Clean Mod Work Thread!

Skips · Dec 15, 2013

I figured we could use something like this since it would be nice to see alternatives to the droves of shitty modders that tend to plague the internet with their presence. I figured I would put this here since its tech and modding related but if that's wrong an admin can move it.

THE CLEAN MOD WORK THREAD!

This thread is intended to be a place you can post clean and proper mod work done by yourself or others. People need a place they can come and see that there is a right way of doing this sort of work.

What does not qualify as clean modwork:

Excessive hot glue usage
Hotglueing of solder joints
Rats nest like wiring
Cold solder joints
Using electrical tape where it should not be
Using the incorrect components for the job
Poorly drilled holes or crappy case work

I would also like people to post good notes about clean modders that offer their services to others in this thread as well. If you do post about someone please include pictures of their work and the price that they charged for it (if there was one). Posting and advertising your own work is fine provided it is clean and professional looking and you are not out to price gouge your customers. I want people to see that their are affordable options available to them that don't include fucktacular shoddy craftsmanship.

Skips · Dec 15, 2013

I guess I will start off with some of my mod work that people seemed to like. I am not currently open to commissions but do tend to do stuff out of boredom from time to time so don't be afraid to ask.

NEW RGB NES

Phonedork's AV Famicom

Consolized MV1FZ (In Progress Still)

This is the rough looking PCB I bought off James for cheap, it is turning out nice. Still needs the plexibase and the Neo-Geo Logo decal slapped on the back

OLD PC10 PPU RGB NES MOD

OLD PC10 RGB FAMICOM MOD

NEO-GEO 2 SLOT CMVS

OLD MV1FZ CMVS (Component Video Only)

[URL=http://imgur.com/DVNNaAT]

xsq · Dec 16, 2013

that sure is nice work. Craftsmanship. Respect!
(Can't wait to see more and submissions from other members

)

BladeDancer314 · Dec 16, 2013

Skips did you solder all the wires on the underside of the cmvs?

Yodd · Dec 16, 2013

MV1C I built last year (sadly the cart slot isn't as neat/smooth as I would have liked):

RGB modded white PCEngine:

Region chip modded CoreGrafx (chip wiring could have been neater):

Duo-R RGB modded:

Skips · Dec 16, 2013

BladeDancer314 said:
Skips did you solder all the wires on the underside of the cmvs?

The wires on both MV1FZ units are all underneath. It was a pain to get it like that but looks way cleaner when you do. I still need to put a base on it, slap the neo-geo decal, and buy a plastic report cover spine for the Jamma edge cover.

The 2 slot is soldered to the top of the since the shell covers them.

Skips · Dec 16, 2013

broken said:
MV1C I built last year (sadly the cart slot isn't as neat/smooth as I would have liked):

That is some pretty clean work. Square holes are something i have always sucked at, its why so much of my work uses circular din connectors.

skinny503 · Dec 16, 2013

skips,

I'm glad you started this thread. Was a little depressing seeing only bad mod work! Hope my work ends up in here, actually I dont care what thread it ends up in as long as a learn from the experience!

Side thought, we should make up stickers that say "No hot glue used" to put on mods hahahaha

goombakid · Dec 17, 2013

"Stereo" Mod to my FL NES. I did use a little hot glue, but only to hold down a couple of components, not my solder joints :P. More to add to this thing as soon as Tim W. has more NESRGB's in.

Because of the other thread, I've been going back in and cleaning up some of my mods. I since have better tools to work with so I'm definitely gonna do a better job on my stuff.

ApolloBoy · Dec 17, 2013

goombakid said:
Because of the other thread, I've been going back in and cleaning up some of my mods. I since have better tools to work with so I'm definitely gonna do a better job on my stuff.

You're not the only one, I've been going back to my systems and redoing stuff whenever possible. Just earlier today I redid the AV jacks on my AV-modded Famicom and I had redone the AV mod itself a few weeks back. The only hot glue inside is just to secure the power LED I added. Now I make it a point of heat shrinking connections where I can and now I'm looking into using DuPont connectors like Skips uses.

goombakid · Dec 17, 2013

ApolloBoy said:
You're not the only one, I've been going back to my systems and redoing stuff whenever possible. Just earlier today I redid the AV jacks on my AV-modded Famicom and I had redone the AV mod itself a few weeks back. The only hot glue inside is just to secure the power LED I added. Now I make it a point of heat shrinking connections where I can and now I'm looking into using DuPont connectors like Skips uses.

Yup. Thanks, Skips. You're setting the bar. LOL!

Skips · Dec 17, 2013

goombakid said:
Yup. Thanks, Skips. You're setting the bar. LOL!

I just want people to be aware that Drakonian style mod work is not acceptable. These old game systems will become scarcer and scarcer as time goes on. We really should do our best to keep our work clean, tidy, and professional to ensure the systems, and our work, lasts a good deal longer. I personally just don't want to see electronic barbarism become an accepted norm within the various modding communities. That could very well happen unless we try to correct it, and educate those that do it when we see it.

Yodd · Dec 17, 2013

Skips said:
I personally just don't want to see electronic barbarism become an accepted norm within the various modding communities.

