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DEC Color Codes

NF6X

NF6X

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Is there any known authoritative source for the official color definitions (such as Pantone colors, etc.) used on DEC toggle switch programmer’s panels? I’m particularly interested in the two-tone green scheme used on PDP-12 and LAB-8/E systems, and the two-tone blue scheme used on some of the PDP-11 systems.
 
The two tone blue was also used on the DECset 8000 which is a PDP-8/e.

This is one of those topics which comes up every few years. I don't have a link to the last time it was discussed. I only remember someone matching the regular 8/e colors. One problem is that I don't think DEC was consistent such that the colors were different from batch to batch and of course this stuff is all 50 years old now and the colors are not what they were originally.
 
If DEC wasn’t that consistent anyway, then I guess it’s not so important to match the original colors perfectly. Maybe I just need to find the nearest museum with a green DEC computer and go there with a Pantone book?
 
I think I saw that document listed while searching for other stuff, but stupidly assumed it was too new to cover the 1960s machines I was interested in based on its date. I’m happy to be wrong about that. Thanks again for the reference.
 
Two things to keep in mind.

Firstly, getting some form of Pantone equivalent for a DEC specified finish may be only the first part of your journey. There is no guarantee that your 50 year old vintage kit is the same color it was when it left the plant.

Secondly, as many have found, duplicating the color of the finish is often easier than duplicating the texture of same.
 
Yes, I agree on all points there. For context, my question is motivated by the idea of fabricating faithful working replicas of front panels. I'm not necessarily concerned with a reproduction looking indistinguishable from an original right next to it, but I'd want to get the look and feel as close as I could.

At the moment, I'm fixated on the idea of making injection-molded switch rockers for a hypothetical reproduction of my holy grail PDP-12. I'm ignoring the elephant in the room of the vastly more expensive tooling needed to reproduce the front panel surround casting/molding. :)

BTW, is the front panel surround on a PDP-12 plastic or metal?
 
AK6DN said:
DEC was horribly anal about their colors and finishes.
See: http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/standards/EL-00092-00-0_F_Finish_and_Color_Standard_Dec82.pdf
Click to expand...
That's not particularly anal; that's just how things are done in the engineering world to ensure certain standards of quality. (It's no different from, e.g., the cladding, materials and surface standards for railway station bathrooms that I typed up as a temporary typist way back when.)

Here's what happens when you don't do that kind of basic engineering work:

1714978026389.png

Not the sort of thing you want appearing on hardware you've sold for (in today's money) hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
 
cjs said:
That's not particularly anal; that's just how things are done in the engineering world to ensure certain standards of quality. (It's no different from, e.g., the cladding, materials and surface standards for railway station bathrooms that I typed up as a temporary typist way back when.)

Here's what happens when you don't do that kind of basic engineering work:

View attachment 1279283

Not the sort of thing you want appearing on hardware you've sold for (in today's money) hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
Click to expand...
The colors used in trademarks, etc. may also be protected as part of the trademark. We had to be specific about the color(s) to be used when ordering new business cards.

The logos and trademarks on DEC racks and cabinets would likely fall into that category.
 
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