Sticking SF314's...

[blakespot]

I received a bundle of ST-related items, including two SF314 drives w/ PSU's. Both, oddly, usually wont accept a disk - as if something is stuck in there. I hit eject hard, and occasionally I can get a disk in ONE but not the other. Is this a common thing? Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

blakespot

[sniperstorm]

I received a bundle of ST-related items, including two SF314 drives w/ PSU's. Both, oddly, usually wont accept a disk - as if something is stuck in there. I hit eject hard, and occasionally I can get a disk in ONE but not the other. Is this a common thing? Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

blakespot

if you open it up, all the way, there is a little pin on the left side of the drive(drive facing you) under all the covering, that binds up and sticks. You have have to lube it up.

[blakespot]

I received a bundle of ST-related items, including two SF314 drives w/ PSU's. Both, oddly, usually wont accept a disk - as if something is stuck in there. I hit eject hard, and occasionally I can get a disk in ONE but not the other. Is this a common thing? Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

blakespot

if you open it up, all the way, there is a little pin on the left side of the drive(drive facing you) under all the covering, that binds up and sticks. You have have to lube it up.

Thanks. With what? Sewing machine oil or grease or what?

 

 

 

blakespot

[tjlazer]

Yeah those drives suck, the newer ones with epson mechs work a lot better, and the ones with the large eject also seems to work ok.

[blakespot]

Yeah those drives suck, the newer ones with epson mechs work a lot better, and the ones with the large eject also seems to work ok.

I have one of the SF314's open. Looks very clean inside. It's not immediately obvious to me which part is causing the problem. What do I lubricate? And I assume I use grease and not oil?

 

See pics of the open drive here:

http://pix.blakespot.com/view/computers/atari_520ST/

 

Thanks for any advice here. (Is there a how-to on this somewhere?)

 

 

 

 

 

blakespot

Edited February 20, 2007 by blakespot

[blakespot]

Yeah those drives suck, the newer ones with epson mechs work a lot better, and the ones with the large eject also seems to work ok.

This is an Epson mechanism, BTW.

 

 

blakespot

Edited February 20, 2007 by blakespot

[+Guitarman]

OT... One of my 520ST's has that very same case that holds the floppy drives and power supplies. I have seen very few of those.

[blakespot]

OT... One of my 520ST's has that very same case that holds the floppy drives and power supplies. I have seen very few of those.

It's a Micro Mate 520 STation. I've searched for one for 4 years. Finally found it.

 

http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000093.php

 

I love that thing. Have any pics of yours?

 

 

 

blakespot

[+Guitarman]

It's a Micro Mate 520 STation. I've searched for one for 4 years. Finally found it.

 

http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000093.php

 

I love that thing. Have any pics of yours?

 

 

 

blakespot

 

I'll take a couple. Mine houses a SF314 and SF354. I set it up with 2 monitors and monitor select switch to go between the color and the mono.

[tjlazer]

Yeah those drives suck, the newer ones with epson mechs work a lot better, and the ones with the large eject also seems to work ok.

This is an Epson mechanism, BTW.

 

 

blakespot

 

Sorry meant the newer EPSON mechs, SMD 380/300/340 style, the same ones in the 1040STE and Mega STE/TT030 computes.

Edited February 21, 2007 by tjlazer

[blakespot]

Got it pretty much worked out.

 

 

Added some Molytone grease to the metal-on-metal spots.

 

 

 

blakespot

[tjlazer]

You get a 520ST yet?

[blakespot]

You get a 520ST yet?

It's on the way - mailed Monday from Florida (US) and I'm in DC. Surprised it did not arrive today. :-(

 

520ST, 1x SF354, SC1224, 60 disks - great condition. NTSC.

 

 

 

 

 

blakespot

[blakespot]

You get a 520ST yet?

Got the CRT. USPS destroys the FOURTH CRT IN A ROW sent to me by them. Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

blakespot

[tjlazer]

Ouch!!! Poor packing?

[+poobah]

Amazing, considering the prices they charge to ship stuff!

[blakespot]

 

Got it all setup. Had to open the ST and reseat the socketed chips, but all ok now.

 

 

 

blakespot

[+Guitarman]

It's a Micro Mate 520 STation. I've searched for one for 4 years. Finally found it.

 

http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000093.php

 

I love that thing. Have any pics of yours?

 

 

 

blakespot

 

 

Here is my MicroMate 520 STation. It houses a SF314 (A) and SF354 (B). I have found if I turn on both drives, it will not boot but with just the SF314 on, boots fine. I think there is either a TOS 1.0 limit or config of the drives. I am using an adapter I built to use the Dell SVGA monitor in ST HiRes mode. Looks even nicer on a flat panel. It turns out that this particular 520 is a 520STm+. The badge says 520ST but the label on the bottom states 520STM+ (with the plus stamped after the printed 520STM). This version was the factory 1meg 520 model. It is in pristine condition with no yellowing at all. Screen shot shows the sysinfo. One of the many gems of my collection.

