Pounding Out A Coin Door

paulliadis

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
1,715
Reaction score
65
Location
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Anybody have any experience or advice on how to pound out dents and straighten a coin door (Donkey Kong style door)?Advice other than "don't do it just buy a new one" :)

Particularly tools used and techniques used would be great.

I had some success sanding the faceplates on my coin mechs, so I have to make the coin door look all shiny too, right?

Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I've done three, not DK style but still and I've used my vise and work bench. The work bench cranks open, like a vise though.

It can be done, just need to think and push or pull in the right directions. I also use blocks of wood in the work bench to push dents out as I crank it closed.

Anyway, that's what I do!

The bench kind I use is similar to this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Multi-Purpose-W...741?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e41f5b0d
 
Last edited:
I use a 12 ton Hydraulic Press. Alot of those coin doors are pretty stout. You might be able to use an arbor press, depending on where your dent is. Arbor presses don't typically have a deep enough throat to handle larger items.
 
The problem with the Nintendo coin doors is the center steel support column welded to the inside. If your dents are in front of that support, you would need to cut the support free (or break the welds), then straighten the door, then weld the support back in place. The only coin door I have ever given up on and tossed out was the door from a Popeye. The steel was all dented and caved in in front of that support piece and there was no easy way to straighten it. $25 later, I had a great used Nintendo coin door from another KLOVer and saved myself weeks of aggravation and wasted time. Post pics of the door in question if you really want an assessment. You may be able to use a deadblow hammer if the dents are out in the open.
 
Here is a DK door I did about a year ago.
I pounded it out best I could, then stripped, bondoed, sanded and painted.
It turned out GREAT!!!
Of course it took me about a week of work......
 

Attachments

  • IMGP1576.jpg
    IMGP1576.jpg
    97.1 KB · Views: 76
  • IMGP1577.jpg
    IMGP1577.jpg
    97 KB · Views: 72
  • IMGP1584.jpg
    IMGP1584.jpg
    96.9 KB · Views: 71
  • IMGP1585.jpg
    IMGP1585.jpg
    85.4 KB · Views: 69
  • IMGP1604.jpg
    IMGP1604.jpg
    90.1 KB · Views: 77
Yeah, it was all "torqued" too, I just bent the frame back square by hand.
On the dents, yep, I used a block of wood and a hand sledge, pounded it from the back with the front resting on a piece of plywood....
I didn't worry TOO much about getting it perfect cause I knew the bondo would fill the problem areas. I bondoed/sanded about about a half a dozen times, it wasn't EXACTLY perfect, you could barely see the bondo/metal lines. I put a few coats of paint on it, sanded lightly, this took care of the lines, I then used a "hammered finish" paint, and then one more coat of Satin black over top.
The darn thing looked practically new!!! well from the front that is.....the inside of the door still had some disfiguring marks....but I figured heck, no one will EVER see those anyway.....

FYI I was about to toss this thing and find a nice one, but figured, "what the heck, I'll give it a shot, worst case I'll toss it anyway if it doesn't turn out nice"
Well I was MORE than happy with it!! It turned out AWESOME IMO.....
 
I just bought a perfect door,with original finish,on Ebay for $40.00.:D
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • DSCN0192a.JPG
    DSCN0192a.JPG
    67.7 KB · Views: 161
Zork2 - I think I'll give it a try. Like you say, worse case scenario I'll just replace it.

Jimkirk-that seems like a fair price.good find. I don't need new mechs though only the frame. I haven't found the frame by itself for how much I want to spend. Plus, it will be a "learning experience" for me
 
Jimkirk-that seems like a fair price.good find. I don't need new mechs though only the frame. I haven't found the frame by itself for how much I want to spend. Plus, it will be a "learning experience" for me

You just have to keep looking every chance you get.
I haven't even seen a door for quite a while.
That door came with used mechs but I bought 2 new ones from Asahi.
I got 1 for 1/2 price since they used it for a demo.
I put new faceplates on the used ones and sold them to recoup some $$$.
 
The first Sea Wolf coin door I restored was dented and had a really bad, bent/dented hinge. I used a brass punch and a brass hammer to straighten it out. Brass is softer than just about everything, so it doesn't cause more damage in the process. Worked great. I suppose it all depends on the type of door and type of dent(s), too.
 

Attachments

  • coin door finished!.jpg
    coin door finished!.jpg
    97.3 KB · Views: 33
Back
Top Bottom