Very little time for 1130 today, but got into the shop for a bit

I had a heavy workload from my day job, plus I spent my lunchtime at the Computer History Museum working with others to get the twin 1401 systems back in operation. My team solved a problem with the power supplies but the impact of that failure may have damaged some other circuits - more work to do next week. The other teams worked on the other machine and some other equipment, but by the afternoon when I left, the score was equipment 3, restorers 0.

NEW KEYPUNCH INTERFACE WORK

My connectors arrived to hook wires to the pins on the back of the SMS socket panel and I started to hook the 22 wires into the keypunch tonight after soldering connectors to the cable half. Some of the connectors don't seat sufficiently firmly, something I will have to correct. First I will try to adjust the connectors I have, otherwise I need new connectors to replace the ones I just soldered onto the cable.

1131 KEYBOARD CONTACT WORK

I opened up the keyboard area once again and took some extra time burnishing and sanding contacts until I had very reliable connections for all the bails. Right at the end of this process, on bail 15, the screwdriver holding the point against the contact plate slipped while I was burnishing, bending the contact arm. I spent 15 minutes trying to get it back where it would connect reliably when keys were pressed but not otherwise.

It appears I might have done something to stop the bail itself from rotating, perhaps a tab jumped out of a slot, so this could end up as a much more painful repair than just rebending a contact arm. I will wait until I am rested and have good daylight before I tilt at this windmill again.

.