found a DK cabinet...UPDATE: Picked it up Tonight!!!!

[severdhed]

hey guys, i found a Donkey Kong cabinet that someone is selling.  the cabinet itself seems relativly solid.  back door was not on it, but he assures me he has it.  the side art is gone on the one side, and has a large chunk of it missing on the other.  has a DK Jr control panel, which is in good shape, as well as a DK3 marquee.    the monitor glass/bezel are there and look good.  there is part of a joystick base in the panel, no buttons or anything. no monitor or game boards.  Coin door is intact.  there are some marks in it here and there, some of the Tmolding is cracked.

he wants $50 for it.  i'm leaning towards getting it, but would like some advice.  i took a few pics, but apparently forgot to save the good shot of the side.

here is what i managed to get:

is there a reason i shouldn't jump on this?  (other than the angry wife)

[garnerb350]

Why you lucky....*&^#&^%( ( I do that out of love, and jealously because I'm trying to find me one!)

Heres your chance to make a fully D2k....

50 bucks....yeah ...( i would) but make sure he gets you that back door though...

the body perfect for a mame project...I think javeryh doing the same thing...

On second thought...offer 25...see what happens

[smalltownguy]

Definitely a project cab, fo sho.

If you're keen on DK, then the price is OK. $25 might be interesting.

Personally, I'd save what graphics/parts I could, sell them, and MAME it. This one's seen a few conversions already, and it's missing too many components to make it any more of a restoration candidate than a new build would anyway.

My $.02 *plink plink*

[Dr Zero]

Get it if you dont you will kick yourself later.

[severdhed]

yeah, i know i will regret it.  i was just hoping to find one with the DK control panel and marquee.  it could be a while until i have the money to put into this.  My wife is going to be pissed if i bring it home.  I've been telling her for weeks that if i found one cheap i would bring it home...  but i dont know if she really expects me to. 

it isn't in bad shape, and i doubt i'd be able to find one any cheaper than that.

I'd love to do a d2k cabinet, but i dont think i can drop $225 just for artwork stuff.  so i'll probably try to set it back up as just DK.  my plan is to make it look like a stock DK, but runnign mame for vertical classics (just like javeryh just did).  i'll probably eventualy want to get a real arcade monitor, but i have a 19" CRT pc monitor sitting in my basement that would do for a while.

I'm just trying to figure out how angry my wife will be.  I almost have to tell her first, because i will need her minivan to pick it up....which totally screws with the whole (it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission) idea.  Maybe i can talk my friend into picking it up for me this evening.

[Dr Zero]

My boss told me once its easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. 
 

I can understand though I need a new outbuilding for projects quit cluttering up the house.

Hmmm warehouse 14 maybe?

[garnerb350]

PM sent

[TheShanMan]

I'd love to get that cab for a dedicated D2K. Perfect candidate!

[javeryh]

Do it!!!  That thing looks perfect for a restoration/MAME project.  You will be kicking yourself later - $50 is cheap, it's in your area and you want it.  I say go for it and worry about the wife later.  It's not like you have to restore it in a weekend either.  I accumulated parts for about a year and still spread the project out over 4 months or so.  It cost a bit but over time it didn't feel like that much especially since I was eBaying Xbox/PS2 games to pay for it.   

[severdhed]

my friend said we could pick it up in his jeep, which solves the asking permission problem.

the problem is my wife said i could get  a DK cabinet if i stored it upstairs in teh computer room.  my plan is to have it in the family room next to the other cabinet.  but my chances of that working are slim.  i'm thinking that i can argue that i cannot possibly work on it upstairs because my 8month old takes naps up there in the next room. 

i got some other cabs off of this guy in the past, for $20, so i was hoping it would be a little closer to that.  but i guess $50 for a DK isn't bad.  i can live with the dk jr panel and dk3 marquee for a while.  i have buttons to use, they arent teh right colors, but that can come in time..  i would need to get a joystick.  i have a crappy betson 4 way stick i could put in temporarily.  I'm not planning on making it perfect....i'm thining a little beat up looking is probably better suited for me.  i have two small children who will no doubt beat upon it.  I can probably deal better with that if it looks used...but if i put all the effort into it like you did javeryh, i'd be really sad if the slightest mark got on it.

did you get your TMolding at tmolding.com?

[Ryglore]

Ya Sev, I would totally buy it for $50. I know I was looking for a Centipede cab before I started building mine and the only ones I could fine were out of town, and were around $25, but then there is the cost of picking it up and or delivery...

DO EET! DO EET NAO! 

