PCJR Speech Board 'NEW Deisgn'

[Trixter]

I love everything about your last post -- except the color of the paint! It looks like you were forcing it to turn brown from age! But this is a great post, and I never thought of using a PCjr shell as an expansion unit either, I like it.

[Chuckphd53]

HaHaHa thanks Jim.....
I know 'THE COLOR" !!!! this is my Albatross moving forward....

Just need to CUT the feet off the Jr case so it will sit flat on top of the LID and using some corner screw drill holes and bolt it together,
then it attaches just like a regular expansion unit with the top LID sliding in an locking as usual....
Cut all the inside cable paths you will need thru both Jr case and Lid,

Keep in mind the COATING on the inside of the JR case is 'conductive' and can short out PCB's if they touch against it.
Use your Ohm meter and just touch a the inside of the case to see !....

I used 3D printed offsets to raise the Switcher board inside and keep the bottom side away from this coating...

[Roscoe]

I had to go back and look carefully for that jumper. Your wire color matches the board traces very well.

Seriously, how many floppy drives are you going to put in that thing? I count 4 so far. Are you stacking your floppy boards to use as a drive selector?

[Chuckphd53]

I am only using 1 of my 3Flop boards, and I switch the Drive Select line to the 'drive' that I want to make active.
so if you want to have a 3.5" and the USB Emulator, you need to remove the DSx jumper from each drive
and via a switch, route the active DRV SEL signal from the 3Flop board, say B: drive to the active input
of the 3.5" and USB Em DSx pin. via a toggle switch.
Note: all the other connections on the Floppy 34 Pin conn can be paralleled with no problem, only the DSx pin matters..
as on 3Flop board the MOTOR ENA pin is also part of the DRV Sel, it may turn on both motors when selected, with a bit more
wiring this can also be remedied. but that is for a later discussion..

IF anyone needs more detail I can put together a comprehensive document in PDF form for this procedure,
but it may be after the holidays......if only a couple folks are interested, as I expect most users are pretty
good at these tasks, then I can help individually... either way, happy to help..

Actually I want to get one more 5.25, which means another Stack on the top....but no biggie..
Too many times I've wanted to go from 5.25 to 5.25 floppy and did not have the setup.....
Not sure about the switch, the second 5.25 drive will have to switch with Drive B: (which is now the 3.5")
and I'll have to figure out as I go....

NOW ! since I have to tear the entire unit down, because I want to install my Sprint and TandMod boards.
Yes by popular consensus, I may re-paint the machine to a lighter Color....this current color is called Khaki See attached...
SO : now is the time to: spend time on the Homedepot site and pick a color and offer your input...
I am using the Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X, it is fantastic on plastic and when done right, no drips and a nice clean cover...

If I have to add a third level, and paint it, I can clean and repaint the entire unit and side car's...
BUT if you don't chime in and I have to pick another color......there is no room to critique later !

whew....again Verbose...!

[Chuckphd53]

I had to go back and look carefully for that jumper. Your wire color matches the board traces very well.

Seriously, how many floppy drives are you going to put in that thing? I count 4 so far. Are you stacking your floppy boards to use as a drive selector?

I actually used some green craft paint from my wife to match the wire to the board, looked better...
forgot to mention that !

[Trixter]

I would highly recommend painting any color other than the natural color of yellowed plastic! Literally any other color -- why not (big) blue?

There's someone on the facebook PCjr group that painted theirs gun metal gray, and it looks great, but it also looks like a PCjx. I pointed this out, but since a PCjx has dual 3.5" drives, we came to the conclusion it probably won't be confused for a PCjx.

[jscrow]

I used the Krylon Fusion Plastics spray paint and got great results on this keyboard. The satin almond color is almost an exact match. I also painted a TRS-80 CoCo 2 with this same color and it looks awesome.

[Chuckphd53]

I like the color, I'll look at it when I get to HomeDepot.... Very nice color....
But BIG Blue? hmmmmm THINK ! can this color be found in a can ?

[Chuckphd53]

I would highly recommend painting any color other than the natural color of yellowed plastic! Literally any other color -- why not (big) blue?

There's someone on the facebook PCjr group that painted theirs gun metal gray, and it looks great, but it also looks like a PCjx. I pointed this out, but since a PCjx has dual 3.5" drives, we came to the conclusion it probably won't be confused for a PCjx.

Don't do Facebook, WON'T do Facebook, but would like to see the gun metal...

[Roscoe]

Chuck, thanks, I follow what you are doing with the drive select.

Thanks, jscrow also. I have been looking for a good paint match for a project I am thinking of. (I am not as bold in my color choices as Chuck!)