DHL should deliver 25 PCB assemblies Tuesday; I've got a dozen cabinets "complete"-ish. This weekend I'll assemble the remaining four test batch (the arriving 25 are identical) and get to assembling.
I'm slamming on a slideshow for the upcoming TEARDOWN (below) but everything's on track, if late. I will work out final pricing this week.
I will announce availability on the fediverse and here on bleeve.me's home page and will update this page with time estimate when the parts arrive.
The initial batch of 5 (production proofs) are in hand, the other 20 boards are awaiting parts. I'm taking two units to TEARDOWN 2026 in Portland OR (24, 25, 26 July 2026) where I'm giving a talk on MP/M.
The machines will be sold on eBay, as before. The price will be unfortunately higher; though production-wise the machine hasn't changed much costs have doubled. I'll probably lose money again this batch. I had to master the JLCPCB parts market and buy parts ahead (and didn't plan well). Chassis had to be re-done, overall the process has been a PITA this time. A spreadsheet of some of the costs will be on the A: drive!
Existing owners of previous fZ80's can buy a printed manual for my cost plus shipping; I'll work out the price and post. It's a much better book. I've had some experience now setting up MP/M and so the manual now has a section on setting up MP/M for use, something lacking from the Digital Research manuals.
A few, preliminary boards went out without chassis; if this is you, contact me, I'll get you a chassis and hardware.
The new manual in PDF form is now online.
I've done a few updates to the software, but will do an official release before I announce the new machines available.
I'm a craftsman. I make things by hand, though I farmed out PCB assembly and chassis folding; making 25 of the same thing is tedious. I make things from metal and organic materials; these last and are durable and pleasant to handle. Too many modern plastics suck, the output of 3D printers displeases me. It takes as long as it takes, and I'm not taking money until I can ship the goods. I hope they all sell, I would like my savings back! lol.
I do and make a lot of things, but some complicated electro-mechanical stuff (including embedded computation) are on sensitiveResearch.com.
I've typically made things that look more like these:
Generally I try to make make things that might outlast me. These are three out of maybe a dozen or so machines I made in the 1990's; they all still work in 2026.
Mainly I'm making fZ80 to generate some re-interest in Digital Research's odd and amazing artifact of MP/M, failed product or not; to share the fun. I won't offer them for sale until they are on the bench running; I refuse to be in a hurry.
