Recreating the gold LM323k on an Apple-1
For my current Mimeo project I have been attempting to find vintage parts. Some are just un-obtainable. While I could spend a ton of time and money tracking down the LM323k with a Gold base, finding the correct date code and more importantly the early National Semiconductor logo would be nearly impossible. National Semiconductor has had a few logos since it's founding and the Apple-I regulator uses the earliest one dating back to the 60's.
For the Apple-I/Mimeo what was required was a recreation of the National Semiconductor LM323k with 24k gold base.
The core for this process is an actual NS LM323k, but of a more recent vintage in Steel.
The base was cleaned using 000 steel wool. The original date and National logo were removed using 2000 grit wet sand paper.
I used a disposable "penny" pen 24k electroplating system that is good for about an hour worth of plating. The 24k gold solution should be good for about 3 months before it expires, so I may make a few more for some friends
The final logo/labeling artwork was created by my 11 year old son and viewing a close up picture sent to me by an Apple I owner.
The logo was transferred using "wax" hard surface laser paper and an iron. It took a few attempts to get a clean transfer. After each failed attempt I removed the logo with 2000 grit wet sand paper and let it cool before trying again.
After each transfer, successful or not, I would test the LM323k using a breadboard, a 9v battery, a couple of capacitors and a volt meter.
This is my final result...
Well I just made new Artwork with no "Jaggies".... I suffer from "engineer's disease" and until I get it perfect (which will never happen) I won't stop trying 
I will be posting new pictures after I re-do one of my regulators later this week....
Cheers,
Corey
Here is the new better artwork...
Old on left, new on right....
Very nicely done!
I use a clothes iron for toner transfer, but I think in your case the heat gun was the better choice.
I acutally do use a clothes iron, and then after it cools and I remove the "paper" I hit it with a heat gun to fix the toner. I had a "transfer-iron" which looks like a soldering iron but has a round flat surface for transfering toner, but I can't find it. I may have lent it out to someone who never returned it. Since I only have a few regulators right now to do I didn't bother buying a new one. If I decide I'm going to make a lot of these for other people I will have to get one as the clothes iron is only "Successful" to transfer properly about every 3rd time (I even just redid the sample from my image up here since it was missing a little part of a number). I don't think it really get's hot enough. I may also have to get a real "gold" plating system if I do that as well since the disposible plating pen's battery only lasts about an hour or so. I have to see about people's interest, my time and the cost to figure out if I will do that.
Cheers,
Corey
I missed one step...
After you peel off the hard surface laser transfer paper and let it cool. Blast the print with a heat gun on high to "fix" the toner and make it permanent.