Worklog The eNVeGA 64

Downing

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More than likely going to get my ass kicked by entering this contest with a portable base as inferior to the Wii as the N64, but the plan is to modernize it as much as possible utilizing a built in Everdrive as well using Marshall's VGA board for a nice video upgrade.

As always it will include a custom 3D printed enclosure, SLA 3D printed decals and buttons, custom PCBs and several other "little" updates that will be shown as time progresses. Imagine something similar to the below pics sans the cart slot and replaced with an SD slot.

(This it the portable I brought to MGC 2018, it later got the VGA upgrade installed)



Again, though I know the odds are stacked against me as I'm old now...(comparatively speaking) I'm excited to add this to my list of completed projects.
 

GingerOfOz

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Ooh bring it next year and I can play tetris on that one too! Just make sure the dpad is strong boi :P
Pro-tip: if your dpad is bad cheese has to use the joystick and can't wear down the paint.

It's a feature, not a flaw.
 
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You're not old, have confidence in yourself! You might just make the best modern N64 portable yet! We believe in you!
 

Downing

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Part sourcing has begun, though admittedly most everything I already had in-house. The Ultra-Everdrive64 has been ordered which is probably the most critical part as I'll have to do some new design work to make it fit into the case. Most of the other parts are actually being ripped out of the kit display model that I brought to MGC last year. There will be more pics and updates soon enough!
 

Downing

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Parts have started arriving and the printers have been working day and night for the past couple of days. In the process of making a 3D model for the ED64 as its going to require a fairly substantial redesign of the back of the case to fit the way I'm hoping for.

Also bought a 3 pack of "premium" PLA off Amazon. So far no complaints and the quality and rigidity of it are top notch!



 

Downing

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Update time.

I've still been working hard on the cart cover and back face plate to accommodate the ED64. Basically a whole new design for the cart cover, or in this case, ED64 cover. Had to make some changes to the back face plate as well to be able to mount the cover properly.

Though it may look kind of odd at the moment, there is a plan in place to button it all up. It's still not complete as I need to figure out what I'm going to do with the expansion pak that would usually just stick straight up with the cart, but because this is a lot thinner, I'll have to get creative.



But, while working on that I was also able to get some case work done and got the front face assembled, sanded, bondo'd, sanded, primed, sanded, painted, sanded and clear coated...oh yes and sanded and clear coated again. Pretty happy with the end results.









I used a Metallic Black Krylon spray paint and a few coats of water sanded clear coat for the finish. The SLA decals (Speaker Covers and C-button Cover) really round out the finish quality I think. So far very happy with how this is progressing.
 

Downing

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Took a bit more work than I was anticipating to get this right and had to make compromises I wasn't happy with making, primarily with thickness, but it works. Everything fits and the last big piece of the case is on the printer now. Next is to work on the decals and get them ready, but that'll have to wait until after the weekend.





I know it kinda looks like crap right now, but there is a plan in place! More to come soon.
 

Downing

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I've got a lot of sanding ahead of me to finish off the back half of the casing, but the final steps in the case work have begun. Not super excited with how the decals came out after a coat of paint, so these may be redone before the end, but you get the just of what I was going for.

This was a pretty sloppy filling job which won't make my life any easier when it comes to sanding and priming, but if the end result looks like the front half of the case, I'll be happy. We'll see if I can get it close to the vision I had rolling around in my head. Hopefully some more updates this week!



 

Downing

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So there's been a bit of progress since the last post. Doesn't seem like it but little by little this is taking shape.

The back half of the case was complete until I messed up the cart cover pretty bad and decided to redo it. Still need to fill/sand and paint, but I'm thinking of back-lighting the name/date.



The back half of the case sans the cart cover


The inside with some of the base components installed.


And yes, I'm having to make three of everything because on top of this contest entry, I'm also building an additional N64p commission as well as a kit. The kit is almost complete and will be shipped off hopefully this week leaving a bit more room on the desk, but the hands are still pretty much full for the rest of the summer!


Hopefully some more updates soon!
 

Downing

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Made quite a bit more progress today with the afternoon off. Again, may not look like much on this project, but two other projects got a lot done in the same time frame.

Got the N64 mother board stripped. Now just need to trim it.


Started to place the components in the front face of the case and this also utilizes a new design after I got feedback about the d-pad not working well with the diagonal presses. This now uses a new PCB...




...and actual contact pads based off an original NES controller. Still in the Beta phase, but early tests indicate that this is a far better option than tact switches.






All the buttons and PCB's installed as well as the screen & speakers.



And a full frontal... ;)


Hope to have some more updates after the weekend!
 

fibbef

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...and actual contact pads based off an original NES controller. Still in the Beta phase, but early tests indicate that this is a far better option than tact switches.
Not to mention it probably saves a few millimeters of space inside the case. I love watching all this custom stuff come together!
 

Downing

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Made a bit of progress this weekend, got the boards trimmed and did some case work on the other commission project I've been working on. Though I don't do much with CNC anymore, it's still useful to use when trimming motherboards. This was all being done manually in slow jog mode.





For the most part it's a pretty clean process. My endmill was a bit worn though and that's why some places have a bit of burring around the edges, but for the most part it's a very clean cut all the way around.
 

MRKane

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Oh I am in love! I need to seriously consider making myself a CNC machine!
 

Downing

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CNC trimmed mobos..... what an age we live in.
Actually that's been being done since well before most of us ever even thought 3D printing was an option.

So, just realized that I'm going to have to shift priories here. I thought this compo was done at the end of July...no, it's the end of August, however the commission I'm doing is due at the end of July. So I feel comfortable with where the system is at right now to bang out the rest of the commission and then out full attention on this. The breathing room feels good!
 

Downing

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RIP GoldeN64 :'(



Dunno how the hell after 3 weeks of this case being painted and sealed that the gold paint began to hairline fracture under the clear coat! This happened a couple days before I ready to close it up and have no idea why. And as I mentioned, the really strange part is that the clear coat on top is perfectly smooth and the cracking is happening under clear coat which suggest bad paint.

Dunno, but regardless, this commission has to start again but I guess that means I've now hopefully got a bit of time to finish off my contest entry.

Been a tough couple of weeks.
 
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