Clean Mod Work Thread!

opt2not

Genam's Azami Sharpener
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Totally light mod work, but I installed Quertymodo's Super Game Boy clock mod board into my SGB. The install was easy. Remove a few resistors, solder the board to the exposed pads:
eRXzf8c.jpg


Running smooth, no frame skips, and the speed feels exactly like the original handheld.

Here's a few glory shots from my SNES Jr. running on a PVM:
SgiwURX.jpg


zzXRGof.jpg


owy32gP.jpg


rfQLhzA.jpg
 

MCF 76

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This is probably the best work I've done so far... Is this clean enough to be here?

IMG-20190420-171712.jpg


IMG-20190420-170609.jpg

Damn, I had no idea that you did mod work. Hell yeah it's clean enough! Very nice job bro very nice, cheers. :cool:

How are you going to cut the top half out for the carts? Does the plastic seem hard and brittle? I hate cutting that type of plastic because it can crack and run a line if you don't use the right kind of cutting tool. Not sure how James cuts his he may have someone laser cut it.
 

Heinz

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Damn, I had no idea that you did mod work. Hell yeah it's clean enough! Very nice job bro very nice, cheers. :cool:

How are you going to cut the top half out for the carts? Does the plastic seem hard and brittle? I hate cutting that type of plastic because it can crack and run a line if you don't use the right kind of cutting tool. Not sure how James cuts his he may have someone laser cut it.

Thanks! yeah I left that bit to last because It's a pain in the ass. The ABS is soft and malleable up to a point and then it changes style and cracks on you like porcelain.

I'll use a large drill bit to take out a fair amount of the slot and then work it by hand with a blade and file most likely. I'd like to use a jigsaw but yes it can crack and run a fucking line!!
 
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MCF 76

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Thanks! yeah I left that bit to last because It's a pain in the ass. The ABS is soft and malleable up to a point and then it changes style and cracks on you like porcelain.

I'll use a large drill bit to take out a fair amount of the slot and then work it by hand with a blade and file most likely. I'd like to use a jigsaw but yes it can crack and run a fucking line!!

I would definitely use a very small bit to start then go up in very small sizes until you reach the desired hole size or radius for corners. Its time consuming but it will keep the plastic from cracking. Using a bigger bit to start will more than likely result in a big crack. Yeah definitely post it up when you get it cut out. :cool:
 

GohanX

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I'll use a large drill bit to take out a fair amount of the slot and then work it by hand with a blade and file most likely.

That's pretty much what I do to make odd sized cutouts, and I finish it off with set sanding with fine grit sandpaper. I've never done anything as big as a cart slot before though.
 

Whippy

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That's pretty much what I do to make odd sized cutouts, and I finish it off with set sanding with fine grit sandpaper. I've never done anything as big as a cart slot before though.

I have never worked ABS as anything other than a car bumper or a piece of plumbing. ABS is easy to work with so long as you don't generate too much heat. Even using a hacksaw too quickly can cause it to fuse back together where you cut. I think you are correct to work it slowly and to sand afterward. Another option which is nearly unobtainable and/or a pain in the ass would be water jet cutting or even simply cutting it in tub of water. You could probably get a "helper" to spray your blade with water just to help remove heat, and work a bit faster. I hate ABS plumbing, and would rather have PVC...or better yet copper, but that is just my opinion based on experience with soil pipe lines.

Also, since this is the clean work thread, I wanted to thank GohanX and Adeneo for advice they gave me on irons. I did get my KSGER, and did a trial run on a random board I pulled from a broken digital outlet switch/timer. I was happy with what I could do with basic small puddles and wire, so I moved on to the real thing. This PSIO is quite honestly the first thing I have seriously soldered. I have an ego, am fearless, and solder and weld (pipes) and this went much better than expected. I was planning on ruining this board, and doing the real deal on my "better" unit. I do not in any way consider this "clean work", because there is plenty of room for improvement. However, I am also very realistic at how small some of the vias are on the board and that most people wouldn't be dumb enough to attempt this with the amount of "skill" I have. Even I figured on total failure right out the gate, so I am quite pleasantly surprised. I used NO hot glue. This alone makes me feel good. This board is from a nearly complete collection including the box and all of the pack-ins. The only thing I am aware of missing is the period-specific demo disc. I may re-sell it for fun and profit, and haven't decided. I will know more when a respectable SD card arrives in the mail.





If I can do a PSIO, I think that with some practice that I can solder anything.
 
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Heinz

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Looks great! Now I know there's a guy a page back who's working miracles with his wire management but you gotta start somewhere!
 

Whippy

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Looks great! Now I know there's a guy a page back who's working miracles with his wire management but you gotta start somewhere!

Wire management was a tertiary concern for a first attempt at something of this caliber. My first goal was to not destroy solder points, and my second goal was that it actually worked. The next one I do will be done to look very nice. I have a late model SCPH-1001 with a PU-8 board and the "upgraded" graphics chip, and it has been my reliable unit since I bought it new. I may even get a clear case just so I can look at my wires from time to time. I do hate my wires and their routes, but you are correct in that we all need to start somewhere. I look forward to building my skills until I get to doing that. I don't know if the PSIO is the be-all/end-all of discless playstations, but I doubt it. They may even change the design until then.

That wire management on the last page goes from simple mods into artwork. It is in a league of its own, and a great goal to strive for. In a year or 2 I may come close to that sort of excellence....until then I will continue to practice. I may modify a Mv-B or C just for the experience. It is both cheap and easy to resell.
 
