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jmacz journey
Posted by: obsolete on 2025-07-25 09:52:00 Very cool!
Posted by: Garrett B on 2025-07-25 10:47:17 I like it! How did you manage to cut that bevel in the front opening? Do you have a router?
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-25 10:49:36 I like it! How did you manage to cut that bevel in the front opening? Do you have a router? I do have a router, but I had one shot and didn't want to mess it up so didn't use it. I ended up hand carving it using an x-acto blade. And then sanding it down using a file set.
Posted by: nathall on 2025-07-25 19:36:10 A new color! What paint did you use this time?
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-25 22:38:05 A new color! What paint did you use this time? This one was Rustoleum Ultra Matte White.
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2025-07-26 01:51:21 I do have a router, but I had one shot and didn't want to mess it up so didn't use it. I ended up hand carving it using an x-acto blade. And then sanding it down using a file set. Respect. That plastic is hard to work and get the result looking neat.
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-26 11:38:51 Respect. That plastic is hard to work and get the result looking neat. Thanks! 🙂
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-26 12:07:32 Back to the LC III. Last we left off I had been removing the rust on the power supply, inner shields, etc.. the PSU has been recapped and it's working. Tested it on another board. Went from this: to this and functional: As for the logic board, went from this: to this: Could not salvage the old memory chips. The ones above were taken from another SIMM module I had. Same part #. All the bodge wires were necessary to resolve pads that were gone from the battery juice. Also replaced all the caps, removed the sound chip (U1) and also U22 as there was a lot of corrosion. Cleaned under the chips and put them back on. Reflowed solder joints on U8 and U16. Removed and cleaned under the VRAM socket and the memory socket. Cleaned out the area around the old battery, checked traces, and replaced with a coin cell holder. ROM modules were tested on another board and found to be fine. Used deoxit on the sockets and reseated the ROM modules. Finally got the board to chime. But it's not perfect. Chimes about 9 of 10 times right now... when it doesn't work, it just sits there with no chime. Need to look into this some more later. But the main problem right now is NO video. Checked the signals and I'm not getting Red, Green, or Blue coming through at all. I'm seeing no disk activity also so it looks like it's getting stuck post good chime (no bad chime or anything).
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-26 13:23:08 My guess is it's still the bodged memory. Will need to recheck that again.
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-26 18:41:25 LC III is fixed and working. Missed two broken data lines going to the CPU from the memory. That got the OS to boot. Then found another broken trace for a dram address line that prevented the memory socket from working. Then found a fourth broken trace preventing the VRAM slot from working. Everything seems fine now. Oh, and in the last picture I posted above with the LC III board -- ugh -- I had the VRAM slot in flipped.. had to correct that also. Didn't come that way - I accidentally flipped it when I removed the slot to clean the battery juice underneath it. That last haul I got with the 840AV and LCIII is now totally worth it since both are working.
Posted by: cgp on 2025-07-26 19:44:41 That last haul I got with the 840AV and LCIII is now totally worth it since both are working. The LCIII+ mod/overclock is trivial and worthwhile too!
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-26 20:57:21 The LCIII+ mod/overclock is trivial and worthwhile too! I've got a working Performa 460 board (which I believe is the same as the LCIII+ board). I'll think about it. 🙂
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-27 16:33:18 PowerBook 3400c is almost done. Again, took 3 of them to piece together one fully working and loaded one. The end result is a 240MHz model with full memory (144MB), internal Zip drive, working Lithium battery, new PRAM battery. It has a Samsung screen (also have a working Sharp as well as another Samsung which works but needs new film and has one dead pixel), ethernet card. Pretty happy with the end result. I had to do the usual replacement of some screen/hinge stand offs as well as reinforcing the remaining ones for strength. I took apart the keyboard to relubricate the mechanism. Feels much better now than before. End result: It has an internal SD to IDE adapter. Currently running System 7.6.1. The only thing remaining is the little door on the left side that covers the ADB port. All 3 laptops had that door missing. I got some pictures of the door from @3lectr1cPPC. I modeled a replacement which isn't exactly like the original but an interpretation of it. I tried some test prints with my filament printer but it'll take some finishing work to smooth it out so I will be reprinting it in resin next time I pull out my resin printer. The "ADB" was just for fun. I deliberately put cutouts for the mounting holes to make it easier to install the door without breaking the pegs.
Posted by: 3lectr1cPPC on 2025-07-28 05:39:31 Great work! I would love a writeup on the keyboard lubrication. I need to do that to a few of that style of keyboard.
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-28 07:52:17 Great work! I would love a writeup on the keyboard lubrication. I need to do that to a few of that style of keyboard. It was the same process as the 500 series keyboard lubrication I mentioned here: https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/powerbook-500-series-keyboard.47776/
Posted by: 3lectr1cPPC on 2025-07-28 07:52:35 Ah, I see! Thank you.
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-28 09:31:01 Tried a filament print again for the ADB port cover on the 3400c. Came out ok on this attempt. The color match is better than what is shown in the last two pictures below but will need to attempt a better match in the future.
Posted by: bobcat on 2025-07-28 09:50:50 View attachment 89252 Did you flip C22? I can't see from the photo.
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-07-28 11:13:16 Did you flip C22? I can't see from the photo. Yup, I did. I'm aware the silkscreen is wrong.
Posted by: jmacz on 2025-08-15 17:58:39 Next project.... dead Quadra 950. Just arrived and haven't tried anything yet. Broken plastic tabs everywhere. There is some corrosion on the metal but not bad. Logic board looks ok and doesn't seem to have any obvious damage.
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