Looking for an IBM mainframe

[Sonic7662]

I know this is an odd topic but the question is quite simple, I'm interested in getting an old IBM System Z mainframe for the fun of it and use it to bring some enrichment to the people around me who are into this kind of stuff. I've seen videos of people destructively disassembling old units because they were to be scrapped and I tend to think there are hobbyists who could get some use of them, even just to mess around with. If anyone has any ideas as to where I might look for one, leave a shout here.

[Dabombinable]

5 minutes ago, Sonic7662 said:

I know this is an odd topic but the question is quite simple, I'm interested in getting an old IBM System Z mainframe for the fun of it and use it to bring some enrichment to the people around me who are into this kind of stuff. I've seen videos of people destructively disassembling old units because they were to be scrapped and I tend to think there are hobbyists who could get some use of them, even just to mess around with. If anyone has any ideas as to where I might look for one or any knowledge of a unit that is available or pending abandonment, leave a shout here.

You do realise that there are several System Z models....and that the sheer size makes transporting them a costly exercise.

[BingoFishy]

You can check on websites like eBay, but they're very expensive.

[Sonic7662]

2 minutes ago, BingoFishy said:

You can check on websites like eBay, but they're very expensive.

I've seen the eBay ads, and I'm not willing to pay 15,000+ for a running/refurbished machine. I'm open to doing some work and repairing something older. A student in the states purchased a z890 for $230 and got it running SUSE with some work.

5 minutes ago, Dabombinable said:

You do realise that there are several System Z models....and that the sheer size makes transporting them a costly exercise.

I do, the particular model doesn't bother me too much and shipping is inevitable.

[mariushm]

maybe you should watch this first

 

 

[Gaurav S Rao]

25 minutes ago, Sonic7662 said:

I know this is an odd topic but the question is quite simple, I'm interested in getting an old IBM System Z mainframe for the fun of it and use it to bring some enrichment to the people around me who are into this kind of stuff. I've seen videos of people destructively disassembling old units because they were to be scrapped and I tend to think there are hobbyists who could get some use of them, even just to mess around with. If anyone has any ideas as to where I might look for one or any knowledge of a unit that is available or pending abandonment, leave a shout here.

Trash PICK? lol but good idea to get some for FREE

[Sonic7662]

Just now, mariushm said:

maybe you should watch this first

 

 

 

This was the video that I was referring to when I mentioned a student in the states, there is also a guy in Switzerland who got one as well, in this case, a junk unit.

 

[Gaurav S Rao]

There are like CRAZY Expensive ones,people want to sell those for $300k and will never get successful,there are some which cost like $1800 and look a real deal

[Gaurav S Rao]

There are Cheep IBM System's but the problem is Their the "X" series not the "Z" Series,but only like $800 for a Six Core Xeon and 16 GB Ram

EDIT:there are 2 Six cores

[Sonic7662]

Just now, Gaurav S Rao said:

There are Cheep IBM System's but the problem is Their the "X" series not the "Z" Series,but only like $800 for a Six Core Xeon and 16 GB Ram

Yeah I noticed, the big difference is the use case, the X series are servers as far as I understand, while the Z series are mainframes that date back to the early computers IBM made like the System 360. If people are throwing them out I don't think people should be able to sell them used for $300k+ when many of them sold for that when they were new.

[Gaurav S Rao]

8 hours ago, Sonic7662 said:

Yeah I noticed, the big difference is the use case, the X series are servers as far as I understand, while the Z series are mainframes that date back to the early computers IBM made like the System 360. If people are throwing them out I don't think people should be able to sell them used for $300k+ when many of them sold for that when they were new.

Maybe People who dont know how much they are worth,maybe they might throw those

 

This might be the best deal i can find

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-9406-550-iSeries-System-0910-7155-2x-V5R4-i5-OS-License-z7-/282404781708?hash=item41c0a2fe8c:g:l5YAAOSwdGFY0Z-r for $1800

[Sonic7662]

Just now, Gaurav S Rao said:

This might be the best deal i can find

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-9406-550-iSeries-System-0910-7155-2x-V5R4-i5-OS-License-z7-/282404781708?hash=item41c0a2fe8c:g:l5YAAOSwdGFY0Z-r for $1800

 

I'm referring to one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-2818-M05-zEnterprise-z114-zSeries-Mainframe-System-26-MIPS-8Gb-Memory-q9-/282356889165?hash=item41bdc8364d:g:SUwAAOSwdGFYnjav

[BingoFishy]

8 hours ago, Sonic7662 said:

I'm referring to one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-2818-M05-zEnterprise-z114-zSeries-Mainframe-System-26-MIPS-8Gb-Memory-q9-/282356889165?hash=item41bdc8364d:g:SUwAAOSwdGFYnjav

What about this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-System-Z9-Mainframe-/112369044685?hash=item1a29b78ccd:g:CDoAAOSwOddYx1rc

[Coaxialgamer]

You might get lucky by looking a liquidation/overstock or the like

[Sonic7662]

3 hours ago, Coaxialgamer said:

You might get lucky by looking a liquidation/overstock or the like

That's what I've come to expect, the trouble is how infrequently mainframes pop up on those sites. Would anyone know of a good place to look that maybe deals wither server old server gear and the like?

