1200XL M.U.L.E. Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Just wondering what people use to cut notches in their disks so they can use the other side of the disk? Way back when I remember my dad used a metal nibbler intended for sheet metal. Product recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 I just used a cheap paper punch. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 14 minutes ago, Stephen said: I just used a cheap paper punch. Or scissors, or a leather punch. Somewhere, I should have an actual disk notch puncher. Disk goes in slot at bottom, hand slams down on plunger, notch puncher hopefully does its job correctly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+slx Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 A disc notch puncher, of course! Before I got one or when I didn't find it, a paper punch or nail clippers were a good substitute. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Remember this method only works for drives that don't rely on the timing hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+nasty niff Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Write protect switch, easy to make 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzspeed Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Ever since I was a kid, all I've ever used is scissors. Never had an issue with a single disk, they all worked perfectly as flippies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200XL M.U.L.E. Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 52 minutes ago, kheller2 said: Remember this method only works for drives that don't rely on the timing hole. @kheller2 Oh, oh! I forgot about the timing hole. Does the XF551 rely on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 54 minutes ago, 1200XL M.U.L.E. said: Oh, oh! I forgot about the timing hole. Does the XF551 rely on it? IIRC the Chinon mechanism can't access a flippy disc at all, while the Mitsumi mechanism can read/write but not format, I may have this backwards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Like most I used a hole punch until I got a disk notcher.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 14 hours ago, kheller2 said: Remember this method only works for drives that don't rely on the timing hole. Otherwise you have to disassemble the disk and make another timing hole. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Standard hole puncher, scissors, wirecutters, disk notcher tool that you slam, whatever was available to us. In recent times I avoid the notcher tool. It tends to shatter brittle jackets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Ha ha, the tool that you slammed was what I had....Silly old memories, so fun.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 51 minutes ago, Keatah said: Otherwise you have to disassemble the disk and make another timing hole. Yep. The Coleco Adam and Tandy CoCo both require this. Pain in the butt, but it works. I still have my red disk notcher from back in the day, it's one of my prized positions. Sort of like my version of a red stapler. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 19 hours ago, Stephen said: I just used a cheap paper punch. Same here, a paper punch since the 80's. I just line it up with the notch on the other side and place the punch so slightly more than half the circle is punched out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 18 hours ago, mistapaul said: Write protect switch, easy to make Good point, for those who can and don't mind modifying cases (I don't mind personally). Though I already have drive select switches (front bezel) installed on my Happy 1050's and it's easier for me to just make flippy disk than installing another switch and the same with my 810, though I will installed a write protect switch on the 810 soon, while installing my Happy upgrade; because I also have 2 Indus GT's connected that have a stock write protect button. So once the 810 has one too, I'll never need to notch disks for my Incognito 800. I'll stick with notching disks for my 1050's & 1200XL. A paper hole punch is always at hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Keatah said: Otherwise you have to disassemble the disk and make another timing hole. I've done this successfully (for Coco 2) just by spreading the sleeve and magnetic disk from one another from the inside ring enough to carefully cut a hole with an Exacto blade. Just make sure it's a new blade so it is sharp enough to poke and cut without much pressure to ensure it doesn't slip too far and damage the magnetic disk. I've thought about using a paper hole punch this way too, but I've never tried because the hole would be much bigger than needed and the chance of the punched plastic circle falling in the disk and getting stuck, which would then require a full disassembly anyway. Edited April 2, 2021 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Tempest said: Yep. The Coleco Adam and Tandy CoCo both require this. Pain in the butt, but it works. I still have my red disk notcher from back in the day, it's one of my prized positions. Sort of like my version of a red stapler. My prized positions are a couple involving the fairer sex, and one is sitting on the porcelain throne. How about a picture of you in your prized position with your disk notcher? Edited April 2, 2021 by Gunstar 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200XL M.U.L.E. Posted April 2, 2021 Author Share Posted April 2, 2021 17 hours ago, BillC said: IIRC the Chinon mechanism can't access a flippy disc at all, while the Mitsumi mechanism can read/write but not format, I may have this backwards. Is there any easy way to tell which mechanism is inside a particular XF551 drive without taking it apart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 1 hour ago, 1200XL M.U.L.E. said: Is there any easy way to tell which mechanism is inside a particular XF551 drive without taking it apart? According to the FAQ the Mitsumi was in early production drives and is the more common mechanism. Here is a picture of the face-plates of the Chinon/Mitsumi 5.25" mechanisms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200XL M.U.L.E. Posted April 2, 2021 Author Share Posted April 2, 2021 @BillC Thanks for the pictures! Based on them I can say I have a Mitsumi mechanism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Just now, 1200XL M.U.L.E. said: @BillC Thanks for the pictures! Based on them I can say I have a Mitsumi mechanism. That's good, the drive should be able to read/write the back side of flippy discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tillek Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Never really had an issue with it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tillek Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 On 4/1/2021 at 6:21 PM, BillC said: IIRC the Chinon mechanism can't access a flippy disc at all, while the Mitsumi mechanism can read/write but not format, I may have this backwards. Actually, just a side note... BASF did have a "reversible" DSDD floppy available that actually had the notches pre-cut and also had the timing holes pre-cut into them too (for both sides). Bought a bunch of them off ebay specifically for disks I knew I'd want to use as "flippy" in my XE that has the XF551's attached. They work well. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CharlieChaplin Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 1 hour ago, Tillek said: Never really had an issue with it. ... and I can hear The Doors singing "Break on through to the other side"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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