My First Restore: A Mortal Kombat Story

wildbil52

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I've had this cabinet for a few years. Started as a Mame project cab. It had Tekken Tag in it when I bought it. I've enjoyed Mame/Hyperspin for a bit but I'm ready to switch to dedicated cabinets.

Overall the cab is in good shape. I scraped some paint off to see if I would be lucky enough to have intact side art but I was not so lucky so an order from boostin is in my future. I was also going to order the replacement metal for the cp from him but after seeing what HotBlue was able to do with JB weld and a few knockouts from an electrical box, I'm going to try to salvage the metal. Also, I think it's really cool that the CP wood was recycled from an Addams Family pin.

Being my first restore I would be grateful for advice and tips along the way. The other restorations here have already given me some great info to get started.

First step, which may not happen for a few weeks because of work travel, is to remove the control panel box and prep the sides for the art install. Once I get the paint sanded off, we'll see if it needs any edge repairs or filler anywhere before the art is applied.

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Looking forward to seeing your progress. Looks like you got a good solid cab to start with. Enjoy your journey!
 
Took the Control Panel box off a few days ago. The sides are pretty smooth, probably just a little sanding to prep for art install. The front, however has some pretty rough wood grain going on. Nothing that couldn't just be sanded. After sanding do you guys do any light primer or paint before art install?
 
Wow that's cool they used some Adams Family wood for the control panel. I've seen it before on various spots in the cabinet but never the control panel.
 
that looks like an easy resto.
looks like you are gonna need a shopping list of parts, some sanding and paint.
and the front glass and you are gtg.
 
that looks like an easy resto.
looks like you are gonna need a shopping list of parts, some sanding and paint.
and the front glass and you are gtg.

Yeah, doesn't look too bad to me either. I have the front glass, marquee, and some other things that aren't pictured. I'll post some pic of the progress later tonight or tomorrow. I am prepping the CP metal for the repair, was going to use a hand sander but my paint scraper is working amazingly well so I'm just using that.
 
Making progress on the metal. Started with a hand sander but that wasn't working as well as I thought it would. Switched to a paint scraper and that worked wonders. Almost all of the old art, scotch tape (?) and other residue is gone. I just want to try to flatten the edges of the holes where added buttons were drilled out before I do the JB repair. Going to try a ball peen hammer just to settle that edge down.

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Don't you look at my like that, CP box, you are next!

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Making progress on the metal. Started with a hand sander but that wasn't working as well as I thought it would. Switched to a paint scraper and that worked wonders. Almost all of the old art, scotch tape (?) and other residue is gone. I just want to try to flatten the edges of the holes where added buttons were drilled out before I do the JB repair. Going to try a ball peen hammer just to settle that edge down.

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Don't you look at my like that, CP box, you are next!

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Just grind the hole edges flat real quick with an angle grinder, once metal stretches you aint gonna get it completely flat unless you use
a shrinking rasp.

i dont think your gonna need that JB bullshit , but eh.
there is gonna be plexi glass over it anyways..
be lucky 12 additional holes werent cut into it plus a trackball.

On a lighter note... If you want a new piece of wood made , and you buy the piece of wood ill cut you one up for free if your in my area.
There is a home depot right next to me.

https://youtu.be/n2WCy-Vvptw
 
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OK, took me a while with life getting in the way but I finally got some time to work on repairing the CP metal. I used the HotBlue recommended method of using metal knockouts from an electrical box and JB Welded them in.

The first show below if of the freshly JB Welded Metal

Second Shot is after cleaning up the edges with an angle grinder

The third is after a little fine cleanup with a palm sander. May do another round of clean up before painting an applying the art that I still haven't purchased.

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Looking good but you probably should have notched out the knockouts for the block button clearance before jb welding them in place.
 
OK...Mistakes were made. Got the art from boostin, looks fantastic. Finished wood filling and sanding the CP box. Also spray painted the repaired metal to prep for the art application but I neglected to sand the painted metal before applying the art and there are little specs or raised paint that are clearly visible through the artwork. Not to mention that my button hole repairs are also not perfectly smooth so those show as well when you shine light on them.

Not the end of the world. Like I said, its my first restore, live and learn. If it ever really bothers me that much and I have a spare $120 I'll just grab a new piece of metal and CPO to replace it.

This weekend the plan is to cut the lexan to match the panel, populate the CP and start prepping the cabinet for the side art.

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Since that pic I took a dremel gridning wheel to it and the buttons have the appropriate clearance now

You mean grinding stone, right? I'm having trouble visualizing a wheel getting the proper angle to finish that circle.
 
Lexan cut, panel populated. Just need to add the holes for the screws that will hold the lexan down and add t-molding. Should have cut the holes in the art with an x-acto before populating everything. I'll be super duper careful so I don't rip up the artwork.

Going to sand the sides of the cab tonight if the weather cooperates.

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