The link to the IBM 5150 pattern can be found at the end of this post.

I was so excited to get to high school because it was my first exposure to a real computer science class. My computer science teacher was the best kind of nerd who had an office full of exotica. Highlights included interrupting regular classes to show us how to communicate with nearby orbiting satellites, showing us VideoToaster vids, bringing out a chicklet-keyboard PET complete with 8” drives, and even comparing real Rolex’s from fakes. I don’t know if he ever realized the life-long impact these experiences would have on me but I hold them all dear to my heart.

Truthfully, I wasn’t very impressed with the IBMs. We had some XTs and a a few ATs. None of which had much for graphic capabilities. After cutting my teeth on the C64 and seeing what Amiga’s could do out-of the-box, it was pretty disappointing. Add to that the fact that I was not much of a programmer, and I knew that I might need to look elsewhere to find my bliss. Luckily, a year later we got our first Windows machine, a 286 and I discovered Desktop Publishing and I found my true passion.

All of my papercraft designs include changeable screens, so you can choose from a number of productivity programs including DOS and Wordstar!

Even though I never was satisfied with my early IBM exposure, I always wanted to learn as much as I could. I knew these machines were highly regarded and I had read about the troubles at Commodore so the writing was “on the screen”, the IBM series of computers were the likely future of personal computing.

I love making mini-accessories nearly as much as I love making mini-computers.

Many years on and I still have a strong connection to the 5150’s industrial form factor. The machine was built like a tank and the simplicity and utility of the design transcends the 80’s. I have no doubt that if IBM wanted to get back into the consumer hardware game that they could seriously take some cues from the original.

I hope you have as much fun assembling this papercraft as I had making it. I received a shout out from YouTube legend Clint, at Lazy Game Reviews today so it seemed like an appropriate time to make this post.

Thanks as always for all the love. If you’d like to see some more IBM stuff, be sure to slap that like button silly. I have something special for the German Amiga fans (any guesses?) coming soon.

You can download the IBM 5150 papercraft model here.

The IBM 5100 Portable Computer papercraft is available for download at the bottom of this post.

Since I started making these papercraft models, several folks have offered suggestions of computers I should make next. Most of them are the typical nostalgic subjects (all of which I want to make) but when I received a request for a IBM 5100, I needed to Google it.

This computer debuted in 1975, and cost as much as $20,000 1975 USD (64k). This 55 lb. monster was considered a portable because it had a self-contained 5” monitor, tape drive and came with an optional carrying case.

This machine was released 6 years before IBM’s more well-known IBM PC series and was considered to be among the earliest personal computers, bested only by MITS Altair 8800. To my eyes, the IBM 5100 is the first personal computer to be commonly recognizable as a computer.

The model comes complete with DC300 cartridge.

Cartridge can be inserted into the drive bay.

This might have been enough to convince me to make this design but as I continued to read the request, I began to learn about the connections of this computer to both the John Titor time travel urban myth (2000) and the manga Steins;Gate (2009). Now I needed to Google those things too!

In 2000, a user who identified as John Titor started posting in various online forums claiming to be a time traveller sent from 2036 to find a IBM 5100 which somehow would lead to saving humanity. The specifics of Titor’s many claims and predictions are the subject of many meandering YouTube videos so be sure rabbit holes abound.

Steins;Gate is a manga from 2009 has a number spinoffs and anime series. It weaves the John Titor myth into it’s storyline going so far as to include a IBN 5100. Steins';Gate inserts many real-life references into the plot and fan’s documenting and collecting these items is not uncommon. Given the incredible cost of an IMB 5100, a papercraft version suddenly made a lot of sense.

The “screenplates” include recreated artwork from screen crawl demo seen at the VCF West XI.

If you are a fan of very old luggables, time travel, or the Steins;Gate series, this papercraft pattern aims to please. I adore the computers of my youth but I also love to learn about machines too exotic to practically own.

If you liked this write-up, please consider smashing that like button, it helps me gauge what I should make next (Apple fans, I hear you). Download the IBM 5100 papercraft pattern here.

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