Need info for building an 'authentic' T2 CPU

[Harbinger]

I've seen some nice replicas here on the RPF over the past few years, but in my mind there was always something lacking. Brass: too heavy, not finely detailed enough, et cetera. From the few pictures I've seen it doesn't seem to be too hard to duplicate, except for the odd-looking 'plug' or card-edge.

Does anyone have good pictures of the original? How about info on that card-edge connector?

 

[tripoli]

Well, gallium arsenide is somewhat toxic, but would be authentic enough. Getting a lab to make the circuitry would be expensive with the R&D design, layering and terrible failure rates of the chips. And getting time in a CPU lab, tough stuff. Cray really had problems with the gallium as well.

OR...

You could get the RPF ones. As authentic as the brass/resin ones in the shows, and actually may be better in the quality department as well the detailing. Yep, that is as authentic as I think you can get.

 

[Harbinger]

Well, gallium arsenide is somewhat toxic, but would be authentic enough. Getting a lab to make the circuitry would be expensive with the R&D design, layering and terrible failure rates of the chips. And getting time in a CPU lab, tough stuff. Cray really had problems with the gallium as well.

LOL! Good one!

OR...

You could get the RPF ones. As authentic as the brass/resin ones in the shows, and actually may be better in the quality department as well the detailing. Yep, that is as authentic as I think you can get.

I was thinking of doing my own 'circuit board' with the appropriate card-edge, then gluing the rows of small 4-sided chips to it. The problem is that (1) I don't have any good pics of the original, so I don't have a comparison for size and shape, and (2) I'm thinking the chip assembly HAD to be coated somehow with a conformal coating to protect the circuitry but I'm not sure. (You wouldn't send your Terminator out into the cold harsh world with exposed circuits, would you...?) If it had such a coating, it would make the availability/not of certain details moot. The biggest challenge is to ID that funky connector.

 

[PhoenixVader]

This is something I have thought about too. I would like to see one with a metal base, and black resin squares mounted on it. Perhaps the read/write switch could be resin too, and move The base could even be made of some brittle material, to simulate the substrate, and "battle damaged" ones would have that cracked off look.

Lets try and get this project going. Can someone post the correct dimensions of the chip?

thomas

 

[kurtyboy]

HD boys get screen capping

 

[PhoenixVader]

I was thinking something like this. The substrate would be cut as shown here.

And then the resin parts would be added separately as show in orange here. The notches in the substrate would allow for perfect alignment.

You could break the resin and substrate to make a battle damaged one.

So what do you think? I have always wanted to do this prop just like this, just never had the time to get it done. We need on person to do the substrates and someone to make the resin parts. Sell as kits and we are done!

thomas

PS I know it is probably not to scale or proportions, I just guessed. Someone will still need to come up with proper dimensions.

thomas

 

[TheGworks]

Fabulous!!! Love the look of it!

Regards
Grae

 

[PhoenixVader]

So no one is interested in working on this? No machinists looking for a project?

Pretty simple part to make.

Please?

Pretty please?

thomas

 

[p0sitr0nic]

Id be in for one of these.. Ive wanted a "real" chip for a long time.

 

[Brisco]

So no one is interested in working on this? No machinists looking for a project?

Pretty simple part to make.

Please?

Pretty please?

thomas

Have you talked to russrep? I'm sure he could do the "substrate" out of brass.

 

[Mike J.]

Etched brass seems like a logical choice.

By 'etched', I mean photo-chemically etched.

Hell, I'd draw up the damn thing for whoever needed it.

....

Get the brass 'backbone' etched, then design a mold so the brass can be placed in it and the red resin 'blocks' cast around it... Not a piece of cake, but it shouldn't be impossible.


-Mike J.

 

[russrep]

Hi guys that seems like a hell of a lot of work to do? Whats the different from the solid chips I do? when you say they are too heavy they are only small so the weight is not an issue , if any thing it feels nice when its solid.

Russ

 

[PhoenixVader]

Pretty much it is just the look, yours are all metal, the real one would have been metal and plastic of some kind. I know it is semantics, but we would like to try this version out to see what it feels and looks like.

thomas

 

[T2SF]

Did Don Pennington make the chip? I know he did other chips. There was a few auctions of his stuff a few months back on ebay. Must be someone who has detailed files on how it was constructed for the movie.

 

[Stefan Jones]

I am too looking for a terminator brain chip. I had to pass on an ebay auction, because it get too expensive. But I would be interested on this planned new version of a cpu myself thats why we talk about look and feel.........

 

[dontfeedmyego]

did this get anywhere?