[severdhed]

i was just a little hesitant, because i know this is my last cabinet, until i can add another room onto the house.. i just dont have enough room for anymore.  I want to end up with two mame cabinets, one with a horizontal monitor, two 8 ways and 6 buttons each, and trackball. (currently have). and a second, with a vertical monitor, 4way stick and 1 button.  a DK cabinet was my first choice, since it is my favorite arcade game. 

i think i am going to pick it up, hopefully here in a little while.  if i do, i'll post pics

[severdhed]

well...i stopped over and talked to the guy and told him i want the cabinet, and that I am going to pick it up Wednesday...he is cool with that.  my wife has plans on Wednesday afternoon/evening and will be gone for a few hours.  My mom will be watching the kids at my house, so my friend and i will go pick up the cabinet and bring it here after she leaves.  once it is in the house, it will be much harder for her to say No.


now if I can just manage to hide my excitement until then. 

i need to at the very least get a joystick for this cabinet...to make it playable.  i really like the Ultimarc Jstik my friend has in his cabinet, it makes a very good 4way stick..the problem is that you end up paying $14 shipping for an $21 joystick.

I saw that lizardlick has sanwa JLW sticks, but they will take 3 weeks or so to ship...that kinda sucks too. 

onyone know of anywhere else that carries sanwa JLW sticks in the US?

[smalltownguy]

well...i stopped over and talked to the guy and told him i want the cabinet, and that I am going to pick it up Wednesday...he is cool with that.  my wife has plans on Wednesday afternoon/evening and will be gone for a few hours.  My mom will be watching the kids at my house, so my friend and i will go pick up the cabinet and bring it here after she leaves.  once it is in the house, it will be much harder for her to say No.

Famous last words. There is the saying, though, "it's always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission." 

[TheShanMan]

mikesarcade.com has repro nintendo joysticks and parts.

[DaOld Man]

Man that is a sweet find. Ive been keeping my eyes open for a DK cab locally.

[Jack Burton]

Id' go ahead an try to get  a OEM Nintendo joytick and leaf buttons.  There's nothing like playing DK on a DK cab with DK controls, even if it is a bit beat up.

My plan for this cab would be to get it back to 100% playability, then begin cosmetic restoration.

But for $50 it's a pure investment anyway.  You could easily resell it for $100 to somebody that cares about it. 

[severdhed]

cool, i'll look into mikes arcade.  i just know that i really like the feel of the JLW, i dont think i've ever used a nintendo stick.  i only ever played DK on a real cabinet once, and the joystick they had in it wasn't even a restricted 4way....so i dont really have any fond memories of using a nintendo stick.  how do they compare to the feel of other more common joysticks?

i do plan on getting it cleaned up and then functional. i'll worry about making it look nice later.   the sides are in pretty good shape..a few little marks here and there, but that just adds character.  the first thing i will buy is probably the TMolding, since it is cracked in a few places, then the marquee, then control panel....the side art will be last, i'll worry about that a while down the road.

i think i have a good spot for it in the family room....my wife won't agree, but i just dont think that moving it up to the second floor will be feasable.  i'd never get to play it up there, and it would be really hard to work on.

my only concern now is that the place i am getting this cabinet from is like a family play area...they have arcades and an indoor playground.  my wife is planning on taking the kids there tomorrow, and since they go there pretty often, she knows the manager. I'm just hoping he doesn't mention it to her.

I don't want to reveal my source yet, since i dont have the cabinet yet...but once i do, i'll let you guys know.  He has quite a collection of cabinets in storage that he would like to get rid of.  Including some working Golden Tee cabs, couple of touch screen games, plus a few pinballs, and i think i saw 3 or 4 ms pacman, few galaga. and some others.  most of them are in rough shape...not water damaged or anything like that, but would need refinished. 

[mvsfan]

dude 50 buck for any complete game cabinet that still has solid corners and isnt flaking and doesnt have water damage is a steal.

Dont worry about trying to save beat up crappy graphics.

Mamemarquees.com will print almost anything you want them to.

best thing to do is buy this providing it has the original board in it still. See if it will coin up, and then call or email mamemarquees.

i wouldnt mame something pre jamma as popular as donkey kong though.

IF you want to mame an old game look for something by stern electronics besides pinball.

[mvsfan]

Btw, just to confirm what a steal this is, im about to go look at a game tomorrow at an antique store for $400.00 asking price and i dont even know what game it is. My uncle told me about it, and its right around the corner instead of in a big warehouse in Georgia (thanks, Pam and Rick.) but you get the idea.

in 4 years of living here this is the first one ive heard about for sale locally, and its only about $150 more than Pam and Ricks stuff usually is. and thats not to say anything bad about them at all.

Its just such a long trip to make.

[saint]

Those cabinets are a dime a dozen around here. I have two gathering dust in my garage. $50 was a good price.

