Tron Restore - Need your suggestions on sides

[johnvv]

I 'm restoring a Tron and need your suggestions and any experience in optimal restoration of the sides.  For those that don't know, the original Tron sides are black melamine - a very smooth surface.  The downside to melamine is that it is not very strong, wears over time, and is not really repairable.

After looking at some Tron restoration sites and doing some searches here, the best options seem to be:

- patch and sand down the melamine and paint with Rustoleum satin black.  The challenge is doing multiple coats are getting an extremely smooth painted surface.  The cabinet featured in the Phoenixarcade Tron pictures went through this process and does look nice.

- use a very thin laminate or formica on the sides.  This would give me the smooth surface I am looking for and would be very close to the original melamine.  The downside is that it will impact the width of the side panels slightly - making extra work for properly sizing the t-molding.  I've considered getting a slightly wider replacement t-molding and using an edgebanding cutter to trim it to the correct width after the laminate/formica is done.

Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, or experience with what I am trying to accomplish?

[CheffoJeffo]

You haven't said what shape the sides of your cabinet are in. Pics would help.

Cheers

[walls83]

You haven't said what shape the sides of your cabinet are in. Pics would help.

Cheers

Its a tron cab.  I think we all know what the sides of the cabinet look like.

like a lava lamp.

[johnvv]

I don't have picutures right now, but...

The sides are in fair shape.

[CheffoJeffo]

You haven't said what shape the sides of your cabinet are in. Pics would help.

Cheers

Its a tron cab.  I think we all know what the sides of the cabinet look like.

like a lava lamp.

Thanks ... there is one sitting 3 feet from me ...

I was asking about the specific condition of the sides (and I guess the front and inner sides) outside of the area covered by the sideart. If the melamine is not badly scratched, then he doesn't need to take it down all the way.

If, on the other hand, he has gouges in areas not covered by sideart (covers about all but the outer 1.5 inches), then he may want to sand it down and spray it back up, which is a lot of work and I would recommend using a "real" sprayer as opposed to a spray can (or, at least, that is what I would do if I weren't lazy).

Cheers

EDIT: Just occured to me that perhaps you were trying to be clever with respect to the shape ...  back to EE with you for 25 lashes with a wet earth ground from DK.

[CheffoJeffo]

The sides are in fair shape.  As is standard with melamine, the edges are pretty frayed, chipped, and peeling in a numbe of places.  There are scratches, nicks, and small gouges in the lower half of each side.  No major bondo repairs, but the melamine is gone is the damage sections. 

Sounds like you want to sand it down, so ... I would refer you to other posts on the board about spray guns ... but I see that you already used one when restoring your Joust:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=41140.0

Personally, while I despise the additional work created by spraying, I would choose that over a laminate as I really wouldn't want to mess with the thickness -- T-molding you can adjust for, but the shroud will be a pain, as will the fit of the control panel (should you choose to laminate the inside as well).

Be sure to post pictures in Project Announcements so I can follow your lead when it comes time to do the body work on mine.

Cheers

[prOk]

Sand the cabinet down, fill and repair any damage.. then finish sand up to at least 220 grit.  From there, get an automotive spray primer in the paint can (yea, in the can) because you can easily dry sand it..  I typically do 3 coats of grey metal primer sanding with 300 grit in between until I get a nice uniform surface.  From there, 2 coats of Rust Oleum satin black with a spray gun.  That will yield a near perfect tron..  FYI, trons are not melamine. they are painted with an automotive style paint..   Melamine is plastic and it will shred like plastic when you sand it and the surface gets hot.. paint, will turn to dust..


/b

Plenty more tutorials on restoration here:  www.rgvac.com

[walls83]

You haven't said what shape the sides of your cabinet are in. Pics would help.

Cheers

Its a tron cab.

[johnvv]

prOk:

Not melamine? Interesting.  Don't doubt you, but even your site notes (under paint codes) that System 1 (Tron) cabinets have melamine sides.  It doesn't look like melamine to me, but I was going off of the info on your site and others.  Whatever it is, it is ultra-smooth and does flake off of the wood when damaged.  It looks like the interior sides and rear of the cabinet were spray painted orginally - pretty obvious on mine.  The top and front appear to be the same type of paint job or melamine as the outer sides.

In any event, why the grey auto primer and not and oil-based Killz or comparable?  Thanks for you suggestions - your site has helped me to a total Joust restore and redo the sides of a Tempest for new side art.

All:  I'm not afraid of doing the spraying.  I have someone who will help me and have done it before.  My goal is to do as nice a restore as possible.  I've already learned that this is not and economical or time friendly endeavor...  But the end results are nice!

[johnvv]

prOk:

Forgot to ask:  for the auto primer, do you mean in a paint can or spray can?