Wanted: Common 2600 Carts for Store Credit

[Albert]

As I work on getting all the games built for the holiday-related AtariAge Store orders, I am running low on 2600 commons that I'm recycling into homebrew games. Therefore, I'm putting the call out for more carts in exchange for store credit. Here are the criteria for the carts that I need:

 

- Atari 2600 carts made by Atari.

- Picture and Text carts only--no silver labels (they are difficult to remove) and no later red labels.

- Carts should be relatively common--stuff like Combat, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac-Man, Missile Command, Star Raiders, etc.

- Carts must be in good physical condition with no permanent markings on the cart (label is okay) or any scratches, poems etched in the back, or anything else of that nature.

- Carts must not be overly dirty. If it looks like it was unearthed in an archaeological dig, I can't use it.

- I'm also looking for 5200 carts, again, made by Atari.

 

Carts are worth 50 each in store credit, plus I will add the cost of shipping to your total credit as long as an economical shipping method is used. For smaller packages, the most economical method is USPS Media Mail, if your post office will allow you to send carts in this fashion. Otherwise UPS Ground, DHL Ground, and FedEx Ground beat out the USPS, especially as packages get heavier. It's only worthwhile doing this if a sufficient number of carts are sent, say, 20 or more.

 

If you can help, please drop me a note via PM.

 

Thanks!

 

..Al

[bones]

Perfect, have a pile of Combats sitting here, PM sent!

[sandmountainslim]

I see it eventually getting to the point where new cart shells will be the only option, whether they be plain black or one of the bright ones. That feller hangin' out on here making carts may see alot more business soon.

WP

[[d2f]Iggy*SJB]

I sent an e-mail to the link in the store page. In a batch I recently got, I had a couple of DOAs. One of them happens to be a "silver" lable(More gray than silver...)....and I wouldn't mind giving it a shot of getting the label off to send it in. Is it worth even trying? I'd really hate to just toss it into the recycling bin just because it doesn't work. I have a couple of ideas for getting those labels off, but if you're not going to accept them anyway......

[+Nathan Strum]

If people send in already-stripped silver-label games, I would assume that would be okay? Provided they got the entire label off?

 

I used Bestine to get one off.

 

Most art supply places carry it. It's a little pricey, but it works great and won't damage anything. It'll take off almost any adhesive, without leaving any oily residue.

 

It's really quite a simple process.

 

First, you peel up a small corner of the label with your fingernail:

 

Next, you apply a little Bestine to that area, and gradually begin peeling up the label. As the adhesive starts to stick again, apply more Bestine, and keep peeling. But this will require a little patience:

 

#$%@!!:

 

Maybe if I soak it some more:

 

I WILL get this $%#@&!!! label off!!

 

Ha!! In your FACE Henry Thomas!!! Victory is MINE!!!

 

After being drenched in Bestine for the ten minutes or so it took to scrape the main label off, the end label practically falls off:

 

So there you go! What could be easier? Now Albert will have another recycled cart to turn into a shiny new Homebrew! And best of all, it's one more E.T. cart that won't fall into the hands of some unsuspecting gamer.

[homerwannabee]

If people send in already-stripped silver-label games, I would assume that would be okay? Provided they got the entire label off?

 

I used Bestine to get one off.

 

Most art supply places carry it. It's a little pricey, but it works great and won't damage anything. It'll take off almost any adhesive, without leaving any oily residue.

 

It's really quite a simple process.

 

First, you peel up a small corner of the label with your fingernail:

 

Next, you apply a little Bestine to that area, and gradually begin peeling up the label. As the adhesive starts to stick again, apply more Bestine, and keep peeling. But this will require a little patience:

 

#$%@!!:

 

Maybe if I soak it some more:

 

I WILL get this $%#@&!!! label off!!

 

Ha!! In your FACE Henry Thomas!!! Victory is MINE!!!

