Parting out a Mac Plus

[Arthegall]

Okay, so I'm getting ready to crack open my first Mac.

I've gotten a hold of a genuinely bashed up Mac Plus that despite a heavily fractured case still bongs and boots. Because of its condition, I'm not afraid of screwing up a good machine, and I want to part it out—or, really, dissect it for the sake of science—absolutely strip it down to the nubbins so I can say I've done it once before I start opening and fixing my potentially good machines.

In addition to this forum and various online references, I have Larry Pina's Macintosh Repair & Upgrade Secrets, and the Macintosh Family Hardware Reference, and the requisite long Torx T-15.

My questions are these:

What parts am I looking to salvage?

I assume most everything can be saved and used, but in terms of value and my own likely future need, what are the premium pieces?

What am I most likely to break if I'm not careful?

I've always sucked at this sort of thing, largely because I get impatient and start yanking on stuff. Any specific cables or other things I'm likely to damage if I'm not extra careful?

What's going to be the hardest part?

At some point something's going to be harder than it looks in the book. Which part will that be?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GnatGoSplat]

In my eBay searching experience, the compact Macs actually seem to be worth more whole. Contrary to almost everything else, the sum of the parts seems to be worth less than the whole.

In completed auctions, I'm seeing a system board around $7, CRT $10, and analog board $16.

Whole Mac Plusses seem to fetch $50-150 depending on condition and whether it has keyboard and mouse. There is the occasional oddball that sold for less, but they are usually the AS-IS ones with no keyboard and mouse.

I would be interested in the damaged case if you want to sell it. It might be an interesting way to experiment with making a custom colored compact Mac since it's not really possible to make a badly damaged case look new and paint would hide the blems.

 

[Arthegall]

Okay, so update number one.

Bongs and boots has turned into bongs but no video. I know the CRT works, or it did, but it's not working now.

As you can see, cosmetically, it's not a winner.



My first question:

What's the hot glue looking stuff on those analog board components in the top of the picture. I'm on the lookout for leaky capacitors, but as I've never seen one, I'm not sure precisely what I'm looking for, although I have a general idea. That stuff just looks like hot glue.



Is it?

 

[Mac128]

Hot glue. Keeps the high frequency components from vibrating enough to crack the solder joints ...

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

What was that component that ALWAYS develops a loose solder joint, I've got two 128k/Pluses exhibiting this same behavior. One AB is sitting on the bench waiting for me to research this one! :lol:

 

[sirwiggum]

On my plus it had no video, in the end it was just a case of resoldering the "J" connectors (the multipin rectangular connectors) on the analogue board.

I've heard of C1 capacitor going, mine it looks similar to yours, it has hot glue around it like it has been replaced at some point.

The connector in the middle that looks like 9 solder joints in a row, followed by a space then a singleton seems to benefit from resoldering