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Heinz

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Finished! Cutting the cart slot was a real pain and it's by no means perfect but it worked out great.
I used a 6mm drill bit to perforate the ABS first then a Dremel to cut out most the space. Finally I used a pair of side cutters to get it to a filing/sanding state and cleaned it up.

IMG-20190505-134633.jpg


IMG-20190505-134613.jpg


IMG-20190505-134554.jpg


IMG-20190505-134357.jpg


IMG-20190505-134343.jpg
 

Carless Walker

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Finished! Cutting the cart slot was a real pain and it's by no means perfect but it worked out great.
I used a 6mm drill bit to perforate the ABS first then a Dremel to cut out most the space. Finally I used a pair of side cutters to get it to a filing/sanding state and cleaned it up.

Outstanding work!
 

MCF 76

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Finished! Cutting the cart slot was a real pain and it's by no means perfect but it worked out great.
I used a 6mm drill bit to perforate the ABS first then a Dremel to cut out most the space. Finally I used a pair of side cutters to get it to a filing/sanding state and cleaned it up.

IMG-20190505-134633.jpg


IMG-20190505-134613.jpg


IMG-20190505-134554.jpg


IMG-20190505-134357.jpg


IMG-20190505-134343.jpg

Hell yeah man turned out beautiful! Very nice work cutting the cart slot I know that was a nightmare. Still impressed with the wire / soldering work.That is something I wish I had been learning and practicing at, I'm still at the point where I'm nervous doing it. And that usually causes me not to do the best looking soldering.
 
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GohanX

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Great job Lachlan, looks great. You did a nice job with those controller ports in the front, I totally butchered it when I tried to do that the first time.
 

Atro

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Great job Lachlan, looks great. You did a nice job with those controller ports in the front, I totally butchered it when I tried to do that the first time.

the trick is to get a nice template.

one can use an old pc audio card with a midi port. take out the plate. mark the holes with it and attach the plate to the frontal part of the cmvs. now you can mark the countours with much more precision. itll still require some fine filing and sand paper, but it ll be a lesser pain in the bum.
 

MtothaJ

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PC Engine Supergrafx recapped with Nichicon Muse Fine Gold caps:

supergrafx1.jpg

Pic taken before cleaning up some excess solder balls and solder splash next to Hudson chip so looks a bit better now. Tested the removed caps and generally they were fine - 2 were borderline, rest was within specs so in no way was this necessary - but why not ;)
 
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Heinz

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It looks outstanding! I love a mod that has no LED lights or company logos. Crisp & Clean. Any plans on decorating or painting?

Outstanding work!

Hell yeah man turned out beautiful! Very nice work cutting the cart slot I know that was a nightmare. Still impressed with the wire / soldering work.That is something I wish I had been learning and practicing at, I'm still at the point where I'm nervous doing it. And that usually causes me not to do the best looking soldering.

Great job Lachlan, looks great. You did a nice job with those controller ports in the front, I totally butchered it when I tried to do that the first time.

Cheers guys! :drool:
 

MtothaJ

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Beautiful work with those caps. Your RGB mod looks pretty clean as well.

Thanks, the RGB amp is from Todd, the extra orange wire going to the DIN is to get the auto 4:3 aspect ratio switch / RGB input selection on Scart RGB TV's.

20190517_173734.jpg

Also done the centre post clipping and jailbar removal mod (wasn't really getting jailbars to begin with but might as well) - those SMD caps are a pita to solder in.
Pretty much done with the Supergrafx as far as modding goes. Just need that Super SD System 3 now :smirk:
 

MtothaJ

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Recapping saga continues:

- Mega Drive HDG VA4

md1.jpg

md2.jpg

- SNES Mini

snes.jpg

For the Mega Drive I also recapped the PSU and the "Adapteur R.V.B." official Sega Scart cable box.

Maybe its placebo but the sound on the MD seems much improved - bass hits hard. On the SNES seems like the image is a tad sharper.

Overall worth doing, just a shame the whole process is a bit time consuming.
 
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Atro

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Overall worth doing, just a shame the whole process is a bit time consuming.

It's worth it.

I absolutely HATE desoldering double-sided thru-hole stuff. When it comes to caps, I'd rather cut the legs, then heat the spot with iron while pulling the leg at the same time with another tool. It's not like it's a chip I'd re-use so... ya. It gets the job done and it faster to clean up too.

Gotta love those golden caps altogether. Looks really nice.
 

Neodogg

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Does the Mega Drive C61 & C41 caps need some solder?
 
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MtothaJ

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Does the Mega Drive C61 & C41 caps need some solder?

A little more solder wouldn't hurt in places - that said I did all the soldering on the underside of the board and the through holes provide full conductivity top to bottom anyhow.
 

opt2not

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GBA Consolizer installed.
Not super clean, I could have used thinner wires, but the install was straightforward with only a handful of small delicate solder points to tap the PCB with.

DBSymi9.jpg


ZJvSiCo.jpg


Pics from my BenQ Zowie:

4x scale w/ Scanlines:
wcjOj1q.jpg



4x scale w/o scanlines:
OmLFWVJ.jpg


MY9oyEZ.jpg


4.5 scale (fills up the vertical space)
6SM7kEb.jpg


ZyoIPab.jpg
 

ShootTheCore

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Looks good! What resolution does the GBA Consolizer output at? Does it use a SNES style AV port?
 
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