Repairing, and restoring vintage computers from the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s

 

A big hobby of mine is the preservation of personal computing history. For nearly a decade, I’ve taken in computers that have notable history and restored them to their former glory. Restoration typically involves cleaning, hardware repair, software synthesis, and sometimes more. I’ve brought computers back to life from companies like Apple, IBM, Compaq, Kaypro, Osborne, NeXT, and Commodore. This hobby has taught me a few things about how to build devices that can last decades, as well as hone my electronics troubleshooting and SMD reflow skills.

An Apple /// from 1981, restored to working order. This machine was a notorious failure and cost Apple untold millions of dollars. It was the business follow-up to the hugely popular Apple ][+.

An Apple /// from 1981, restored to working order. This machine was a notorious failure and cost Apple untold millions of dollars. It was the business follow-up to the hugely popular Apple ][+.

Another view of the Apple ///. Apple hired a company that made engine blocks to design the cast aluminum base of the machine.

Another view of the Apple ///. Apple hired a company that made engine blocks to design the cast aluminum base of the machine.

Myself posing with the Sharp PC-7000 portable "lunchbox" computer at the Supplyframe/Hackaday Superconference party.

Myself posing with the Sharp PC-7000 portable "lunchbox" computer at the Supplyframe/Hackaday Superconference party.

A still from the talk I gave at the 2017 Hackaday Superconference on the history and making of mechanical keyboards. The computers pictured are (left to right): Apple Macintosh 512k, Compaq Portable Plus, and Commodore 64.

A still from the talk I gave at the 2017 Hackaday Superconference on the history and making of mechanical keyboards. The computers pictured are (left to right): Apple Macintosh 512k, Compaq Portable Plus, and Commodore 64.

An Apple ][+ with two Disk ][ drives and a color display playing Gauntlet.

An Apple ][+ with two Disk ][ drives and a color display playing Gauntlet.

The Apple ][+ and Apple /// side-by side

The Apple ][+ and Apple /// side-by side

An IBM PC AT equipped with the rare EGA IBM 5154 color monitor

An IBM PC AT equipped with the rare EGA IBM 5154 color monitor

The rare Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (TAM). Less than 11,000 were ever made.

The rare Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (TAM). Less than 11,000 were ever made.

An example of a newly written 5.25" floppy disk. New programs like this require a special "bridge" machine with the right floppy drive to make.

An example of a newly written 5.25" floppy disk. New programs like this require a special "bridge" machine with the right floppy drive to make.

A restoration of the legendary NeXT Cube, along with the NeXT Megapixel Display

A restoration of the legendary NeXT Cube, along with the NeXT Megapixel Display

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