Repairing an Atari 800 Cartridge Hatch

[cawley1]

Guys,

OK, I got myself a couple of Atari 800 which needed fixing up - the main problem with one of them is the cartridge hatch is loose, as both the small plastic pegs that hold the tensioned metal strip in place are snapped forward (and now removed!)

 

I already tried to fix one peg with a strong plastic adhesive, and it did not work - and I don't think it would long term as the latch has to be movable to open the hatch, and I have thought of two possibilities to repair it.

 

1) Get two small thin screws, the same sort of dimension as the broken pegs, and screw them into place where the pegs snapped off - the potential issue here is there is not much depth of plastic that I would be screwing into, so it could well not be deep enough for the embedded part of the screw to hold the tensioned metal strip anyway, and I could also deform the plastic when fixing the screws into place.

 

2) Get a longer piece of metal that can be used for the tensioned strip, the cut a line down into the plastic either side of the latch. This would likely be stronger than my first plan, but could have it's own problems (the plastic I am cutting could snap forward, and it could also damage the structure of the plastic between the top of the keyboard, and the hatch.

 

Has anyone ever done a fix like this before, and if so, did anyone find a permanent fix that worked?

 

Let me know,

Thanks,

Paul

[russg]

Guys,

OK, I got myself a couple of Atari 800 which needed fixing up - the main problem with one of them is the cartridge hatch is loose, as both the small plastic pegs that hold the tensioned metal strip in place are snapped forward (and now removed!)

 

I already tried to fix one peg with a strong plastic adhesive, and it did not work - and I don't think it would long term as the latch has to be movable to open the hatch, and I have thought of two possibilities to repair it.

 

1) Get two small thin screws, the same sort of dimension as the broken pegs, and screw them into place where the pegs snapped off - the potential issue here is there is not much depth of plastic that I would be screwing into, so it could well not be deep enough for the embedded part of the screw to hold the tensioned metal strip anyway, and I could also deform the plastic when fixing the screws into place.

 

2) Get a longer piece of metal that can be used for the tensioned strip, the cut a line down into the plastic either side of the latch. This would likely be stronger than my first plan, but could have it's own problems (the plastic I am cutting could snap forward, and it could also damage the structure of the plastic between the top of the keyboard, and the hatch.

 

Has anyone ever done a fix like this before, and if so, did anyone find a permanent fix that worked?

 

Let me know,

Thanks,

Paul

I can't place those two pictures. I see faint red lines, which indicate something. What's 'the cartridge hatch'? I'm thinking the door that swings open and is held in place by two tabs that swing 90 degrees.

[Paul Westphal]

I have the cart door if you need one, plus some extra parts.

[fibrewire]

Has anyone ever done a fix like this before, and if so, did anyone find a permanent fix that worked?

 

Let me know,

Thanks,

Paul

I would put the plastic peg pieces back into place, heat up a sewing needle and push it through the center of both pieces to form a nice solid core, then cut the exposed needle off. Also the thin long machine screw method works as long as the hole through the center of the plastic pegs is pre-drilled. I've done both types of repair many years ago, and both worked fine.

[b_billy]

I know this is an old post but I'm looking to do this same repair on my Atari 800 that I just dragged out of my mother's basement and refurbished.  Everything was going well until one of those plastic posts broke off.  I was quite annoyed!  After much searching, I found this post and I tried to muster up some courage (about 2-3 months now) to attempt this repair.  Just a few days ago, I stumbled across this video:

 

 

Obviously, this doesn't show how exactly to repair those pieces on the Atari but it got me thinking how I could use this method to do so.  I keep looking at the broken part(s) and trying to come up with a plan.  So far, I don't think that it will look exactly as it did but that won't matter since those pieces are completely inside the case.  I'm even contemplating using some sort of hybrid method that includes melting a pin into the plastic as well but still thinking it through.

 

I'll update this post with my results and try to post some pics in the hopes that it will help someone out.

 

Stay tuned...

 

EDIT:  If you have any thoughts on anything related to this repair, I'm all ears!

Edited September 13, 2019 by b_billy

[Sugarland]

Yes this looks promising and it would be out of sight. What about using that method as he did with the calculator or clock to bring some lateral strength to the support pegs? As in adding some more plastic back there to support the pegs? 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Sugarland

[b_billy]

16 hours ago, Sugarland said:

Yes this looks promising and it would be out of sight. What about using that method as he did with the calculator or clock to bring some lateral strength to the support pegs? As in adding some more plastic back there to support the pegs? 

That's what I was thinking too...  I have 2 other 800 cases that I'm going to practice on first just to get the feel of it.  The case I'm trying to repair is  for my "old Bessy" so to speak so I don't want to mess that one up.

