Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Arcade Collecting => Restorations & repair => Topic started by: JeepMonkey on July 05, 2008, 05:09:48 pm

Title: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 05, 2008, 05:09:48 pm: I know this is for restorations, but even though this is technically a conversion I figured I would drop my latest project here.

About a year ago I purchased a Popeye cab that had been converted to a Mania Challenge. The machine was listed as complete and not working. I didn't care about the game not working as I just wanted this for the cab.

The plan is to convert this to a Donkey Kong. I am not sure yet if I will buy a two board set and go dedicated, or drop in a 48n1 board. I do like the idea of having a dedicated DK, but I know I will play it a lot more if it has multiple games.

Here are a couple of pics of how it looked when I got it home.

Front
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/jeepmonkey77/dkfrontbefore.jpg)

Front Again
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/jeepmonkey77/dkfrontbefore2.jpg)

Right
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/jeepmonkey77/dkrightsidebefore.jpg)

Left
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/jeepmonkey77/dkleftsidebefore.jpg)

Tag
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/jeepmonkey77/dkbirthcert.jpg)
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 05, 2008, 05:13:42 pm: In breaking down the marquee and bezel I discovered that what I thought was a blank plexi bezel was actually a DK Jr bezel turned around.

Upon power up, this is the error I see.
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/jeepmonkey77/dkerror.jpg)

I assume this is an error with the PCB. As of now I do not know if the monitor is good. I sure hope I do not have to replace it.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Level42 on July 06, 2008, 03:03:32 am: Congrats, and I think most of us see some poor conversion like that being undone as a restoration.

First: About 48-in-1: Use it as your last resort or if you only have 1 cab or something like that.

Whatever way you look at it, it's emulation and never 100% the same thing and DK boards are plenty around.

Also, with the upcoming switchers from Mark Spaeth you will be able to put more boards inside the cab and switch between games.

About the monitor: yeah that screen indicates a PCB error. However, the same pattern is repeated and you can see that the top-left as a differnent color. It probably needs a good degaussing. Maybe the monitor's degaussing itself is not working.

Is it a Sanyo 20EZ monitor ?
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: BUCKETHEAD on July 06, 2008, 10:44:28 am: Ahh..... a Popeye!

That's exactly what i started with.

Good luck with your project! :)
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 06, 2008, 12:59:24 pm: Level42 - My machine has a Wells Garder 19K4903. It is running on the original 100VAC that the Sanyo monitors used. This will have to be addressed at some time. Here is a thread I posted in the monitor forum about this very issue.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=71241.0

BUCKETHEAD - Thanks. I have been reviewing the plethera of DK projects and I have been through yours a few times already. I will likely have some questions for you as I go along.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: BUCKETHEAD on July 07, 2008, 05:00:07 pm: Quote
BUCKETHEAD - Thanks. I have been reviewing the plethera of DK projects and I have been through yours a few times already. I will likely have some questions for you as I go along.

I'm @ your service. :)
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 10, 2008, 09:17:40 am: No real progress on the cab, but I did buy an air compressor, paint gun, and dremel. I also puirchased a gallon of the blue paint matched at Lowes, primer, and bondo. This will be my first time mixing / applying bondo, as well as using a paint sprayer.

Now I have to move Ms Pac from the garage to the game / work room downstairs and clean out the garage to make a spot for the DK to get started on filling and sanding.

I looked at a few stores for a 9/32 wrench because I can't get my nut driver behind the bottom two bolts on the coin door. No one had the right size wrench. I will have to come up with anonther plan.

On the bright side I did find a place local that said they will sand blast my coin door for $20.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: WunderCade on July 11, 2008, 01:55:01 pm: Quote from: JeepMonkey on July 10, 2008, 09:17:40 am
No real progress on the cab, but I did buy an air compressor, paint gun, and dremel. I also purchased a gallon of the blue paint matched at Lowes, primer, and bondo. This will be my first time mixing / applying bondo, as well as using a paint sprayer.

Now I have to move Ms Pac from the garage to the game / work room downstairs and clean out the garage to make a spot for the DK to get started on filling and sanding.

I looked at a few stores for a 9/32 wrench because I can't get my nut driver behind the bottom two bolts on the coin door. No one had the right size wrench. I will have to come up with another plan.

On the bright side I did find a place local that said they will sand blast my coin door for $20.

If you bought a compressor, then Home Depot has the complete sandblasting attachment for 12.00. I bought one, it works great. Just pic up a couple $2.00 bags of sand while you're there and you're set. Here are some pics.

(http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/3389/1001449im6.jpg)

(http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/3839/1001452qi4.jpg)

(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5219/1001456mx2.jpg)
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 11, 2008, 03:07:03 pm: WunderCade - My compressor is a bit smaller than that, 2hp 8 gallon. I would have liked to have gone bigger, but I have a one car garage that already has a bit too much stuff in it. I don't think my little compressor would run a sandblaster very well. The next house must have a two car garage so that my workshop will be big enough.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Level42 on July 11, 2008, 05:13:45 pm: Are you sandblasting in the OPEN ???????????

I've heard that's very unhealthy.

Look at the white pixels on that picture !!!! Those are particles you're inhaling !!!!!!!