[severdhed]

dude 50 buck for any complete game cabinet that still has solid corners and isnt flaking and doesnt have water damage is a steal.

Dont worry about trying to save beat up crappy graphics.

Mamemarquees.com will print almost anything you want them to.

best thing to do is buy this providing it has the original board in it still. See if it will coin up, and then call or email mamemarquees.

i wouldnt mame something pre jamma as popular as donkey kong though.

IF you want to mame an old game look for something by stern electronics besides pinball.

well, there is no gameboard in it...the cabinet is empty.  and since my budget is tight and i already have a spare PC and monitor lying around, mame seems like the best choice for me.  I will keep the control panel original..just the 4way stick and 1 button.  it will be tastefully mamed.  i will have it probably boot up directly to DK, but exit to mala with a small game list of the 20 or so games that will run will on this setup.  I wanted a vertical classics cabinet..a DK seemed to be the way to go.  don't worry, i'm not going to turn this into a 4 player cabinet with a fligh stick and lightguns..  

it just seems like such a waste to me to have a cabinet dedicated only to one game, when it could easily play so many others.

i checked out mikes arcade, but the prices are a little steep..maybe sometime down the road..but like i said, money is tight, and with two small children, i dont see that changing any time soon.  

i know this will dissapoint some of you purists out there, but i'm perfectly content with maming this, as long as i dont physically alter the cabinet.

[mvsfan]

The other bad thing is this. I dont own an Enclosed trailer. I am totally dependent on accurate weather forecasts for both Bama and Georgia before i make the 250 mile trip.

Ive done it twice already flying down the interstate with a cabinet lying down in the bed of my pickup, BUt both times i was sweating bullets every time i saw a cloud.

and yes i did bring Tarps with me and used them too but its amazing how water works. it still finds the cracks, always.

[DaOld Man]

Those cabinets are a dime a dozen around here. I have two gathering dust in my garage. $50 was a good price.

I wish you were closer to me, Id give you 50 bucks for a (in fair shape) DK cab, and even let you keep the dust!

[severdhed]

just another question.

what are the original button colors for a Donkey Kong?  most of the pics i see have blue buttons for the start buttons, and an orange button for jump.  some however i see have white start buttons....and i've seen orange jump buttons with a white center, and orange button with a yellow center.

i'm probably going to just use happ buttons instead of trying to track down leaf buttons..but i'd like the colors to right, even if the shades are wrong.

i think i have a few blue buttons here, but i know i dont have any orange ones.  i'm probably going to order from lizardlick, because even though they are a few weeks behind on their shipping, they are one of the few places i have found that have the sanwa joysticks and reasonable shipping.   I love ultimarc, but i just can't justify the shipping costs for such a small order

can anyone provide the right button colors?

also, most of the panels i see have a black balltop joystick..a few have red balltops.  Black is the proper color for this though, right?

[smalltownguy]

FYI I've got some orange Happ buttons you can have. 3 I think. PM me if you want them.

[garnerb350]

Severed...emails sent...enjoy!!!

[CrazyKongFan]

Doesn't DK have microswitch buttons? The joysticks had microswitches, and the cocktail used microswitch buttons (I have one, and as far as I know, it's original). BTW: playing DK on an 8-way Nintendo (like from a VS machine) stick sucks, but it's great on a 4-way.

[garnerb350]

QUICK ....somebody bring up the Mr.Rogers playing Donkey Kong video!!!!....It uses..." a Leafswitch?"

I thought it would be micro but the manual and Mr. Rogers has leafswitch

But does it really matter?...use a microswitch pushbutton

[javeryh]

I don't want to reveal my source yet, since i dont have the cabinet yet...but once i do, i'll let you guys know.  He has quite a collection of cabinets in storage that he would like to get rid of.  Including some working Golden Tee cabs, couple of touch screen games, plus a few pinballs, and i think i saw 3 or 4 ms pacman, few galaga. and some others.  most of them are in rough shape...not water damaged or anything like that, but would need refinished. 

Hopefully you are in eastern PA near NJ.  I'd love to get my hands on a Galaga.   

[Octo]

QUICK ....somebody bring up the Mr.Rogers playing Donkey Kong video!!!!....It uses..." a Leafswitch?"

