FAQ

Who are you, and why do you do this?

Software engineer by day, electronics tinkerer by night. I genuinely love bringing old hardware back to life — especially the retro consoles I grew up with — and Console Artisan is how I give back to a hobby and a community that have given me a lot. (The soldering iron also needs the exercise.)

How did you learn to do this?

My degree is in Electrical and Computer Engineering, but I’ve spent my whole career in software. The hands-on hardware side I’ve taught myself more recently — a steady diet of YouTube, datasheets, late nights at the bench, and a fair bit of help from AI. I’m always learning, and I sweat the details so you don’t have to.

Can you do a custom project for me?

Maybe! I do this mostly for the fun of it and to roughly break even, so if a project catches my interest there’s a good chance I’ll take it on. It never hurts to ask — tell me what you’re dreaming up.

How do I return something — or what if my item doesn’t work?

Your satisfaction matters more to me than the sale; I do this for pride, not profit. Reach out and I’ll make it right — a repair, a replacement, or a refund, whatever fits. (The full details are on the Returns page.)

Why a custom website? Why not just sell on eBay or Etsy?

Short answer: so I can give you better products and service. The longer answer is that both platforms made selling harder than it should be. I applied for API access to automate my listings and was denied with no real explanation. eBay also routinely sides with scammers over sellers — a risk I can’t keep shouldering on one-of-a-kind items — and at one point pulled one of my mod boards “for enabling copyright infringement,” when all it actually does is make the video output sharper. My appeal went unanswered.

Running my own store puts that control back in my hands, so I can stand behind what I make. The trade-off is real: I give up a built-in audience and a lot of discoverability. So if you like what I build, the best thing you can do is tell a friend — word of mouth is what keeps a small shop like this alive. Thank you.