Hi folks, A "noob" question -- I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store. Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead? What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips? Thanks! John
Antistatic foam deteriorates and turns to goo over time, also most 3d printer plastic is not antistatic. Get antistatic chip tubes. They will be marked “anti-static”. Be careful IC sockets are typically shipped in tubes that are not antistatic and so they won’t be marked that way. So get the right tubes. corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
On Feb 24, 2018, at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi folks,
A "noob" question --
I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store.
Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead?
What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips?
Thanks! John
I will be bringing dozens of chip tubes to VCF East to give-away. If you need some before then, email me and I’ll give them away for the price of shipping. I’m using about 1000 chips a year and give away the excess tubes. Bob
On Feb 24, 2018, at 3:27 PM, corey cohen via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Antistatic foam deteriorates and turns to goo over time, also most 3d printer plastic is not antistatic.
Get antistatic chip tubes. They will be marked “anti-static”. Be careful IC sockets are typically shipped in tubes that are not antistatic and so they won’t be marked that way. So get the right tubes.
corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
On Feb 24, 2018, at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi folks,
A "noob" question --
I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store.
Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead?
What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips?
Thanks! John
I have a number of the plastic drawers labeled for standard nothing fancy TTL chips and ICs. For rare or valuable chips I use whatever makes sense, including clipped ic tubes, long term high quality foam like the kind one would use to repair keytronics keyboards, but mostly small parts trays and shelf/segmented boxes with lots of segmented areas. Make sure whatever you use to avoid anything that would deliver a charge or pickup static. Legs jiat like any elecrronics will get corroded over time if you store in cold wet places, exposed to take, glue, decomposing foam. On Feb 24, 2018 8:03 PM, "Bob Applegate via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
I will be bringing dozens of chip tubes to VCF East to give-away. If you need some before then, email me and I’ll give them away for the price of shipping. I’m using about 1000 chips a year and give away the excess tubes.
Bob
On Feb 24, 2018, at 3:27 PM, corey cohen via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Antistatic foam deteriorates and turns to goo over time, also most 3d printer plastic is not antistatic.
Get antistatic chip tubes. They will be marked “anti-static”. Be careful IC sockets are typically shipped in tubes that are not antistatic and so they won’t be marked that way. So get the right tubes.
corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
On Feb 24, 2018, at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi folks,
A "noob" question --
I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store.
Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead?
What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips?
Thanks! John
Hey Bob! That's a generous offer! I'm not 100% sure when I'll get out to the museum next, so I'd love to have some of those tubes. I have 2 main 'width' chips I'd like to store -- 4k-16k RAM chips (DIP 16), and some eeproms/custom atari chips -- which are wider, and ~ 40 pins. I'm guessing that's 7.62mm and 15.24mm wide. I'd like to store ~ 10 of the bigger chips, and probably 30-40 of the smaller. John Heritage 201 Hawthorn Rd King of Prussia, PA 19406 Let me know how much to paypal and I'll send it over.. Greatly appreciated! :) John On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 8:02 PM, Bob Applegate via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
I will be bringing dozens of chip tubes to VCF East to give-away. If you need some before then, email me and I’ll give them away for the price of shipping. I’m using about 1000 chips a year and give away the excess tubes.
Bob
On Feb 24, 2018, at 3:27 PM, corey cohen via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Antistatic foam deteriorates and turns to goo over time, also most 3d printer plastic is not antistatic.
Get antistatic chip tubes. They will be marked “anti-static”. Be careful IC sockets are typically shipped in tubes that are not antistatic and so they won’t be marked that way. So get the right tubes.
corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
On Feb 24, 2018, at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi folks,
A "noob" question --
I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store.
Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead?
What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips?
Thanks! John
On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi folks,
A "noob" question --
I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store.
Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead?
What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips?
Thanks! John
if you have a lot of chips, tubes become a nuisance, their fine at the factories when it comes to storage because they have the extra space, but when you only have shelves above your workbench, it's far more efficient to use the storage boxes - ones that typically have 40- 50bins. You can even find them with alternate sizes in the same storage box for different parts Now the ones you see at the stores or online are typical consumer products, eg, not anti-static The ones with the anti-static bins cost much more if you want that. But its very easy to make them anti-static thru a couple of methods One is to pre-cut anti-static foam to fit inside the bins and you can squeeze in several layers with the chips inserted Modern anti-static foam doesn't turn to goo anymore like the stuff from 40yrs ago, which was only conductive foam the elastomers in the foam are far more advanced today -- and it's a real anti-static dissipative foam -- and lasts practically forever, longer than we will ever live. I still have some from 20yrs ago that still works fine, the important note is to get the dissipative foam and not the cheap conductive foam If you can't get enough anti-static foam right now, guess what was used before we had anti-static bags 40yrs ago -- good old aluminum foil will help just take the bundle of chips that will go in your bin and wrap them all in AL foil, this creates a Faraday cage, prohibiting the static because it prevents electrostatic discharge This is the same principle behind anti-static bags -- if you can get a box really cheap just use this instead, it's far more resilient than AL foil Dan -- _ ____ / \__/ Scotty, We Need More Power !! \_/ _\__ Aye, Cap'n, but we've only got 80 columns !!
What he said!!!!! On Feb 24, 2018, at 5:35 PM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi folks,
A "noob" question --
I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store.
Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead?
What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips?
Thanks! John
if you have a lot of chips, tubes become a nuisance, their fine at the factories when it comes to storage because they have the extra space, but when you only have shelves above your workbench, it's far more efficient to use the storage boxes - ones that typically have 40- 50bins. You can even find them with alternate sizes in the same storage box for different parts Now the ones you see at the stores or online are typical consumer products, eg, not anti-static The ones with the anti-static bins cost much more if you want that. But its very easy to make them anti-static thru a couple of methods One is to pre-cut anti-static foam to fit inside the bins and you can squeeze in several layers with the chips inserted Modern anti-static foam doesn't turn to goo anymore like the stuff from 40yrs ago, which was only conductive foam the elastomers in the foam are far more advanced today -- and it's a real anti-static dissipative foam -- and lasts practically forever, longer than we will ever live. I still have some from 20yrs ago that still works fine, the important note is to get the dissipative foam and not the cheap conductive foam If you can't get enough anti-static foam right now, guess what was used before we had anti-static bags 40yrs ago -- good old aluminum foil will help just take the bundle of chips that will go in your bin and wrap them all in AL foil, this creates a Faraday cage, prohibiting the static because it prevents electrostatic discharge This is the same principle behind anti-static bags -- if you can get a box really cheap just use this instead, it's far more resilient than AL foil Dan -- _ ____ / \__/ Scotty, We Need More Power !! \_/ _\__ Aye, Cap'n, but we've only got 80 columns !!
Definitely antistatic (conductive) foam, and avoid high static materials like many plastics. When handling, stay in a static safe environment: don't wear clothing that produces a lot of static, ground your body with a wrist strap, and work on a conductive surface. My experience comes from electronics manufacturing and repair jobs. I saw a really good video made by Apple and Woz back in the day but I can't find it now. On Feb 24, 2018, at 2:03 PM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: Hi folks, A "noob" question -- I have some old ICs -- custom chips, RAM, etc.. that I'd like to properly store. Is storing these in antistatic foam and in a (3D printed) plastic drawer of some kind OK? should i be buying/using IC Chip tubes instead? What's the best way to get reasonably priced supplies for safely storing vintage chips? Thanks! John
participants (6)
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Bill Degnan -
Bob Applegate -
Chris Fala -
corey cohen -
Dan Roganti -
John Heritage