Robotron bezel width???

Jeff F

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Had a replacement Robotron bezel come in from Arcade Shop early this week and unfortunately it does not fit into my Robotron. :( (Sad face because boy is it nice lookin'!)

The repro bezel is 24-1/2" x 22" and my original is 24-11/32" x 21-31/32".

Steven is saying that all the other repro bezels he has in stock are the same 24-1/2" wide and he's never had anybody have issues fitting them in their machines? :confused:

So... do I just have a wacky machine? I find it hard to believe because I bought a reproduction overlay from AS and it fit perfect. I didn't have to reduce it's width to fit the cabinet so... WTH?

I looked real close to see if the cabinet maybe warped or something and for the life of me I can't see anything out of the ordinary... I'm at a loss?

BTW, I'm not pissed at Steven or anything... just cornfused?

If anybody(or a few people) with a dedicated Robotron could take a width measurement for me I'd appreciate it.

OR BETTER YET...

If anybody has bought a replacement bezel from Steven in the past... can you take a quick width measurement of it for me?

TIA, :beerchug:
Jeff
 
that's crazy. I JUST ordered a bezel from them this morning and he asked me to double check width. I guess you were why.

Mine is 24 1/2 wide or maybe an 1/8th less.

I have the normal looking robotron that goes straight down on the side rather than cutting back in kinda like joust.

update- i pulled it clear out. it is exactly 24 3/8 x 22 (original)
 
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So the repro bezel is about 1/8" too wide? Is it plexi? Will Steve physically measure any of the other bezels he has in stock for you?
 
Thanks for the measurement! :beerchug:

So the repro bezel is about 1/8" too wide? Is it plexi? Will Steve physically measure any of the other bezels he has in stock for you?

Yeah, he already did and he says they all measure 24-1/2". And they are tempered glass so shaving down a little is out of the question(or so I've been told).

Here's some pictures of our Robotron...
http://www.vidiotarcade.com/pictures/Robotron/
 
Thanks for the measurement! :beerchug:



Yeah, he already did and he says they all measure 24-1/2". And they are tempered glass so shaving down a little is out of the question(or so I've been told).

Here's some pictures of our Robotron...
http://www.vidiotarcade.com/pictures/Robotron/

Yeah, you start talking about fractions any higher/tinier than 16ths and you lost me. If its tempered glass, I guess you'll have to plane down the insides of your cab then.
 
mines right next to me so i snapped you a shot (original dedicated upright).
 

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i noticed my machine isn't perfectly square which is realistic for a 30 yr old plywood box made roughshod in a factory.

but the bottom is wider and will handle 24 1/2 in glass.
the top is tighter. i may end up having to gently shave the plywood a bit.
hmmmph...
 
Thanks again for all the measurements... they basically jive with my overly anal one. :)

but the bottom is wider and will handle 24 1/2 in glass.
the top is tighter. i may end up having to gently shave the plywood a bit.
hmmmph...

Alright, I've really looked at both my cabinet and the repro bezel I received and it will just never work without ALOT of work.

The bezel doesn't fit in the top, middle, or bottom. I thought about shaving down the cabinet or putting a slot in one side BUT that'll be a shit-ton of work. Biggest problems being the top and bottom area... the top area extend into the marquee/speaker/bezel light area and the bottom area has the little shelf that holds the bezel in it's final resting place... so that'd have to be reworked too.

It's definitely doable... but imho *STUPID* to do to fit a reproduction bezel.

And I think something is not right with the bezel I was sent... the side edges aren't very smooth and the glass is not flat. There is a slight wave to them that you can really feel when you run your finger across them.

Oh well... I'm just glad my son is old enough now to be able to help with things like this. I was trying to push the cabinet apart while he tried to work the bezel in place and by the time we were done... we were both sweating. :)

Looks like I'll be sending it back and keeping our bezel that has some "character". :D
 
And I think something is not right with the bezel I was sent... the side edges aren't very smooth and the glass is not flat. There is a slight wave to them that you can really feel when you run your finger across them.

