If you're a silk screener..

[csa3d]

So to my knowledge, only Rich over at This Old Game is currently silk screening reproduction metal badges and plates for arcade restoration.  This is the Holy Grail I'm after:



I am fully aware there are non-metal ones w/o holes drilled, etc. of lesser quality over at Arcadeshop.com


I know myself, and a few others would probably shell out more then $15 for a REAL plate if someone on these forums has the means to authentically produce them.  Emails to Rich have been ignored for quite some time, and if you believe his "coming soon" tag on that item on his site, you probably also believe Pixel Hugger will finish his cab as well.

I'm open to suggestions, and just want to *finish* the coin door.
-csa

[Turnarcades]

You're pretty dedicated huh?

[csa3d]

I like to think of it as a buyer who knows what they want.
-csa

[Necro]

Not to revive an older thread - but these aren't actually metal plates over at Arcadeshop?  I was about to buy one for my door....need this exact one. And agreed about ThisOldGame...was asking about the OmegaRace sideart and never got a response.

[csa3d]

I'm pretty sure I remember hearing the ones currently available are plastic, and do not come pre-drilled with any holes, so they rivet factor is missing as well.  I'd also speculate the shinyness is far less then the originals.. but i've never seen one in person.

I'm still up for paying someone who can make one btw.  PM me if you're up for the challenge.

-csa

[shmokes]

I like to think of it as a buyer who knows what they want.
-csa

There's a subject pronoun agreement problem here.  You mean to say, ". . . a buyer who knows what he or she wants." 

 

[u_rebelscum]

I like to think of it as a buyer who knows what they want.
-csa

There's a subject pronoun agreement problem here.  You mean to say, ". . . a buyer who knows what he or she wants." 

Some circles use "they" as a non gender "he or she", in both single and plural contexts.  It's the closest english has to non gender specific pronouns, but... ehh.

[shmokes]

Some circles use "they" as a non gender "he or she", in both single and plural contexts. 

Those circles are wrong.  But I'm just messing around.   

[polaris]

Some circles use "they" as a non gender "he or she", in both single and plural contexts. 

Those circles are wrong.  But I'm just messing around.   

you understood the post , so how is it wrong

[shmokes]

the post am wrong irregardless of if me understand it.   

[Necro]

Got a response from ArcadeShop on if it's metal or not - it is. 

I'm going to order one, I'll get some side shots and update with info on quality, etc.

[orion]

"Got a response from ArcadeShop on if it's metal or not - it is."

Really??? The one I got from them a year or so ago is plastic and it certainly isn't shinny like the originals. It's not bad... better than nothing, but it would be cool if they were making them more authentic these days. Please let us know.

[Necro]

This is the response I got:

They are metal with an adhesive backing.

Cut and pasted from the email.  I will be annoyed if it isn't metal...

[csa3d]

Yes.. do let us know.  I have ordered the Williams manufacturing plate from ThisOldGame, and I had a decent looking original to begin with, and the quality of that badge was mint and totally believable that it came with the machine itself.  If all that is missing is some rivet holes, then I'd order one and fabricate my own.  Do keep us in the loop.

-csa

[gothroughthegate]

I got one about 3 yr ago for my Galaga(From Arcadeshop).  It was metal.

[Necro]

Received it today.

Here's the breakdown.  Now, my original plate was the same as the one above, but it was silver.  NO one has a silver one...even though that's really what I want.  (The gold color is actually silver and is the metal of the plate).

• Plate is metal of some kind, feels like aluminum (very light).  I did a continuity test () and can get continuity if I touch the two probes two the side.  touching the paint (any paint) does nothing.
• About two times the thickness of the original plate I have
• The gold color is printed on, it's not shiney brushed metal like the silver is on my original plate.[/i]
  
  • I'm not sure if all plates look exactly alike with the same errors, but the printing is slightly diff. on each plate.  Not major.[/i]
    
    • I think the paint is actual a label of some sort.
    • It flexes fairly easily...a bit more than the original.
    
    It looks...ok.  It doesn't look like the original plate...so...bit upset by that.  Should look decent on the coin door...

[orion]

Thanks for the info Sounds like the product I received though I could have sworn it was plastic, but the paint being a label would make it seem so I suppose.

[Level42]

I stand by my opinion that AS's version is NOT metal. It may have a metal layer but the thing itself is not metal. A metal thing, you can bend and it stays in that position. The AS version does not.

I've actually started the whole thing about this particular plate with my Galaxian restoration:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=62784.msg656196#msg656196

At some point, Rich jumped in and said he could make the plates on real metal. I think that may also have started with the manufacturer's plate on the back.
He was able to recreate the other midway plates, but this one never finished. I think he mailed/PMed me about it that it had to do with not being able to get the right base material.

Anyway, the AS is at least looking better than the badly scratched original that I had. I also found a reasonable way to re-install the original rivets to make it look more original.




The Galaxian has been in storage for a long time now but I'd sure like to still add that plate, and I also need to kick-art but Rich is out of stock on that and no way I'm going to pay almost twice on it from Quarterarcade.

[Necro]

How did you bend it?  Because the original does flex and then go back to normal.  I never said I bent it in half - testing this isn't worth the $15 to buy another one.

The edges are definitely metal, there's no question about that.  There's no way a conductivity test is going to work on plastic.  Without scrapping/destroying my plate, I can't tell exactly what it is.

[Level42]

A conductivity test will work fine on a metal layer.

The base is not metal.

I bent it with my hands, how else ?

Look: AS on top, original on the bottom.

[Necro]

...no, what I meant was how did you bend your AS panel without destroying it to prove it wasn't metal.  Remember, there's a bunch of different types of metal, so returning to original shape isn't completely non-normal.

With the conductivity test, I tried it on the middle of the AS plate - it worked there.  It did NOT work on the front paint/label anywhere. 

Someone needs to strip off some of the 3m on the back and see whats under there  

I honestly think this is some kind of aluminum, about 1mm thick.  It has a rough/woven type appearance from the side.  I'd take it into work and look at it under a microscope...but I think people would think I was nuts.

[grbgemen]

i just read over on klov that the plates on thisoldgame.com are finally available and i remembered this thread.

http://forums.webmagic.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=969379&an=0&page=0&gonew=1#UNREAD

http://www.thisoldgame.com/thisoldgame/new_page_2.htm

[Necro]

...figures.

And of course, the Omega Race sideart still isn't available .

Someone order one of these suckers up and let us know if it's thin like the original one.

[orion]

That's sweet!    I bet those are nice and shiny like the originals. I'm going to have to hook my Galaxian up here soon! It would be cool if he ever gets the full texture matched Galaxian sideart vinyl done.

[Level42]

I don't care to debate the whole metal thing anymore. I just KNOW Rich's will be a LOT better than AS's....

[Necro]

Anyone get one yet?  Actually contemplating putting this on my 'Christmas List' if it's that much better.

[MajorHavoc]

The material you described sounds like O grade aluminum.  Many data plates, informational and instructional placards I have come across are made from it.  The original does seem to have a slight gold or straw tone to the metal which would likely be alodine a chemical treatment to aid in corrosion resistance. 
I'd love to give printing some of these guys a crack but I am not set up for multi color printing (nor is that likely to change any time soon     ).  Perhaps you could sweet talk an art teacher at a local high school or community college into tackling this project.