To alter or not to alter... Opinions?

[RacerX]

I just purchased a Turbo Sub yoke for my next control panel.  It looks to be in really great shape from the pictures I've seen (it is arriving tomorrow via FedEX so I'll know more then).

Anyway, my question for you guys is, do you see anything wrong with removing the (in VERY good shape) Turbo Sub overlay on the yoke and replacing it with a Star Wars yoke overlay?

My opinion is that since Turbo Sub was never released and Star Wars is a true classic, there isn't anything wrong with it.  But I would like to get the opinions of my fellow BYOAC-ers before I do anything.  

I honestly might leave the overlay as is anyway since my cab is not a Star Wars themed cab.

Here are the 3 pics that I got from the seller.  They may help you form an opinion.  Thanks for the input!  

http://tpersky.brinkster.net/images/tapyoke1.jpg
http://tpersky.brinkster.net/images/tapyoke2.jpg
http://tpersky.brinkster.net/images/tapyoke3.jpg

[Howard_Casto]

My opinion...  

The turbo sub yoke is much rarer, but the decal on it would be easy to reproduce.  Personally I would probably keep it as I'm all against trashing orignal artwork but, you could take some really good scans of the decal.....  Put it in a scanner one side at a time and scan the 3 sides that the decal is on.... then use photoshop to stitch it together.  You can then donate the image to the mamefans museum or somewhere where it would be preserved.  

[Tiger-Heli]

I just purchased a Turbo Sub yoke for my next control panel.  It looks to be in really great shape from the pictures I've seen (it is arriving tomorrow via FedEX so I'll know more then).

Anyway, my question for you guys is, do you see anything wrong with removing the (in VERY good shape) Turbo Sub overlay on the yoke and replacing it with a Star Wars yoke overlay?

My opinion is that since Turbo Sub was never released and Star Wars is a true classic, there isn't anything wrong with it.  But I would like to get the opinions of my fellow BYOAC-ers before I do anything.  

I honestly might leave the overlay as is anyway since my cab is not a Star Wars themed cab.

Here are the 3 pics that I got from the seller.  They may help you form an opinion.  Thanks for the input!  

http://tpersky.brinkster.net/images/tapyoke1.jpg
http://tpersky.brinkster.net/images/tapyoke2.jpg
http://tpersky.brinkster.net/images/tapyoke3.jpg

Hmmn, tough call.  I know OSCAR recently got one of these and I think he was going to touch up the overlay on his, FWIW.

The pics look like this overlay is in great shape (whole yoke looks to be, for that matter), which makes it a tougher call.

If it were me, I might look at removing and storing the original cover plate and/or reselling that on E-bay and then fabricating a replacement from sheet aluminum to mount the SW overlay to, but I'm weird on stuff like that so don't listen to me too much.

[RacerX]

...
If it were me, I might look at removing and storing the original cover plate and/or reselling that on E-bay and then fabricating a replacement from sheet aluminum to mount the SW overlay to, but I'm weird on stuff like that so don't listen to me too much.

That's a great idea!  I hadn't thought of fabricating a new cover for it.  If I decide I want Star Wars graphics, I'll definitely go that route.  I could even have swappable covers to suit my mood.  

BTW, I've seen some folks requesting dimensions, detailed pics, etc. of the Star Wars yoke in the past.  If anyone is interested, I would be happy to post very detailed pictures with dimensions from every conceivable angle once I get the yoke and have some time.

[OSCAR]

My TS decal, unfortunately, wasn't repairable.  I tried removing it as carefully as possible, that way I can still get scans of it.  It will definitely take some photoshop touchup, that's for sure.

Although, when I removed the TS decal, the remains of the original SW decal were still there.  I suppose the orginal SW decal was reverse printed, so when it was pulled off, it left the majority of the silkscreen (or whatever) behind.

[Chris]

BTW, I've seen some folks requesting dimensions, detailed pics, etc. of the Star Wars yoke in the past.  If anyone is interested, I would be happy to post very detailed pictures with dimensions from every conceivable angle once I get the yoke and have some time.

Oh, I am definately interested!

What I really should do is send you some mold compound and have you make a mold of the buttons and triggers... It seems like someone here is always missing a button or a trigger, and we shoud be able to cast duplicates in resin...

