A New Hope... "When you came in here didn't you have a plan for getting out?"

[Spyridon]

I'm going to take a minimalist approach to this one... I'm going to fix the dings do some quick touch ups, clean the inside and service the monitor... thats it.  There is no need to dissect the machine as it is in very good shape overall and I do not want to create extra work that is simply not necessary.... besides I want to play the darn thing!

This statement is quite funny!   

[Spyridon]

Geez, maybe Spyridon would be interested in that WG !

Hmmm...maybe he would be?

But seriously...let's talk.  Level42 has all but forced me to upgrade to a monitor without a burn in spot in the middle   

[RetroACTIVE]

I'm going to take a minimalist approach to this one... I'm going to fix the dings do some quick touch ups, clean the inside and service the monitor... thats it.  There is no need to dissect the machine as it is in very good shape overall and I do not want to create extra work that is simply not necessary.... besides I want to play the darn thing!

This statement is quite funny!   

Yeah I know right?  This darn game is my Grail so I can't just let it be... I want it to be the best it can, plus I'm AR so I should know better.

"My name is Jim and I'm an arcade machine restoraholic."

Just for the record, the smallest restore job I ever did was my Asteroids all I did was put new buttons and cones and coin entry/reject buttons in it. (sounds like a typical restoraholic doesn't it?)

[RetroACTIVE]

Geez, maybe Spyridon would be interested in that WG !

Hmmm...maybe he would be?

But seriously...let's talk.  Level42 has all but forced me to upgrade to a monitor without a burn in spot in the middle   

I'm going to be a bit selfish with this one...hate to be a ---meecrob--- but I'm thiking my next project is going to be a Tempest and I would like to hang on to the WG for a little bit.  However, if I can't get anything to materialize, I will offer it to you first before I ever put it up publicly...and I mean that sincerely.
 

[Spyridon]

Not a problem.  I would keep it as a spare myself.

[ChadTower]

If he doesn't want it at that time I'm looking for one myself... I'm always on the lookout for a Black Widow and of the few I do see they usually don't have a monitor.

[RetroACTIVE]

If he doesn't want it at that time I'm looking for one myself... I'm always on the lookout for a Black Widow and of the few I do see they usually don't have a monitor.

"As you wish."

[RetroACTIVE]

I'm not where I wanted to be just yet... I've done a few things...

Re-fabricated the front bottom, rear bottom and back panels.  I've also stripped and primed the control panel and am getting ready to finally fix the corner issues...  hopefully it will be back together this weekend!

Here are a few pics...

Control panel ready for black paint... it had some rust spots so it needed to be completely stripped and primed...


Here is the new front panel... I've not yet applied the artwork... I used white melamine so that it would be pretty much an exact copy of the original... (minus the decal of course!)



New rear door... those spots are on the camera lens...

New rear lower panel... (nothing too remarkable here)



Amplifone goodies have arrived... I've all the parts coming to rebuild/bulletproof them...


I've a deadline of next Friday.... I'm having my first game party!  The WG will be going in for now... the Amplifone is a project for a later date...



"Ah... everything under control... situation normal, we're all fine now here..... how are you? "

[ChadTower]

Could you document when you join those new pieces into the cabinet?  Mine is trash in the back.  Needs a new roof, the panel below that, new door, and probably the one below that.  Might need a new floor, too.  It's just teetering on the point of burning the cabinet and finding a new one because the sideart is still usable.  I'm still sort of on the fence about finding a better cab or saving this one. 

[RetroACTIVE]

Could you document when you join those new pieces into the cabinet?  Mine is trash in the back.  Needs a new roof, the panel below that, new door, and probably the one below that.  Might need a new floor, too.  It's just teetering on the point of burning the cabinet and finding a new one because the sideart is still usable.  I'm still sort of on the fence about finding a better cab or saving this one. 

Sure... the way I removed them may also be pertinent.  I first unscrewed all of the blocking screws on the inside front of the cab which hold the front panel on.  Then, with a real stiff 4" putty knife, I separated the front from the blocking by tapping it in along the edges to break the glue bond, working from the top to the bottom.  It takes a bit, you may leave a few pieces of the front on the blocking.  Once the front was off, I did the same putty knife technique along the base.  However, the base is also nailed from the underside to its blocking, so you need to pull the nails out first before you go trying to use the putty knife to break the glue seal otherwise you'll just run into the nails.  After I got through most of the glue, I used a rubber mallet to strike the base from the inside to get it free.  Then I peeled it off from front to back... it kind of crackles off of the angled piece but I don't think you can avoid that completely.  After I got the bottom off the angled and lower rear panel piece just popped off pretty easily.

