Restoring my Childhood LC

[Scott Baret]

In March 1992...exactly 24 years ago this month...I got my Mac LC.

Since then, it's been through a lot with me...and yes, I do mean a LOT. However, it developed problems in 2009 and I put it "on ice". Since then, I have tried to start it exactly once, about two and a half years ago, and it was a no-go.

Here are the symptoms:

* The internal Quantum 40MB drive doesn't spin up anymore. I know there are some folks who have gotten these going again, and I'd like to attempt that. Any pointers on this?

* The video is the main problem. It gets really fritzy at anything less than "thousands of colors" and has since early 2009. I'm going to guess this is capacitor-related. (I did buy an extra LC board in case any parts need to be transferred over that aren't cap-related).

* The infamous capacitor smell was there on the 2013 boot attempt. I plan on getting both the PSU and logic board re-capped.

* The Apple 12" RGB (LC monitor) is out of focus. I have seen issues with these monitors which involve focus. I'm guessing this is all cap-related?

I'd like to get this restored by next March for the computer's 25th anniversary. Any idea what sort of work would be involved outside of what I've speculated? I'm OK with paying for good restoration on this--after all, this is the computer I've owned the longest of all the ones I have. It's also in perfect cosmetic condition and currently rests in its original box (without a battery installed, of course).

I'm a little nervous about the desoldering I have to do on the monitor to get the boards out (the parts I'm assuming need re-capped). I do have three other 12" RGBs to practice on (one of them is junk) but I'd like to have someone who has done it before guide me a little bit on this.

 

[Elfen]

First - wash the Logic board to get rid of the Cap Goo. Then send the board to be recapped. I recommend sending it to Uniserver.

Second - Your PSU needs recapping. If it is a TDK PSU, it should be simple with a Partial Recap now and a total recap later. Again, Uniserver.

If you want to recap it yourself, CompuNerd sells the TDK PSU Partial Recap Kit (I think it is 6 caps), and Trag sells the logic board caps - both at lower cost than what you pay DigiKey or Mouser for, and without the hassle of order forms. But take your time with it if you do it yourself.

If you send it out to recap, clean up the case. I can't say much about the monitor. I figure that a good cleaning and adjustment after you get the LC working again should get it going good.

With the PSU recapped, the hard drive should come back to life. If it does not, it is just another thing to fix. Nothing more.

Good luck with this.

 

[68krazy]

Hey man, best of luck.  It's going to be a very involved project but should be worth it.  I have no experience with him, but I have heard Uniserver is the man when it comes to recaps.

If you want to do it yourself, I'm in the middle of restoring an LC550 right now and learning as I go.  I had to invest quite a bit in tools (good soldering iron, solder, flux, desoldering braid, iron tip cleaner, and most importantly, a hot air desoldering station).

I hope my thread can be of inspiration to you:

https://68kmla.org/forums/index.php?/topic/26444-fpu-and-scsi2sd-for-lc550/

You should recap the monitor, it will really bring it back to life.  Before I recapped the analog board on my LC, the monitor looked kinda "bleh".  After the recap, the deep vivid color and contrast of the Sony Trinitron tube came back in full force and it is just a gorgeous thing to behold.  Those old Trinitron monitors were a masterpiece.

Good luck!

 

[Scott Baret]

I definitely plan on giving Uniserver some business with this!! He's done several of my other boards before and they have all come out great!!

I know that if I worked with it quite a bit, I could become very capable with the precision soldering and desoldering required for cap work. My biggest obstacle at the moment is not having the time to get the practice I'd want so I could attain this level of mastery. Between running a business, training for a marathon, and attempting to find time for a social life, not to mention running the community program at my church with the Macs, I'm going to leave this job to the pro.

I have done some basic soldering in the past and do own both a small soldering gun and a larger iron, as well as a solder sucker, but most of my work has been with larger items. Again, it's more or less just finding the time to gain the experience and possibly upgrading my equipment, particularly with desoldering equipment.

 

[Elfen]

 I'm going to leave this job to the pro.

No better words can be said!

Soldering takes practice. Lots of practice. It is like Soldering Lesson Number 1 - Never pick up the soldering iron by the HOT END! We all learn that the hard way at least once! Some of us more than once! LOL!

Q: Have you tried the hard drive on another system?

 

[techknight]

I have 2 LC topper monitors, and I have come to learn the focus issue is a bad flyback unfortunately, the G2/Focus block which is integrated, begins to degrade with age and causes drift issues. In rare cases, itll short out and start throwing arcs to the ground shield. 

 

[Scott Baret]

I'm sure I could source another flyback unit for the LC Topper, as those monitors were ubiquitous at one time. How hard would it be to replace--for a pro, that is? (not me)

 

[techknight]

not hard. desolder the old one, solder in the new one, and adjust the focus and screen voltage to proper specs. 

Trouble is finding a replacement flyback. Not so easy, I have looked for about a year and stumbled across one on ebay. 

 

[Scott Baret]

I've got one of these with a good flyback but a scratched CRT. Could work until I can source a new one...

 

[techknight]

This guy has a couple available:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172042097211?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Thats where I got mine. He says its for the IIgs monitor, but the part numbers cross over to the 12" Macintosh RGB as well. 

 

[Scott Baret]

If the IIGS monitor was also a Mitsubishi, then it's likely it's the same...don't have a IIGS to take apart though!!

Next question...that Quantum 40MB drive. It's a ProDrive LPS. Any thoughts on how to get it to spin up again, short of taking it apart and nudging the spindle? (I did that in a Conner 40MB once and it did work...but let's just say I'm not a fan of doing it...)

 

[uniserver]

should have the mb/psu done this weekend

 

[techknight]

If the IIGS monitor was also a Mitsubishi, then it's likely it's the same...don't have a IIGS to take apart though!!

Next question...that Quantum 40MB drive. It's a ProDrive LPS. Any thoughts on how to get it to spin up again, short of taking it apart and nudging the spindle? (I did that in a Conner 40MB once and it did work...but let's just say I'm not a fan of doing it...)

Yep. SCSI2SD or the Seagate retrofit. 

 

[Scott Baret]

Uni--that's actually for a different LC--an LCII I'm using with the kids. (It actually is my 8th grade science teacher's old computer). Mine will be coming later

Actually, I found a video on how to get an old Quantum working again. I might be OK with it for now, but in the long run, I'll likely have to convert the Macs I'm 100% intent on keeping for my personal sake (and probably the ones I use with the kiddos, too) to SSD. (The group for me includes an LC, Plus, Classic II, SE, and Tangerine iBook...oh, and also a 512Ke, but that has no HD).