Looks like I'll be sending it back and keeping our bezel that has some "character". :D

I haven't finished my order at arcade shop yet. can you clarify this glass issue.

is it wavy like looks noticably weird or distorts the view through it?
Is it worth 65 plus shipping?
Is this maybe a bad run? Anyone else ordered before and happy with the product?

My bezel has the typical red issue of Williams where it has just evaporated away. I'm not above color matching for 5 bucks in paint. I already have the triple thick spray glaze from walmart......

please let me know if the quality is not worth messing with. thank you.
 
I recently bought one of these repros from Arcadeshop but hadn't installed it since I'm restoring the cab a bit.

So I just went and took the bezel out of the shipping box and bubble wrap to check the size.

It fits, but just barely - there is virtually no play. It is not tight or rubbing, but there is no room for it to give.

There SHOULD be a fair amount of play in these I believe.

If someone were to transport their Robotron on a dolly on the game art side instead of the back and the 30 year old cabinet has some flex lets say, I'd imagine that if you flexed the game too much, you *could* break and spider the glass! ...Especially when lowering the game and someone dropped it too fast... If I have to transport the game - I will take the bezel out.

Why the repro wasn't manufactured to the original size glass, who knows...

This is definitely going to be a problem for many of us!

-Muel
 
is your glass good quality or wavy? clear viewing and decent graphics?
 
is it wavy like looks noticably weird or distorts the view through it?
Is it worth 65 plus shipping?
Is this maybe a bad run?
...
please let me know if the quality is not worth messing with. thank you.

No, no, no... just the edge is a little distorted and not smooth. If this bezel actually fit, I'd be 110% happy with it. The graphics are damn near perfect, the colors are damn near perfect, the glass is crystal clear... it's really beautiful and well worth the $65 for sure!

I just got unlucky in that my cabinet is a nut hair smaller than most and it won't fit. :(

I'm going to a local glass shop today to make sure they can't do anything to shave it down. It seems like most people say you can't with tempered glass but a few suggest a wet sanding technique.

The local guy has been around for like 40 years doing just glass so if anyone would know... it'd be him. :D
[edit]
Just stopped by to talk with the glass guy and he said "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" He went into why and he suggested slotting the cabinet too. :) Guess this is going back to Steven... DAMN!!!
 
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Jeff, my father says to call Shelly at Amazing Glass in Owego. He's made some doors with tempered glass and she has a machine that can shave then down, he thinks...
 
FWIW My brother has a Galaga, that if not squared and leveled the glass bezel wont fit.

Sounds like the glass you have is too wide though.
 
Sucks... but I don't really hold anything against Steven. He's emailed me a bunch of times and has a standing offer to send it back if I can't use it.

It's soooo damn nice that I'm really trying to talk myself into taking the cabinet 1/2 apart to make it fit. :D

You should have seen my son and I trying to shoehorn this thing in the cabinet. I was wedging the cabinet wider... rocking the cabinet side to side to help square it... he was pushing so hard his little arms were shaking... etc... it definitely doesn't fit for us not trying...

Jeff, my father says to call Shelly at Amazing Glass in Owego. He's made some doors with tempered glass and she has a machine that can shave then down, he thinks...

Thanks for the info... BUT I just called and they said just to throw the glass in the garbage can. :) Again, he went into why glass can't be cut/ground/wet sanded/etc after tempering and apologized.

What is it about glass people? Boy they sure are nice! :D
 
Is he going to reimburse your shipping if you send it back?

If not, I'd be willing to buy yours for the same as what you paid to arcadeshop.

I'm in Iowa, for shipping calculation.
 
You should have seen my son and I trying to shoehorn this thing in the cabinet. I was wedging the cabinet wider... rocking the cabinet side to side to help square it... he was pushing so hard his little arms were shaking... etc... it definitely doesn't fit for us not trying...

Thanks for the info... BUT I just called and they said just to throw the glass in the garbage can. :) Again, he went into why glass can't be cut/ground/wet sanded/etc after tempering and apologized.

What is it about glass people? Boy they sure are nice! :D

Yes, I've noticed that too. Look how they broke the tree in front of the store and threw it over a fence...

How close it it to going in? What if you waxed the inside or something? How frustrating.
 
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