How To Build A Computer - Cheap? 
By Jim Heil, KB5AWM

     It sounded so logical.  So practical.  So ecological.  And
SOOOOO cheap!
     I already had, in spare parts, just about everything I
needed to put together a second computer, just a little one to
run a packet bbs.  I mean, it was all there - color monitor, 286
motherboard, hard drive, floppy drive, keyboard.
     Hey, I figured, all I need is a couple of cables and a case.

I even had the power supply.  Piece of cake.  (If it sounds too
good to be true....)
     So there I sat, one fine Saturday morning, screwdrivers at
hand (a few screws loose, too) and all the components out on the
dining room table;  packet was quietly chirping in the distance,
cheering me on (like I really needed help, right?).
     Well, almost all the components.  Oops, it was a 286
motherboard, and only an XT power supply.  Not enough juice.  No
sweat.  A quick trip to EPO, my friendly electronics store, and
all would be well.
     I walked dewy-eyed and innocent into EPO.  "Gimme a power
supply," I growled in my best John Wayne imitation.  "And throw
in a case while you're at it, pilgrim."
     And then I walked out of EPO with a case and a power supply.

But just as I was about to saddle up the trusty Mustang and
leave, I realized that I needed an AT floppy controller.  Well,
yeah, it would control a hard drive too, but I didn't need that. 
Yet.
     So I hooked it all up and it ran.  But the 286 motherboard
was not a happy camper.  Well, by then I had put enough money
into this project to convince myself that it would be too
expensive to abandon now - this cheap computer that I'd started
out to build - so it was back to EPO for another 286 motherboard.
     Back to EPO, where they were starting to wonder what bank I
had just robbed.  John Wayne has given way to Don Knotts by now. 
"I need a 286 motherboard."  Sheepish grin.  
     The new motherboard safely tucked under my arm, I realized
that my wonderful one meg of ram at home was not fast enough for
this new board.  Add one more meg (and counting).
     Back to the homestead.  Hard drive fever had struck Bob
KA5GLX, and the sight of that shiney new hard drive, 40 meg of
it, was too much.  Back to EPO.  The Mustang knew the way by now.
     Of course, it's no use to have such a nice hard drive and
then pair it with that ratty old floppy, right?  Add one 1.4 meg
3.5" floppy.   Hey, it's still a lot cheaper than buying a whole
computer all at one time, right?
     By now, I was about 20 feet over my head.  Ten feet I could
have handled, but even I have enough sense to call for help at 20
feet.  Back to EPO to get the system assembled.
     Richard and Rudy were only too happy to oblige, tightening
up and testing my beautiful new 286 system while joking - lousy
rats that they are - that I really needed a faster machine - like
a 386 for example!  "Get thee behind me, Satan!" I yelled. 
Armored in righteousness, I left EPO, carrying my cheap new 286
machine.
     It ran.  Okay, it ran fine.  But it wouldn't run Ventura,
and I use Ventura a lot, right?  I mean, I spend all the time, 24
hours a day, eight days a week, working on the Clear Lake ARC's
Radio Amateur Gazette.  So I need (not just want...) two machines
that can run Ventura.  (Had I said something about just running
packet earlier?  We were astronomical units beyond packet by now,
and moving out - way out.)
     I needed, really needed, -- as in "gotta have" -- to the
depths of my soul (not to mention wallet), needed VGA to make the
system complete.
     Inspiration struck.  I wouldn't run headlong into EPO,
nosiree, not this time.  No more impulse shopping.  I called
Richard and sure enough, EPO was running a special on VGA
monitors and cards.  Only two left, but Richard would gladly save
one for me.  Wadda guy, that Richard.
     To protect myself against further madness, I shanghaied Bob
to ride shotgun - literally - and keep me from buying more. 
"Stop me before I kill again," I pleaded.
     So there we were at EPO, me looking at the VGA monitor and
graphics card and my trusty pal Bob watching to see I did no more
damage.  Bob?  Bob?  Where did you go?  What do you mean you
haven't seen that guy in two years and you desperately need to
talk to him?  Bob?  Please save me from myself.
     No Bob.  Not in time.

     He was in time to help me carry out the VGA monitor and
graphics card.  Luckily, he didn't notice the new 386 motherboard
I had inconspicuously hidden underneath my arm -- with of course
4 megabytes of RAM.  That is, he didn't see it until we got in
the car (sheepish grin).  Now I certainly had enough power to run
Ventura - and half the city of Houston if I wanted.....
     Hey, it was easy to build this cheap computer.  All it took
was enough parts to start with, five trips to EPO, a couple of
good friends to watch out for me, boundless faith in the goodwill
of my bank, and a set of screwdrivers.
     But - gosh, I don't want to use this gorgeous system just to
run packet.  Well, let's see, I do have that power supply still
left, and some cables, and I could cannibalize one of those
floppies....