All of the blocking is left in place so the new panels should just go on pretty quickly.  I don't want to remove the blocking along the side panels as I'm afraid it may accidentally pull too much of the particle board material with them.  My plan is to staple and glue the two bottom pieces first then put them in place and staple and glue them to the cab as one.  Then put the front and then the rear panel piece on.

We'll see how it goes...

PS... I'm purposely not showing pics of the machine... it's a bit upsetting  ... I had (what looked to be) a perfectly put together machine... now not so much.  It did really need the work, once I got to the underside of it, it was really in bad shape, it must have sat on a wet surface, two of the t-nuts were non-existent and the holes where they used to be were damaged so badly that I could not simply replace them.



"Oh my... R2 can you hear me .... say something!"

[ChadTower]

I removed my panels by poking at them with my index finger.  Then I swept up the crumbled pieces with a broom.  They were that bad.  The base is still there but probably needs to be replaced for structural reasons.  All water damage.

[RetroACTIVE]

Dimensions for the rear door panel have been requested... so I figured I'd post it for everyone's enjoyment!





"Look at the size of that thing!"

[ChadTower]

Cool!  I'll use that to make mine.  thanks!

[Ninten-doh]

Cool!  I'll use that to make mine.  thanks!

+1  Thanks!

[RetroACTIVE]

I'll do the front and the other two bottom and lower back pieces as soon as possible...



"An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia have demonstrated a weakness in the battle station."

[Spyridon]

I'll do the front and the other two bottom and lower back pieces as soon as possible...

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

[Level42]

If anyone could post the dimensions of the backdoor of a cockpit.....

[m_mcgover]

Dude....don't you have a cockpit? 

I didn't know it was missing the back door...

[ChadTower]

He just wanted to say cock and backdoor in the same post.   

[Level42]

 

He just wanted to say cock and backdoor in the same post.   

The backdoor is missing yes...

[RetroACTIVE]

He just wanted to say cock and backdoor in the same post.   

"You watch your language!"

(sorry couldn't resist)

[m_mcgover]

I can do the measurement then.  I assume you want the door that is vertical, not the angled piece on the top, correct?

[m_mcgover]

Here it is.  Hope it helps.  All measurements in inches.

[Level42]

Indeed I ment the vertical part, thanks for the measurements !!!

[RetroACTIVE]

Almost ready to put this thing back together....  got all the body work done, masked off the artwork and have put 2 coats of satin black on the thing....

I recut all the blocking and will be rebuilding it tomorrow... at that time I'll take the final numbers for the blocking and panels...

New corner...



Masked off art...



New hit of black...




New corner... painted


New rear corner...



... and if you look closely you can see a NOS Amp tube peeking out of the foam    This thing came from Canada and was packed PERFECT!






"You've just taken your first step into a larger world.

[Level42]

Great work !

Two of those tubes also made it safely across to Europe. The packaging is the key. Still have to take up the challenge of installing one of them in Luc's upright, but I feel pretty confident I can get it converged now.

[Ninten-doh]

Have you had a chance to install the control yoke overlay yet?  If so, I'm interested in how you went about lining it up. 

Spyridon - if you're reading this, this question is for you as well but figured I wouldn't ask it in both places.  I'm sure all the Star Wars aficionados are reading both threads anyway.   

[RetroACTIVE]

Have you had a chance to install the control yoke overlay yet?  If so, I'm interested in how you went about lining it up. 

Spyridon - if you're reading this, this question is for you as well but figured I wouldn't ask it in both places.  I'm sure all the Star Wars aficionados are reading both threads anyway.   

Actually I did... I've a huge update to this thread I've not had a chance to get to...

Putting the overlay on was a piece of cake... the one I had (thisoldgame) is an exact copy of the original... I did a dry fit first to see what the deal would be... then it was very apparent to just simply line up the cutouts for the screw holes and just wrap it around... worked like a champ!

... on a related note... I also put the PhoneixArcade artwork on the front panel of my cab.... all I can say is HOLY F&*(&ING   S()&()&T  it came out UN-FLIPPIN' BELIEVEABLE!  You literally cannot tell its a decal and it looks PERFECT.  The film is very thin so it goes on very easily and the adhesive is not ridiculously sticky so its great to work with.   Wait until you see it...  I would seriously consider doing the sides too if my artwork was not in decent shape.

[Ninten-doh]

... then it was very apparent to just simply line up the cutouts for the screw holes and just wrap it around...

So you started at the top screw holes and wrapped from there?  I was debating whether to do that or line up/stick on the front facing first, then wrap the top and bottom.

[RetroACTIVE]

... then it was very apparent to just simply line up the cutouts for the screw holes and just wrap it around...

So you started at the top screw holes and wrapped from there?  I was debating whether to do that or line up/stick on the front facing first, then wrap the top and bottom.

Yup.. I started with the top ... figuring that if anything became out of alignment it would be less visible on the underside...

