Just tested my chinese famiclone from volumerates

[manuel]

I understand that of course.
I just wondered what the ballpark price would be for better quality carts from Turkey.

[Trenton_net]

I've sold 300 of these carts that Volumerates sells in bulk and I can say that they are definitely on the cheaper side of things. Naturally, I don't expect anyone to sell these at the razor thin margins Volumerates sells at, but it's pretty easy to beat them in other areas. Such as game selection, correct orders, and customer service. I'll be honest, to Volumerates these items are "Junk" / Loss leader products. Most employees don't understand the value people place on these things so if they run out of one game, they'll just throw another version in and think it's all ok. Personally I'd rather buy from someone like Pirate who actually understands the market and it's people. I'm not sure which ones Volumerates sells, but at least sellers like Pirate guarantee people get what they order, the products are unbroken, and that the listings are described as clearly and honestly as possible - Through playing the games, not just reading the dodgy label.

But that's just my humble opinion.

UPDATE: FYI - If all goes well, I should have very small quantity of these carts incoming in but they are very specific. One set of carts has Bubble Bobble 2, Snow Bros, Street Fighter, and Exed Eyes. Another set, as mentioned in this thread, is a Kunio Kun multi-cart. Not really planning to sell in large quantities, but I figure I might as well keep a small selection just for those people who don't want to deal with Volumerates for everything.

[Algo Fonix]

I know I'd be interested in the first one you mentioned. I know they're cheap, but I won't be buying from volumerates again. It was a waste of my 3 dollars. Could've put that towards something better.

[pirate]

I understand that of course.
I just wondered what the ballpark price would be for better quality carts from Turkey.

Here is my sale thread http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=6345.0
single cards 5 USD,multicards 10 USD,as i said before price would be lower if i buy from wholesaler.

[Xious]

Does anyone have a Volumerates game that they detest and would like to rid themselves of? I would like one to examine the shell (plastic case). The PCB doesn't matter at all. I am considering ordering a quantity of their crummy games to use the shells, until i can find a source for good shells at a reasonable price.

[Cheetahmen]

Does anyone have a Volumerates game that they detest and would like to rid themselves of? I would like one to examine the shell (plastic case). The PCB doesn't matter at all. I am considering ordering a quantity of their crummy games to use the shells, until i can find a source for good shells at a reasonable price.

I don't think you should bother, quite frankly. They're like the later Jaleco carts, except made out of really cheap plastic. Hell, you could break them just by putting them into a console.

[Algo Fonix]

Does anyone have a Volumerates game that they detest and would like to rid themselves of? I would like one to examine the shell (plastic case). The PCB doesn't matter at all. I am considering ordering a quantity of their crummy games to use the shells, until i can find a source for good shells at a reasonable price.

I have a 4-in-1 Mario cart that is absolutely horrible. It's yours if you want it. And yeah, like Cheetahmen said, they're of unbelievably bad quality. My 64-in-1 was actually good plastic though. I don't know if it was from a different source or what.

[Kiddo]

Does anyone have a Volumerates game that they detest and would like to rid themselves of? I would like one to examine the shell (plastic case). The PCB doesn't matter at all. I am considering ordering a quantity of their crummy games to use the shells, until i can find a source for good shells at a reasonable price.

The shells are of the lowest quality I have ever seen. One of the smaller ones actually fell apart when I put into the famiclone, since the plastic on those is very soft in nature. I wouldn't use these for reproduction and then for resale if that is what you are thinking, you would only get a reputation for selling sub par goods.

Why hasn't anyone ever taken a mold of some of the sturdier shells and just casted new ones with resin?

[Xious]

The objective to to have new plastic, rather than destroying existing games. I don't plan on making any reproduction games, but I do plan on making actual DevBoards and adapters of various types, out of entirely new materials.

If anyone could source a set of moulds, that would be ideal. Making moulds of existing cases is a horribly expensive proposition, costing well over US$10,000 by the time you pay all the tooling costs; injection-moulding is never low in costs.

In an ideal world, I would be able to buy reproduction FC and tall-FC cases, base don the original specifications, with all the right angles, out of quality materials. better still, I'd be able to produce custom plastic shells to my spec. In reality, I need to find an alternative that is affordable, and easily available in nearly unlimited quantity; the cases used by VR are probably total rubbish, but as I'll be cutting them down anyhow, I'd give them a chance, until I can source something better.

I'm still hoping to hear back from a few people on shell availability from other so wources, although I am thinking of getting some of the 64-in-1 games to include as bonus gifts with orders. Those are probably old-stock, which is both why they cost more, even in 100+ units quantity, and why theirbuild-quality is igher. If you can post that -4in-1 to me I'd appreciate it. (I can send it back when I finish, if you desire., although the postage is probably more than it is worth...)

I just want to examine their rubbish plastic to see if it' something I can even cut down, or if it is so brittle that it'll disintegrate in a lathe.

For the record, here are the updated models of some of the boards that I've been working on producing; I stopped for a long while, but I recently resumed and hope to have most of this done by the spring. Note that 3-D connectors don't match the actual, final product, but are used wehen needed, as I don't feel like making 3-D models instead of actually designing the boards and doing real work. 

[Xious]

If you know of a company that will do custom moulds, either for shells or for edge-connector ('1" / .254 pitch and .250 pitch), that won't charge such an absurd amount, then I would be happy to work with you as a medium.