Well Free being a relative term. Be warned I tell/explain things in story format. It all started yesterday when I went down to a local computer shop, as I was looking for a multimeter. As I was talking to the owner about arcades, as he owns a few pins himself. It came to mind that perhaps he would have some eproms. I was in luck, he had a few. Just gave them to me, bonus. This got me thinking. Perhaps I could get more chips. So I spent a few hours today driving to all the computer/electronic shops in my city. Knowing being in person is always better then dealing with a person on the phone. This caused mixed results. I didn't end up with any more chips. But one of the shops is in the process of prepping to opening up a computer museum in his shop. He told me that when he does finish pulling everything out of storage that he has several large boxes full of 70/80's ICs, including eproms. So another woo hoo for me.
In the process of talking to all these shops, I explained what I was doing. One shop told me to come in once a month and I can go through as many of their tv's as I want. As they give away/trash CRT's all the time. At another shop, I got a number of two people that may still work on CRT's as a side business. One of the shops started asking me questions, like do you have a route. Do I resell them.. the list goes on. I don't believe, that they believe that Im just a collected and not a coin-op. Sorta weird, if you ask me.
I also contacted a recycling company, that forward me to the city dump. Which forward me to the Diabetic society (a international non for profit organization). They get mass donations, then sell them to local and international outfits like Value Village. I'm currently waiting on a call back to see if I can get into their warehouse and buy by the pound old circuit boards and pull the chips off.
I bet their are other people on here that have done the same thing. I just figured that this may be an avenue that some people may not have thought of. Its better be proactive, then to just wait for something to happen.
In the process of talking to all these shops, I explained what I was doing. One shop told me to come in once a month and I can go through as many of their tv's as I want. As they give away/trash CRT's all the time. At another shop, I got a number of two people that may still work on CRT's as a side business. One of the shops started asking me questions, like do you have a route. Do I resell them.. the list goes on. I don't believe, that they believe that Im just a collected and not a coin-op. Sorta weird, if you ask me.
I also contacted a recycling company, that forward me to the city dump. Which forward me to the Diabetic society (a international non for profit organization). They get mass donations, then sell them to local and international outfits like Value Village. I'm currently waiting on a call back to see if I can get into their warehouse and buy by the pound old circuit boards and pull the chips off.
I bet their are other people on here that have done the same thing. I just figured that this may be an avenue that some people may not have thought of. Its better be proactive, then to just wait for something to happen.
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