 

[tjlazer]

WOW I think I want one of those STations! You would think I would of found one by now living in Seattle huh? lol

 

@Blake, did you photoshop that crack out? Looks nice!

[blakespot]

Here is my MicroMate 520 STation. It houses a SF314 (A) and SF354 (B). I have found if I turn on both drives, it will not boot but with just the SF314 on, boots fine. I think there is either a TOS 1.0 limit or config of the drives. I am using an adapter I built to use the Dell SVGA monitor in ST HiRes mode. Looks even nicer on a flat panel. It turns out that this particular 520 is a 520STm+. The badge says 520ST but the label on the bottom states 520STM+ (with the plus stamped after the printed 520STM). This version was the factory 1meg 520 model. It is in pristine condition with no yellowing at all. Screen shot shows the sysinfo. One of the many gems of my collection.

Looks wonderful - bravo!

 

There were "short" 520ST's from the factory w/ 1MB? How hard are they to find?

 

This unit has no yellowing at all (mine), either - but sadly someone who opened the unit in the past put two of the long case screws up front, causing two "nipples" to appear near the front of the case where the screws pressed the plastic up beyond their intended point. The same thing happened the my original 520ST back in 1987 when someone upgraded my RAM (solder) and didn't keep track of which case screw went where. It's _juuuuust_ irritating enough that I will probably keep on the lookout for another 520ST that is more perfect to use.

 

Maybe it will be 1MB. :-)

 

I may well look for a switchbox and add a SM124 next to the SC1224 on top of the STation. (Same config I had years ago.)

 

 

 

blakespot

[+Guitarman]

Looks wonderful - bravo!

 

There were "short" 520ST's from the factory w/ 1MB? How hard are they to find?

 

This unit has no yellowing at all (mine), either - but sadly someone who opened the unit in the past put two of the long case screws up front, causing two "nipples" to appear near the front of the case where the screws pressed the plastic up beyond their intended point. The same thing happened the my original 520ST back in 1987 when someone upgraded my RAM (solder) and didn't keep track of which case screw went where. It's _juuuuust_ irritating enough that I will probably keep on the lookout for another 520ST that is more perfect to use.

 

Maybe it will be 1MB. :-)

 

I may well look for a switchbox and add a SM124 next to the SC1224 on top of the STation. (Same config I had years ago.)

 

 

 

blakespot

 

Get a new 520ST case from Best Electronics. I have another 520ST that had some kind of irremovable black gunk on the top. I got a new case from them and now it looks factory new. That 520ST also has 1meg and a second monitor port built on to the mainboard (both after market mods). There is a small switch on the back to select which monitor port is active so you can hook up both monitors without an external switchbox. The case has a second monitor port 'hole' drilled in it that was done so well, it looks like the case came from the factory like that. Needless to say, when I got the new case, I just used the top half so I didn't have to try and hack a new monitor port into it!!

[blakespot]

Get a new 520ST case from Best Electronics. I have another 520ST that had some kind of irremovable black gunk on the top. I got a new case from them and now it looks factory new. That 520ST also has 1meg and a second monitor port built on to the mainboard (both after market mods). There is a small switch on the back to select which monitor port is active so you can hook up both monitors without an external switchbox. The case has a second monitor port 'hole' drilled in it that was done so well, it looks like the case came from the factory like that. Needless to say, when I got the new case, I just used the top half so I didn't have to try and hack a new monitor port into it!!

Nice resource, Best Elec. I just ordered a new 520ST case and a new set of keycaps. Is it hard to get the old caps off?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

blakespot

[tjlazer]

How much was the new case? keycaps? I might buy one too.

 

Key caps are very easy to remove. I used a butter knife wrapped in a rag to gently "pry" off the keys, they popped right off. Not one broke. I also did the new case trick on a 4160STE! I had a very bad shape 1040STE that works great but looked ugly. So I got a new case and swapped it out, and put one some nice white keys! I also ordered a 4160STE label and presto!

Edited March 1, 2007 by tjlazer

[+Guitarman]

How much was the new case? keycaps? I might buy one too.

 

Key caps are very easy to remove. I used a butter knife wrapped in a rag to gently "pry" off the keys, they popped right off. Not one broke. I also did the new case trick on a 4160STE! I had a very bad shape 1040STE that works great but looked ugly. So I got a new case and swapped it out, and put one some nice white keys! I also ordered a 4160STE label and presto!

 

The 4160STe was just the 4meg version of the 1040STe, right?? Are there any other differences?? I should get one of those cases or just the labels since I maxed out my Ste to 4meg when I got it.

[tjlazer]

Yep it was a dealer add on option for when they added 4MB to the STE. Never sold as a 4160STE though.