1237c934c522
tech



Hello Wayne - 

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CA>> Slotcar motors built for pros to race (yes there were pros
CA>> in that hobby) would typically have a wider range from
CA>> startup to full rpm. They weren't built to last more than
CA>> one 'race'. I was the foreman at DynaRewind. Also helped
CA>> design and test the rocket powered dragster that won the
CA>> Model Car magazine race. 

WC> I was into Estes rockets when I wasn a kid including
WC> lofting their CamRoc camera equipped rocket. Had a couple
WC> of slot cars as well. 

I wasn't technically a 'kid' when I was with DynaRewind. I was
20 years old and using equipment beyond the reach of most kids
unless they borrowed dad's stuff. ;-) 

CA>> I had a six-pole progressive starwind on a three pole
CA>> Mabuchi motor that could run alongside the pro cars at
CA>> their top speed, punch it and do a wheel stand as I pulled
CA>> ahead of them. The negotiations for that design were never
CA>> finalized (my father died that year) and it was never sold
CA>> to the public. These were $300 US and up 1/24th scale
CA>> slotcars that were clocked at an actual 60mph on a figure
CA>> 8 indoor track about 37 years ago using $100 US
CA>> controllers. Not typical slotcars. 

WC> A little short of cash but wanting to get right to a
WC> project requiring a center tapped 24 volt transformer I
WC> rewound an untapped one and relaminated the plates with
WC> shellac. Took a while but got the tap spot on. I woumd and
WC> built a a DC commutator motor from a kit as a 10 YO kid as
WC> well. 

I purchased a kit electric two pole motor from the Henry Ford
Museum when I was a kid 45 years ago or so and built that then
got library books and found other similar projects and built
those too. 

CA>> My _real_ interest has always been robotics which has
CA>> caused me to learn metal-working, dc motors, some
CA>> electronics (basic), and computer programming. It's an
CA>> unrealized fantasy of mine to one day build a respectable
CA>> robot (I know a bit goofy). 

WC> I once envisioned laminating a cable wire spool into a
WC> table and using voice recognition, robotics and solinoids
WC> as a kind of automatic bartender. The center of the table
WC> would rise up when a drng ordered, dispence and push it
WC> onto the non-moving portion of the table then retract. Too
WC> ambitious for the time I thought of it but doable now if I
WC> were a younger guy. 

I have all of the training necessary to build a robot of any
size I require. The problem now is how to 'sense' humans and
animals and not crush them. For a robot to be of any use it
would have to have enough power to do serious damage to squishy
live things and that is not acceptable. Even the government
with all of it's money and resources has a serious "friend or
foe" recognition problem. :-\ 

The other problem is that if I _did_ find a way the government
would confiscate it for their purposes and that is also not
acceptable (for me). 

CA>> Embedded Linux might be useful since it's so very
CA>> adaptable to available hardware right now. :-) 

WC> There's even X-10 modual software available in Linux. 

Similar modules were available for the Motorola 6809 powered
Color Computer and OS9 but I had a family and no time or place
to build a robot that might be dangerous to children. 

WC> BTW, putting my remaining parts together I've managed a
WC> full featured 486 machine to utilize the existing Win 3.1
WC> install on the Seagate drive, even has 1650 H.S. UARTS. 

You dropped a "5" there and left off the "A". 16550A 

WC> Doesn't support ATAPI or over 540 Meg drives but I've the
WC> original working proprietary ISA Creative sound card -
WC> CD-ROM combo. It's an older Phoenix BIOS and I know there
WC> were two subsequent BIOS revisions, whether they can be
WC> found on the net remains to be seen. 

I've never been comfortable with "flashing" a bios chip and
would leave well enough alone if it were me. ;-) 

WC> My biggest problem is rerouting telephone and power cables
WC> to move the machine to the other side of the bed on the
WC> modified stereo stand so I can actually use it. Right now
WC> it boots just fine but am unable to use it in it's present
WC> location. Man that is one "never say die" Packard Bell
WC> hardware kludge about now ;-) I've only a single fairly
WC> comprehensive file on motherboard jumpers and setup
WC> acquired from the aftermarket BIOS dealer Micronics but
WC> it's adaquate to my needs. 

I was given three AT&T 6300 identical to the one I already had
and managed to keep mine working for 15 years by swapping parts
from the other three. Went through three monitors on that
machine. :-) 

WC> Oh yeah, the stupid CMOS coin cell battery is in a holder
WC> but it's soldered to the motherboard and holder is SPOT
WC> WELDED to the battery, is that stupid or what? 

Similar to the Compaq DeskPro eh? I'm guessing there were too
many calls to tech support for batteries that had been jostled
loose and they decided to 'fix' that problem once and for all
time? 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

___ * ATP/16bit 2.31 * 
... DOS the Ghost in the Machine! http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/

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