[Sonic7662]

The other problem that comes up is what I would have to do to power a mainframe. So far I haven't gotten many conclusive answers but my suspicion is that they take 3 phase at some overkill current. Not knowing much about 3 phase standards I also wonder what it would entail to set up equipment to get it.

[Coaxialgamer]

4 minutes ago, Sonic7662 said:

That's what I've come to expect, the trouble is how infrequently mainframes pop up on those sites. Would anyone know of a good place to look that maybe deals wither server old server gear and the like?

you might want to look for university  or lab overstock more specifically , but you'll still have a hard time .

 

Obviously , ibm mainframes aren't a mass market item , and the small number of them available for purchase are usually expensive .

[Coaxialgamer]

Just now, valdyrgramr said:

So, you want to get a corporate mainframe for dirt cheap?   That's not how that works.  IBM mainframes cost a lot of money to produce and purchase, so assuming you're going to get a system that cost them a lot of money years ago for dirt cheap is not going to happen.

you'd be surprised . Old server hardware takes up valuable floor space .

Companies/organisations often don't want to deal with the stuff , and recycling the stuff is often more expensive than pawning it off to someone else.

 

[Sonic7662]

3 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

So, you want to get a corporate mainframe for dirt cheap?   That's not how that works.  IBM mainframes cost a lot of money to produce and purchase, so assuming you're going to get a system that cost them a lot of money years ago for dirt cheap is not going to happen.  That's like asking a guy who paid 100 grand for a car to sell it to ya for dirt cheap.

 

I'd like to point you to this video, a student in the US got one for $230 in nearly working order. I know it isn't exactly practical to actively look for one of these situations but I wanted to poke around and see what I can find just the same. Again, a little bit of work to bring a machine from being almost serviceable to a great toy isn't out of the question for me.

 

17 hours ago, mariushm said:

maybe you should watch this first

 

 

 

 

[Coaxialgamer]

Just now, valdyrgramr said:

Unless it's their mainframe.  They're not going to let it go for 200 unless they're crazy.  It's only happened a couple of times.  All the companies trying to get rid of their system Zs are asking roughly in the 10 grand range.  They're not going to sell it for a few hundred.

well yeah obviously 200$ is a bit low , but it can happen .

I agree op shouldn't be expecting under 1k unless he gets REALLY lucky.

 

[Sonic7662]

2 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

Unless it's their mainframe.  They're not going to let it go for 200 unless they're crazy.  It's only happened a couple of times.  All the companies trying to get rid of their system Zs are asking roughly in the 10 grand range.  They're not going to sell it for a few hundred.

 

I don't have my hopes up too much but they are thrown away right out of service like in this video:

 

17 hours ago, Sonic7662 said:

This was the video that I was referring to when I mentioned a student in the states, there is also a guy in Switzerland who got one as well, in this case, a junk unit.

 

 

 

[Coaxialgamer]

Just now, valdyrgramr said:

Well, I checked around other places too and everyone wants closer to the 11 grand mark than under 10 grand.  So, unless OP wants to deal with shady undersellers from Craigslist it probably won't happen.  Shady as in they don't have one and would rather have his liver.

they'll never see it coming . The old ibm mainframe-as-bait-to-steal-liver trick.

/s

[Sonic7662]

3 minutes ago, Coaxialgamer said:

they'll never see it coming . The old ibm mainframe-as-bait-to-steal-liver trick.

/s

 

They know how to get me now...

[mariushm]

The point i was trying to make is that you may buy one for a few thousand dollars or maybe hundred dollars if you're stupid lucky but then like the guy in the video it would cost you some money to rent a truck or something to haul the heavy sob to your place  and you'd need to put it somewhere with reinforced floor because you may damage the floor otherwise due to mainframe's weight.

And then you may have to hire an electrician to add power circuits to have triple phase power or whatever that mainframe requires in order to work which is more money and then you may or may not have to start hunting for various parts that are missing from your system.

 

It's not going to cost you just the base price of the mainfame .. like any hobby this has the potential to cost you a lot.

 

[Sonic7662]

I understand where you're coming from and I am completely open to the fact that I might be looking at an empty niche in the market. I just find the concept of owning one of these to be awesome and I want to try and save one from the trash and use it for something productive.