Atari Wallets

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbpq8NEWxYc]
[niles] has refined the art of making wallets out of game cartridges. Specifically, he is using Atari cartridges. He’s gotten down to about a two hour process which results in a decently usable wallet. We’ve seen someone make a cartridge wallet before, and we have to ask the same question; who wants to carry this around in their pocket?

[thanks yuppicide]

30 thoughts on “Atari Wallets

  1. That would be the crime.. If it destroys the catridge.

    I mean I am a real geek, but I am not sure this really impresses anyone when you pull it out. You could just make a fabric wallet with a screen printed scan of the catridge label on it

  2. i used to do basically the same thing but with old cassette cases. those cracked pretty quickly though and the hinge fell apart or broke off but it was cool for a minute. i agree with haku: a better use might be as a first aid, bike repair or sewing kit holder – something that doesn’t require daily use.

  3. I’m all for reusing, repurposing, and general hack & slashing… but atari carts are becoming extinct. who knows how many find their way into landfills each day. when they’re gone they’re gone. I think it’s a shame when someone intentionally destroys something like this.

  4. @layer: One man’s nostalgic artifact is another man’s raw material. The deeper question is whether the inherent value of the cartridge is in the rom or in the physical object.

    @rd: What? He took an object and turned it into something else. Isn’t that the spirit of the site, if not the exact definition of hack?

  5. @alchemyguy
    No, that’s more along the lines of “arts and crafts”. Not that I have anything against people who make things.
    Just for a minute, think about this. What if it wasn’t an Atari game cartridge? What if it was a shell or something? Would we see “Hacker makes wallet from clam shells” on the front page of hackaday? No, because making wallets out of miscellaneous crap doesn’t qualify as a hack. They only reason this is here is because hackaday’s readers have a fondness for old game systems.

  6. @calebkraft

    Don’t apologize to the trolls. It only empowers them. I feel that this is a hack. Making a wallet out of aluminum foil is also a hack. Is it as cool as this? No.

    One man’s hack is apparently another man’s crap. But in that respect, no one forces you to visit/read/comment anything on this site. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean I wont like it. Who knows, if you dont’t like something YOU might be in the minority. Whiny asses.

  7. I feel kinda bad that he destroyed an ancient archaeological artifact.

    I mean, yeah, it’s a cool concept, and that would be fun to have a wallet that looks like that, but it’s still altering something that we’re not going to get back again.

    On top of that, the stickers on those things would never hold up to daily wear and tear in a pocket. Heck, I’ve got metal and plastic parts of various tools and such that I carry in my pockets, and they visibly wear quite quickly. You can count the useful life of paint in maybe years and stickers in days.

    So in my book: cool concept, good execution, very bad choice of raw materials.

  8. an ancient archaeological artifact would be an “et” cart.

    I would be more likely to use this as a small parts holder, or even a geek survival kit…

    hey…_especially_ a geek survival kit!

    so maybe not a wallet, per se (I’d want the label to be preserved or it’s just another plastic box.)

  9. I have to agree that this is not a hack. This was simply a plastic container before the so called “hack”. FYI It’s Still a Plastic Container.

    But I did click the video and watch it and enjoyed it.

    Maybe the site should create an “Arts & Crafts”section. This would go nicely in there.

  10. Personally, I think this is awesome. Despite being “past my time”, the Atari 2600 was the only game console I had growing up. Plus, my wallet isn’t too much smaller than one of the cartridges. I actually have some duplicates of games, so if they retain their functionality while serving as a wallet, I may just have to do this.

  11. I am also completely horrified that someone who is obviously a fan of classic games could do this to working mint condition carts. If he was using dead carts sure but this is right up there with people who gut working classic arcade machines to covert them for mame. Disgusting.

  12. why not a cigarette and lighter holder or a sd card holder or pen drive holder or even a place to put screws for mounting harddrives and stuff, lots of cartridges available…how many of you have seen the original nes duck hunt lying around..ten cents buys you a hundred duck hunts cartridges in pawn shops and the likes..reuse and recycle are always a good foundation for hacks..’nuff said

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