TRS-80 Model III currently for sale on Ebay...

[Omega-TI]

<< CLICK HERE >> if this interests you. ! day left $225.00 shipping included. Sadly I can't pop for it right now.

 

[Omega-TI]

It ended up selling for $70.00! Good to keep in mind if you ever want to get into a slightly less affordable retro-box.

[Turbo-Torch]

Someone got a killer deal. Close enough I could have even picked it up in person. I already have my original and a practically new backup I picked up on CL for $25...but at $70 I would have grabbed that one too.

If anything, replace the x caps, clean/lube and align the drives on a scope and then detail it so it looks as nice as possible. List it on eBay describing what you did, a youtube video of it in action and include a few DOS disks; now you're looking at a $350+ machine.

 

Seems 99% of them are listed AS IS because they don't have a DOS disk and that tanks the price. Diskette? is a good sign, and if a seller knows enough to boot to BASIC, that's even better. Still, most collectors know the drives most likely won't work and guaranteed non DOA Tandons will run at least $100 each.

[krslam]

What do you recommend as a lube for the drive rails? I need to do some refurb work on my Model 4.

[Banquo]

It was the first computer I ever used, my grade school had these in the library. We mostly did quizzes on them but occasionally they let us play Space Invaders. I'll never forget the big orange button. I would love to have one of my own but I've got no place to put it and I've got enough computers stashed away as it is. That was an awesome deal someone got though.

 

For drive rails I always use white lithium grease.

[Turbo-Torch]

What do you recommend as a lube for the drive rails? I need to do some refurb work on my Model 4.

 

I clean them with alcohol and then use a q-tip to lightly coat them with 3 in 1 oil.

The cone assembly (plastic flower looking thing that mates up to the metal hub) is often the source of noise. There's a bearing on the cone shaft that you can oil but it's a bit involved to get the cone assembly out. I just swapped one out from a parts drive a few days ago because one of the plastic fingers broke off, so even those are getting brittle with age. Latch doors too, but someone has a file to 3D print them.

I've also read that a squirt of WD-40 on the stepper motor bearings can quiet them down. Keep each side upright for a while to let it soak in.

 

This is the factory manual for the Tandon drives. You may have Texas Peripheral drives which are nearly identical, but with some cost cutting involved.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/tandon/TM100-1_-2_OEM_Operating_and_Service_Manual_48TPI_1981.pdf

[Omega-TI]

It was the first computer I ever used, my grade school had these in the library. We mostly did quizzes on them but occasionally they let us play Space Invaders. I'll never forget the big orange button. I would love to have one of my own but I've got no place to put it and I've got enough computers stashed away as it is. That was an awesome deal someone got though.

 

For drive rails I always use white lithium grease.

 

Great era, great times. great fun. I wish I had the room for one myself. I'd slap a FreHD on it and call it good!

 

Little ORANGE button anyone?

[krslam]

 

I clean them with alcohol and then use a q-tip to lightly coat them with 3 in 1 oil.

The cone assembly (plastic flower looking thing that mates up to the metal hub) is often the source of noise. There's a bearing on the cone shaft that you can oil but it's a bit involved to get the cone assembly out. I just swapped one out from a parts drive a few days ago because one of the plastic fingers broke off, so even those are getting brittle with age. Latch doors too, but someone has a file to 3D print them.

I've also read that a squirt of WD-40 on the stepper motor bearings can quiet them down. Keep each side upright for a while to let it soak in.

 

This is the factory manual for the Tandon drives. You may have Texas Peripheral drives which are nearly identical, but with some cost cutting involved.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/tandon/TM100-1_-2_OEM_Operating_and_Service_Manual_48TPI_1981.pdf

 

Thanks for the info. Spent an hour today inside the model 4 and got 'er working! Amazing how much unused space there is in that big ol' case.