Robotron Restoration

[Spyridon]

Heh, I like the idea of taking a day off for arcade restoration work.

Colder weather is not far out.  Need to get moving on this while the painting conditions are still optimal

[arcadefan85]

Great job! My son and I are getting ready to restore his Robotron. Maybe we will do mine when were done. Don't toss your old sticks. Chuck them up in a drill motor on low gear and polish them with scotch-brite and polishing compound.

[Spyridon]

Well the day off from work was a complete success.  (and it was 85 degrees which was nice)

I sanded down the cab with some 150 grit sandpaper to get it nice and smooth.  I used the air compressor to blow away all the dust and then a tack cloth to wipe down the whole cab.  I wanted to make sure it was nice and clean before beginning to paint.



Since I'll be using a combination of oil based paints (black) and latex (everything else), I needed to go with an oil based primer.  It's okay to put latex over oil, but you don't want to put oil paint over latex.  It probably wouldn't cause a problem, but latex paint needs to breath and unless you let it cure long enough, it could bubble up under the oil paint.


First coat of primer sprayed on:


I'll sand between coats and go with at least two coats of primer.  Once that is in place, I'll be able to judge if I think it needs a third coat.

[Spyridon]

Second coat of primer is in place.  I sanded with 220 grit sandpaper between coats.




Unless my sanding uncovers any problem areas, that should be it for the primer.  Next up is the black.

[matman]

Looking good.  Why did you decide to go with oil based black instead of doing a complete latex job?

Also, are you repainting the top?

[Spyridon]

Looking good.  Why did you decide to go with oil based black instead of doing a complete latex job? 

I really prefer oil paints and the Rustoleum Satin Black is the best black paint I've found so I wanted to use it. 

Also, are you repainting the top?

Yes

[Spyridon]

2nd coat of black paint applied and side masking removed  (paint still wet in this photo)

[matman]

how are you keeping the upper back door on?  just screws?

mine has a hole for a lock assembly that I think i'll re-use.  (my restoration is going to take forever..)

Yours is complete motivation for me.

[Spyridon]

how are you keeping the upper back door on?  just screws?

mine has a hole for a lock assembly that I think i'll re-use.  (my restoration is going to take forever..) 

Right now just two screws holding it in place.  Eventually, I'll drill a new hole and install a lock

Yours is complete motivation for me.

Go for it!

[Spyridon]

Cab masked off for the side painting:


And the first coat of gray paint applied:


The main side color is a two step process.  First the base gray goes down (a few coats), and then a metallic paint is applied over it to give it the Robotron sparkle!

[Spyridon]

Sanded down the first coat with some 220 grit sandpaper and then applied the second coat


Paint is perfectly smooth with no orange peel which is nice!

I also finally figured out how to deal with the adhesive on the control panel.  Williams must use adhesive that could survive a nuclear blast as these panels are the biggest pain to clean up.  After no success with several "safe" strippers, I finally found one that works.



It still requires some elbow grease, but this stuff really softens the adhesive and allows you to scrap it off. 

[Spyridon]

Two coats of silver pewter were put on over the gray base coat (doesn't photograph well, but looks really good)

[Spyridon]

Just an administrative question.  Are these pictures too big?  I've been uploading them at full size instead of shrinking them down like I did in some earlier threads.  Would you prefer smaller pics?

[SirPeale]

Is fine sizewize, but perhaps less photos per post?  On the last page, even on broadband, it took quite a while to load them all.  Spread them out a bit.  I don't care how many page the thread takes up, but I'd still like to be able to see your work.

[Spyridon]

First layer stencil (blue) was applied to the cab


Premask removed


And the rest of the cab masked off for painting


Blue paint sprayed on

[Spyridon]

I pulled the stencil off when the paint was still slightly tacky.  No issues with removing the stencil and none of the paint pulled up.

And the reveal...





Went on great and perfectly smooth.  Now just need to line up the red stencil and paint

[opt2not]

Lookin' really nice! The stencils look great so far. This cabinet is going to be a beauty!

[Spyridon]

Lookin' really nice! The stencils look great so far. This cabinet is going to be a beauty!

Thanks.  I have to say that the most fun part of a restoration has to be peeling off the stencils.  It's exciting to see what was left behind and makes you step back and marvel at how good it looks.  Nothing beats a stenciled cab (do you hear that Level42!  )

[orion]

You never cease to amaze!  So how many of your restos have I missed out on this past year.... 10, 100? 

[Spyridon]

So how many of your restos have I missed out on this past year.... 10, 100? 

I really don't do that many, I just spend many months working on each one.  Expect a slow down as my wife and I just had our first child.  A happy healthy baby girl!!!!     

