Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Arcade Collecting => Restorations & repair => Topic started by: ken_cinder on January 18, 2009, 05:16:25 pm

Title: Versus City Cabinet Restore
Post by: ken_cinder on January 18, 2009, 05:16:25 pm
I bought this machine last winter, for the price I thought it wasn't a bad deal.

Two working Nanao MS9-29A monitors, both CPs had a stick each and a full set of 6 buttons. Extra Siemitsu stick and a small handful of extra buttons. 2 working power supplies and still fully wired for the Naomi that was obviously in it prior (CPs have Dreamcast VMU slots)

Delivered to my door, for $300. Though I wasn't prepared for how beaten up it really was, the pics I saw didn't do this poor thing justice. It had obviously been on-site somewhere that smoking was the norm, and had seen a ton of play (Over 65000 on the coin counter inside the coin box). But I still think I got a good deal.

First thing I did was rip all the wiring out, it was a frigging mess of wiring and I had a much cleaner jamma harness already set up.

Ran my Taito F3 on it, great everything works, though the monitors will need capped at some point when I'm a little less of a chicken ---Cleveland steamer--- about discharging them and I have another machine to mess with.

I can't find pics of when I first got it, and I've since stripped the side art off as it was in pretty rough shape and I figure it looks better without it for the time being.

I just started sanding the side panels down to clean the obvious smoke stain off the plastic, and smooth out scratches AND remove the glue from the duct tape some asshat had on there! (I have NO idea why duct tape had been on there, there was no reason for it)
After that I'll be using some Novus Plastic Polish on them and maybe clear coating.

Here's a pic of the absolute worst panel after sanding, and a pic of another panel that I have yet to touch. The one I already sanded was at least 2x as bad as the untouched one.
Few little spots on some edges that will need to be filled, but otherwise it's not as bad as I thought!

(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3370/hpim1958zt5.th.jpg) (http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim1958zt5.jpg) (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3571/hpim1959xx9.th.jpg) (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim1959xx9.jpg)

P.S. Cab is in the basement in a house I just bought back in May. That lameass flower border and red paint is so going!
Title: Re: Versus City Cabinet Restore
Post by: srarcade on January 21, 2009, 03:59:56 pm
Wow $300 for the pair delivered?! You got a steal friend! The MS9-29's are not cheap and very coveted displays- sometimes considered the Ferrari of mid-res gaming monitors, someone didn't know what they had. I'm sure your cabs will clean up nice, looks like a fun project. What are your symptoms of needing a cap kit? The 15khz is hit or miss on these if the geometry is not be perfect its probably good as it goes. (Like corner bending etc) Toss in something mid res or more and thats where these really shine!

As for the discharge, its only scary the first couple times. Be safe as you can be, make yourself a good tool that has solid connections and attach a long stick on the handle if you need to give more room, that's what i have done. Heck I even wear a chemical glove! Anything to calm yourself- then go overboard with the discharges, doing it more than enough times to be safe. If you have it unplugged even for a day in advance, you won't get a "pop" or any surprising sounds usually and that makes it easier on the nerves.
Title: Re: Versus City Cabinet Restore
Post by: ken_cinder on January 21, 2009, 09:46:38 pm
Symptoms of need capped is 1 of them has a curve in the left side of the displayed picture. It's not a proportionate curve either that would make you think to check the yoke (Which I did anyway).

The other one has similar problems, though barely noticeable, but it's color adjustments are out compared to the other one. Cut off levels are much higher to achieve the same saturation level.