Re: Apple IIGS Memory Expansion Card question.

["Bill Garber" <willy46pa@comcast.net>]

"Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote in message
9_ydneWg3o9UHc3fRVn-3Q@comcast.com">news:9_ydneWg3o9UHc3fRVn-3Q@comcast.com...
: Bill Garber wrote:
: > "Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote in message
: > EZadnWs3DfPh7s3fRVn-ig@comcast.com">news:EZadnWs3DfPh7s3fRVn-ig@comcast.com...
: > : Bill Garber wrote:
: > :
: > : > I believe Jameco and Digikey both sell the 41256 ram ICs.
: > : > Also, I may have a few 1MB ram expansion cards with them
: > : > if you don't mind getting a few that are bad and weeding
: > : > them out. In fact, I think I have a set of 24 loose ones
: > : > sitting in a drawer plugged into styro that you are welcome
: > : > to for $10 plus postage. Then again, you could just plunk
: > : > down $49 and get one of my 4MB cards, the RAM-4-GS.  :o)
: > :
: > : Danger!
: > :
: > : Don't use styrofoam for storing ICs.  Though it provides
: > : mechanical support for the leads, it is an insulator that
: > : promotes ISD damage rather than protecting.
: >
: > Really? I've had these chips in and out of this same styro for
: > a couple years, and they've always worked. Maybe this is static
: > resistant styrofoam. One piece was packaging for a monitor, and
: > the other was packing from another type of electronic equipment.
:
: Some styrofoam is pink (or occasionally green), indicating that it
: contains an additive to cause it to be slightly conductive, to reduce
: its natural tendency to build up _huge_ static charges.  But, though
: this is better than untreated styrofoam, polystyrene in any form
: remains unsuitable for holding static-sensitive components.

I never ever use any styrofoam which tends to stick to things, or
things to it. These pieces that I use have never held a static
charge, and I assume it never will. It's pure white if that holds
any bearing to the issue. It is also the expandable foam they use
to package highly volatile devices such as monitors and computers.

: Styrofoam, or expanded polystyrene foam, is a _very_ good generator
: of static charges by rubbing, breaking, or separating.  Making
: anti-static styrofoam is like making non-sticky taffy.  ;-)

I've had things shipped in what they claim to be anti-static,
and they never stick to anything including each

: > : Use the black carbon-impregnated foam for IS storage--or
: > : keep them loose.
: >
: > I checked into getting some of that, and man, is it expensive.
: > It also has a tendency to become brittle over time. Have you
: > noticed this about it???
:
: It's true that it is not inexpensive--no doubt because it really
: has only one use, so it is not a mass market item.  But a little
: goes a long way.  I also find that it tends to become brittle with
: age (like me ;-), but it is not a problem for decades (again, like
: me ;-) unless, perhaps, accelerated by air pollution (again,..you
: get the idea! ;-).
:
: Most ICs are stored in anti-static plastic tubes or "loose" in lab
: environments, with the exceptions being CMOS ICs (including RAMs),
: which are usually kept in conductive foam when not in tubes.

I'd rather use tubes if I can get them. Lots of my ICs are in tubes
because they came to me that way. If you know a supplier of these
tubes I would happily get them and release the ICs from the Styro.

: > : In over 20 years, out of thousands of new and used "candidates",
: > : I've only seen two bad DRAM chips. They are so reliable (unless
: > : mistreated) that they are hardly worth testing.  The same is
: > : true of almost all 74XXxx ICs.  BTW, one was a hard failure
: > : (easy) and the other was a heat-related intermittent (harder).
: >
: > I have come across many mistreated ICs in my time, and yes, people
: > are very hard on them. Missing the pin socket is the most common
: > of the problems I have run into with IF cards and motherboards
: > that I've received. Unbelievable how many people don't take the
: > time to make sure the pins are going into the socket correctly.
:
: I can't begin to count the number of ICs that I have found on the
: floor, mangled beyond recognition.  Invariably, when I carefully
: straighten the pins with needlenose pliers, they have all been
: perfect (unless the degree of mangling or my ineptitude resulted
: in a lead breaking off).

I have many times soldered a piece of hard core wire to a pin
that has broken off to save the IC, which is sometimes the only
way to go when the IC is precious and next to irreplaceable.

: The sure way to insert ICs is with an inserter tool that holds the
: leads at precisely the correct spacing.  Most people don't have one
: or don't use it.  In that case, the "missing step" that causes the
: most trouble is not "forming" the IC's leads by holding it sideways
: and gently pressing each side's leads against a flat surface until
: they bend a bit toward the center of the IC.  This causes the tips
: of the leads to have the same separation as the socket, and makes
: insertion accurate and easy.

Insertion tool???, what is that?  :o)  Yes, I have them, but when
I need to insert ICs, it's faster to carefully insert them by hand
than to go looking for the thing.  :o)

: Some people have developed the skill of partially inserting one
: side's leads first, then "tipping" the IC so as to bend the inserted
: leads slightly to bring the other side's leads into alignment with
: the socket.  This maneuver is a little tricky, and can get people
: into trouble if they don't do it a lot.  It works best when using
: the thumb and forefinger of both hands to hold the IC.

Lightly inserting one side's pins, then pressing slightly over
until the other side's pins are aligned works best for me. That
is my preferred method. New ICs tend to have the pins bent slightly
out on each side making this difficult at times, but then using your
method of laying the pins on their side and presing them in helps
a lot.

: Pre-forming the leads works best if you don't use an inserter.

Laying the IC on it's face with the pins standing up, you can
take a loose socket, insert the opposite side and offset towards
the other set of pins can align them quite well. Just be careful
not to go too far. Then remove the socket and repeat on the other
side.

: Of course, a final visual inspection of both sides of the socket
: is required regardless of how the IC is inserted.  A pin that
: missed the socket or a pin that is bent under the IC will be
: easily seen.

Sometimes  a pin bent underneath the IC is not easily detected.

Apple II Forever, Apple II Together
Bill @ GarberStreet Enterprizez
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