TAM arrived, and it's not pretty

[trigf]

Yep, just got a PowerBook 3400 from eBay, and it arrived in a USPS flat rate box, with no packing material. Luckily, the 3400 is a beast, and can withstand a few bumps. 

 

[CC_333]

Likely because it's new enough that the plastic hasn't gone completely brittle.

But then again, it's the same age as the TAM, so I don't know....
 

c

 

[unity]

The TAM is not the same plastic as the 3400 to begin with. That may be part of it.

 

[techknight]

The TAM definitely has spindlerplastic. For sure... its brittle, the same or even more so than the LC5XX

 

[khannonnd]

Any update on what the seller has said?

 

[trigf]

Any update on what the seller has said?

Update:

After a few days of sneering at it, I decided to fire it up and see if it still worked. To my great surprise, it started right up, and the screen even comes on (which the auction said it didn't). It's running OS 9.1 with 64 MB of RAM and an upgraded 10 GB hard drive.

The seller finally got back to me this afternoon, and offered me $250 back. I'm a little torn because at this point, finding a new Bose base and CD-ROM door is going to take several years. But finding an affordable TAM could take even longer. 

 
What would you guys do? 

 

[CC_333]

Try piecing together what you can? Assuming you have all the pieces, you could probably rebuild the CD-ROM door, even though it will never look as good as an undamaged part.

Take the $250. You can save it and use it for another TAM.

c

 

[Gorgonops]

The seller finally got back to me this afternoon, and offered me $250 back. I'm a little torn because at this point, finding a new Bose base and CD-ROM door is going to take several years. But finding an affordable TAM could take even longer.

Personally I'd tell him to get bent and demand all my money back *including* shipping, but I'm probably the wrong one to ask since I can't for the life of me see the attraction of a TAM. You paid, what, $370 PLUS $70 bucks shipping and the guy just tosses it loosely into a cardboard box so it seems to me he has a lot of gall to ask you to effectively pay $190 for a smashed computer that's 100% his fault.

Or, to put it another way, I'd only keep it if you're sure that the undamaged parts are collectively worth $190. Maybe they are. But I'd still be hesitant to take the deal. Someone this stupid deserves some seriously vindictive treatment.

 

[Byrd]

If it's working, with refund in hand (and I'd push for more) JB weld it all back together and enjoy using it.  You will learn a lot about TAM disassembly (which isn't that bad) and be ready to replace the plastics when they do crop up somewhere!  A store in the Netherlands had lots of NIB parts - I can't find the site anymore though.

EDIT: Found an archive of the TAM ning site, for parts try emailing  hans@petersdorff.nl 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I'd beat him up for more than that, something like $150 total out of pocket for a box of working shards seems more like it to me. $80 less eBay fees plus whatever he netted with that egregious "shipping & mishandling" fee is more than is deserved in my book. What postage sticker price was on that package anyway?

 

[trigf]

I'd beat him up for more than that, something like $150 total out of pocket for a box of working shards seems more like it to me. $80 less eBay fees plus whatever he netted with that egregious "shipping & mishandling" fee is more than is deserved in my book. What postage sticker price was on that package anyway?

So I asked him for $280 back, because a "junk" TAM recently sold on eBay for $150. I told him that this is basically junk now, as it's only value to me was as a display piece. He agreed to $280. 

I looked up Fedex from Chicago to Reno, and it appears, based on a 20x20x20 inch box (like it shipped in), it really was about $65 to ship to me. That wasn't the shipping method specified in the auction.

 

[unity]

Subs pop up for $200 on eBay from time to time, plus shipping. The CD door.... I already spent a GREAT deal of time locating one. Never did, ended up fixing it instead.

 

[Bunsen]

I'd take the refund.  If that junker TAM you mentioned was "For parts or not working", at least you have a whole working TAM for the same price.  Fix up what you can and keep an ear out for a dead one or the plastics you need down the road.

Alternatively, find someone who can 3D print you a new door and make it translucent