Apple ][/][+: Cable Retainers

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Apple ][/][+: Cable Retainers

I do not recall the official name of these things, but back in the late 70s and early 80s, you used to be able to order little metal retainers to slot into the cable guides on the back of the ][ and ][+--as those systems have four open slots for them, not a series of DSub pop-out panels--into which you would mount DSub connectors at the end of ribbon cables. The Apple Serial cards always came with one that was for DB-25. 

 

They also made one to keep the Disk ][ cables from slipping. 

 

Do any of you know the official part decription/name for these retainers, and do you have any spares?

 

I could see making them in plastic with a 3D printer these days, but I am not set up for that. 

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If you can model them, I'd be

If you can model them, I'd be willing to print some for you.

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Were these originally made

Were these originally made from aluminum?

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Tom Owad wrote:If you can
Tom Owad wrote:

If you can model them, I'd be willing to print some for you.

I woul, but I have nothing to measure in order to model them.

 

They looked like, well, this:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-II-Parallel-Interface-Card-670-0021-VINTAGE-BOARD-IIe-II-Plus-Computer/373063958759?hash=item56dc5840e7:g:nugAAOSwofVeywoo:sc:USPSFirstClass!85053!US!-1

 

That board has one sttached at its end. 

 

I eventually need to buy a 3D Printer, so that I can pop out some things. I would like to print out the 3D case for the Floppy Emu:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2200119

 

I also have a desire to make a hybrid 'snow white' style spacebar, with the correct positioning of its support legs to fit the guide slots on a //e. 

 

I'm unsure what printer to buy for any of that. 

 

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mutant_pie wrote:Were these
mutant_pie wrote:

Were these originally made from aluminum?

Aluminium, steel, bras, or some alloy. I recall seeing them primarily in steel alloy, as it was cheap. 

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Timelord wrote:They looked
Timelord wrote:

They looked like, well, this:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-II-Parallel-Interface-Card-670-0021-VINTAGE-BOARD-IIe-II-Plus-Computer/373063958759?hash=item56dc5840e7:g:nugAAO

 

I'm going to embed the images so this is still useful when eBay takes the photos down in a few months:

 

 

 

What I was picturing was more like a plate on each side, sort of like this:

 

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I have one of these on hand.

I have one of these on hand. It's already sold, but not shipped yet. Which dimensions do you need?

 

As far as I can find, there's no serial or part number on it. This one came with the Parallel Interface Card (A2B0021).

 

 

 

If I find anymore I'll keep this thread in mind.

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Found an instruction manual:

Found an instruction manual: https://imgur.com/a/nfUBOhC

 

Looks like it might be called a Box Clamp. Nut Plate seems to be something else.

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Took some closer pictures

Took some closer pictures with measurements. I don't have the wrench to take this apart to get the measurement for where the two pieces come together with the nut screws, but hope this helps get to something workable.

 

https://imgur.com/a/aCL47Jw

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ZenicReverie wrote:Took some
ZenicReverie wrote:

Took some closer pictures with measurements. I don't have the wrench to take this apart to get the measurement for where the two pieces come together with the nut screws, but hope this helps get to something workable.

 

https://imgur.com/a/aCL47Jw

 

Those screws reuqire a 3/16 inch Impaerial/SAE nut driver, socket, or wrench. 

 

Apple uses the term 'clamp' for these boxes, in their manuals. 

 

TBH, machining these seems the most reasonable solution: They are folded sheet metal, with cuts to create a tab and an opening, and two taps. I suppose that printing them is also possible, but modeling them is a bit dubious for me. There must be a stockpile of them about, as every Super Serial card came with one 

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ZenicReverie wrote:Took some
ZenicReverie wrote:

Took some closer pictures with measurements. I don't have the wrench to take this apart to get the measurement for where the two pieces come together with the nut screws, but hope this helps get to something workable.

 

https://imgur.com/a/aCL47Jw

P.S. If you can provide photos at additional angles, they would be beneficial. 

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Yeah, usually steel sheet

Yeah, usually steel sheet metal, as it was cheap.  Often seen with a bit of 'patina', aka, rust.

 

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Sorry it took so long. I wasn
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