This was such a pain in the ass to find, YouTube took it down because Family Communications filed suit....
Mr. Rogers 'Donkey Kong' video

[CrazyKongFan]

Heh, I take it garnerb350 hasn't watched the video in a long time and has a fuzzy memory...looks like microswitches to me You can even see the diagonally mounted screws that hold the switches to the brackets. Anyway, most games I prefer leaf switches, but it doesn't really matter too much on DK, as you're not doing quick button presses...microswitches would be horrible on a game like Track and Field. I know even on Gaplus, I can't shoot as quick on the bonus stages using the micros on my MAME cab, compared to the real thing (which sits next to my MAME cab) which has leaf switches.

edit: Looking at an online scan of the upright (TKG4-UP) manual, it also shows micros...
edit 2: Also, be aware, but I seem to remember reading Nintendo buttons being slightly smaller in diameter than a standard button, so if you do replace them with standard buttons, you may need to ream out the hole a bit.

[CheffoJeffo]

DK is microswitches using what looks like a button for a leaf.

And, yes, the buttons are definitely smaller than a "standard" leaf.



http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=88881.msg932986#msg932986

[severdhed]

cool.. if all goes well, i'll pick it up tomorrow.  the holes in the control panel looked to be normal size, but it is hard to say until i pick it up.  If a regular button will go in, then i'll use the DK jr panel that is on the cabinet....i dont want to deface it at all though, so if i would have to ream the holes out, i'll probably just use that one as a pattern and make a new panel out of MDF, since i want to end up with a DK control panel eventually anyway.

Javeryh...sorry, i'm a little to the west of the middle of PA, so that would be quite a drive from NJ. (we went to the jersey shore for vacation a few years ago...took about 6 hours to get there)


the joystick did have micro switches on it, so i would assume the buttons did to. to the best of my knowledge, i have never used leaf switches...so i can't imagine i would prefer one to the other.  i do have a pair of Wico 8 way leaf switch sticks that i salvaged from an old cabinet, but i have never used them for anything. (the rubber grommets are cracked and the shafts are just too short for a wooden panel)

[javeryh]

The buttons in a DK are definitely microswitches.  They are weird though - there is a metal bar over the switch which gets pressed down by the plunger in the button.  The switches are held in place by a special mounting bracket.  The button goes through the hole in the overlay, through the hole in the wooden CP and through the hole in the button mounting bracket.  The nut then screws down and keeps the button in place.  Check out the pics.

[garnerb350]

Heh, I take it garnerb350 hasn't watched the video in a long time and has a fuzzy memory...

hahahaha...You got me Crazy...You know...I dont know why i keep that video untill now ...and when i needed it i couldnt find it...I looked at the manual and saw the diagram...

The buttons in a DK are definitely microswitches. 

That what i first thought...( infact i used javeryh as reference)...but looking at the manuals they are the leafs....but you know, at the same time...with DK being bout 27-28 years old...you know that arcades and pizza huts and god knows who owned/rented cabs replaced whatever with whatever the repairman could find...and cherry switches are the most common

+1 microswitches

[TheShanMan]

The holes are only slightly smaller. You probably wouldn't notice the difference by looking. And if you enlarge the holes I don't think they'd be large enough that you couldn't put originals in there later.

To answer your earlier question, blue buttons for P1/P2 and orange for start. Mikesarcade also has repro buttons but the blue isn't a very good match so a lot of people don't like them. If you think the joystick parts are expensive then the buttons will probably be more than you'll want to pay as well. I was figuring you might just need a few parts, not the whole joystick.

[severdhed]

cool...i'll have to look at it more closely when i pick it up.  i know that the joystick base is there, and a few microswitches.. no shaft or actuator or anything... once i get it i'll try to find an exploded diagram of the stick to see what's missing.

[CrazyKongFan]

That what i first thought...( infact i used javeryh as reference)...but looking at the manuals they are the leafs....

I'm not sure which manual you are looking at, but the scans on this site:
http://www.classicgaming.cc/classicS/donkeykong/tech.php
with 3 different upright manuals, all show microswitches. The part # is 23-10 (my cocktail uses different ones, which seem to be smaller on the drawings, probably due to the way the button is mounted and the tight space. The cocktail buttons don't stick out thru the control panel like normal buttons on the uprights) I'll give you that the buttons themselves are very similar to leaf style, but the switches themselves are definitely micros

Severedhed, look at the PDF links on the site I linked above, you'll find the complete manuals for TKG2-UP, TKG3-UP and TKG4-UP, which have exploded drawings of all the parts on the machine including part numbers for everything. You should be able to figure out what's missing. Heck, you might check the for sale section on the KLOV forums. Occasionally DK parts come up for sale. Although you probably can't afford it at the moment, someone there a couple days ago was selling a DK "kit", which was basically the marquee, bezel, working DK PCB, and control panel for $225 shipped. You'd still need the monitor and power supply/wiring (assuming they're missing, of course). Link here:
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=100817

[javeryh]

Mike's also sells a CP with art, buttons and joysticks, etc. for $85 which might be worth considering.  The joy isn't a Nintendo original though - I think that is $50 extra.