Posts Tagged ‘Mod Retro’

2nd N64p Commission Project Work Log Started

Posted: 06/22/2015 in Current Project
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IMAG1728

So with the absence of the MBB forums, my new build logs had to move to another location. I’ve been a member on the Mod Retro forums for quite a few years now but was never super active over there. However, I’d joined a group over there with some of the mods and admins and will be helping them build up an advanced modding section which will tackle subjects like CNC  milling, custom PCBs and 3D Printing.

To help that along, I stared up a build log over there today that showcases, or rather, touches upon examples of said techniques and I’ll be using this thread as a stepping stone for more detailed tutorials.

But that’s down the road as I have to concentrate on this commission, which I have to say is probably my finest work to date, not just with aesthetics, but also the way the system has been built and how solid it really feels. Very happy with this one on the second time around.

So anyway, here is the link! Hope you enjoy!

Mod Retro Build Log

10 hours of progress in a single photo

Posted: 07/14/2012 in Current Project, General News
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As my 3 week vacation is quickly coming to an end, the modding time has intensified. Spending close to 5 hours straight in my basement today alone, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m either obsessed the extraordinary, or bored with the ordinary, can’t figure out which…

Anyway, that really doesn’t matter.

In a combined effort from yesterday and today, I completed several tasks that have made the controller almost ready for testing. This was quite a post over on the MBB forums so for the fine details and more photos, I’ll again send you in that direction. But a quick list of what was completed since Friday;

  1. Vacuum-Formed the back half of the controller
  2. Cut slots for N64 Memory Card holder and VGA cable out which will be used to connect the controller to the systems.
  3. Mounted and wired N64 Controller
  4. Completed mounting of all controller buttons
  5. Added header junction for the controller’s interface
  6. Wired the D-pad and Start/Select buttons to the header.

Still lots to do but this project is drawing close to completion after nearly a year and a half in the making. More updates of course when I get more done.

Lighted wooden case completed for the SNES-001 Advance

Posted: 06/10/2012 in Current Project, General News
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The SNES-001 Advance has a new crib to crash at! Build details can be found over on my thread at MBB, but basically we have pine box, lined with black acrylic felt, a clear sheet of LEXAN plastic, brass hinges, 4 blue LEDs and 2 White, running from an external 12V power supply. This box took probably about 8 hours or so from start to finish, but I still need to find some kind of clasp to keep the cover closed so it will hold tight. Pretty happy with this though and if you’d like to see more pics, again the build log on MBB, as well as ModRetro, Ben Heck and Racket Boy all have them for your viewing pleasure!

Case Comission for Bud

Posted: 06/08/2012 in Current Project, General News
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Last weekend I did a small case commission for ModRetro user [Bud] who has been an old trading partner for awhile now. The speakers that are in the two controllers for the SNES-001 Advance project were from him as well the Li-P0 batteries that are in my GeneBoy came from [Bud] as well.

Two weeks ago I got a request from him to take the case he had in store for another (and incredibly small) N64 portable he’ll be working on over the summer. However he was having trouble getting the button holes to have the nice finished look as he lacked a Step-Bit and countersink. I took this on as a favor to him as after the summer, he will be joining the men and women of our Air National Guard and will be serving our country in the years to come, so I applaud you!

With that said, [Bud] also sent the buttons and the pre-drilled case halves for me to clean up. Simple enough, however I still managed to find a way to screw it up… Not noticing that the back half of the case had two holes in it for Z and R, I assumed that the A & B buttons he had sent were going on the left side (I have no idea why I thought that) and then the two actual A&B buttons for the controller were the matching NES buttons. Long story short, I made an oops, however when he got them, he found a solution that would work out just fine and all way good! Much to my relief as I really don’t like screwing up!

But good luck to you [Bud] and I can’t wait to see your progress with this. Keep in touch!

The Unsung Hero: The N64p you’ve never heard of

Posted: 05/14/2012 in General News
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So while I was waiting for the paint to dry on the second controller of the SNES-001 Advance, I got to going through some of my You Tube videos and really had a hard look at one of those situations where one expects a particular outcome and is completely surprised by a 180 turn of events.

The video in question is the one of “The Nimbus II”, my third and last N64p I’ve made to date. All things considered, this was probably the most complex and best portable system I’d ever constructed. Sleek, comfortable and truly a blast to create, it is also the least noticed mod I’ve ever done. My first mod even kicked it’s tale by almost 2X (in relation to You Tube views)!

The reasons don’t escape me though as by the time this was released, anything news worthy related to an N64p had been burnt to a crisp, but I still really expected a little more due to the quality of the system itself. However, it never happened and I had to watch other portables, some finished with duct tape and super glue, rocket past me in a flame pirated glory.

But, then I remind myself that this hobby isn’t about how much your project get’s noticed,(though this is a much added bonus that bares motive) but the self pride in knowing you’ve completed something worth while and stuck with to the end.

So, as I crack a Budweiser and think up lyrics to another “Real Men of Genius” riff, I salute you Mr. basement dweller modder man, who fearlessly creates in the face of an absent interest and continues to hone his practical, yet useless use of skill!

With that said, here’s the video that I was whining about.

Is it the red wire, the other red wire or the other other red wire?

Posted: 04/22/2012 in Current Project, General News
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Rainy days are great for progress! My new A/V cable with 3.5mm jacks & plugs works 100% with little to no interference unlike what I was getting before. Picture is clear and audio is crisp.  I started wiring up the buttons for the controller and only have a handful more to do. I’ve seen a lot of things I’ve could have done better so when I start the next one I’ll have a good idea as to what needs to be done to do it right the first time.

Current problem at the moment is the D-Pad as the way I have it mounted is making it not as responsive as I’d like. So I’ll be playing around with that a bit and hopefully I can get it fully functional. As mentioned on the forums, I will be selling this unit once complete, so I need to make sure the quality is there because if my name is going on this outside of my home, it damn well better hold up!

But, as always be sure to check out the forum for a more in-depth update as well as more pics!  Shooting to have this done by the end of April, but we’ll see how that goes. I will be in Holderness tomorrow evening working on the final design for the vacuum box of my vacuum former. This is going to be one hell of a machine when it’s done. Though it won’t be as grand as a $10,000 dollar system, this will be the highest end DIY vac-former out there. Keep you all informed about that one as well!

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