Re: Altair 8800c build thread
Posted: November 25th, 2022, 6:13 pmtoml_12953 wrote:What I did was set the bare backplane board into the case with no standoffs in place so it sat directly on the case bottom. Then I just touched the case bottom through each of the board's standoff holes with a Sharpie marker. When I lifted the board out, all the standoff locations were marked on the case bottom. I installed the standoffs there and the holes in the board were perfectly aligned.
That's what I did too, exactly. I marked every hole with a Sharpie, using the motherboard as a template. Then I removed the board and used a punch to make a small dent on each spot to guide the drill. And I started with a tiny bit as a starter, before following with the right size bit for the mounting screws. But it was still a bit of a nail-biter to drill all those holes by hand, trying to make sure none of 'em "drifted."
AltairClone wrote:That setup demands attention!
Can you imagine having a system like that in 1977?
It's like having a Shelby Cobra, Hemi Cuda or big block Chevelle in the garage.