VIC-20 Cartridge Case Reproduction Plans

[brain]

I'm researching costs associated with producing CBM cartridge cases. It looks like $2000.00 for tooling, + $500.00-$1000.00 if I need to have someone 3D scan-to-CAD the case.

Thus, I have a couple of questions:

• Is anyone interested in a VIC-20 cartridge case? If 10 people care, then it's probably not worth it. If 50 people care, then it might be.
• I was thinking of reproducing the std CBM VIC cart case. Any thoughts?
• Does anyone know someone with 3D CAD (Solidworks et al) experience that would be willing to help with the effort? (The rapid prototyping services need a 3D CAD drawing to create molds)
• Would initial buyers be willing to pay a premium ($10.00-15.00) for their first case to help offset the tooling charges a bit? (I'm willing to amortize some of the cost over eventual sales, but I can't swallow it all.

Jim

[Schema]

I would be interested in one if it was extraordinary in some way (i.e transparent). I have a handful of duplicate VIC carts that will last me a long time for hobby cases, and I suspect most of us on here also do.

The CBM cases would be the lowest common denominator; but the Creative cases were nice too. And then some of the other game manufacturers put a little grip thing that made it less painful to get the carts out, maybe those would be worthwhile copying. If you're working from a soft model then the sky's the limit.

[6502dude]

Earlier this year, I look into getting custom cases done as well and received similar pricing.

Once moulds are created, the per unit costs are very low.

For low volume production, it is very difficult to justify the cost.

[sjgray]

I had an idea to clone some of my CBM-II cases (ya, they're BIG)...
Anyway, after some searching I came across this site:

http://www.smooth-on.com/Prototyping-an ... index.html

Anyone look into something like that? I think you can clone almost anything within reason. There were too many options and not enough time so I never costed things out but I think you could do small parts with under a $100 investment...

Hey, it's good enough for Martha Stewart!
http://www.smooth-on.com/media_video.ph ... 0Smooth-On

Steve

[ral-clan]

I wish I could help. I finally tought myself CAD use this past month, but it's only 2D at the moment.

You're going to need a lot of hobby projects to justify that many cases!

[carlsson]

Wouldn't both the MegaCart and Behr Bonz projects benefit from newly manufactured cases? I know the Behr Bonz is sold as it is and it is up to the buyer to source a case, and the MegaCart will try to reuse old cases, but unless the production costs are astronomous I thought new production would be worth it.

As for myself, I could probably have use for a handful of cases, and no matter how relatively common the cartridges are, I think it is a shame to recycle perfectly working Avengers and so on for a commercial level project.

[PaulQ]

On the other hand, the number of working cartridges of Avengers probably outnumbers the number of working Vic 20's today. That, and it's becoming fashionable in modern culture to recycle like this to keep our stuff from becoming landfill.

[nbla000]

I'm researching costs associated with producing CBM cartridge cases. It looks like $2000.00 for tooling, + $500.00-$1000.00 if I need to have someone 3D scan-to-CAD the case.

Wow, which is the reason you need to produce all these Cartridge cases, is not so difficult to buy lots of cartridges that you may easily refurbish, at least if you don't need 100/200 Cartridges but for what ?

[eslapion]

[*]Does anyone know someone with 3D CAD (Solidworks et al) experience that would be willing to help with the effort? (The rapid prototyping services need a 3D CAD drawing to create molds)

I do. All my friends who worked with me on the SAE Aerodesign competition of 2004 have a mechanical engineering degree and all of them are familiar with this software.

Wouldn't both the MegaCart and Behr Bonz projects benefit from newly manufactured cases? I know the Behr Bonz is sold as it is and it is up to the buyer to source a case, and the MegaCart will try to reuse old cases, but unless the production costs are astronomous I thought new production would be worth it.

The Behr Bonz might have but it is now sold out. Demand for more units seems very low.

3500$ for 100 plastic cases or 35$ per unit is huge.

On the other hand, the number of working cartridges of Avengers probably outnumbers the number of working Vic 20's today. That, and it's becoming fashionable in modern culture to recycle like this to keep our stuff from becoming landfill.

There are even more faulty VIC carts than there are "perfectly working" Avengers out there. The trick is to find them.

[nbla000]

3500$ for 100 plastic cases or 35$ per unit is huge.
...
There are even more faulty VIC carts than there are "perfectly working" Avengers out there. The trick is to find them.

I fully agree btw i'm curious to know why Brain needs all these cases.

[carlsson]

Perhaps Jim is designing his own utility cartridge, planned to sell in big numbers?

I did not quite realize the cost per case would be $35. At that rate, I agree it is too much.

[ral-clan]

I'm still convinced there's a standard project case out there that can work with the VIC-20.

UMI and other software houses like OEM used what looked like fairly standard rectangular project cases, slightly modified to let the edge connector exit one side at the seam.

[carlsson]

By the way, have you ever seen an Amiga Action Replay device? It is contained in what appears to be a VIC-20 cartridge shell. I've seen a few more applications contained in identical shells. It could be that this type of case was commonly available during the 1980's, or a big surplus from never manufactured VIC-20 cartridges.

[ral-clan]

By the way, have you ever seen an Amiga Action Replay device? It is contained in what appears to be a VIC-20 cartridge shell. I've seen a few more applications contained in identical shells. It could be that this type of case was commonly available during the 1980's, or a big surplus from never manufactured VIC-20 cartridges.

I have noticed this before, and I think we have discussed it on Denial. It looks almost exactly like the cartridge case used by Creative Software. Would be interesting to know the story behind these cases.

[brain]

As for myself, I could probably have use for a handful of cases, and no matter how relatively common the cartridges are, I think it is a shame to recycle perfectly working Avengers and so on for a commercial level project.

This is my main struggle.

• I dislike trashing old carts just for the case. Even for Avengers (unsustainable)
• One cannot always find suitable game carts to rob the cases from. (sporadic supply)
• The vintage stock is not getting younger, and plastic has a shelf life. I broke the tabs on one case just opening it yesterday (product lifetime)

As to the $35.00/case comment, I'd invite folks to read my initial post. In case it is not clear, I'm only asking whether folks would consider paying $10.00-$15.00/case for their first one, to offset some of the tooling costs. I am not proposing a $35.00/case cost. I'm willing to absorb some of the tooling costs, but some help (via per case premiums) would help.

Now seems like a good time to invest in a case production. If nothing else, MegaCart is almost ready and could benefit from the case.

If someone can identify a std case design that will work for this application, I'm all ears. I have not seen anything as yet.