Well, I've been back in the attic and I found...

[DavidMil]

In a box of old Sci Fi books I found a perfectly good 800XL motherboard without anything soldered into it.  I think it was a rev D.

I also found a complete set of keycaps for a CX85 keypad which I don't need or want so if someone is willing to reimburse me for

the postage, I'd be willing to mail them off.  I also found a plastic bag with 10 sets of copper contacts and springs that are used in

Hi-Tek keyboards for Atari 800 computers.  Behind that box I found another slightly crushed and roach eaten cardboard box that

that had a compete torn down Atari 400 along with another 400 MB and power board as well as two 800 mother boards with all

the chips in them.  After running all the pieces through the dish washer (which turned the aluminum castings dark gray), I discovered

that neither of the 400's had the cartridge guide in them.  So if someone has one and is willing trade it for a PIA and/or Pokey chip, give

me a shout.  After shining a flashlight around I can see two more boxes pushed back in a corner.  But the roof is so low over there I'll

have to squirm over there on my belly, and I'd hate to get stuck up there.  It seems that to counter balance all the lost hair on my

head, my stomach has gotten a lot bigger! (sigh)...

 

DavidMil     

[Mclaneinc]

Glad you are finding more stuff and sharing it with the community, hopefully those last two boxes will yield some treasures..

[StickJock]

3 hours ago, DavidMil said:

After running all the pieces through the dish washer (which turned the aluminum castings dark gray)

Yeah, we discovered that side effect as well when the polished aluminum attachments for the Kitchenaid mixer went into the dishwasher.... ?

[mimo]

I'd be interested in one hitec copper contact if you would be willing to let one go. I've an 800 keyboard with a non working space bar 

 

[+orpheuswaking]

The motherboard is completely bare like new? Or it was desoldered?

[DavidMil]

13 hours ago, orpheuswaking said:

The motherboard is completely bare like new? Or it was desoldered?

Never been used...

[DavidMil]

14 hours ago, mimo said:

I'd be interested in one hitec copper contact if you would be willing to let one go. I've an 800 keyboard with a non working space bar 

 

It's easier to send a set then just one because Hi-Tek had different contactors for each key.  One was a solid piece of copper with a

square end and the other one had a end that looked like little fingers.  I understand that this was to allow better contact between

the ends when the key was depressed.  PM me an address and I get a set in the mail to you.  You are sure that the keyboard is

Hi-Tek and not Stackpole?

 

DavidMil

 

 

[DavidMil]

The CX85 keycaps are spoken for already.   Sorry.  I did find another partial set with the 0 . and 1 through 9 keys if some one would like

them let me know.  They are a different keycaps underneath with the square base like the 800 computer and not the flat bottoms as on

my CX85 keypad. 

 

DavidMil 

[Sugarland]

20 hours ago, DavidMil said:

if someone has one and is willing trade it for a PIA and/or Pokey chip, give

me a shout. 

 

DavidMil     

 

There is a modern PIA still manufactured afaik.  They cost about $2.50.

 

[mimo]

3 hours ago, DavidMil said:

It's easier to send a set then just one because Hi-Tek had different contactors for each key.  One was a solid piece of copper with a

square end and the other one had a end that looked like little fingers.  I understand that this was to allow better contact between

the ends when the key was depressed.  PM me an address and I get a set in the mail to you.  You are sure that the keyboard is

Hi-Tek and not Stackpole?

 

DavidMil

 

 

Thanks David.

I'll double check the type before sending my address.

[DavidMil]

9 hours ago, Sugarland said:

 

There is a modern PIA still manufactured afaik.  They cost about $2.50.

 

I've been buying them from Jameco, they just don't have Atari part numbers on them.  Not sure about the price though.

 

David

[DavidMil]

21 hours ago, Mclaneinc said:

Glad you are finding more stuff and sharing it with the community, hopefully those last two boxes will yield some treasures..

Hello Paul!

    I need to get them before it gets much hotter.  When it's 90F degrees outside (about 32C)  the attic is around 120F (50C).  There was

 time when that didn't bother me that much, but not now!  I always enjoy hearing from you!

Stay well!

David

[Mclaneinc]

I know what you mean re the loft and heat, talk about a sweat box, and when you are built less for speed and more for comfort then getting around in them is not fun..

 

Did you ever see if you had any stackpole yellow plungers?

