68kMLA Classic Interface

This is a version of the 68kMLA forums for viewing on your favorite old mac. Visitors on modern platforms may prefer the main site.

Click here to select a new forum.
My new conquest sounds like it's shearing sheep!
Posted by: TheNixer on 2008-03-01 08:38:57
I nabbed this "MaxPlus" off eBay a few weeks ago. When the doorbell rang this afternoon I knew it would be my new Mac. I've just recently had a Mac Plus but have had an SE and an SE/30 for a long time, so that's what I'm used to.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3241/2302537130_28360c7b5d.jpg

When I set the package down on the coffee table I thought right away, "I'll be lucky if this thing is in one piece". The Plus was too big for the box so they just slapped more tape on it to keep it in! Ah, the ways of eBay.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2070/2301742111_33b6b07425.jpg

So, once I got it open I realized the cool Apple fight bag had held it intact...until I picked it up and felt something rattling around. I assumed the CRT had broken (it's happened in the past). I was feeling lazy so I just plugged it in. It worked. But it sounded like a sheep being sheared. It wasn't the floppy drive either.

When I opened it up I immediately found the culprit.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2365/2302536700_d01ca7af41.jpg

I have no idea what this is, maybe it's common for a Plus but I've never seen one in an SE. The two black halves were apart and this thing was fluttering around inside the case making some awful racket. It looks like a fan of some sort because the two plastic prongs flutter around creating a small bit of wind. It was attached to the outside of the floppy drive housing with one of those double stick gooey pads, pointed at the crt. Even if I hold it in my hand it makes some noise. I'm wondering if I can just snip these wires and be done with it?

Not sure what a MaxPlus is either, I bought the system for some cables that came with it (for networking) and the flight bag. I suppose I'll have to google it.

Oh, and I forgot to add this! The back says Mac Plus but the floppy drive won't accept a newly made and tested 800k 6.0.8 boot disk. I'm wondering if this is a 400k drive.

Posted by: LCGuy on 2008-03-01 12:19:47
That looks like one of those piezoelectric coolers that was commonly used with Pluses back in the day.

Posted by: Anonymous Freak on 2008-03-01 12:47:52
Well, the front doesn't say Mac Plus, it just has the Apple logo. So this was a 128 or 512 that was upgraded. It's entirely possible that only the motherboard and back panel were upgraded. (The only reason to replace the back panel was to have the right cutouts for the different ports, after all.)

P.S. Cool pictures. Excellent use of a macro lens (or setting.)

Posted by: John8520 on 2008-03-01 14:51:38
ooooh! I like the dog in the second picture! Had to look at it for a while before I saw what exactly it was. He looks very curious.

Oh, and nice score, that packing job is fantastic! ;D

Posted by: IPNixon on 2008-03-01 16:15:46
P.S. Cool pictures. Excellent use of a macro lens (or setting.)
Ditto. I really like the one of the logo. 🙂

Posted by: TheNixer on 2008-03-01 17:42:47
Thanks guys, maybe I'll try to tame this fan instead of cutting it loose. Although I don't see how much good it can do I'll try to quiet it a bit and go from there.

Posted by: benjgvps on 2008-03-02 08:59:16
That fan is...Interesting! I think it made my day.

Posted by: MacMan on 2008-03-02 14:57:09
Don't cut it loose. If it becomes annoying try to find a more sympathetic way of disconencting it at a contact or something.

Posted by: Quadraman on 2008-03-02 16:39:55
Definitely don't disconnect it. It looks like it held in place with double sided tape. There should be a mark or some tape remnants where it was originally mounted. You should try to remount it in the same location. It's all aftermarket stuff, so rarer than the computer itself. You should try to preserve it instead of trashing it.

1