As far as I know, the original Altair 8800 uses the normal full bat handle switches. The Altair 8800a and 8800b use flat bat handled switches as shown on mine here: http://vintagecomputer.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/MITS-Tower.jpg
I had to find some of the flat bat handled switches and the authentic ones are almost impossible to find. I happened to find a person who worked at MITS that had some spares. On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 10:25 PM, drlegendre . <[email protected]> wrote: > Oh duh for me! Confusion reigns supreme. > > Yes.. the IMSAI uses those really wide plastic paddle switches.. that I had > always assumed were a +Carling+ part, as Carling has a line of switches > with similar handles. > > Altair 8800A and B both use the metal mini-toggles - the former, bat-handle > the latter, the narrow metal paddle-handle. > > On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 9:01 PM, Richard Cini <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > The "B" model used a flatted bat handle toggle switch which IIRC weren't > > made by C&K. I think I may have the number somewhere but I think there > was > > a thread with this info a few years ago. A Google search might produce > it. > > The Altair group archive on Yahoo might have it too. > > > > The IMSAI uses a plastic paddle switch. > > > > Rich > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > > On Nov 5, 2016, at 9:56 PM, drlegendre . <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > "Not exactly--momentary, yes, but clearly not the paddle switches used > on > > > the IMSAI. Fortunately, PCB-mount toggle switches are quite a bit > > > easier to locate." > > > > > > Right, I thought about that once I'd posted. > > > > > > My 8800A (with B supplies) still has the basic mini bat-handle style > > > switches. Correct me on this, but the later Altair 8800B use the > > > paddle-style handle, same as the IMSAI? > > > > > >> On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 8:45 PM, Chuck Guzis <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> > > >>> On 11/05/2016 05:10 PM, Mike Ross wrote: > > >>> > > >>> I need those too - some of my Altair switches have the handles > > >>> physically broken... in fact pretty much ALL the large switches (the > > >>> bottom row for run/deposit/exam/reset etc.) are ropey in one way or > > >>> another and need replacing (the smaller data/address switches are > > >>> fine). If anyone tracks down the correct type of switch please post > > >>> a link here! Or if you have any for sale shoot me an email. > > >> > > >> > > >> The site I linked to from C&K is a good example of how a > manufacturer's > > >> web site should be--parameterized search with vendor stock check. So, > > >> for example, the momentary on-off-on 20V PC mount unthreaded with > 10.67 > > >> mm handle would be 7105SY9V3BE--and Arrow has about 150 in stock. > > >> > > >> Beats spending time on the phone talking to "inside sales". > > >> > > >> --Chuck > > >> > > > > >