 

Take it easy up there, lofts are not really meant for those of us 'getting on' in life..Myself included, had to empty my old now passed friend Bobs loft in the height of summer here, now the UK isn't usually that warm but when I did the job it was MADLY hot, add the fibre glass insulation and I was sweating and scratching like mad. Did find an 800XL and a monitor up there which was nice as I was willed the contents of his flat..

 

So take care and good luck with the finds..

 

Paul..

[atarialoha]

9 hours ago, Mclaneinc said:

I know what you mean re the loft and heat, talk about a sweat box, and when you are built less for speed and more for comfort then getting around in them is not fun..

 

Did you ever see if you had any stackpole yellow plungers?

 

Take it easy up there, lofts are not really meant for those of us 'getting on' in life..Myself included, had to empty my old now passed friend Bobs loft in the height of summer here, now the UK isn't usually that warm but when I did the job it was MADLY hot, add the fibre glass insulation and I was sweating and scratching like mad. Did find an 800XL and a monitor up there which was nice as I was willed the contents of his flat..

 

So take care and good luck with the finds..

 

Paul..

I'm wondering, can you guys not open up a window or something up top first, let the heat air out for an hour via convection, before doing the exploring?

 

On a more relevant note to Atari, haha, it is quite interesting these old electronics seem to hold up pretty well over the decades, to heat exposure.

[atarialoha]

On 5/15/2021 at 11:57 PM, DavidMil said:

In a box of old Sci Fi books I found a perfectly good 800XL motherboard without anything soldered into it.  I think it was a rev D.

I also found a complete set of keycaps for a CX85 keypad which I don't need or want so if someone is willing to reimburse me for

the postage, I'd be willing to mail them off.  I also found a plastic bag with 10 sets of copper contacts and springs that are used in

Hi-Tek keyboards for Atari 800 computers.  Behind that box I found another slightly crushed and roach eaten cardboard box that

that had a compete torn down Atari 400 along with another 400 MB and power board as well as two 800 mother boards with all

the chips in them.  After running all the pieces through the dish washer (which turned the aluminum castings dark gray), I discovered

that neither of the 400's had the cartridge guide in them.  So if someone has one and is willing trade it for a PIA and/or Pokey chip, give

me a shout.  After shining a flashlight around I can see two more boxes pushed back in a corner.  But the roof is so low over there I'll

have to squirm over there on my belly, and I'd hate to get stuck up there.  It seems that to counter balance all the lost hair on my

head, my stomach has gotten a lot bigger! (sigh)...

 

DavidMil     

Out of everything you wrote, I was particularly intrigued by the roach eaten cardboard. They eat cardboard? Yes I guess someone will tell me they eat everything.

[jhd]

On 5/16/2021 at 3:57 AM, DavidMil said:

After shining a flashlight around I can see two more boxes pushed back in a corner.  But the roof is so low over there I'll have to squirm over there on my belly, and I'd hate to get stuck up there. 

 

Some years after my Grandfather died, we had to empty his house so that it could be sold.

 

In the attic, there were several boxes pushed far very out under the edge of the roof, but then Grandfather inexplicably nailed plywood panels over the only reasonable access point. We had no idea what was in those boxes and (given the large volume of junk to be removed from the house), further investigation was deemed not worth the effort.

 

I would not be surprised if those boxes are still there today, some 20 years later. 

[Mclaneinc]

Ha ha, my old friend Bob was the same, after his wife died he started buying tools by the bucket load, not great quality stuff but it seemed to fill his time and when I went up in the loft he had constructed all sorts of little hidey holes up there but after looking there was nothing in them.

 

When I cleared his flat I passed on almost all the tools to friends who would use them..

[TGB1718]

14 hours ago, atarialoha said:

I'm wondering, can you guys not open up a window or something up top first, let the heat air out for an hour via convection, before doing the exploring?

 

Not sure where you live, but here in the UK most loft spaces don't have windows or for that matter floorboards ?

so real fun times sweating your socks off trying not to step off the rafters

 

[gilsaluki]

1 hour ago, TGB1718 said:

Not sure where you live, but here in the UK most loft spaces don't have windows or for that matter floorboards ?

so real fun times sweating your socks off trying not to step off the rafters

 

He's Texas.  Here in Oklahoma, it is the same.  No windows in attics, Generally no flooring, just rafters and insulation.  It is a real balancing act.  And, yes, I have stepped through the ceiling before.  A real mess and cleanup.