Of course, I am picking up another classic Williams game tomorrow.  So expect another stencil job in the Spring.   

[m_mcgover]

Of course, I am picking up another classic Williams game tomorrow.  So expect another stencil job in the Spring.   

Hopefully a Sinistar.  I'd like a reference for when I eventually get to mine.   

[MythTrip]

Joe,

The Robotron is starting to look really nice.  Thanks again for all your hard work, it's
very much appreciated.


Jim

 

[opt2not]

Of course, I am picking up another classic Williams game tomorrow.  So expect another stencil job in the Spring.   

Hopefully a Sinistar.  I'd like a reference for when I eventually get to mine.   

I'm betting it's a Joust!

[Spyridon]

Hopefully a Sinistar.  I'd like a reference for when I eventually get to mine.   

Ding Ding Ding...we have a winner!

[orion]

So how many of your restos have I missed out on this past year.... 10, 100? 

I really don't do that many, I just spend many months working on each one.  Expect a slow down as my wife and I just had our first child.  A happy healthy baby girl!!!!     

Of course, I am picking up another classic Williams game tomorrow.  So expect another stencil job in the Spring.   

Congrats! Children have a way of changing your life in a major way! I always enjoy your stencil jobs.. you have been the master at paint jobs, ever since you got that air compressor and went to town on that Gorf One day I'm going to give that a try myself... you make it look easy though! 

[m_mcgover]

Hopefully a Sinistar.  I'd like a reference for when I eventually get to mine.   

Ding Ding Ding...we have a winner!

exxxccceeellllent.   

[Spyridon]

Of course, I am picking up another classic Williams game tomorrow.  So expect another stencil job in the Spring.   

Hopefully a Sinistar.  I'd like a reference for when I eventually get to mine.   

Don't want to throw this thread into a tangent, but I may have a problem with a full stencil restore on the Sini.  Look what I ended up getting:

I had no pictures of the sides when I bid on it on eBay.

[m_mcgover]

My suggestion is that you just restencil mine.   

[Spyridon]

Time for the next layer of color.

Stencil lined up and cab masked off


Red paint sprayed on

[Spyridon]

And the unveiling:

[RetroACTIVE]

Where is the fan? 

Seriously, that's flipping gorgeous!

I'm getting ready to do my Berzerk... I have a ton of body work to do first... It will be my second stencil.   Did you do just one hit with the stencil colors?

[opt2not]

Beautiful!
The owner is going to be so happy. 

[Spyridon]

I'm getting ready to do my Berzerk... I have a ton of body work to do first... It will be my second stencil.   Did you do just one hit with the stencil colors?

I did one coat of blue, but when I got to the red, I did several light coats over a couple hour period.  I tried to give it some time to dry between coats so it didn't run.  It took a while to cover the blue.  Next time, I may hit it with a coat of white first then the red.

Are you going to add the texture to the Berzerk sides?

[Spyridon]

Beautiful!
The owner is going to be so happy. 

I hope so.  These restorations for hire are fun, but it's tough to let go of it in the end   

[Spyridon]

I just got the painting done just in time.  This was my last weekend to do it.  Temperatures have now dropped (as of today) below the minimum for painting.  I wish I had a heated external garage to work in.  Can't do any more painting until Spring (and I've got a line of cabs waiting)

[opt2not]

I just got the painting done just in time.  This was my last weekend to do it.  Temperatures have now dropped (as of today) below the minimum for painting.  I wish I had a heated external garage to work in.  Can't do any more painting until Spring (and I've got a line of cabs waiting)

Is your garage insulated enough so that you can use those portable heaters to warm up the space? Or is that not warm enough conditions for painting?

[Spyridon]

Is your garage insulated enough so that you can use those portable heaters to warm up the space? Or is that not warm enough conditions for painting?

Probably not insulated enough as it gets below freezing, but even if it was warm enough, I need to get the car out of the cold.  I already had to scrape the windows.   

[MythTrip]

Beautiful!
The owner is going to be so happy. 

I hope so.  These restorations for hire are fun, but it's tough to let go of it in the end   

Wow, Joe.  The cab looks absolutely gorgeous.  The colors really leap off the sides.  Thanks again. 
 

If it makes you feel any better, you can rest assured the game will be going to a loving home. 

[valgalder]

  amazing amazing work! 

[m_mcgover]

I just got the painting done just in time.  This was my last weekend to do it.  Temperatures have now dropped (as of today) below the minimum for painting.  I wish I had a heated external garage to work in.  Can't do any more painting until Spring (and I've got a line of cabs waiting)

How cold is too cold?  Down near Philadelphia, we should still hit temps in the low 60s next week.  I need to get some paining done in that week!