[Coco] Diskette Flipping Question

[Retro Canada]

I made the notch on the other side (those disks I was using both sides
on C64 before my 1541u2) but not the mirrored index since C64 and
apple // don't need it.

Opening a jacket and remove the disk is a hard task since the folded
tips are strong and I could kink the disk.

I use a hand paper punch to punch the notches (bought at dollar store
!) I will fit well for the index hole.

Thanks.

On Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 11:12 AM, Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com> wrote:
> On Thursday 13 September 2012 10:48:18 Retro Canada did opine:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I just got a 36-3029 drive unit using it with a FD-500 interface in my
>> Coco3. It works nice, but I noticed that I cannot flip the disk to use
>> the other side, since this drive is single sided. What is the problem
>> ? Do I need to make another alignment hole on it ?
>>
>> The apple //c and C-64 don't have this problem I can flip and use both
>> sides with no problem.
>>
>> Thanks,
>
> Perhaps the write protect notch isn't cut out on the other side of the
> sleeve?  These controllers also use the index hole when formatting, so that
> will need to be mirrored in the sleeve.  Remove the disk itself while
> punching the mirrored index hole in the sleeve of course.
>
> I can't think of any other reason it shouldn't work.  There may be a
> difference in turning force required since the fuzz inside the sleeves
> tends to bend over in the normal direction, and reversing the disk spin
> could make a difference enough to cause slippage if the clamp rosette has
> shrunk with age, or the clamp spring is weakened from being left open for
> years.
>
> With these drives at the age they are, we are somewhat stuck, leaving them
> open when empty puts tension on the clamp spring, which could weaken over
> the years, and closing them when empty puts pressure on the usually nylon
> rosette, whose petals will then cold flow, effectively shrinking it until
> it no longer precisely fits the disk hole, allowing the disk to be spun off
> center and likely damaging the edges of the hole too.
>
> A classic chicken vs egg for us.  I leave them open since I can always put
> a bit of stretch back into the spring, but making the nylon rosette un-warp
> itself isn't feasible.
>
> Another factor might be the belt condition in belt drive models.  Those
> belts are made out of unobtainium today, but I have managed to rescue a
> cdrom drive whose tray drive was slipping that I needed a while back, by
> cutting a small piece out of it, and super-gluing the butt ends back
> together.  5 years later that drive is still working!
>
> Cheers, Gene
> --
> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>  soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
> I'm receiving a coded message from EUBIE BLAKE!!
>
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