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Arcade Collecting => Restorations & repair => Topic started by: Level42 on February 06, 2006, 02:37:34 pm

Title: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 06, 2006, 02:37:34 pm
Hey guys,

Do we think this is worth saving/resqueing ?

http://koopjes.marktplaats.nl/verzamelen/automaten_overige/21012511.html

It looks terrible, look at the rust. The monitor is claimed to work though. There's no game PCB inside. However, these things are really scarce here.

They ask
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: MinerAl on February 06, 2006, 03:00:55 pm
Looks like surface rust.  The whole thing needs sanding and finishing, but otherwise it looks like a solid platform for restoration/mamification.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: PCtech on February 06, 2006, 03:15:36 pm
I'd buy it...cruddy looks are only cosmetic (at least it looks like it)....If you can get a working display out of it...even better.

Good Luck!
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Stingray on February 06, 2006, 03:15:54 pm
Totally usuable for a MAME project. I'd buy it if it were local to me.

-S
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Santoro on February 06, 2006, 03:16:55 pm
Quote
Looks like surface rust.  The whole thing needs sanding and finishing

Or you could go all fancy and have it chromed.  Either way I concur, it is savable.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Grasshopper on February 06, 2006, 03:18:13 pm
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Stingray on February 06, 2006, 03:19:31 pm
Quote
Looks like surface rust.  The whole thing needs sanding and finishing

Or you could go all fancy and have it chromed.  Either way I concur, it is savable.

Chrome is just blow-your-doors-off expensive right now. If it were me, I'd have all of the chrome parts powdercoated in silver. Doesn't look like chrome really, but it looks pretty good and it's super tough.

-S
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Santoro on February 06, 2006, 03:21:52 pm
oh.  I don't know these things.  What would chroming those legs cost?
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: shawnzilla on February 06, 2006, 04:15:18 pm
Definitely buy it!  :D
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Stingray on February 06, 2006, 04:20:08 pm
oh.  I don't know these things.  What would chroming those legs cost?

I couldn't say for sure. Imagine how much you would be willing to pay. Now double that and add a 25% markup. We're probably getting close. Last car I restored, I thought I'd have the grill rechromed because it was kind of cruddy looking, but not dented at all. Turned out it was significantly cheaper to buy a new grill.

-S
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Kremmit on February 06, 2006, 05:18:48 pm
How much to put the chrome back on a trailer hitch?  :-X
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 07, 2006, 10:43:50 am
Thanks for the replies guys, you really made me change my mind :) Gonna do an offer.... but first, gotta convice my wife :S

Wish me luck !!! And I'll keep you posted....
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 07, 2006, 11:02:49 am
OK convinced wife, that was a lot easier than I thought :):)

Gonna give the guy a call....

Edit:

Just called, it's still there ! (My bet is NO-ONE is interested in it :p) Gonna take a look (and probably buy it) next sundaynight...will keep you posted.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 07, 2006, 12:25:58 pm
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 12, 2006, 06:19:12 pm
Resqued !!!!!

It's a Tehkan Pleiads ! No Game PCB though. There's a little burn-in on the screen of Pleiads. The monitor works, but it seemed to have some sync problems, seller claimed the cause was the game PCB. It seemed to get better when it warmed up.

Gonna be a lot of work to get it restored. But it's doable.

Will put up some pics tomorrow !

Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 13, 2006, 02:59:40 pm
Last picture....

I have no experience with cocktails. Is that black stuff a foil glued to the glass ? Is there a good way to restore it ?
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Thargok on February 14, 2006, 12:41:46 pm
That should be paint under the glass.  If you take off the glass clips (don't lose them) you should be able to repaint the cabinet.  At least that is what I have seen on a majority of cocktails.  Besides the glass is replaceable.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 14, 2006, 01:08:52 pm
Ok thanks ! For some time, it will have to wait, because I gotta finish my "regular" Mame cab first.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Grasshopper on February 15, 2006, 02:06:03 pm
Very nice. I'd like to build a cab like that someday but perhaps with a horizontal control panel.

