No more insertion marks!

ResO

water damaged
20 Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2001
Posts
8,000
Greetings,
I have figured out a way to modify your system to eliminate those pesky insertion marks that your system does to your precious new carts. I wouldn't have pursued doing this modification to my console if it weren't already a bit scratched up (but the modifications aren't even that noticable unless you are looking for them in the first place. )

First of all, remove the top shell off your console and proceed to remove the four screws holding your cartridge slot in and set your cartridge slot aside. shave off the plastic guides/nubs that are in the inner area of your console slot on the console shell itself (I recomend using an exacto knife for this). After you have shaved off the guides/nubs, buff down the cartridge slot area with VERY fine sand paper/steel wool untill it is smooth. Now proceed to buff down the area in which you just sanded with a cloth and rubbing alcohol to bring a smooth shine back to the surface. (note: if the rubbing alcohol starts to leave a white residue, it will come right out if you rub down the surface with your fingers.)

Second, Using your exacto kinfe again, start shaving away the guides on the cartridge flaps. When doing this process it is almost impossible to not get a few extra scratches from the razor blade in unwanted areas, but don't worry. You will once again be sanding down the entire area and buffing it with rubbing alcohol to bring back a smooth look.

The third and final step will be to shave down the four pieces of plastic that limit the cartridge flaps from opening wider. You don't need to remove too much plastic from these, just enough to give a little more room for your cartridge.

And BAM! You're done. I have inserted my SvC Chaos cartridge 20+ times and not a single scratch on it! I really wish I would have done this project earlier so my Metal Slug 3 would still be in pristine condition too. This process is, of course, non-reversable. Please take your time, and Good luck!

insertionmod1

insertionmod2
 
Last edited:

BIG BEAR

SHOCKbox Developer,
20 Year Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2001
Posts
8,230
noscuff.gif


Remove the 4 screws,place the top half away safely. When you are done,replace the top half leaving the screws removed for future use. This way you preserve the integrity of the design.
-BB
 

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
20 Year Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2000
Posts
60,434
BIG BEAR said:
noscuff.gif


Remove the 4 screws,place the top half away safely. When you are done,replace the top half leaving the screws removed for future use. This way you preserve the integrity of the design.
-BB

Well I have to say ResOGlas' is somewhat more aesthetically pleasing ;)
 

NGT

J. M Club, ,
20 Year Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2002
Posts
4,740
And when you play for a couple hours three to four times a week with the shell off, how much dust gets on the inside of your system?
 

Robert Wallace

Sieger's Squire
Joined
Jul 27, 2002
Posts
812
You guys are going about it all wrong...just crack open your game and keep the cart in a safe place.:p

bareboardsinneogeo.jpg


Keep your carts MINTY FRESH!
 

SHO

Raiden's Valet
Joined
Nov 20, 2003
Posts
1,122
Robert Wallace said:
You guys are going about it all wrong...just crack open your game and keep the cart in a safe place.:p

bareboardsinneogeo.jpg


Keep your carts MINTY FRESH!

that way you've damaged the cart have you not? :annoyed:
 

ResO

water damaged
20 Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2001
Posts
8,000
Bumping this thread as I'm so sad to see that more people never took my advice & did this. Almost all games are covered in nasty insertion marks. Seriously, compare the value of your AES console vs the value of your AES collection? Besides, nobody would ever notice you did this mod unless you told them or they inspected your cartridge slot very closely. :)

-Proud inventor of the instertion mod. I'd like myself or someone else to make a mold one day and sell red replacement top shells, slot & flap included that have no insertion tabs.
 
Last edited:

Speed3

Marked Wolf
Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Posts
215
Too bad the pics no longer work. That's the down side of old / archived threads the pics usually don't work anymore.

Also ResO I'm sure there is some innuendo to be found about insertion marks
 

ResO

water damaged
20 Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2001
Posts
8,000
How about installing some gold felt liner?

The cartridge would just be a tighter fit, and besides, the flaps alone still would not open up wide enough on their own without modification.
 

ResO

water damaged
20 Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2001
Posts
8,000
Too bad the pics no longer work. That's the down side of old / archived threads the pics usually don't work anymore.

Also ResO I'm sure there is some innuendo to be found about insertion marks

Yeah, I wish I still had my OG photobucket. I'd die to see an old pic of my English AES collection once again. :(

As for innuendos, I'm going to keep this thread classy and informative if I can.
 

famicommander

Tak enabled this rank change
15 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Posts
13,381
God forbid your video game shows signs of having been played...
 

MCF 76

Vice's Love Slave
10 Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Posts
2,172
To each is their own i guess but I honestly don't know why people are so worried about insertion marks. Every one of my games have plenty of them never bothered me in the slightest.
 

ResO

water damaged
20 Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2001
Posts
8,000
God forbid your video game shows signs of having been played...

People made fun of me 13 years ago for doing this, look at cart values today. Clearly I had the right idea. Once again, if you weigh the value of a console vs the value of carts this mod is and was a no-brainer.

Insertion marks are ugly on AES carts, they really stand out compared to, say, insertion marks on the back of a hu-card or GB cart.

Laugh at me all you want, if I still had my full collection I'd be laughing my way to the bank.
 

famicommander

Tak enabled this rank change
15 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Posts
13,381
If I wanted an investment I wouldn't buy video games. I buy video games so I can play them.
 

ChuChu Flamingo

We have purposely, trained him wrong, ...as a joke
10 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Posts
2,763
Back when I got my aes I just took the flaps off and put thin clear tape horizontally all the way across where the nubs are, seems to do a good job of preventing insertion marks. With that said, it doesn't bother me too much, AES carts even ignoring insertion marks were usually never blemish free even from the factory.
 

GutsDozer

Robot Master., Master Tasuke, Eat Your, Heart Out
10 Year Member
Secret Santa Veteran
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Posts
5,392
Can't you just smear lube around the cart hole? Seems to work well with not leaving insertion marks on the girlfriend.
 

ChuChu Flamingo

We have purposely, trained him wrong, ...as a joke
10 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Posts
2,763
They're video games, who gives a shit?

A little bit of preventive maintenance goes a long way. I could apply the same logic to vintage cars, they're cars who gives a shit. But tell me this, what would you rather have, a rusted piece of shit 1966 Impala, or one that was taken care of decently and not let out exposed to stupid shit. People like to think its some badge of honor for treating your stuff carelessly because its just games. With how expensive some of the games are you would think people would like to keep them in nice shape. You don't have to go full 8man, but little shit helps. Cutting a piece of acid-free paper/mylar behind the insert on AES snaplock games, bubble wrap behind the cart so mr SNK doesn't fuck the back of your cart up, and gently opening snap cases are all basic level shit.

Most people are stuck in this mindset that if you play it you can't keep things in nice shape, and that is beyond wrong.
 
Last edited:

Kid Panda

The Chinese Kid
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Posts
12,514
AES carts aren't made of metal. Yes I take care of my stuff, but if the cart is a beater that's fine too. Always remember "The art is in the cart" you want your inserts and labels to be perfect? Take a picture and blow it up to poster size.
 

ChuChu Flamingo

We have purposely, trained him wrong, ...as a joke
10 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Posts
2,763
The analogy wasn't plastic vs metal, it was about doing stuff within reason and one example of how it relates to another hobby. I have a few beater carts, and I treat them just as well as my expensive ones.
 
Top