Get a closed sandblasting box for your safety...
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Spyridon on July 11, 2008, 11:18:54 pm: Harbour Freight has a nice one for $99

(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh244/joeo42/Robotron/Gorf/IMG_4680.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh244/joeo42/Robotron/Gorf/IMG_4681.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh244/joeo42/Robotron/Gorf/IMG_4682.jpg)
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 11, 2008, 11:34:43 pm: I was at HF recently and they do have sand blasting boxes pretty cheap. But if you were sand blasting in the open (such as in the drive way and not in the garage) and were wearing a respirator and gloves, would it really be harmful? Yes it would be messy, but it is just sand and as long as you weren't inhaling it, would it be harmful?
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Donkey_Kong on July 12, 2008, 12:30:57 am: Quote from: Spyridon on July 11, 2008, 11:18:54 pm
Harbour Freight has a nice one for $99

What are the working dimensions of that one?

I see this one on their website for $249
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93608
(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/93600-93699/93608.gif)
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: WunderCade on July 12, 2008, 01:18:40 am: Quote from: JeepMonkey on July 11, 2008, 11:34:43 pm
I was at HF recently and they do have sand blasting boxes pretty cheap. But if you were sand blasting in the open (such as in the drive way and not in the garage) and were wearing a respirator and gloves, would it really be harmful? Yes it would be messy, but it is just sand and as long as you weren't inhaling it, would it be harmful?

I was wearing a respirator and gloves for the actual sandblasting so I was protected. But it is quite messy, I just swept the sand from the sidewalk to onto my lawn. A box would be much much better.

That blast box looks nice for 99 bucks, I'll go check out my local HF and pick one up, hope that wasn't just a sale.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Level42 on July 12, 2008, 04:54:09 am: Copied from Wikipedia:

The silica dust produced in the sandblasting process caused silicosis after sustained inhalation of dust. Sandblasting may now only be performed in a controlled environment using ventilation, protective clothing and breathing air supply (as it is shown in the top image).

Don't take chances with your health I'd say.......about the respirator, I wouldn't count on it to be safe enough. It has to be suitable for that kind (size/type) of particle. The simple paper "dust-masks" you can get at DIY stores are definitly not good enough (leaves fine particles through).

I think for the casual user like a home user a box like that is the only safe option.

I'm not an expert though, this is all info I just read from other threads.

Check this out:
http://www.silicosis.com/respirators/index.php
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 12, 2008, 11:10:46 am: Quote from: WunderCade on July 12, 2008, 01:18:40 am
That blast box looks nice for 99 bucks, I'll go check out my local HF and pick one up, hope that wasn't just a sale.

I was at a HF two weeks ago and they had that box for $99. It didn't have a sale sticker on it. There were also a couple smaller ones that I think were a little cheaper. I was surprised they were that cheap.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: WunderCade on July 12, 2008, 11:29:02 am: Wow! :o

Thanks for the info. Level42. I will have a sandblast box in the future.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Spyridon on July 13, 2008, 09:50:56 pm: Quote from: JeepMonkey on July 12, 2008, 11:10:46 am
Quote from: WunderCade on July 12, 2008, 01:18:40 am
That blast box looks nice for 99 bucks, I'll go check out my local HF and pick one up, hope that wasn't just a sale.

I was at a HF two weeks ago and they had that box for $99. It didn't have a sale sticker on it. There were also a couple smaller ones that I think were a little cheaper. I was surprised they were that cheap.

Be carefull going too much smaller. I had a hard time maneuvering my Punch-Out!! control panel in this one. Any smaller and you may not have enough room for some of your parts. If they have one with a light in it that isn't too much more expensive, that would be a good add on. It got hard to see with all the dust once you get going. Also, for $99 you get what you pay for. It worked good enough, but I still had dust getting outside of the box. Not too much, but enough to have to clean it up when done.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: 1speedster1 on July 17, 2008, 10:27:01 am: can't wait to see how this turns out. How will you know which holes to fill in and which ones to leave for the monitor mounts? I am planning a DK restore/conversion soon and had wondered this myself. That is if i don't have the brackets yet when I begin.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 17, 2008, 01:01:06 pm: 1speedster1 - Most Nintendo cabs I have come across have the holes for both vertical and horizontal monitor mounting. My monitor is currently mounted vertically, so I will just fill in the holes that are not being used.

Do you have your project cab yet?
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 17, 2008, 01:49:33 pm: Good News, I just put in an order with arcadeshop. On the way are new reproduced:
Marquee
CPO
Instruction cards
Coin sticker
Side Art
Bezel

$204 before shipping and tax. Should ship today or tomorrow, arrive next week. I can't wait to see it all.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: Spyridon on July 18, 2008, 10:07:54 am: Did you decide if you are going dedicated or 48-1? If going dedicated, you should also order the D2K multigame (http://www.arcadeshop.com/konghs_dk2/kongmultikit.htm) from arcadeshop. It gives you freeplay, high score save, and the new D2K game which is pretty good.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 21, 2008, 04:16:38 pm: Spyridon - I still haven't decided which route I am going to take.
Title: Re: Donkey Kong Conversion
Post by: JeepMonkey on July 21, 2008, 04:18:14 pm: Yahoo, my parts from arcadeshop showed up this morning. Now all I need is a game board to see if this thing will work.