3 ms·

I have to ask, owning both Don Lancaster’s TTL Cookbook and Walt Jung’s IC Op-amp cookbook, how many of the devices described in those books are available today

I have to ask, owning both Don Lancaster’s TTL Cookbook and Walt Jung’s IC Op-amp cookbook, how many of the devices described in those books are available today? Does it make sense to think about 74xx series devices (I guess the 555 timer is still around). 1970’s opamp packages? Are DIP packages still available. Can I wire wrap?

HeyLaughingBoy 4y ago
I'm pretty sure Don's still alive and since he welcomes contact, you can call him :-) He's a nice fellow to talk to. A surprising number of those devices are still around, but some may command premium prices since their only use is for legacy replacements. No one in 2023 should be using a 741 op-amp, but you can still buy them. I actually used a 74LS245 in a new project last summer as a 3.3 - 5V level converter because actual level converter chips were Unobtainium! DIP packages are still around, but tend to cost more than SMT probably because of economies of scale and physical size. You can wire wrap!!! Now there's a technology from the past :-) I recently bought wire wrap wire (makes good protoboard connections) but it's been a long time since I saw a wire-wrap socket outside one of my parts drawers. Surplus suppliers like MPJA, BG Micro and Jameco probably still have lots of them. Don't know where you're going to find a wire wrap tool tho.
- WalterBright 4y ago
  In my experience wirewrapping boards, never use the hand wrappers. They don't wrap tight enough, and after a year or so you'll be bedeviled by random glitches. Don't get a battery one. Get a plug in one. They wrap nice and tight enough to cold weld the wire to the pin. Besides, they're a joy to use. BZZT! and they're done.
  - kjs3 4y ago
    As I have said elsewhere on HN, I can count on a small number of hands how many times I delt with someone who knew how to wirewrap and had decent tools wrapping a bad joint. That stuff went to space, and war, after all. Oh, sure...after 30-40 years those DEC Unibus backplane wraps sometimes got a little flaky depending on mechanical stress (as my VAX attests), but I think we can forgive that. It was the novices with a pencil wrapper and a couple of dozen wraps under their belt that gave it a bad rep.
- smcameron 4y ago
  Heh, a 741 op-amp was my very first guitar amp. I used that while I saved up to get a real amp. I had some janky circuit I made up using a 9v battery, a few resistors and a little speaker and some scant knowledge from my EE 214 class. Got some sick distortion out of that thing. But I think my circuit drew too much current because the op-amps would only last a week or two before burning out (and ran quite hot), but they were cheap to replace. Details are a bit sketchy because this would have been in 1991.
e28eta 4y ago
I don’t know how complete / useful /well-priced this particular assortment is, but I think they’re available: https://www.jameco.com/z/7400-SERIES-KIT-Major-Brands-7400-Logic-Series-IC-Kit-350-Pieces-with-20-Drawer-Plastic-Cabinet_2311943.html https://www.jameco.com/z/7400-SERIES-KIT-Major-Brands-7400-L...
rolph 4y ago
hit up amazon there is a good benchfull of stuff, if you can wait for the shipping. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=electronic+wire+wrapping https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Da...

HeyLaughingBoy 4y ago

I'm pretty sure Don's still alive and since he welcomes contact, you can call him :-) He's a nice fellow to talk to. A surprising number of those devices are still around, but some may command premium prices since their only use is for legacy replacements. No one in 2023 should be using a 741 op-amp, but you can still buy them. I actually used a 74LS245 in a new project last summer as a 3.3 - 5V level converter because actual level converter chips were Unobtainium! DIP packages are still around, but tend to cost more than SMT probably because of economies of scale and physical size. You can wire wrap!!! Now there's a technology from the past :-) I recently bought wire wrap wire (makes good protoboard connections) but it's been a long time since I saw a wire-wrap socket outside one of my parts drawers. Surplus suppliers like MPJA, BG Micro and Jameco probably still have lots of them. Don't know where you're going to find a wire wrap tool tho.

WalterBright 4y ago
In my experience wirewrapping boards, never use the hand wrappers. They don't wrap tight enough, and after a year or so you'll be bedeviled by random glitches. Don't get a battery one. Get a plug in one. They wrap nice and tight enough to cold weld the wire to the pin. Besides, they're a joy to use. BZZT! and they're done.
- kjs3 4y ago
  As I have said elsewhere on HN, I can count on a small number of hands how many times I delt with someone who knew how to wirewrap and had decent tools wrapping a bad joint. That stuff went to space, and war, after all. Oh, sure...after 30-40 years those DEC Unibus backplane wraps sometimes got a little flaky depending on mechanical stress (as my VAX attests), but I think we can forgive that. It was the novices with a pencil wrapper and a couple of dozen wraps under their belt that gave it a bad rep.
smcameron 4y ago
Heh, a 741 op-amp was my very first guitar amp. I used that while I saved up to get a real amp. I had some janky circuit I made up using a 9v battery, a few resistors and a little speaker and some scant knowledge from my EE 214 class. Got some sick distortion out of that thing. But I think my circuit drew too much current because the op-amps would only last a week or two before burning out (and ran quite hot), but they were cheap to replace. Details are a bit sketchy because this would have been in 1991.

e28eta 4y ago

I don’t know how complete / useful /well-priced this particular assortment is, but I think they’re available: https://www.jameco.com/z/7400-SERIES-KIT-Major-Brands-7400-Logic-Series-IC-Kit-350-Pieces-with-20-Drawer-Plastic-Cabinet_2311943.html https://www.jameco.com/z/7400-SERIES-KIT-Major-Brands-7400-L...

rolph 4y ago

hit up amazon there is a good benchfull of stuff, if you can wait for the shipping. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=electronic+wire+wrapping https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Da...