Fabrication of a custom through hole connector

Community PCB Design
1

Hello all,

I will soon beginning on a project to make my own custom SNES cartridge reader similar to the [retrode but open source and only for the SNES (at least at first). The main problem I am having is trying to figure out a way to create a custom slot connector for the cartridges to plug-in to similar to this http://www.retrode.org/wordpress/wp-con … de-pcb.png. I purchased a used replacement connector (http://www.nesrepairshop.com/online_sho … ductID=481) as to get the dimensions of the original connector and its pins. What I need now is some help on how/where to send dimensions or a CAD drawing to get it fabricated so that it can be used in a prototyping fashion in simple through hole PCBs.

I know Matthias, the creator of the Retrode, used a part from Digikey that worked OK but I would prefer to start with a connector that doesn’t involve tons of wire spaghetti which I can then use to create my prototype PCBs. ([original article)

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to go about this? Ideally I want to be able to share this with others so they can build their own once I open source all the schematics and such.

Best regards,

deek](USB Reader For SNES Game Carts | Hackaday)](http://www.retrode.org)

2

The bottom one looks like a Digi-Key Part Number 609-2863-ND available [here and most likely other places.

The other one appears to be similar with blanking spacers in it.

2.54mm pitch (0.1") card edge connectors.

There is no wire spaghetti if you use a proper PCB connector and PCB.](http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=609-2863-ND)

3

As I mentioned in the post the creator of the Retrode used that same part from Digikey and it work ok but I don’t want to use that becuase he had to slide the game while in the connector to get it working. I want to create a perfect fit connector right from the start.

4

Do you realise how much that may cost?

The tooling will make it very expensive and not cost effective unless you are ordering a heck of a lot.

How many are you planning?

Perhaps it had to slide because he did not fit the blanking plugs correctly?

Blanking out some of the ways should make it mate up correctly.

Edit- It may be cheaper (if a custom connector cannot be made) to make a plastic collet/fram that guides the cartridge into place

so that it can only push into the connector in one place.

Any engineering workshop should be able to do that for you.