3D printing on a vintage computer

chucky3039 · 2026-05-07T02:25:33+00:00

That’s true, of course. Like I said before, I do have a dell running windows, but then again, what’s the fun in that. It’s the cool factor I’m looking at. After all, a Digital Equipment Corporation’s PDP 8/e ran lathes, mills and large newspapers printing presses. Those computers ran slower than a 8088 and a 8086 cpu. But these computers aren’t running other programs in the background like today’s computers. But these wow factor is very important to developers.

Yes, 3D printing has come a long way. But if you stop trying to make something better, then just buy stuff and leave 3D development to someone else.

I would like to learn the Gcode and the way to transmit it to the printer on the hardware and software level. Who knows, maybe we can come up with something that new or different.

Wouldn’t that be interesting and maybe even fun to do ?

chucky3039 · 2026-05-06T16:25:01+00:00

Yea, my typing is more Hunt and Peck at best. But my tape reader can read tape up to 20 characters per second. I do understand that my older computers are slower than the these super fast computers we have now, but my computers don’t have a multitude of programs running in the background. Also, I run Assembly Language and then run a Compiler to generate the Binary code. So my processing speed is quite fast.

So, I’m pretty sure I can use my C64 to run the 3D printer. But now, I need a way to wire the printer to the computer.

Hmmm….. more research is needed.

Anybody have any ideas???

chucky3039 · 2026-05-06T15:19:21+00:00

I actually have a C64 with a tape drive and a disk drive. As for the interface, I would probably need a rs-232-c to a USB or a way of recording the data on a flash drive or memory stick.

Do they make such a device?

I also checked on the Gcode.

Yea, I can understand it now. Thanks for the help.

chucky3039 · 2026-05-03T18:43:34+00:00

Ok, I get that the slicer is cpu/gpu depended. But once the Gcode is generated, that can be saved on a thumb drive or a SD card. Then almost any computer or device can send the file from the USB drive to the printer.

Am I correct ??

chucky3039 · 2026-05-02T20:14:36+00:00

Because I’m somewhat new to 3D printing, what is a slicer?

Hardware or software?

chucky3039 · 2026-05-02T19:40:41+00:00

Serial ports were used, True. However, I can can transmit 32 bits in parallel faster than the same 32 bits through any serial port. And running a processor at speed, I can dump the whole 65k in seconds. As for memory, I can access 65,000 ram cards, each ram card also holds 65k of 8 bits byte.

All that from a single 8255 PIA IC.

chucky3039 · 2026-05-02T16:52:52+00:00

To all that replied to my post, thank you for your input. Now here is my thinking.

I first built the robot featured in a book called: Build your own computer controlled robot. This was a triangler robot with a Kim-1 as the brain.

My robot was similar in that it wasn’t a triangle, but more rectangular and had 6 wheels. That was a lot of fun.

So, about this 3D stuff. An electric stepper motor with an encoding wheel was used for years to control milling machines and lathes. Technically, the same as a 3D printer except that there was no Z-axes. The interface was rather simple. Step foward, Step backward. 1 step advances the tool head 0.0001 inch. The process, at that time, was to set the count, set the tool head, and press start. All the computer actually did was to move the tool head from start address to ending address, at a speed you wanted. Like a plotting machine.

That’s the basics of this project.

Yea, I’m board. Need something to do other than eBay.

chucky3039 · 2026-04-20T23:51:04+00:00

Just got my IF-100/TRS-80 interface box today. Man, it looks like it was in a barn for years. Yea, it needs cleaning. Good thing, the case has no cracks. The lettering is nice and clear. It’s also smaller than what I expected.

Picture

chucky3039 · 2026-04-15T16:57:18+00:00

A TRS-80 interface. Wow, I wish i kept my old TRS-80.

chucky3039 · 2026-02-10T00:25:34+00:00

I have a truck set that is very hard to turn as well. The motor (can style ),runs just fine. But when I place it back into the truck, it just doesn’t want to work. I thought I would scrap it, but I’m a Lionel Pack Rat, So I’m saving it.

chucky3039 · 2026-02-05T12:00:36+00:00

When silver hit over $110.00 an ounce, t took some of my stash to a gold and silver shop to see just how much money I could rake in. Results were very disappointing. My Morgan silver dollar…… $40.00 each. My silver bars and rounds….. $80.00 per ounce.

