Mod Shop Horrors

Shiuming Lai advises taking care when customizing a diminishing breed

Machines with a fanatical following, be they cars or computers, and no matter how good in stock form, always attract users who want even more from their pride and joy. It may be to enhance the standard functionality or performance, or be purely cosmetic. In either case it further differentiates the machine and elevates it to a status commanding higher admiration.

Modifications are available off-the-shelf in the form of commercial hardware upgrades and expansions, and electronics enthusiasts also like to home-brew their own. Here lies infinite possibility for making a mess when implementing these extra gadgets. For while consumer PCs have only in recent years approached anything like designer exterior architecture, home computers of the '80s and early '90s were easily distinguished by their contemporary styling. PCs were still a business tool and didn't need to look attractive, indeed many were battleship-like industrial monstrosities nobody could love.

However, few people pay close attention to design when modifying their ever rarer Atari machines, sometimes resulting in nasty mutilations. I've even seen machines patched up with duct tape! It doesn't have to be this way, all it takes is a little effort and perhaps some ingenuity. Years ago when Matthew Bacon decided to fit his Falcon into a custom-fit 2U high 19" Space Case rack (which featured an interpretation of Atari's signature diagonal ventilation slots), the supplied beige plastic drive bay blanking plates were totally out of place with the glossy grey-painted steel case. Matthew already had the solution: a can of silver spray paint. Problem solved.

Matthew's old Falcon (photo courtesy of Richard Stevens).

A typical DIY project switch, the hole is a small diameter circle so it can be easily made with a common electric drill. Spoils the design though, even if it is on the back.

The case of this XE Game System has surely seen better days.

There must be a better way...

Why go to so much trouble? Let's use a car analogy. If you spend a lot of money on a new car, it's only right to fit it with OEM or custom-made third party accessories, unless it's really your aim to make it into something completely different. Keeping it looking like it could have come from the factory in such a modified state, like a special edition, is the highest form of modification. It imposes limitation and it takes skill. It's not freestyle, which anyone can do blind-folded.

Forward thinking
It's not always possible to complete a project in one attempt. Availability of suitable parts is a common cause, and extra design work might also be needed. I once did a major upgrade job on a Falcon, it involved a CT2 (Rev. A) accelerator and was to be fitted in a SoundPool Digital Audio Workstation 2U rack case. CT2s were supplied with a simple and functional metal SPST toggle switch as shown in the above pictures, for selecting the system speed (a "turbo" switch). However, there was absolutely no way I was going to drill into any part of the beautifully and entirely painted SoundPool case to add this ugly wart. Fortunately the case had a series of buttons and LEDs already integrated on the front panel, which I could use for the CT2. The buttons were momentary action, so I wired up some simple logic chips to form an electronic latch, tied to the reset line so pressing either button to switch speed would also perform the necessary system reset.

When it came to fitting my own Falcon with a CT2, I wanted to have an electronic latch as well. After a lot of thought, I had to use a temporary solution because I couldn't find a suitable button with a style I liked. My Falcon, as long time readers will know, is in a C-Lab MKX case, quite possibly the most beautiful replacement case ever for the Falcon. Its painted top, with smooth welded seams worthy of a luxury car, would be even more stunning if it were lacquered. The lower half of the case is bare steel, in contrast, and this is where all the ports are mounted.

I chose to position my switch on the removable keyboard port plate, because it would be easier to handle when drilling, and conveniently situated for normal access. I measured two points equidistant from the central RJ11 socket and drilled holes there. For the time being, the supplied switch is fitted in one of the holes, but later, I can use each hole for a momentary button for my electronic latch. Right now I have a working solution, but the upgrade path is there. I would like to have polished stainless steel buttons, like the vandal-resistant ones found in public service machinery, but the ones I've found so far are too large. The latch needs to be built and mounted inside first, too.

The name Floppy Doc (Erhard Pütz) should be known to many Atari 8-bit hardware fans and ABBUC members. At Unconventional 2001, I was quite impressed when I saw an extra LED fitted to his 800XE with built-in 2.5" IDE hard disk. This was no ordinary 3 or 5 mm hole made with a drill and round LED inside (or worse, one of those ghastly '70s amateur electronics style chromed plastic LED holders), but a rectangular-faced LED, fitted flush to the case. Not only was the fitting immaculate, but the position of the LED was entirely believable, that it could have been made like this by Atari. I didn't even think to ask how he made the hole, I assumed he had some special tool, I often don't think twice to buy a special tool just to do one single job if it means doing it properly.

At this year's Unconventional, I saw a rather more significant modification which led to the truth behind Floppy Doc's technique. Underneath his XEP80 unit was an Atari 1050 disk drive. Faster and more capable drives from third parties like the Indus GT answered the shortcomings of Atari's own drives. However, these were a large investment for existing drive owners. Atari's drives could also be tuned up to offer similar features and performance by products like the US Doubler and Happy upgrades. Again, home-brew upgrades also exist, adding track counters and all manner of wizardry.

Floppy Doc Engineering: the gold standard in Atari modification?

No need to fear the mod police, with slick execution like this.

This 1050 had a red LED three-digit numeric display fitted flush to the drive fascia. I asked him in all seriousness if he had access to CNC machining tools, so precise was the fit. Remarkably, the answer was that it was just painstakingly carved out by hand, drilling and then filing to the correct dimensions. There was more - underneath the display were two rocker switches, illuminated ones, moulded in a suitably dark matching plastic. The entire effect, with the red and green LED colours (as nice as blue is, it wouldn't fit with the '80s vintage of this device), makes a tasteful and authentic modification.

Right now there will be many people thinking about or already fitting their Falcons into tower cases to fully accommodate CT60 accelerators and associated upgrades. On the one hand they have the benefit of commodity parts, but they face an even tougher challenge to make it look like an Atari. Either way, whether you're modifying a PC case for your Atari or working with the genuine article, exercising some consideration and patience will make the difference between a machine that looks like Frankenstein and a highly prized show-piece.

shiuming@myatari.net

MyAtari magazine - Feature #5, October 2003