Advice for beginning collector?

parkway

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Happy Holidays everyone! I've been wanting to start collecting arcade games for a while now, but have never been able to due to not having room. However, my wife and I finally have a home of our own which means the room to have a couple of machines. I am basically going to be on the lookout for a couple of my favorites from when I was younger, but before I made any kind of purchases, I wanted to stop here and ask a couple of questions (I've been lurking for a while now and have searched around, but really didn't see any definitive answers to my questions).

1. What is the best way to transport a standard, upright game? Is it ok to lay it (carefully, of course) on its back and brace it from sliding around, like in the back of a van, pickup, or SUV? Or is this a "no no"?

2. Any good books out there to read in order to understand a little bit more about the inner-workings of your basic game? I'm not looking to buy anything non-working, but I would like to acquire some knowledge of the ins and outs so that one day, maybe, I could have the skills/ability to purchase a game in need of repair and actually repair it.

3. And this may be a stupid question, but, does everyone here leave their games on or do they unplug them/turn them off when not in use?

Any other advice? I know you guys/gals must get a lot of people like me asking these questions, but I'd appreciate any help you could give. Thank you much.

-Nick
 
1. Yes, you can lay it on it's back. I would suggest, however, to open the back and make sure all the components are secured. You'd be surprised how many boards and other components are just lying in there. Again, check after transport. Sometimes keys or quarters are in the bottom of the cabinet and can find their way sitting on top of the power supplies or other boards causing possible shorts.

2. Who needs books? You gotz the interwebz.

3. This is personal preference. I do not unplug mine, but turn them off when not in use.
 
Welcome. You will have games in every room of the house in no time.

1. Whether you lay games down to move them really depends on your truck. If you have a trailer or box truck and can move them standing up that is probably best. However, I've moved every one of my games laying down on their backs. If you lay a game down, you should first open the back door and make sure everything (PCBs, power supply, etc...) are attached and not sitting loose in the cabinet.

2. Randy Fromm has some DVDs you can get (RandyFromm.com). You can also subscribe to his site and watch all the videos for much less money than the DVDs.

3. I turn mine off when not in use.
 
Happy Holidays everyone! I've been wanting to start collecting arcade games for a while now, but have never been able to due to not having room. However, my wife and I finally have a home of our own which means the room to have a couple of machines. I am basically going to be on the lookout for a couple of my favorites from when I was younger, but before I made any kind of purchases, I wanted to stop here and ask a couple of questions (I've been lurking for a while now and have searched around, but really didn't see any definitive answers to my questions).

1. What is the best way to transport a standard, upright game? Is it ok to lay it (carefully, of course) on its back and brace it from sliding around, like in the back of a van, pickup, or SUV? Or is this a "no no"?

2. Any good books out there to read in order to understand a little bit more about the inner-workings of your basic game? I'm not looking to buy anything non-working, but I would like to acquire some knowledge of the ins and outs so that one day, maybe, I could have the skills/ability to purchase a game in need of repair and actually repair it.

3. And this may be a stupid question, but, does everyone here leave their games on or do they unplug them/turn them off when not in use?

Any other advice? I know you guys/gals must get a lot of people like me asking these questions, but I'd appreciate any help you could give. Thank you much.

-Nick


Welcome to KLOV!!!!!

To answer your questions.......

1.Laying them on there back is the best way. Open up the back and make sure everything is bolted down inside the machine before doing so.

2.The internet is your friend. Google search the same question. Loads of info. Posting questions here is a good source also.

3. Only plug them in and turn on when you are going to use them.

hope this helps

J.J.
 
Wow, that was fast! Thank you very much everyone. Any other little tidbits of knowledge that anyone has to share (i.e. things that you wish you knew/someone told you when you started collecting)?
 
As for reading material you should look at all the info at www.therealbobroberts.net The stuff at the bottom under the heading "Big Bear's Bulletin Board."

I lay games on their side and back all the time to transport them. Although if you're gonna lay them on their side it's a must to put something down so the side of the game doesn't get scratched. I usually put down a layer of cardboard and then use a blanket or sheet of some kind. The sheet/blanket moves with the game and the cardboard stays with the vehicle. keeps the game from being scratched and lets it slide in and out easily. Also make sure you've got some ratchet tie downs to keep it from sliding. Even when only going short distances.
 
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Wow, that was fast! Thank you very much everyone. Any other little tidbits of knowledge that anyone has to share (i.e. things that you wish you knew/someone told you when you started collecting)?

