[Vintex 64]

Our new injection mold for VB shells is complete and tested! Can see the images and attached video.

The mold is professionally made for automation, long-life, part injection pins, cooling lines, and shut-off valve between four cavities. Two cavities for regular shells, the other two for a new shell that is part of a new Vintex 64 product line that coming soon!

Right now, we’re finalizing Plastic-type, which is not easy. As the official VB shells use a special high-grade ABS that surprised our molding shop and ABS supplier. They normally don’t deal with that high of a quality ABS.

The Regular Shell side of mold are very similar to the OEM shell, but with some changes. No Patent info on the back, bigger/heavier VB Logo at the grip, and more space inside the shell for bigger chips and PCB (something we really needed at our end).

The first production run will be grey in color but also look at clear shells. Let us know if have any thoughts on other colors or would like the clear shell option.

The Plan is to use up our existing OEM shells this year. Then make an official announcement when the change to new injection-molded shells. So, we’re still using regular OEM shells for time being.

Many thanks to all our past, current, & future customers who orders/support made this a reality!

All the best,

The Vintex 64 team

• This topic was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Vintex 64.

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1. mold-video.mp4

Hi Vintex 64 Team, what a great idea with the clear shells.
Since my first Virtual Boy, I’ve always thought how would look like a VB with a transparent case where you can see the fantastic technology inside the case.
As with some original limited Gamboy and N64 types.
I’m looking forward to it!
Thank you Vintex 64 Team!

very awesome! would be in for a clear case

I think clear cartridge shells would look cool. With that in mind, I don’t suppose a clear red and clear black shell would be possible? You could take that a step further and have let’s say the front shell clear red and back shell in a clear black. I think that would look super cool as it would match the VB colour scheme (notice that front/top part of the VB is red while the bottom/back is black). Not sure how good solid red/black shells would look but I have seen clear red shells and clear black shells in other homebrew communities for consoles like the Vectrex and Atari Jaguar.

i can’t believe it, impressive!!!

I know the cost of design and build this kind of plastic mold, plus four cavities, around 30.000usd? is it profitable in 2022? or just for fun.

really impressive…

Cosmoliner. Thanks, agree be nice to show off the PCB/Electronics inside.

KJ4860. Apricated, another vote for the clear case.

V-SNES. That a neat idea. It is possible to run the mold for Clear/Red & again for Clear/Black. Then can do your combo colors idea or matching colors as option. There is a cost to run different colors in the mold. In past meeting with mold and plastic supplier they actually have to do full blown tests with each color shade. Given how this ABS is special blend. Like anything else in Virtual Boy its unique. I’ll run standard grey first this year then look into this in future. Correct, we seen the translucent colors more popular than solid colors on N64 side of things. Its either original or translucent colors with most.

MrFlower. Well Received! We actually started this project 4 years ago as knew the day will come when we’ll run out of OEM shells. Also, cleaning OEM shells gets old fast. So was lucky get at very good price at expense of moving slowly and before inflation really hit. Each major team member chipped in as joint investment; Vintex put in the most. Yet, going take few years still to pay off the mold, but in short, we’ll just break even. It’s more for fun, support community, and the molding shop take pride in this being only mold/tooling of its kind in existence and how there be steady demand for it. The same goes for the connector supplier.

Anyone else, your color vote counts?

My vote:

Cart: clear red
PCB mask: black
PCB silk screen: white

The silk screen (PCB texts) will see as light red through the clear red cart, while the black PCB mask combine with the red cart to make the two main colors of the VB.

🙂

Quick note one of the shells inside this mold is for the FlashBoy+.
So in the future colored shells for FB+ is a possible.