 

After being drenched in Bestine for the ten minutes or so it took to scrape the main label off, the end label practically falls off:

 

So there you go! What could be easier? Now Albert will have another recycled cart to turn into a shiny new Homebrew! And best of all, it's one more E.T. cart that won't fall into the hands of some unsuspecting gamer.

:rolling: :rolling:

 

That is one of the funniest posts I have seen in a great while. Thanks for making my day.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

That is one of the funniest posts I have seen in a great while. Thanks for making my day.

 

There´s no doubt about it, I am still laughing........ :rolling:

[Albert]

I use Prepsol to remove silver labels from 5200 carts. First I disassemble the carts, then poor a thin layer (a few millimeters) of the chemical into a large plastic container. I then put the top half of the shells face down and let them soak for several hours. I can then use a plastic scraper to get nearly the entire label off. Any remaining label will come off after soaking again for another few hours. I then rinse the carts off in a soapy solution and there is no glue residue remaining.

 

I only do this for the 5200 carts since they aren't nearly as plentiful as 2600 carts. I don't like doing this as the chemical is quite noxious and I don't like working with it (I use protective gloves and a respirator). This would also work for the silver label 2600 carts, but again, I'd personally prefer not to go down that route.

 

..Al

[Albert]

So there you go! What could be easier? Now Albert will have another recycled cart to turn into a shiny new Homebrew! And best of all, it's one more E.T. cart that won't fall into the hands of some unsuspecting gamer.

You have my address.

 

..Al

[thomasholzer]

..... poems etched in the back, ....

 

 

Thanks!

 

..Al

 

You're kidding, or did this already happen to you once or more?

[[d2f]Iggy*SJB]

Well, I don't have any Bestine laying around, and I'm not sure where to aquire any. So, I'm going to give Nail Polish remover a try, and see how that works. I'm gonna soak the cart(pour a little on a plate, and lay the cart label side down in it) for a while, and then use an old credit card to see how much of it I can get off. If it works well, I'll rince and repeat, as the saying goes.

[DaveD]

And best of all, it's one more E.T. cart that won't fall into the hands of some unsuspecting gamer.

 

Or better yet, one more ET cart that won't wind up in a landfill someplace. Lord knows there are plenty of 'em there already.

[Albert]

..... poems etched in the back, ....

 

 

Thanks!

 

..Al

You're kidding, or did this already happen to you once or more?

Only half kidding. It's quite common for people to have etched their name or other identifying information on the back of cartridges. I think I've even seen drivers license numbers and social security numbers etched on the back of carts. I find it amusing, but I can't use those for obvious reasons.

 

..Al

[+Nathan Strum]

Well, I don't have any Bestine laying around, and I'm not sure where to aquire any. So, I'm going to give Nail Polish remover a try, and see how that works. I'm gonna soak the cart(pour a little on a plate, and lay the cart label side down in it) for a while, and then use an old credit card to see how much of it I can get off. If it works well, I'll rince and repeat, as the saying goes.

The only problem with nail polish remover, is that it may very well melt the plastic.

 

I wonder how running it through a dishwasher would work?

 

Edit: Nah. Probably just bake the thing on worse.

Edited January 19, 2008 by Nathan Strum

[+Nathan Strum]

You have my address.

It's all yours.

 

Incidentally, I did about 7 other carts too - none had silver labels. There were a couple of them - a picture label Combat, and a text label Combat - that gave me just as much trouble as the E.T. cart did. The glue on them had somehow hardened, and was nearly impossible to get off. Most of the other ones were easy - just heated them with a hair dryer, peeled off the label, and cleaned up the residue with Bestine. (Incidentally - Bestine should be used in a really well-ventilated area, too.)

[+Psionic]

The only problem with nail polish remover, is that it may very well melt the plastic.

If it's the non-acetone variety, it probably won't "melt" the plastic, but it will damage it.

Don't do that...not worth the risk.