I peeled off some of the backing of the decal... then just slightly applied the edge where the screw holes are and kept even tension on it as I laid it down along the metal shroud keeping it aligned right to left... once I got to the bend I did that section then the final bottom side... peeling off the backing between each side.

[Spyridon]

Spyridon - if you're reading this, this question is for you as well but figured I wouldn't ask it in both places.  I'm sure all the Star Wars aficionados are reading both threads anyway.   

Why of course I'm reading this thread.  Haven't installed mine yet (any day now), but it looks like the approach listed above is the way to go.

[Ninten-doh]

Regarding the painting of the sides...can you take a close up pic of where the paint meets the sideart?  Did you use an exacto knife or something on the blue paint tape to get it exact?

[Level42]

Regarding the painting of the sides...can you take a close up pic of where the paint meets the sideart?  Did you use an exacto knife or something on the blue paint tape to get it exact?

Great question, I will have to deal with this on my cockpit too....I thought about getting special masking stuff that is used for models. It's so thin, you won't see an "edge" in the paint....

[RetroACTIVE]

Ok... things are coming together now... literally.  Here are a few construction pics...

Yoke and control panel




Now for the cab... After I put the cleats back on the bottom I simply stapled the base on ... gluing it as well with gorilla glue



Here is the rear view of the cleat details...


Here is the front view of the cab without the front panel...



So I laid the cab on its front... then put the door in place and used that to determine where the lower panel needed to be anchored... with the door in place, I glued the cleats and stapled the lower panel in place



For the angled piece, I put gorilla glue on the cleats but used liquid nails on the 45 to get a good bond...

Here is the new angled bottom piece...


all put together... wheels and all!



inside view:

[RetroACTIVE]

Here are some artwork pics...

PhoenixArcade repro... you tell me is that awesome or what?


Here are the pics of the masking job... I just eyeballed it... looked a the curves, then cut the tape freehand ... was not very difficult... there is a slight ridge but its nothing big deal... the machine looks new except for dings in the artwork... but I kind of like them.  I've learned to appreciate the mileage... 











"That's no moon... it's a space station"

[Ninten-doh]

I know that Spyridon has quoted this once already in this thread, but I couldn't resist...

I'm going to take a minimalist approach to this one... I'm going to fix the dings do some quick touch ups, clean the inside and service the monitor... thats it.  There is no need to dissect the machine as it is in very good shape overall and I do not want to create extra work that is simply not necessary.

    

Seriously, this thread is great.  Thanks for letting me tag along.   

[ChadTower]

This is a great guide for what I'll have to do to mine.  Lots of the same stuff.

[Spyridon]

I know that Spyridon has quoted this once already in this thread, but I couldn't resist...

I'm going to take a minimalist approach to this one... I'm going to fix the dings do some quick touch ups, clean the inside and service the monitor... thats it.  There is no need to dissect the machine as it is in very good shape overall and I do not want to create extra work that is simply not necessary.

    

Seriously, this thread is great.  Thanks for letting me tag along.   

Yes, excellent work, especially on that lower angled piece.  I'd love to see what you do with a cab that is in bad shape!

[RetroACTIVE]

This is a great guide for what I'll have to do to mine.  Lots of the same stuff.

I'll get you all the numbers on each piece as well.. I've them all hand drawn... when I get some time to put them down I'll post them... feel free to ask if you need anything specific in terms of dimensions.

I know that Spyridon has quoted this once already in this thread, but I couldn't resist...

I'm going to take a minimalist approach to this one... I'm going to fix the dings do some quick touch ups, clean the inside and service the monitor... thats it.  There is no need to dissect the machine as it is in very good shape overall and I do not want to create extra work that is simply not necessary.

   

Seriously, this thread is great.  Thanks for letting me tag along.  

... open mouth... insert foot 

I've to do the marquee next... I'm waiting on 1/4"x1/8" foam tape for that as well as the control panel.  The foam tape is used along the edge of the marquee frame where the glass rests and along the inside edge of the control panel...

All of the harnesses are back in and when I fired it up and found that I had a vertical line on the display... so I removed the deflection board and found that it had a blown fuse...  so the monitor works now  ... the screen is very jittery... I'll deal with that later.... good news is each color is there and no HV or deflection problems to deal with.

...as far as the PCB... it comes up alright-ish... the game play is boogered up, star field is not proper, second wave is fubar...  sounds seem ok.  Hardware diagnostics revealed a Matrix issue...  I'll get to that next after all the cab work is done.



"I'm taking an awful risk Lord Vader.... this had better work."

[Spyridon]

[I'm waiting on 1/4"x1/8" foam tape for that as well as the control panel.  The foam tape is used along the edge of the marquee frame where the glass rests and along the inside edge of the control panel...

Where did you get the foam tape?  My Centipede had that on the back edge of the control panel