Hello! I’ve come here in search of a replacement part for my Virtual Boy stand. I found the post of someone else who has (had?) that same problem, so I’ll just borrow his picture:

http://www.planetvb.com/uploads/newbb/1628_4dac86ca70821.jpg

I’m looking for the very same part that is broken in that picture. I read the thread that pic came from, but I don’t know anyone who could fabricate such a part, so I can only try to find one for cheap online…

If anyone here has the part I’m looking for, please let me know by posting a reply. Thank you!

Here’s the link to Boneriver’s post:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4279

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I think you will need to buy a whole stand to get that part.
The classic part that fails on a stand is the leg retaining medallion so I guess its possible you could find a busted stand but it has the clip parts intact.
Heres a render of the 3D model i made in Solidworks, if you find someone who is up for making you one I will happily send you a copy of the model they could use, but its small and a little intricate so would be costly.

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If you have the .stl file you could get it made on a MakerBot / UP! or such 3D printer.

MineStorm wrote:
If you have the .stl file you could get it made on a MakerBot / UP! or such 3D printer.

Have just exported into STL, 2 versions a basic shape and a fully detailed as the original looks, I am very keen to see how it turns out if 3D printed.

Only point, please don’t make a load and sell them, I’m giving away this model I worked for hours on, so if anyone makes some please GIVE them away too (me first)

If I ever get the money together to buy a UP!, I will produce these for free. Black ABS filament now available.

I’m also very curious how a VB cart case would come out.

Forget all these super-expensive 3D printers – Printerbot kits for self-assembly will be available at $500. http://www.3dprinter.net/printerbot-499-less-than-hour-build

Provided we can find fitting edge connectors, this baby might eventually end the Virtual Boy donor cartridge mass murder. 😉

There are also places like Shapeways that’ll print things out and ship them. There may even be one or two VB-fans on Thingiverse that might be willing to print a few for the community (at a nominal cost).

And if these don’t work out, I’ve already got most of a 3D printer in the form of a desktop CNC mill (see attached photo). All I’d need to make it go are the extruder head, some plastic filament, and (optionally) a heated build platform. Anyone want to donate a few bucks towards getting this going? (it’ll be considerably less than $500 :-D) Thanks to Hedgetrimmer, I already have a nice stable of VB-related models champing at the bit to be printed :thumpup:

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Looking good fella, very eager to see how this turns out.
I have just registered with Shapeways, didn’t realize it was a European group, I am gonna get some costs for parts and see how feasible it would be to get a batch of the stand medallions made, for now i have just uploaded the basic model of the clip, I’ll get cost for that and let y’all know.

The clip tab full detail STL model would cost $9.75 to have 3D printed with Shapeways, I guess there is post charge etc but gives us an idea of cost for parts.
Its calculated on the volume of material used, i have gone for black strong & flexible type material choice but they had quite a few options.

If anyone does use the STL model (in an earlier post) to get it made please take a stack of photos when you get it and give us a review, (strength, surface finish, quality etc) I would also like to know how well it fitted.
By the way the full detailed version costs a fraction less than the basic, as its down to material volume and not complexity.

That’s pretty reasonable! Thanks for the info! Would there be a rebate if we ordered a whole bunch of them? It’s also great to hear that higher complexity does not mean higher costs.

Now, it would be interesting to know how much a cartridge shell would cost, wouldn’t it? 🙂 I assume it would be about the same?

KR155E wrote:
That’s pretty reasonable! Thanks for the info! Would there be a rebate if we ordered a whole bunch of them? It’s also great to hear that higher complexity does not mean higher costs.

Now, it would be interesting to know how much a cartridge shell would cost, wouldn’t it? 🙂 I assume it would be about the same?

No sure on reduced costs for amounts, I’ll have to get a quote for 10off.
A cart shell I think will be quite pricey as its the volume of material used, I’ll export a model and upload for pricing, will post when i find out, the final design would need tweaking to suit the connector strip thats been found to work, but cost should be similar.

Got some answers:

no discount for quantities, only save on shipping, its about 8.48 euro to ship 1 or 100 or more, using UPS

Cart bodies: Front = $17.02, Rear = $18.12, made using dark grey strong flexible material.
It does not give a spec for the material so not sure on durability etc, guess we’ll have to get some and see, but then at a cost of $35 it would still pay to just use donar carts, you also get the connector strip, but there is a finite amount out there, so who knows how long they will be around, once gone this kind of thing will be our only option.

Just along these lines I have just ordered a few different 3D printed parts, one of which I will post photos of when they arrive, some time after Dec 13th.
If it all looks good and is strong then i see no reason the Stand clip couldn’t be replicated this way……roll on the 13th (well prob more like the 18th when they get here, will keep y’all posted 🙂

I my eagerness to get these done i didn’t check the print material level of detail & my models are too detailed for the material, so i have cancelled the order and will re-submit with better models for that process.
I have also just found another place that does very fine work, 0.028mm layers, so I’ll get a quote and maybe get something from them too with all the detail i need, if the cost is not huge.