Take your time and don't just buy anything that pops up. Wait until you find what you think you will be satisfied with. Space eats up fast with these. Can't have just one.
 
2. Randy Fromm has some DVDs you can get (RandyFromm.com). You can also subscribe to his site and watch all the videos for much less money than the DVDs.

This.

Take your time and don't just buy anything that pops up. Wait until you find what you think you will be satisfied with. Space eats up fast with these. Can't have just one.

And this.
 
When you are cleaning the inside of your cab for the first time, be sure to save all of the nuts/bolts/plastic pieces that you find in the bottom. You will likely need all of them as you go about rebuilding your cab.

This is a personal preference, but I always start my electrical work with the power supply in each game. I figure that needs to be stable and rebuilt first before anything else in the cab can be troubleshot.

Chunks missing out of your cab? Bondo and color matched paint do wonders. New t-molding helps too.

Get to know Bob Robert's site, he is the #1 parts resource for the hobby.

Get to know the repair sections here, and try to find some friendly local KLOVers. They'll become good friends and help you out a lot.
 
Do you guys really unplug your games between uses? I turn them off but I don't unplug unless I'm moving them around.
 
I have transported all of my games in either a van or a Durango. In the van, I always put the games on their back. As others have said, make sure everything in the cabinet is secure.

More often than not I have to put games on their side in the Durango. If the game has nice sideart, you want to be careful with this method. I always take a blanket to lay down and usually put a floor mat over the back door latch to avoid gouging the side of the cabinet.
 
Do you guys really unplug your games between uses? I turn them off but I don't unplug unless I'm moving them around.

I have mine plugged into power bar surge suppressors and just turn them on and off as needed.

Power bars are great but in a storm the safest is an air gap so unplug.;)
 
I had my first and only tube neck break by not checking to make sure the monitor was secure before loading it into my wife's minivan. Learned my lesson good that night.

I turn my games off, but do not unplug them.

Welcome to the madness.
 
Take your time and don't just buy anything that pops up. Wait until you find what you think you will be satisfied with. Space eats up fast with these. Can't have just one.

My wife and I actually made a list of the games we really want to have and have agreed to "stick to the list". Basically, as long as we buy Ms. Pacman at some point (with Galga being a close second), she'll be happy. I figure we have room for about 6 or 7 standard size machines; that definitely doesn't encompass the entire list, but is room enough for my most favorites, except for Gauntlet, which if I remember correctly, was a sizable cabinet.

Excellent tip regarding checking the innards, by the way. Something I probably would not have thought of.....

Keep the advice coming. I really appreciate all the help.
 
A list is great but also be open to buy games that might not be on your list but would make for a great trade for one that you do want, and or sell it outright to buy a game you are seeking, I have done this twice in my first year of collecting.
Be prepared to have to fix and clean up games unless you have really deep pockets and are willing to pay.
 
A list is great but also be open to buy games that might not be on your list but would make for a great trade for one that you do want, and or sell it outright to buy a game you are seeking, I have done this twice in my first year of collecting.
Be prepared to have to fix and clean up games unless you have really deep pockets and are willing to pay.

Good point. A lot of my want list games were funded by fixing and selling those that I didn't have a deep attachment to.
 
Best advice is to stop while you can. Its worse then drugs.

When i transport games i try to lay them down i im only picking up one or two. You have to look and make sure everything is secure in them before laying it down. Its not good to have a loose power supply slam into the monitor. I also take the neck board off and secure it if its going to be a long drive. Make sure to use more then one strap if you transport it standing up. If anything can blow off then take it off. check and make sure the control panel is latched. I lost a nice bezel because the wind blew the control panel open and then blew the bezel off. Its somewhere between north Oklahoma and north Texas if anyone wants to find it. lol
 
Other than don't do it...

Here is one bit of advice ... if you like playing working games... buy working games... if you like working on games then buy games that need work.

Collecting vs. restoration... these are two different hobbies.

Decide on your first "must have" and go after it... take your time, exercise patience and don't rush into a purchase... deals are out there but you have to resist the urge to jump. Don't listen to adds or descriptions of "working 100%, go and see the game for yourself... chances are you WILL BE disappointed. Also unfortunately don't go and tell everyone what your going to get and where... there are a ton of a-holes out there that will steal a deal right out from under you.
 
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Find out who your local collectors are. Get to know them, It is awesome to have someone near by that can help test a board, see how they did their game room or best of all take a game off their hands when they are out of room:D
 
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