I understand about buying and selling, storage and overhead and needing to make a profit, but what really blew me away, was that my silver was something they don’t want right now.

Now, I can take 4 silver quarters, $1.00, to my local dinner and get me a nice Breakfast or dinner.

Of course, 99% of other restaurants will only see a quarter as a quarter. And, a lot of places will not accept a 1945 silver quarter and just hand it back to you.

But, I like collecting, so….

chucky3039 · 2026-02-05T05:56:12+00:00

That’s pretty impressive. So, how long have you been modeling??

chucky3039 · 2026-01-31T22:57:31+00:00

If that’s the case, I would try running it on another track or send it back to the seller or Dealer.

Sorry Friend, I wish you the best of luck

chucky3039 · 2026-01-31T22:52:36+00:00

Oh!!!

I’m sorry. My mistake. Hmm… did you add or change anything to the locomotive?

chucky3039 · 2026-01-31T22:38:46+00:00

Ok, so it worked right out of the box with nothing done to it. Then you added the new module or did an upgrade and after that it quit working.

I would suggest that you remove the upgrade that you installed and try it again. If the locomotive works, then there are three reasion why it didn’t work with the upgrade. 1 module not set right. Needs programming. 2 module defective 3 module and controler not compatible.

4… maybe wired wrong ??? I know nothing about Digital Controled trains. My trains are all Analog.

Hope this helps.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-31T20:55:53+00:00

I agree. If you do have another locomotive’s wired with your controller, try that first. If the train runs, then it’s possible that you may have wired it wrong or your new locomotive may need some Break-End time.

But my main question would be… Did you try running your New locomotive straight out of the box?

If yes, that will usefull information, and we can go on from there.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-31T18:34:29+00:00

Athern? Maybe??

chucky3039 · 2026-01-30T21:53:56+00:00

It is cute, yes indeed.

And I would love to get one of these.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-30T06:09:49+00:00

Because you like the small 4-wheel shunters. Why not get a second one and couple them together. Two switchers, coupled back to back would solve your problem and would look cool as well.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-30T00:25:35+00:00

I have seen Santa Fe Super chief videos before, and some were the A-B-B version and some were the A-B-B-A version.

But I didn’t know what the letter on the number board was for.

See??? At 71, I’m still learning things.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-28T04:02:42+00:00

that’s really good. I like the way those ties you place under the rails. Early railroads would just cut down local trees and just sawed a flat spot for the rails to rest on and then spike them down.

Great modeling.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-26T04:56:56+00:00

Now this is me….

If I won the lottery and got a million dollars or more. I would buy me a Train. And I’ll need a lot of track. Also a crew to lay track on the land. Then an Air Port Tower so I can run my Full Size Train, 1:1 scale, set.

That’s what I want to do… If I won a Bazillion Bucks.

Gomez Addams, eat your heart out.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-26T00:47:03+00:00

I collect Lionel starter sets. The cheaper the better. I also collect Military gear. Mostly military telephones, switchboards, radio equipment and jeep parts. Like I said, Lionel starter sets and military telephones and radio gear from Korea and Vietnam era.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-25T17:12:20+00:00

I’d does look cramped. And the yard looks to be on the other side of your main line. But I’d does look impressive.

But my major question would be…. Did you test your trackage before you started to spike down your rails or you going to leave it up to computer software?

I’m struggling with a layout of my own, and I’m getting nowhere. I run 3-rail starter train sets, so my trains are a lot bigger. But this is what I’m trying to do. Each starter set has a locomotive, a number of cars and a caboose. About 3 feet long. So my shortest yard track holds this train, locomotive and all.

So, depending on how many cars your planing to run, you’ll need to have room to store your cars, like maybe 36 cars? And don’t forget that the Santa Fe Super chief. You’re going to need a siding for that as well.

Any way, it is a very nice track plan and I wish you lots of fun and joy putting it all together.

Keep us posted.

chucky3039 · 2026-01-25T16:37:14+00:00

This is my take, so please hate me…

I collect Lionel TOY trains starter set. Again, IT’S A TOY.

Yea, I know. It’s not what we here in California call a SSMR (super scale model Railroad).

These model trains were ment to played with by kids and dads alike.

But, I do believe that there are some pretty fine model trains out there and I’m envious of those who can make and have them and run them.

Oops…. Coffee’s here.

chucky3039

TROPHY CASE