Please could you do me a favour and post some approximate dimensions. Just width, height, depth and space for the monitor would be enough.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 15, 2006, 05:00:57 pm
Monitor sizes:

My tube is 35 cm wide,26 cm. high. From the CRT surface to the neckboard is about 36 cm. I'd suggest to keep about 5 cm. room around the monitor.

Entire cab sizes:

86.5 cm wide, 56,3 cm deep (the glass which is the largest horizontal sizes).

Height is 67 cm. but this is very much adjustable with the legs. I also got swivel stands under it (like a pinball machine).


Yeah, I think a horizontal control will give you better game control. Did you notice the "joysticks" are only 2 way on my cocktail ? Gotta replace them with  something else...but will need to mod the plastic control panel for that :S

Anyway, decided to store it for now :)
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Grasshopper on February 15, 2006, 06:10:34 pm
Thanks for that. The dimensions appear to be similar to those of the Atari Asteroids cocktails (incidentally my favourite cocktail design) which surprises me as I thought the Asteroids cabs were bigger. I'm wondering whether you could just about squeeze a 17" monitor in there.

I've played on a lot of cabs that look similar to yours and all of the ones I've seen have been fitted with 2 way joysticks presumably because it's impractical to play 4 or 8 way games with a vertical CP. I think if you want to use a 4 or 8 way stick you'll probably have to hack in a horizontal panel. Tough decision. It's a trade-off between ergonomics and authenticity.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: arcadegeezer on February 16, 2006, 04:38:48 pm
Hi Level 42

Nice Cab similar to my Taito Cocktail, Definately Buy-It. It's definately worth the time restoring it. mine still needs some tweaks but it is so cool when someone come's round that you havn't seen for a while and you end up drinking a couple of beers over a few game's of your favourite arcade classic. Not to mention the look on their face when they first see it....

 ;) Enjoy...........

Regards

Mark
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on February 16, 2006, 05:37:30 pm
Hey Arcadegeezer, thanks for the encouragement !

I actualy already bought it  (hence the pic with the cab in the boot of my car ;) that's one of the BIG plusses of cocktails !).

Do you have some pics of your cab on-line ? I already seen some Taito Cocktails and indeed they seem to come from the same "factory". Guess Tekhan wasn't big enough for their "own" cabs.

What you say is absolutely true ! Think most people actualy never have seen a cocktail here !!!
They were already VERY rare then over here in Holland. I remember having played only 1 in my life, a (super) break-out if I remember correctly, it was in a restaurant/hotel and I remember how wondered I was about this strange thing :) !

I actualy think they looked mega-ugly ! The poor effort to make it actualy look like a "normal" cocktail table is simply hilarious. Were there truely any "normal" cocktail tables like that in those days ? The wood-like vinyl finish is the killer. This is really US-taste stuff, definitly never was popular here.

Grasshopper, about the horizontal/vertical controls: You must be absolutely right, it will be a pain to play a four/eight way game with a joystick in that position. And indeed I am not sure which route to take: Keep it as original as possible or make it to my needs. I always tend to stick with the original though, would be a shame to "destroy" it.
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: IG-88 on October 17, 2009, 11:00:43 am
Hey, whatever came of this anyway?
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on October 17, 2009, 02:10:54 pm
Hah....it's still untouched on my attic. I pretty soon realized I could buy much better condition cocktails but hey, I got this one now. I did manage to buy the board-set (from the original seller too), but I've got this one in the back-row of projects, mainly because I simply don't have any room for a cocktail in my gameroom.

I'm not sure yet if I'll keep it and restore then sell or sell without restore.....we'll see....
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: IG-88 on October 17, 2009, 02:36:46 pm
Cool. I was wondering if you were gonna give me a hard time for dragging up such an old post :)
Title: Re: Is this poor old cocktail worth saving/resqeuing ?
Post by: Level42 on October 17, 2009, 06:04:29 pm
Seeing the year it's actually a pretty big shock.....