For copy between disks of varying format I have got by with various lash-ups over the years before finally deciding to make something a bit tidier and so built this unit which holds four different drives and allows for the selection of two out of the four drives to be selected for connection to a computer e.g. BBC/Master.
In my set-up I have fitted the following four drives:
GOTEK
3½" 80 track floppy drive (Sony MPF920)
5¼" 80 track double sided floppy drive (TEAC FD-55GFR)
5¼" 40 track single sided floppy drive (TEC FB-501)
It uses my Floppy Drive Selector Board for switching and the whole lot is enclosed in a neat (albeit expensive) enclosure that I found from Hammond, part No. 1452DE11.
The rear panel is fitted with an IEC mains socket and 34-way panel mount 3M socket for the computer floppy disk interface.
A 5/12V power supply is fitted inside to power the drives.
Power for the drives is taken separately from the power supply to the drives, only a low current +5V connection is required to the power the LEDs.
The four links allow each drive to be configured as drive 0 or 1 depending on how the drive links have been set. Note that most 3.5" drives are fixed as drive 1.
Five individual ribbon cables are required to each drive and to the computer, of course do not use (PC) cables with twists in them !
Bill Of Materials
Mechanical Drawings
Here are drawings of some of the mechanical parts, please use these as a guide and check dimensions/hole positions on your own drives before machining !
The bottom 5ΒΌ" is bolted to the base of the case and stands on four 8mm high swaged on spacers. The remaining drives are then attached using two side panels, one is flat the other bent 'Z' shaped.
Assembly is bit fiddly, the bottom drives needs to be fed through the front panel (out of the enclosure) and the side panels attached before fixing the drive to the base of the case. Then the remaining three drives can be attached through the front panel and screwed to the side panels.