RCA Studio II-3d printed replacement cart shells

[+Tarzilla]

Thanks to a cart donation by flip, I've been working on a 3d printed replacement shell for the RCA Studio II cartridges. Fortunately the cart is a simple design suitable for my limited skills

 

 

Here is what the first prototype looks like:

 

 

I don't have an idea on cost yet (shipping from Canada will be a killer but maybe I can send a batch to someone in the US and they can distribute, same with Europe...we'll build that bridge later)

 

For now, I'd like to get a rough idea of how many I'd have to produce initially. I'd expect to do some on demand later but for now I'd do a big batch.

Colors:

Red

Green

Natural (kind of an off-white)

Blue

Black

Glow-in-the-dark

 

Please post here how many you would want of each color, I'll keep a running tally.

[ubersaurus]

I would be fine with a natural colored one, if you can have it set up for the multicart and it's knobs!

[Blazing Lazers]

These will be ideal for when standalone copies of the homebrew and overseas games are made- all that would be needed to go with them is art for box and cart stickers. And the multicarts, and Demonstration repros, of course.

 

As for how many I'd be down for, I think I could use up to 50 shells in the original color, and 2 if each custom color mentioned above. Any images of the other cart shell colors that can be posted will be greatly appreciated- that glow in the dark option sounds especially neat!

 

There is one other thing about these new shells I'm wondering about: are they easier to open up than the original carts? Original Studio II cart shells have got to be the most difficult to open I've ever dealt with- they practically had to be drilled open. It's an issue that's prevented a lot of rarer copies from being opened up. Hopefully these are much more accessible, if only to place new boards for the above mentioned products inside.

[+Tarzilla]

These will be ideal for when standalone copies of the homebrew and overseas games are made- all that would be needed to go with them is art for box and cart stickers. And the multicarts, and Demonstration repros, of course.

As for how many I'd be down for, I think I could use up to 50 shells in the original color, and 2 if each custom color mentioned above. Any images of the other cart shell colors that can be posted will be greatly appreciated- that glow in the dark option sounds especially neat!

There is one other thing about these new shells I'm wondering about: are they easier to open up than the original carts? Original Studio II cart shells have got to be the most difficult to open I've ever dealt with- they practically had to be drilled open. It's an issue that's prevented a lot of rarer copies from being opened up. Hopefully these are much more accessible, if only to place new boards for the above mentioned products inside.

The design has been modified slightly to use screws rather than rivets, not sure how often I'd want to remove and re-screw the screws in case it chews up the plastic. A version specific for the multi carts holes is easy.

[WillBo]

Unless you want to make money on it, it would be nice if you published the print file so we can make our own.

 

If not, I will probably be doing that sometime in the future.

 

Then people can just go to https://www.shapeways.com/and order as many as they want, whenever they want.

 

Like the one guy at the COSMAC Elf Yahoo Group did for the hex keypad cage:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/XRYVHLWM8/?productConfiguration=58374928&etId=63535175&utm_source=automated-contact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=order-shipped&utm_content=2&key=fc403ca7e88fcfe7bc3a9d164f52af3c

[carlsson]

I got the feeling the shell was not 100% yet, so perhaps he has some optimizations left before either starting the production or publishing anything. Once things are out in the wild, they can't be retracted and if the design is faulty, it will drag down his name for once publishing it.

[+Tarzilla]

I got the feeling the shell was not 100% yet, so perhaps he has some optimizations left before either starting the production or publishing anything. Once things are out in the wild, they can't be retracted and if the design is faulty, it will drag down his name for once publishing it.

Yep, the last part is the most time consuming. Make a change for fit that easy to print, reprint, assemble with a board, attempt to break it, repeat. All while juggling Real Job and Real Life.

 

Shapeways is not cheap, and the hex grid shown above is much simpler and smaller than an RCA Cartridge and much easier to print if it is flipped upside down. Once I am happy with it I will be printing one for flip so he can test for fit on consoles. Then we will go from there.

[InversePhase]

I'm interested in a few of these, any progress lately?

[+KylJoy]

I'd like to try to print one for my multicart.  Would you be willing to share the file?  Thanks in advance.

[+Tarzilla]

10 hours ago, KylJoy said:

I'd like to try to print one for my multicart.  Would you be willing to share the file?  Thanks in advance.

The local company I was dealing with went under but I finally found the file, I just need to fix an issue with the little guide pegs on the stl then I'll share with you and flip. Just really busy at work at the moment.

[+stupus]

If you dont mind sharing with me as well that would be great. We started a shell and i would love to compare them to get the best 1 made possible!

Thanks 

[+stupus]

Also what orientation were you printing them? And did you use support material?

Thanks!

[+KylJoy]

Just begging...  err...  checking in.  LOL

 

I would really appreciate someone sharing a 3d file with me.  I just need to print a cart housing.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Rob Mitchell]

What's the status of this project ?