There's no doubt the Apple 1 is an iconic computer. We decided to re-create this classic machine with the help of an unassembled kit. Find out how we got on.
There's no doubt the Apple 1, the machine Steve Wozniak invented and first demonstrated at the Palo Alto Homebrew Computer Club in 1976, is an iconic computer.
However, if you missed you chance at owning this piece of kit the first time round, fear not. American Vince Briel has created an authorised reproduction of this classic machine. Briel's Replica 1 sells for $149 (£90) and comes as an unassembled kit. So we decided to give it a go and see just how easy it is to build your own Apple 1. Photos by Emily Kahm.
The Replica 1 includes 88 component parts. There's also a packing list and instruction manual to help you unpack and assemble the machine. The first step in the Replica 1 assembly is to insert all the resistors into the circuit board, solder them, and snip the extra lead.
Having never soldered before, I need to be shown how to use the soldering iron to melt the alloy and fuse different parts together.
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NEXT PAGE: Soldering the reset and clear buttons
- We build the iconic apple computer from scratch
- Soldering the reset and clear buttons
- Exceptions to installing sockets in any position
- The lack of casing
- New components
- Inspecting my work
- Inserting chips
- Booting up
- It works!
Comments
paul c said: How amazing that the chips are still availabe after all this time or are some specially made I wish i could get my Mackintosh Mac up and running again that easy have lots of files on the drive
MalcolmF said: Quite astounding that there were no instructions pointing out that the sockets have orientation marks so should not be fitted any way as do the ICs that are eventually insertedOf course if there were such instructions its equally amazing that the components survived switch-on