[Omegamatrix]

Al, I was going to send you all my Bomb and Xante carts but then I saw you wanted only Pac-Mans and Combats so I guess I'll have to keep them.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

Al, I was going to send you all my Bomb and Xante carts but then I saw you wanted only Pac-Mans and Combats so I guess I'll have to keep them.

 

You did not mention the bunch of romox carts......

Edited January 19, 2008 by iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin

[phuzzed]

Well, I don't have any Bestine laying around, and I'm not sure where to aquire any. So, I'm going to give Nail Polish remover a try, and see how that works. I'm gonna soak the cart(pour a little on a plate, and lay the cart label side down in it) for a while, and then use an old credit card to see how much of it I can get off. If it works well, I'll rince and repeat, as the saying goes.

The only problem with nail polish remover, is that it may very well melt the plastic.

 

I wonder how running it through a dishwasher would work?

 

Edit: Nah. Probably just bake the thing on worse.

 

 

I'm running some through the diswasher right now.. I'll give you a full report to see the result.

[[d2f]Iggy*SJB]

The only problem with nail polish remover, is that it may very well melt the plastic.

If it's the non-acetone variety, it probably won't "melt" the plastic, but it will damage it.

Don't do that...not worth the risk.

 

I'm using the acetone variety. I've found it to be the best for it's own purpose...and never thought about using it in this manner. As an update, I have the label off, and only some glue residue remains. I'm gonna soak it for another hour or so and try again.

 

I'm also scrubbing it a little with a "nail brush"(anyone with a wife/girlfriend should know what I mean)....I am absolutely NOT going to use the Pumice Stone on the reverse side, as I think it would scratch it.

[Kroko]

I'm running some through the diswasher right now.. I'll give you a full report to see the result.

My cart came out with the label still in perfect condition, but the plastic looked worse than before

[BigO]

I wonder if anyone has ever tried this 3M Adhesive Remover on Atari cart labels? I don't remember seeing anything about "stubborn silver Atari labels" on the can...

http://shop.torresen.com/ships_store/index...08984&frm=g

 

It may be too expensive for this job, but I've seen it remove contact cement after a week of drying on a fresh paint job on a car without harming the paint. I don't really know if ABS(?) carts would be affected, but it's meant for use on acrylic enamel paints. I've also seen it used to harmlessly remove an old bumper sticker from a painted plastic bumper. Some time and patience was involved.

Edited January 19, 2008 by BigO

[phuzzed]

I'm running some through the diswasher right now.. I'll give you a full report to see the result.

My cart came out with the label still in perfect condition, but the plastic looked worse than before

 

 

Really? Wow. did you put yours on the top rack or the bottom?

 

I just dug mine out of the dishwasher. I put a total of four in there, on the top rack. One, the label is completely gone, the others, the label is now damanged, or peeling off. I pulled them out before they hit the dry cycle, and the labels will now come off relatively easy, with some light scraping. One was a Raiders of the Lost Ark, which was a silver label catridge, which was already damaged before it went into the dishwasher.

 

Honestly, I think you would get the same effect by just soaking in some really warm/hot water for about an hour or so...Or, spray the front labels down really well with Goo Gone, and let it sit...

 

But, here is my science Experiment:

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

[accousticguitar]

Mechanics use a spray on gasket remover. I don't know what it is or how it would work on plastic though.

[Albert]

Honestly, I think you would get the same effect by just soaking in some really warm/hot water for about an hour or so...Or, spray the front labels down really well with Goo Gone, and let it sit...

I've let silver label carts sit for an entire week in water (water that started out hot), which only resulted in the edges of the label softening up a bit. Outside of that the labels came out of the ordeal as good as new, still rather firmly attached to the carts. The foil layer of these labels does a commendable job of keeping out moisture. The chemical I mentioned before permeates the label slowly if I let carts soak for several hours, but that's the only thing I've found so far that does a decent job without damaging the carts.

 

..Al