Restoring vintage electronics can lead to a lot of waste being produced – failed ICs, failed components, irreparable circuit boards, and obsolete parts are usually the main offenders. As all of this is original and irreplaceable, and to help the environment, I try to recycle my electronics waste as much as possible. I often spendContinue reading “Recycling More Scrap Components!”
Category Archives: Build
1983 IBM PC 5160 (XT) Personal Computer Restoration & Modifications
Earlier in 2025, I bought my first IBM PC, a 1983 5160 (XT) with matching monochrome IBM 5151 CRT display and IBM Model F keyboard. I’ve been wanting to get hold of an IBM PC for a while now, as it’s an interesting piece of history, and I’ve enjoyed several videos from Adrian’s Digital BasementContinue reading “1983 IBM PC 5160 (XT) Personal Computer Restoration & Modifications”
1983 IBM 5151 Personal Computer Display Restoration & Modifications
Earlier in 2025, I bought my first IBM PC, a 1983 5160 (XT) with matching monochrome IBM 5151 CRT display and IBM Model F keyboard. I’ve been wanting to get hold of an IBM PC for a while now, as it’s an interesting piece of history, and I’ve enjoyed several videos from Adrian’s Digital BasementContinue reading “1983 IBM 5151 Personal Computer Display Restoration & Modifications”
1989 Tektronix 222 Miniature CRT Portable Oscilloscope – Battery Pack Replacement
A couple of months ago, I bought an adorable little 1989 Tektronix 222 miniature CRT portable oscilloscope locally on Facebook marketplace – I love old electronics test gear, and the 222 is particularly desirable among collectors due to its cuteness. The Tektronix 222 is a portable battery-powered 10 MHz dual-channel CRT oscilloscope with digital storageContinue reading “1989 Tektronix 222 Miniature CRT Portable Oscilloscope – Battery Pack Replacement”
1983 IBM PC 5160 (XT) Power Supply Rebuild & Modifications
A few weeks ago, I bought my first IBM PC, a 1983 5160 (XT) with matching monochrome IBM 5151 CRT display and IBM Model F keyboard. I’ve been wanting to get hold of an IBM PC for a while now, as it’s an interesting piece of history, and I’ve enjoyed several videos from Adrian’s DigitalContinue reading “1983 IBM PC 5160 (XT) Power Supply Rebuild & Modifications”
Making & Using BlueSCSI SD Card Adapters for Vintage Apple Macintosh Computers
I recently picked up my first compact Apple Macintoshes, a 1991 Mac Classic and a 1992 Mac Classic II, both of which were in good condition but needed repair and refurbishment. Aside from the classic issues of leaky electrolytic capacitors and exploding PRAM batteries, compact Macintoshes often have old-school 40MB/80MB Quantum SCSI 3.5″ mechanical hardContinue reading “Making & Using BlueSCSI SD Card Adapters for Vintage Apple Macintosh Computers”
Making an Audio Input Adapter Cable for a 1950s Vacuum Tube Radio
I recently fixed up my first vacuum tube radio, a 1956 Philips 353A, which now works well and sounds fantastic and is set up in our front room. The AM/FM signal reception in our house is relatively poor, however, and I noticed that this radio has a “Gramophone Pick-Up” input, which is basically just anContinue reading “Making an Audio Input Adapter Cable for a 1950s Vacuum Tube Radio”
IEC64W IEEE-488 Parallel Interface Adapters for the Commodore 64 & 128
I recently repaired and restored a 1983 Commodore 2031-LP 5.25″ floppy drive, which is unusual in that it uses the came IEEE-488 parallel interface as the earlier Commodore PET series of computers (GPIB connector), as opposed to the IEC serial interface used by the later Commodore 8-bit series of computers (DIN connector). This made testingContinue reading “IEC64W IEEE-488 Parallel Interface Adapters for the Commodore 64 & 128”
Building a Dim-Bulb Tester for Vintage Radios & TVs
I recently bought my first ever vacuum tube radio, a 1956 Philips 353A AM/FM set, which is by far the oldest item in my collection. I’ve been wanting to get into vintage radio restoration for some time now (after watching YouTube channels such as the excellent Mr Carlson’s Lab), as I find the electronics fascinating.Continue reading “Building a Dim-Bulb Tester for Vintage Radios & TVs”