[dones]

I recently bought a Star Wars yoke with a Data East "Air Force" overlay on the cover.  The trigger switches are marked "machine gun fire", the left thumb is "hover aircraft", and the right thumb is labeled "lock-on missiles".  I've never heard of the game, and didn't see it listed in mame or klov.  Maybe it was a prototype or something?

If it were me, I might look at removing and storing the original cover plate and/or reselling that on E-bay and then fabricating a replacement from sheet aluminum to mount the SW overlay to, but I'm weird on stuff like that so don't listen to me too much.

Weird minds must think alike... I'm having a stainless steel cover made for mine, but I won't be putting a Star Wars overlay on top of it.  I thought the stainless steel would look kinda cool by itself.  My girlfriend's dad has a buddy in the sheet metal dept. of a commercial heating & ac company.   If he can find a big enough piece of scrap stainless (i think 12-7/8" x 4-3/16"), it will only cost me a few beers.  I plan on stripping the rest of the yoke down for a much needed cleaning/lubing, and will have the metal parts repainted black at a friends body shop.  I'll post some pics when finished...

[1UP]

I also got a Turbo Sub yoke, but mine had no label at all.  I couldn't find a scan of an original SW yoke (but there's a good ROTJ yoke OL on CAGA) so I made my own by using what low-res pics I could find.  



It's missing some detail, but there was a lot of guesswork done to figure out the graphics.  If anything, it's too clean and Photo-Shoppy, but it'll do.  I had it printed and laminated at Kinko's when I had my sideart and CPOs done.  At least it's better than a black metal plate with glue and rust all over!  

As for the Turbo Sub OL, just get a good scan or some photos to document it.  In the long run, the game was never made, and I doubt there are even roms for it anymore, so who really cares?  To me, the real crime is that somebody ripped off the original SW OLs to make the Turbo Sub ones.  

[RacerX]

What I really should do is send you some mold compound and have you make a mold of the buttons and triggers... It seems like someone here is always missing a button or a trigger, and we shoud be able to cast duplicates in resin...

I would be willing to do that.  I've never used mold compound, but how hard can it be right?  

[Howard_Casto]

I would be careful on that, use the wrong kind or use it improperly and you might be stuck with it permenantly.  

[RacerX]

I would be careful on that, use the wrong kind or use it improperly and you might be stuck with it permenantly.  

Good advice.  Perhaps I could wrap modeling clay around the trigger, cut it in half to remove it from the trigger, put it back together, and melt wax into it.  I certainly don't want to screw up the triggers/buttons in the process of trying to help someone else replace theirs.  Then we'd both be scrawed.  

[Chris]

Well, this is the compound that came with the resin casting kit, so I have to imagine that it'll be okay...

Another option would be to scan the buttons and triggers a couple of different ways with a sheet of graph paper laying on top to provide scale, and then I could try to fabricate replacements, send a sample replacement to you, and you could tell me if they work in place of your buttons...

--Chris

[Howard_Casto]

There is this stuff called algecite (or something like that)  that dentists use to mold your teeth for impressions.  Obviously it's very mild.  That might work for you, but the negative is meant to be filled with plaster, so the positive would have to be cast again.

You can find it in any art supply store.  The only catch is I don't know how it would effect your decals.  You might have to mask them off just in case.  Anyway, that's another option to get a "safe" mold.

[1UP]

There is this stuff called algecite (or something like that)  that dentists use to mold your teeth for impressions.  Obviously it's very mild.  That might work for you, but the negative is meant to be filled with plaster, so the positive would have to be cast again.

You can find it in any art supply store.  The only catch is I don't know how it would effect your decals.  You might have to mask them off just in case.  Anyway, that's another option to get a "safe" mold.

I thought he was talking about just molding some button replacements.  The buttons don't have decals, do they?

I think you need a mold release agent.  I've seen people make replacement hands and guns for Transformers figures this way, using silicone for the mold.

[Howard_Casto]

That's the beauty of this product in that it dosn't need a release agent.  It's very fragile and easy to work with... it feels like jello once it's set and you simply take an exacto knife and split it down the center to remove it.  

Some of the harser molding materials might stain or marr the plastic.  I dunno this for sure, but I have seen bad results before so better safe than sorry.