Spotted in the MAKE Flickr pool:
Flickr user nike6 is constructing a modular computer around the Motorola 68000 processor using perfboards, a homebrew header-based interconnect bus, lots of copper wire, and considerable soldering skill. So far, he’s got two of the five boards constructed. He is documenting his work in the 68K computer photoset. Excellent work so far!
16 thoughts on “Homebrew 68000 computer in the making”
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I hope that’s coated copper wire ;)
Me too! I was thinking it was enameled magnet wire.
HA! Same here. I’m pretty much a novice at electronics and thought maybe I was over estimating the connectivity of wires after seeing these pictures…. Glad to hear that isn’t the case. :)
Looks like he’s making an Amiga judging from the CLI AmigaDOS screen! Cool!
I made a 6502 based computer the same way (for Beer Brewing Bender’s brain) using similar wire. You do need to use the right wire of course. There is a type where the insulation is really easy to burn off with a blob of solder on the end of your soldering iron. You can simply cut the wire to length and then solder it without stripping the insulation off.
I used enameled magnet wire like that on one of my projects, and I can say that if you are considering it, first develop a very fast and painless way to strip the enamel. It isn’t hard to do a few, but when you’re doing hundreds of them any tedium or potential for flaws will quickly make for a very painful and bug-ridden process.
I quickly decided I’d rather do wire-wrap then ever deal with using magnet wire as hook-up wire again.
Very cool project though.
I haven’t worked with enameled magnet wire much, but the kind that I used had insulation that you could just burn off with solder- no need to strip it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yakone22/sets/72157627582309472/
This project is now making progress. It suffered a bit from the situation that my GAL programmer can not use Windows 2008, and my old Win98 mainboard stopped working. In the meanwhile, Lattice has discontinued these GAL logic chips!
Recently a MAX II CPLD board arrived. It will be used for this project as well.
The NIKE6 flickr does not receive any new photos now.