Replacing cartridge guide on my Atari 400

[tillenterprises]

So, last night, I was playing some of the Atari manufactured cartridges on my 400 (the cartridges with the sliding mechanism to expose the pcb inside, like the 2600 and 5200 carts have, too).  I played Donkey Kong and went to insert Centipede and it wouldn’t insert.   I realized that the DK cart snapped off the one remaking prong and I cannot insert the Atari carts anymore since they can’t open, unless I rig something to try and open them manuallly, which is a pain.  Does anyone know where or if I can get a replacement cartridge guide for a 400?   I tried Best Electronics, but can never find anything on that mess of a website.    I would try gluing the prongs back on, but I think they’ll just snap off again.

[_The Doctor__]

just send the guy an email with your wishes, make sure the order will meet his requirements of minimum purchase and not too many items etc. Be all business about it. Sincere, polite.

Edited April 27, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[Tickled_Pink]

Yeah, just send him a message. He knows what he has in stock and usually responds fairly quickly.

[xrbrevin]

..or knock one out on the printer?

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4538634

 

Atari_XL_Cartridge_Slot_Shell.stl

Edited April 27, 2023 by xrbrevin

[Beeblebrox]

5 hours ago, xrbrevin said:

..or knock one out on the printer?

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4538634

 

Atari_XL_Cartridge_Slot_Shell.stl 151.64 kB · 2 downloads

You beat me to it!

[Peri Noid]

A 400 has a slightly different guide.

 

You can try and fix it. Gluing a piece of plastic instead of the broken one would be too fragile. But you can file a gap in the plastic of the guide and then put plastic through it, fastening it from the bottom as well.

Look at the attached picture (it's from an XE I have but it has the same problem).

Edited April 27, 2023 by Peri Noid

[bandit]

The 400/800 is different than the XL, fitting on the board. I have one left As I have broke 2 over the decades.

[tillenterprises]

3 hours ago, bandit said:

The 400/800 is different than the XL, fitting on the board. I have one left As I have broke 2 over the decades.

Interested, if you want to sell it!

[+Stephen]

3 hours ago, bandit said:

The 400/800 is different than the XL, fitting on the board. I have one left As I have broke 2 over the decades.

Is there a way this can be scanned for replication?

[desiv]

That XL guide looks pretty similar...

I wonder how much modification it would take on the STL file to get it to fit...

My cart guide is a bit cracked (not the tabs tho, so it still works) so I wouldn't mind trying to print a new one, but I'm not great with 3D design.

If it's something that I could do with Tinkercad, then I might try.

Of course, that means I would need to take my 400 apart and pull out my current guide...

So, not in the near term, but if someone else doesn't get to it, I might try to do that later when I get some time...

[bfollowell]

11 hours ago, tillenterprises said:

So, last night, I was playing some of the Atari manufactured cartridges on my 400 (the cartridges with the sliding mechanism to expose the pcb inside, like the 2600 and 5200 carts have, too).  I played Donkey Kong and went to insert Centipede and it wouldn’t insert.   I realized that the DK cart snapped off the one remaking prong and I cannot insert the Atari carts anymore since they can’t open, unless I rig something to try and open them manuallly, which is a pain.  Does anyone know where or if I can get a replacement cartridge guide for a 400?   I tried Best Electronics, but can never find anything on that mess of a website.    I would try gluing the prongs back on, but I think they’ll just snap off again.

 

Best no longer has them. His addendum changed the status to Sold Out some time ago.

 

[tillenterprises]

8 hours ago, Peri Noid said:

A 400 has a slightly different guide.

 

You can try and fix it. Gluing a piece of plastic instead of the broken one would be too fragile. But you can file a gap in the plastic of the guide and then put plastic through it, fastening it from the bottom as well.

Look at the attached picture (it's from an XE I have but it has the same problem).

Thanks, good idea