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Ram-Controls StarWars Yoke

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Ummon:


--- Quote from: FrizzleFried on June 16, 2009, 07:37:32 pm ---Solid brass...   :bat

--- End quote ---

What?  Where's that?

Daviea:

Hey Guys,

Before we begin with the pile-on....

Yes, I opened up pre-orders again.  I gave myself some extra padding for the time-line for the just-in-case issue that might pop up.  However, that said, I am only a single part away from getting the yokes out the door.  ONE component, that's it.  The real time crunch is assembling all of the yokes.  I have been keeping the number quiet for the most part, but my initial run is 1000 units with enough handle and steering weldments for another 1500 units, plus enough handles and gears for at least another 2000 units.  If I ever sell out of the first 1K, I'll have to make more of the internal metal components (shafts, spring pins, etc), but I doubt that would occur anytime soon, especially given the current market.  No worries, I'll sit on these controllers for the rest of my life if I have to.  LOL

Plus, and this is a BIG part of my master plan, I'm not currently out of the country (the United States, that is) and I have no plans to leave the country on anymore contract gigs (or vacation, or for any other reason), so I'm here to work on these projects FULL TIME.  I'm sure you've noticed me around these parts a lot more lately....right?  Anyhow, I can get a lot of work done when I'm at the helm of RAM Controls.  And work has definitely been getting completed on an accelerated level as of late.

All I have to say is that the *very* long wait is about over. :-)

When the yokes are out, I fully expect all the hoopla to be related to how fricken AWESOME the yokes turned out.  OK?  haha  No more of the, "what have you done for us today?" chanting.

Oh, and I'm SO ready for this yoke project to be over with.  <<prepping to remove thorn from side>>

So, stay tuned and watch for updates and constant reproduction releases.  I have a heap of parts coming out in the upcoming weeks/months, so sit down and enjoy the ride!

David Adams
RAM Controls



Bender:

Great to hear David

Can't wait to see them!

FrizzleFried:


--- Quote ---I've learned a harsh lesson here.  I will never again accept a pre-order for any ongoing project. [emphasis mine]
--- End quote ---


--- Quote ---Ok, with all of this said, people will be happy to know that the powdercoating problem has been resolved.  We will have completed yokes available shortly. [emphasis mine]  And with that, I'm outta here.
--- End quote ---

January 17, 2008

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64536.msg785427#msg785427


--- Quote ---Like I said before, I feel bad for making you wait and, looking back, I think the whole pre-order idea was a mistake [emphasis mine] given the unforeseen delays.

--- End quote ---

January 17, 2008

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64536.msg784754#msg784754


--- Quote ---Saint, I'm not accepting pre-orders any longer.  Not for this item or any other item in the future. [emphasis mine]
--- End quote ---

October 28, 2007

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64536.msg750810#msg750810


--- Quote ---Ok, backing up a little bit, the entire project is done EXCEPT for:  (a) powdercoating the housing(the single part that the yoke artwork is applied to) (b) powdercoating the handles and (c) assembly of the device.[emphasis mine]
--- End quote ---

October 26, 2007

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64536.msg750385#msg750385


--- Quote ---However, that said, I am only a single part away from getting the yokes out the door.  ONE component, that's it.  The real time crunch is assembling all of the yokes. [emphasis mine]
--- End quote ---

June 16, 2009

This very thread (above)... look familiar?

 ::)

EDIT: I just found this doozy...


--- Quote ---Yoke update:  The parts are all finished. The only thing remaining is to assemble, test, pack and ship.
--- End quote ---

February 4, 2009

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=89232.msg936549#msg936549

Dave... could you please explain (A) Why you're accepting pre-orders again when you made it very clear that you wouldn't be doing such a thing again since it was such a "mistake"?  (B) How said "part" that needs to be completed went from being almost complete,  to being complete,  to being almost complete again?  (C) Why on earth would you draw attention to this fiasco YET AGAIN with another pre-order situation? (I would have thought that you'd only even mention this project when it was completed and ready to ship??)

I am at a loss for words...and that's incredible being that I am such an opinionated son-of-a----smurfette---,  eh?





Daviea:

Friz,

You sure have gone to a lot of trouble to dig into this.  Knowing you, I can understand why. :-)

Obviously, I have free will and the ability to change my mind.  Heck, I may even have a good reason for it.  LOL  I already explained why I was accepting pre-orders and I will leave it at that.

The real issue I see here is going from almost completed - to - completed - to - almost completed which does merit an explanation.  To understand how this can happen, you'd need to know the entire process I've had to go through to produce this controller which I will admit has not been entirely transparent to everyone looking from the outside.  First and foremost, this is a monster of a project.  So much a monster that nobody before me (except for Atari, of course) has been willing or able to take it head-on.  I completely respect those who have at least attempted to look into it but later passed.  Why?  Because it's one major headache after another AND it requires skill, determination, patience and serious cash reserves. 

Before I go into a long rant, I'm just going to simplify the explanation for everyone.  I discovered that one part of the Star Wars yoke project which I had already made (and was NOT part of the rebuild kits) was unacceptable in that it wasn't a perfect fit, so I went back to remake the part (which is the part I mentioned earlier in the thread).  I will admit that this action is probably driven by my apparent OCD, but the part NEEDED to be remade as far as I am concerned.  I seem to be the resident expert on Atari controllers, so I have to believe that my opinion on the subject is the final word!  LOL  Besides, the last thing I need is to take any flak over a controller that's anything less than perfect, especially given the long wait and the enormous amount of tension.  I can take the kind of flak I'm getting now because I'm opening myself up to it, but I'll never knowingly allow the quality of my repro parts to come under fire when it's something I can avoid by my own actions.

So, there it is.  I messed up making one part and I need to remake it.  Hey, at least I caught it before sending out the yokes!  Really, there's nothing stunning about this development, it's just the way things go.  In fact, if you look at my history of being anal-retentive about the quality of my parts, you'd know that an action like this is well within my behavior pattern.  End of story.

Quite frankly, having this topic open again is an excellent avenue for advertising the fact that the product is almost available.  I'll take my knocks over it, but the fact remains that I have an enormous investment in this product and I want to sell as many as possible to recoup as much as possible as quickly as possible.  Having to go back and redo the handles earlier in the timeline of this project PLUS one other part has caused an unplanned increase in my overall cost....which, of course, I was happy to drop the $$ down on.  In fact, the dollar figure I have dropped into this project would be unfathomable to most of you.  I won't make that figure public, but a few of you ARE aware of this.  It's pretty extreme.

I was hoping to avoid a pile-on and so far this has been relatively lax, so I'll take it in stride.

Again, I have finally decided to set a hard date for release based on the current state of this project.  Pre-orders ARE open again, but only for a limited time.  As soon as the product is ready and begins shipping, the pre-order will close and the price will go up exactly $15 to $250. 

David Adams
RAM Controls

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