Games & Comics

Cool People #1 – Richard DaLuz

Readers who have been following Pads & Panels from the beginning know a little bit about Richard DaLuz already. He’s the guy who built a Super Nintendo into a toaster and brilliantly called it the Super Nintoaster. We figured he would be the perfect person to help launch the “Cool People” series, so we exchanged emails. With his notable sense of humor, DaLuz tried to explain his fascination with stuffing consoles into toasters, as well as many of the other projects that can be seen on his site.

Name: Richard DaLuz

Age: 27

Location: San Antonio, Texas

Website: www.stupidfingers.com

Interview by: Bill Jones

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So why did you start stuffing crap into other crap? Or to be more specific, why did you start putting consoles into toasters?

Well, many years ago I used to joke with some friends over a few beers, saying that if I wanted to, I could build an NES into a shoe or a toaster. Why I would do that – I don’t know. I didn’t have a good reason until shortly after I finished the Super Genintari. A lot of people had suggested that it looked like a toaster, so I finally decided to give them something that really looked like a toaster…A toaster. And apparently it was a success.

The Damn Skippy NES was your first project, according to your website. Can you explain what prompted you to create a top-loading Nintendo Entertainment System? When did you make that and is it still operational to this day?

Ah yes, that thing. Well, I had this strange urge some time around late 2000 to ditch computer gaming for a while, acquire an old NES from a used game store and relive some of the classics. Of course, I was met with many of those problems that plagued the old 8-bit machine – blinking screens, repeatedly blowing into the games and generally just shaking and smacking things around for a half hour, trying to get a single game working. I purchased a replacement 72-pin connector off eBay that fixed the problems for a little while, but they soon returned. The redesigned “top-loader” model was a bit out of my price range (and its lack of composite AV output irked me), so instead I took it upon myself to redesign the connector, fixing the issue and giving it a custom case while I was at it. It was hideous, but it worked. It was still operational up until about a week ago. I ran out of NES boards for another project I’m working on right now and decided to…permanently borrow the one inside the dsNES. This is officially the first time I’ve had to cannibalize a previous project in order to make something better. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but I feel I’ve grown as…I don’t know where I’m going with this.  Maybe I’ve just grown horizontally. My girlfriend recently learned how to make enchiladas and I’ve gotta say, she does a damned amazing job!

You’ve got a slew of other projects on the site, from custom consoles, to bracelets, to adaptors? How did you learn to do what you do? Is it all just trial-and-error? What is your day job?

Some ideas come to me in the midst of working on other projects, some are designed to fulfill some kind of need, and others are just entirely for fun. I try to balance them in an effort to keep things interesting. And yes, there’s a lot of trial and error. Too many errors, honestly – from simple 4 a.m. soldering mistakes to completely frying system boards. And believe it or not, none of my previous or current day jobs has much if anything to do with these projects. I’ve been a busboy, parts-washer, graphic designer, chemical lab technician, press operator, grocery stock boy, window tint installer and am currently doing phone-based tech support for a certain telephone company. So far my day jobs have pretty much just been a way to pay the bills and fund the real work, the stuff I want to be doing when the sun goes down. But to answer your question about how I actually learned to do this stuff…Some free time, curiosity and, yes, a lot of trial and error : ) What I do is no big secret. Electronically speaking, it’s very simple. I’m just a silly guy with silly ideas, determined to make these silly ideas flesh…But I usually end up using plexiglass.

The Super Nintoaster is your latest project and features a working Super Nintendo inside of a toaster. How much did this project cost you, in both time and money?

Well, I’m not sure how to put a dollar figure on my time just yet, but parts alone probably ran at least $125 or so. It would have been less if I didn’t accidentally kill an SNES board in the process. I ended up auctioning it off for about $275 on eBay, which is honestly a steal. I spent many late nights getting that thing wired up right, but, again, there was plenty of error involved along the way, which dragged things out a bit. If you do the math, at that price I’m pretty much getting paid far less than what your average paper boy or dish washer makes. But it’s okay because I’ve mostly been doing it for fun, for my own enjoyment. Getting some of that money back and being able to share it with others to enjoy is a bonus.

Do you make any money off these projects? Has anyone ever asked you to build them something totally absurd? You know, moreso than a console in a toaster?

A couple hundred here and there, though I’ve only sold a few of my projects so far. I’m just not that fast yet, a little on the poor side and don’t have as much free time as I’d like.  Hopefully that’ll change soon. And yes, I’ve heard my fair share of silly ideas, some of them completely do-able. N64 in a VCR, Atari in a TV, Sega Genesis inside a George Forman Grill…the list goes on. I tend to file these under “silly ideas to consider”.

Would it be possible to do a current-gen console in a toaster? That’s a challenge, by the way…

Maybe a Wii, unless we’re talking about a particularly gigantic toaster  : )

What is next for you and your “stupid fingers”?

I’ve got another Nintoaster on the way along with its own “how-to” kind of video (a lot of people have been requesting something like this), and a couple other projects I haven’t really made public yet. Many of them are still centered around the classics for the time being, but that’ll change. Some current-gen stuff is coming eventually for sure.

Anything else readers should know?

I’ll soon be purchasing a Power Glove and a Teddy Ruxpin. To be honest, I’m not sure why.

Cool People is a series dedicated to giving attention to some cool people who aren’t necessarily game developers, comic writers or artists, but have caught the attention of our crew by doing cool things related to those forms of media. Readers who think they or someone they know deserves to be featured in “Cool People” can send an email to padsandpanels[at]gmail[dot].com

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