vintage computer services?

[netnerdnerd9]

I would like to enquire if your vintage computer services which are offered are also offered in other countries?

I am struggling to find places to get services done?

regards nfire:

 

[Ole Juul]

I would like to enquire if your vintage computer services which are offered are also offered in other countries?
I am struggling to find places to get services done?
regards nfire:

Well, this is an internet forum not a business. We are just here because we like to learn about and discuss this topic. If you have questions people will likely have answers. What kind of computers are you interested in?

If you are looking for professional help with computer repairs or restoration you could send the items to someone. If you are in Western Canada then one of our members is in this business and there is another "open for business" member down south IIRC. Then some of the people here live in Europe and could possibly help you there. Where in the world are you?

 

[NathanAllan]

Right, there are lots of folks around that can help, but a location would be helpful, even in finding a place to get things worked on from a distance. Have you checked your local craigslist?

 

[digger]

One of the most appealing parts of the whole vintage hobby is not being afraid to grab a soldering iron (by the handle of course!!!) and try to give some old broken hardware a second life. There may not be a lot of people in your direct vicinity who can service these old beasts for you, but you'll find a lot of people in this forum who can give you pointers and share the necessary knowledge with you so that you can do it yourself... If you're handy enough, of course...

If it's broke, fix it!

 

[tezza]

Unless you are very lucky, there are very few places you can get vintage machines serviced. Even if you did find someone with the knowledge and skills willing to do it, the charges for diagnosis, component replacement (and shipping) is likely to exceed the value of the machine. The exception would be if it is a rare and/or a critical piece of legacy machinery a business just can't afford to have out of service.

I found myself wishing there were repair services when I first started to collect vintage computers a few years ago. My aim was to collect classic models and have them all working so eventually I could display them when I retired. I knew nothing about electronics and I must say in retrospect my plans were somewhat naive. I had assumed electronic equipment would store well in dry environments and that if you switched them on years later, they would go. I also assumed that if you received them in working condition, they would stay that way.

This is far from the reality of the situation of course.

This means for most of us, the only recourse is to have a go yourself. I did this with some trepidation but with the help of people on this forum, and a one or two friends who live nearby I've managed to maintain a working collection. It's taken some doing, but I've learnt a lot and found the process of diagnosing and fixing these old machines is actually a satisfying activity in its own right.

If you have a broken machine and no one to fix it, in most cases you'll have nothing to lose by having a crack at the job yourself. Generally the older the machine the more likely it is to fail, but also the easier it is to fix (no surface mount, no VLSI chips and socketed ICs).

Even if you don't manage to fix it, well, you would have learnt something you could probably use in another repair.

Tez

 

[Druid6900]

If you are in Western Canada then one of our members is in this business

Although I'm located in central Canada, thank you for the plug nonetheless. Yes, actually, I've had old stuff shipped to me by businesses and individuals all over the world. Most of them were repairable. Some, like a de-laminating Apple ][+ were just beyond help.


Most businesses hear about the services through word of mouth, other times it's a repair facility that farms it out to me because they have no one there that can handle it.

Individuals hear about it through places like this (mostly here, I imagine) or by searching the web on terms like "old computer repairs"

One thing I do with individuals who, a lot of times have e-bayed themselves serveral non-working units of the same computer, is to have them ship everything they have, fix one for them for no charge other than shipping for the broken ones here and the fixed one back and I keep all the rest of the stuff to (hopefully) repair as many as I can and sell them.

A person can easily turn a repairable computer into a pile of scrap if they just "give it a shot", sometimes.

 

[Ole Juul]

Although I'm located in central Canada, thank you for the plug nonetheless.

Oops! Sorry, I meant to say Eastern Canada... and I'd still be wrong. To my twisted western mentality Ontario is the far East. Oh well, it looks like the OP is gone. I wonder where he was from.

 

[Druid6900]

Yes, well, you can be forgiven about the geographical oversight. After all, you ARE from BC LOL.

As for the OP, 1 post wonders, like those that just come on to peddle stuff and then disappear, are fairly common occurrences.

 

[Floppies_only]

Although I'm located in central Canada, thank you for the plug nonetheless. Yes, actually, I've had old stuff shipped to me by businesses and individuals all over the world. Most of them were repairable. Some, like a de-laminating Apple ][+ were just beyond help.


Most businesses hear about the services through word of mouth, other times it's a repair facility that farms it out to me because they have no one there that can handle it.

Individuals hear about it through places like this (mostly here, I imagine) or by searching the web on terms like "old computer repairs"

One thing I do with individuals who, a lot of times have e-bayed themselves serveral non-working units of the same computer, is to have them ship everything they have, fix one for them for no charge other than shipping for the broken ones here and the fixed one back and I keep all the rest of the stuff to (hopefully) repair as many as I can and sell them.

A person can easily turn a repairable computer into a pile of scrap if they just "give it a shot", sometimes.

I'll bet I could do that. Do you ever offer to repair small parts, like expansion boards, that could be sent from where I am to where you are without much expense? I only ask because to me it seems inevitible that stuff will fail (I've heard that electronics fail whether you use them or not, but I know the capacitors deform if you don't use them for long periods).

Yesterday when I was looking for something else I came across a cut and pasted "computer collector's creed" or some such. One of the items was along the lines of "I will never hoard multiples of the same item, so that others may complete their collections". That goes against my insticts. I like to have spare parts since I'm not really good at electronics.

Thanks,
Sean

 

[barythrin]

Despite the code of conduct most folks are good with the notion of keeping a spare for parts or practice. The hoarding part is buying up all the X model you can and everyone kinda loses. Also some folks with websites get offers quite frequently. If they already have the machine in question a lot of the folks post the comment here to allow someone else who might have an interest get the opportunity to acquire and maintain the system. That keeps all of us in better shape knowing that the spread of expertise and equipment is out there. Otherwise one person has all the Kenbak's in the world and kicks it then their kids, wife, etc find the "junk" and toss it.. ::shutter::