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And now for something completely different
Every now and then, I run across something really odd that is peripherally-related to the machining biz. These two items fall into that catagory. Yeah, this is a bit beyond the usual coverage, but what's life if you can't take time out of a little fun.I think I need two of these
Everyone needs a little laugh now and then. If you're not inclined to guffaw yourself, there's a handy device to relieve you of that burden. Nobumichi Tosa, president of Maywa Denki*, built a manually-operated WAHHA GO GO laughing machine. This is a clockwork mechanism to reproduce human-sounding (kinda, sorta) laughter. Here's a video of it doing its thing.
Sorry, but the narration is in Japanese. Doesn't matter though, the point of the video is to hear WAHHA GO GO laugh. It's not exactly Joker-quality cackling, but at least it takes a lot of effort.
Notice how the "teeth" seem to need some orthodontia.
I can just imagine a shop manager looking at these plans: "You want me to build a clock-work laughing machine that doesn't do anything but reproduce a creepy laugh? That'll be ¥32 million . . . in advance."
* Be warned, the website is a wonder of style over function: lots of needless animation. Be sure to check out the company history to see how it went from producing useful stuff to this . . . I don't know what the hell you'd call it, "art" maybe.
Now this is retro
Converting a typewriter into a computer keyboard
I've been searching for years for the perfect keyboard. I still haven't found it. In some cases, the backslash key – \ – is in an inconvenient spot. I hate the CAPS LOCK key, I'm forever HITTING IT WHEN I MEAN TO HIT THE TAB KEY. Oops. And, don't get me started on those goofy Windows keys along the bottom row.
The best keyboard I had was back in the Stone Age. It was by NCR and one of the first light-weight PC keyboards with rubber dome technology instead of the mechanical spring technology. It only cost $200.
I was at the computer store the other day and bought a comparable keyboard for $3.99. Of course, it only last two weeks, but I could get 50 of them for the price of that NCR. Then again, the NCR didn't have those annoying Windows keys. Does anyone really use those things?
To add to my eccentricity factor, I collect typewriters and related technology. I've got more than a dozen typewriters, ranging from small portables circa 1965 to 50-pound office monsters from the beginning of the XXth Century. I've also added some computers, such as an NEC PC-8201A notebook computer.
The NEC PC-8201A notebook computer
It was the fraternal twin of the Radio Shack TRS 80 Model 100. Programs and data were stored on cassette tape. You can imagine how conveninet that was.
I've also got an NEC Mobile Pro 790 in the collection.
The NEC Mobile Pro 790
Kind of a predecessor to the netbooks on the market today.
One thing I discovered while adding to my collection was the effort it takes to work those typewriter keys, especially the old office models. It's a wonder that secretaries back in the '50s and '60s didn't have forearms like Popeye. But, some people like that. There's a guy – Eric – who converted a portable manual typewriter into a computer keyboard. He tells his story here.
It's an interesting tale and looks like a lot more effort than he says it was. Just the amount of wiring and soldering looks daunting.
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