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Spacers question.

Update your old 720k to a 1.44 drive etc.
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LeeDerbyshire
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Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2025 11:41 pm

Spacers question.

Post by LeeDerbyshire »

A silly one I know, but here goes. I've replaced the single-sided drive in my 520STFM with the Sony MPF920 (a 2001 model I had with the Sony CXA8061Q chip). I made the cable reach by soldering together some DIL pins and sockets to make an extension (nice and easy, since only one row of pins needs to reach), and I was feeling quite pleased that it all works, but only when I put the cover back on top did I realise that the 'new' drive, being much thinner, is nowhere near the hole in the case.

So, my probably silly question is: how do people generally raise their replacement drives to a position where they'll fit? Is there by any chance a 3D printer pattern for spacers out there? At the moment, I'm just tempted to glue a piece of wood to the bottom of the drive, and screw into that from underneath. I'm sure it'll work, but it doesn't seem right somehow. I don't even know how thick the wood would have to be :-) Or maybe cut some pieces of narrow-bore copper pipe? I'm just hoping that there is a well-known, forehead-slappingly simple, tried and tested way to do it.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Spacers question.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Try these I designed, various different sizes for different drive types.

Drive supports
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
LeeDerbyshire
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Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2025 11:41 pm

Re: Spacers question.

Post by LeeDerbyshire »

Thank you so much. We truly live in the age of miracles :-)
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Spacers question.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

LeeDerbyshire wrote: Fri Jul 18, 2025 1:19 am Thank you so much. We truly live in the age of miracles :-)
No worries.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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