions, more educated feedback. The epoxy blob has no actual electro-magnetic function, it just makes sure that the assembly remains glued together. The insulation (separation) between the two magnetic circuits is guaranteed by the...

At a certain point, you will have to remount the drive and confirm the repair. If something fails, then I guess you don’t want to wait two months… So, IMHO: 1) if you have the skills for doing small (or relevant) repair jobs on your Mac’s, you definitely have the skills for discharging the CRT...

I don’t have a backlit, but surely it does look quite dim. For example, the Pb100 I have looks much brighter. Replacing the tubes is very easy, but sourcing the exact specs might be tricky. This company may help, though…

Agree: without proper reinforcement it will never work for regular use. 3D printing something out of metal seems to be an interesting proposition, but I am afraid it would just offset the bonding issue somewhere else. Maybe waiting for a chassis to pop up on eBay is the most reasonable...

The mesh is definitely wide, but I think you are going in the right direction!

Was just about suggesting using some metal reinforcement…

I did a similar intervention on a HP712 top lid. It’s not for the faint of heart, but doable. With the help of a bench drill, surely doable. Or maybe even some thin and long screws could do the job. As for disassembling the actual hinges, it’s super simple. Remove the cylindrical aesthetic...

I did a similar intervention on a HP712 top lid. It’s not for the faint of heart, but doable. With the help of a bench drill, which can ensure accurate positioning and steady drilling, surely doable. As for the reinforcing rod, the drill bit itself. A 0.8 mm can probably do the job. I would...