[Faicuai]

I remember seeing those posts, back when I installed Incognito, and the top-case had to (naturally) be pulled apart.

 

Right after looking at them, I knew they would eventually break with the counter-forced imposed by the needlessly-thick pressure plate intertwined between the latch and the pins.

 

As for now, I see three possible solutions for anyone regularly needing access to the Cart. bay on the 800. These alternatives can all be mixed together:

1. Buy an Ultimate-Cart. It fits and works on the 800, no PHI2 / on-board flashing required, and you can manually turn-it-off while plugged on the cart-port, by typing "X"... until power goes out. This SHOULD be addressable from Ultimate / Incognito BIOS, but I guess it can't, for now. It will DRASTICALLY reduced access to the cart-bay.
2. REMOVE OEM pressure plate behind latch, and operate latch loosely, in order to relieve and protect the L/R posts.
3. Custom BUILD and install a support / wrap-around bracket-plate (all metal), that would be attached to LEFT and RIGHT vertical TABS, next the latch mechanism. The bracket should look like (top-view, @ = position of current left and right posts, strikethrough to show existing pressure plate, to be "wrapped around" with new bracket):

(L)                                      (R)

 __                                            __

|   |                                         |   |

|   |                                         |   |

|     @                                  @     |

 

I am still trying to find the right material / thickness / flexibility to build #3, but I thing it would be a winner (for those still able to prevent final rupture of posts...)

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Faicuai

[b_billy]

Good news, everyone!

 

So...I finally got around to messing around with the super glue/baking soda method and I have to say that it has, so far, worked flawlessly!  I put my 800 back together and the lever releases the door perfectly.  I did need to do some filing down of some bumps to make everything fit and move as it should.  It ain't pretty but it's functional.  All in all, I found that actually putting that whole assembly back together to be the toughest part of this whole project; that metal piece flew across the room a couple of times. Lol

 

If anyone is planning on using this method for this particular repair or another purpose, I strongly recommend that you "practice" first before doing your actual project just to kind of get the feel of it.  I used the solder sucker/bulb to puff the baking soda onto the glue which seemed to work fairly well for this. 

 

I attached a couple of pics of the finished product and a gratuitous pic of my collection/setup. (yes...there is still work to be done!)

 

 

 

If there's anything you'd like to ask about this project, please feel free!

 

Edited October 14, 2019 by b_billy
Offer advice/answers

[mikesk8]

On 9/14/2019 at 12:08 AM, Faicuai said:

I remember seeing those posts, back when I installed Incognito, and the top-case had to (naturally) be pulled apart.

 

Right after looking at them, I knew they would eventually break with the counter-forced imposed by the needlessly-thick pressure plate intertwined between the latch and the pins.

 

As for now, I see three possible solutions for anyone regularly needing access to the Cart. bay on the 800. These alternatives can all be mixed together:

1. Buy an Ultimate-Cart. It fits and works on the 800, no PHI2 / on-board flashing required, and you can manually turn-it-off while plugged on the cart-port, by typing "X"... until power goes out. This SHOULD be addressable from Ultimate / Incognito BIOS, but I guess it can't, for now. It will DRASTICALLY reduced access to the cart-bay.
2. REMOVE OEM pressure plate behind latch, and operate latch loosely, in order to relieve and protect the L/R posts.
3. Custom BUILD and install a support / wrap-around bracket-plate (all metal), that would be attached to LEFT and RIGHT vertical TABS, next the latch mechanism. The bracket should look like (top-view, @ = position of current left and right posts, strikethrough to show existing pressure plate, to be "wrapped around" with new bracket):

(L)                                      (R)

 __                                            __

|   |                                         |   |

|   |                                         |   |

|     @                                  @     |

 

I am still trying to find the right material / thickness / flexibility to build #3, but I thing it would be a winner (for those still able to prevent final rupture of posts...)

 

 

 

I have the same issue, and I am considering to remove the metal plate fully to operate the latch loosely. Is it possible to operate it like this? eg. does it still keep the cartridge door? any challenges?

Maybe in the future will fix it properly once have more time. 

[xrbrevin]

plastic welding with a (clean) soldering iron bonds extremely well but you may need to add donor material and thus it is essential to get the exact matching type of plastic

[mikesk8]

21 minutes ago, xrbrevin said:

plastic welding with a (clean) soldering iron bonds extremely well but you may need to add donor material and thus it is essential to get the exact matching type of plastic

My metal plate is out of the right post (see pic; left post is gone and somebody cut the hole in the left wall, which limits the metal plate, to use it as left "post") and I think I will be able to remove it without disassembling the case. Quick solution, but it will run loosely thats why I was asking if anybody runs it lose as well.