Hedgetrimmer wrote:
Just along these lines I have just ordered a few different 3D printed parts, one of which I will post photos of when they arrive, some time after Dec 13th.
If it all looks good and is strong then i see no reason the Stand clip couldn’t be replicated this way……roll on the 13th (well prob more like the 18th when they get here, will keep y’all posted 🙂

(I hope it’s okay to bump a topic this old…)

Did anyone find a way to make these with 3D printers?

I’m still looking for this replacement part.

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/catads/adsitem.php?ads_id=239&com_id=1111&com_rootid=1110&#comment1111

Its the clamp clasp you posted a pic of thats busted, my fix kit sorts the cracked medallion issue, I have not tried having a clasp printed, not got a printer and not in any need. The STL 3D geometry models are at the beginning of this post, page 1, so if anyone wants to try I’d be interested to see pics and know the strength etc.
I have had stuff printed through Shapeways, comes out quite good, not sure on the strength that the clasp needs can be achieved but I guess there is really only 1 way to find out.

Racer_Z51 wrote:
(I hope it’s okay to bump a topic this old…)

Did anyone find a way to make these with 3D printers?

I’m still looking for this replacement part.

Assuming you’re still reading this, Racer (which is likely), and/or Boneriver — the epoxy idea is actually a good one. I’m aware of two brands of “plastic epoxy”, laced with an aggressive solvent — one by SuperGlue Company, I think the other is by Loctite. It bonds very strongly to hard plastic, your job (assuming you have the original broken piece) would be to place the epoxy such that it forms additional material which provides mechanical strength. You can sand and paint it, or color it with a black magic marker. I fixed an electric flyswatter (think “mini tennis raquet) that the raquet-part had snapped off; shaped the epoxy with two “ribs”, and the assembly is very strong (and the flies & mosquitoes are back in danger).

RE Boneriver’s problem, WITHOUT the missing piece — there is a black epoxy putty sold in auto-parts departments, sets up in 5 minutes or so. Your challenge would be to remove some of the material from the existing broken part, (carve off the whole end where it broke before, so that the stress will now be on solid EPOXY-PUTTY and not on a putty-plastic joint. apply a mold release (perhaps vaseline or paraffin) on the VB case, and then hand-shape the putty into a new part over the INSTALLED stand. Easier if you remove the legs. The VB case will shape the putty into exactly what you need, vaseline preventing bonding to the VB-case (the putty bond to plastic isn’t as strong as the “plastic epoxy” bond). I suggest molding it with fillets for increased strength. Use a wet table-knife to quickly shape the clip itself (your whole sculpting will have to happen within about two minutes immediately after mixing/kneading the putty).

Boneriver might drill 4-6 holes in the eighth-inch range on the plastic-stand-end where you want the putty to join (the new end after carving off the broken one), then extend the holes to the new edge; so that the old piece presents “fingers” into the putty; this should increase the bond and strength. The putty gets quite warm while catylizing, and is only workable for five minutes max (plan on only TWO minutes). A small dish of water is essential, keeping the fingertips wet — allows for easy sculpting of the putty without sticking to the fingers. If the putty-plastic bond ever fails, use plastic epoxy — it should bond BOTH to the ABS of the original piece, and to the new epoxy-end. The putty ends up very hard and very strong;

I have a stand that has the same broken part; haven’t been too motivated to fix it (have an extra stand), but could be talked into trying the plastic-expoxy repair, and posting pics. Both my stands have undergone the “hub repair with bolts” (didn’t know about Hedgetrimmer’s new part). I intend to copy the “medallion” with paraffin and black epoxy-putty.

I think if I was missing the piece, I’d just use the plastic-epoxy; coat the VB case with a thin vaseline, then install the clip and shape the plastic-epoxy over it and where the old clip went — overlapping the epoxy onto the clip-end-piece by at least a quarter inch. Make it just a straight-sided fillet (cross section TRIANGLE, rather than curve). Sadly, the plastic-epoxy is ALSO five-minute stuff so you’ll hafta work fast. And it’s kind of a yellow color, but can be sanded after a couple hours and colored with a “black magic marker”. Don’t even think of opening the clip for an hour after applying.

I think you’ll be happy with the results; the “cosmetic police” would have to look very closely to see the repair…

😉

I would like to say thank you for all your work making the file.. I have printed it and the measurements are perfect

I printed the basic one as it is more structurally sound and finished product seems stronger than the oem version..

It was printed at the university where I work as a favour these printers are not open to public and unfortunately I can’t get more made.. Sorry

Here’s some pic’s:

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Just seen this, looks good and it fits, I hope the strength is there to allow it to work right.
I’m happy to have helped and my model gets another VB standing tall.