I laugh a little while letting out a tear from my eye every time I see someone mod a console and not bother to make sure the RCA jacks are installed level and straight across.

Skips · Dec 17, 2013

broken said:
I laugh a little while letting out a tear from my eye every time I see someone mod a console and not bother to make sure the RCA jacks are installed level and straight across.

I used to be pretty bad at it myself but have gotten tons better in the past year. Although now I just wire things for RGB since most people I do work for (including myself) use an RGB monitor or XRGB.

goombakid · Dec 17, 2013

broken said:
I laugh a little while letting out a tear from my eye every time I see someone mod a console and not bother to make sure the RCA jacks are installed level and straight across.

Yeah, my first Genesis mod ended up like that. I never bothered to line them up. I've since changed my ways.

GohanX · Dec 17, 2013

Ha, the first time I did it the jacks were crooked and I drilled the holes too big so I had to use washers to hold them in place. I can't remember if I ever fixed that.

skinny503 · Dec 17, 2013

Im going to have the machinist here make me a template for drilling! I can line my marks up perfectly, but once the bit hits the plastic they can differ slightly and it drives me nuts!

Terot · Dec 17, 2013

skinny503 said:
Side thought, we should make up stickers that say "No hot glue used" to put on mods hahahaha

There are legitimate uses for hot glue in mod/custom build work. The key is to only use it as necessary to keep your work neat, not as a substitution for decent soldering work. I use hot glue to position wires out of the way (keep it neat) and to reinforce thin wire to PCB joints where I am afraid the wire will break (although I am seriously considering moving to Sugo for this [just wish it was more affordable]).

Other useful notes: Please use appropriate amounts of solder, pre-tin wires and spend the time to clean up your work.

EDIT: Removed photos of custom build work as they were too large and this thread is specifically for mods.

Skips · Dec 17, 2013

Terot said:
There are legitimate uses for hot glue in mod/build work. The key is to only use it as necessary to keep your work neat, not as a substitution for decent soldering work. I use hot glue to position wires out of the way (keep it neat) and to reinforce thin wire to PCB joints where I am afraid the wire will break (although I am seriously considering moving to Sugo for this [just wish it was more affordable]). Also, please use appropriate amounts of solder, pre-tin wires and spend the time to clean up your work.

The latest version of my JAMMA PCB to Neo-Geo MVS Multi-Slot Cabinet Adapter:
Dam, those be big photos.

What is the big ass wire you have plugged into itself? Are you just using that to jump two points together or something else? Also when using hot glue to re-enforce tiny wires (the very scarce few times you should have to) you don't hot glue the point the wire is soldered to, you glue the wire itself to the PCB right before the solder point. This will hold it in place without covering up your solder joint.

Terot · Dec 18, 2013

Skips said:
What is the big ass wire you have plugged into itself? Are you just using that to jump two points together or something else?

EDIT: Skips is referencing the wires in the photos of the latest design of my custom built JAMMA PCB to Neo-Geo MVS Multi-Slot Adapter which I removed from this thread as it was a custom build not mod work.

The wires are a 3.5mm audio cable. The male end is connected to the mono audio out on the PCB and the female end is connected to the left and right speakers on the cabinet side. This allows for easily connecting stereo from PCBs that support stereo though a separate connector (I make a 4 pin to 3.5mm cable for each of my boards) or just taking the mono off the edge.

Skips said:
Also when using hot glue to re-enforce wires you don't hot glue the point the wire is soldered to, you glue the wire itself to the PCB right before the solder point. This will hold it in place without covering up your solder joint.

I agree, the ability to access solder points to test, repair and rework is important.

goombakid · Dec 18, 2013

skinny503 said:
Im going to have the machinist here make me a template for drilling! I can line my marks up perfectly, but once the bit hits the plastic they can differ slightly and it drives me nuts!

Start with a small bit then use a Unibit to open it up. That's what I do. I don't use a standard power drill either. I use a smaller power driver like this for drilling/unscrewing:

Terot · Dec 18, 2013

Skips said:
I just want people to be aware that Drakonian style mod work is not acceptable.

For all those unable to use a solder iron I present the Drakon 9000! Why risk dust accumulating in the empty space in your old consoles or parts shifting about when you can now fill that space with 10 gallons of hot glue in less than 5 minutes!

Seriously though, can someone make an animated gif of hot glue pouring out of a glue gun into a console with and official looking seal that says "Modded by Drakon!"

ApolloBoy · Dec 21, 2013

Today I decided to redo most of the mods on my AES. First off, the Unibios is now properly socketed onto the board as opposed to piggybacking on the original BIOS, which was how I had it before. Next, I did away with all the hard-soldered wires for my S-video and stereo mods, and now everything is on a connector so it's super easy to get the top half if something goes wrong. Zero hot glue or electrical tape went into this and I think this is the cleanest work I've done so far.

Xian Xi · Dec 21, 2013

Is that seriously a heatsink on the LSPC-A0?

ApolloBoy · Dec 21, 2013

I had spare heat sinks so I figured why the hell not. I know it doesn't put out much in the way of heat, but those heat sinks were taking up space in my parts bin.

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