Sega / Gremlin Zaxxon cab to 48 in 1 - please help

hindered

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Hi all,

Pictures coming soon.

Picked up a very stinky Zaxxon cab which has been converted to, among other things, a Rush'n Attack and a Top Gunner. I do not plan to restore this to an actual Zaxxon, but I do think I'll do a Zaxxon themed 48-1 as a keeper cab (with a balltop joystick instead of flight stick), as it's already got all the JAMMA stuff in it, and the only original pieces are the cabinet itself, and the badly badly burned K4900.

I've stripped the cabinet of electronics and gave it a thorough cleaning inside and out with Tilex and water, and it's currently airing out with a box of baking soda in the garage. Still kind of reeks but I think it'll air out nicely, especially after repainting.

So, here are my questions:

1: I plan to sand and repaint the cab. What color should I do? My cab is the same color as the one in the center here http://www.joystixamusements.com/photos/ZAXXON.jpg. My cab has no side art. I've seen three Zaxxon cab styles: brown, black, and fake wood panel. If there was any repro side art available, or I was willing to shell out for NOS, I'd probably paint the cab black, but since that's not an option I am considering trying to match the brown, or maybe do a two-color approach for the top and bottom parts... Any ideas?

2: I don't have an electric sander -- I was planning on using one of those sanding disc attachments for an electric drill. How well will this work? I plan to try to take it down to bare wood and applying bondo to a couple of trouble areas.

3: Anyone have a Zaxxon CPO or Marquee (real or repro) for cheap? I've done some Googling and looked on Ebay and found some sources, but just wanted to know if anyone on here can come through for a better price.
 
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1: I plan to sand and repaint the cab. What color should I do? My cab is the same color as the one in the center here http://www.joystixamusements.com/photos/ZAXXON.jpg. My cab has no side art. I've seen three Zaxxon cab styles: brown, black, and fake wood panel. If there was any repro side art available, or I was willing to shell out for NOS, I'd probably paint the cab black, but since that's not an option I am considering trying to match the brown, or maybe do a two-color approach for the top and bottom parts... Any ideas?

The Black cab next to it looks pretty cool. I wouldnt replicate the brown myself, unless you really want it to look like a dedicated Zaxxon. Just my opinion. Might also make it easier to sell (if you ever decide to do so) if you go with a more desireable color.

2: I don't have an electric sander -- I was planning on using one of those sanding disc attachments for an electric drill. How well will this work? I plan to try to take it down to bare wood and applying bondo to a couple of trouble areas.

Youll probably destroy your cab if you do that. Those attachments are made for things like metal parts and such. You need something that will sand evenly, like a palm or belt sander. They are pretty inexpensive. If you insist on not buying one, then my advice is at least buy a sanding block and be prepared for a workout. If you do go it this way, I'd strip the paint first, it will be much easier.
 
The Black cab next to it looks pretty cool. I wouldnt replicate the brown myself, unless you really want it to look like a dedicated Zaxxon. Just my opinion. Might also make it easier to sell (if you ever decide to do so) if you go with a more desireable color.

Thanks for the feedback -- I agree with you that the black looks better overall and would probably have higher resale value... it just also seems kind of "boring". Still, its probably the best way to go.

Youll probably destroy your cab if you do that. Those attachments are made for things like metal parts and such. You need something that will sand evenly, like a palm or belt sander. They are pretty inexpensive. If you insist on not buying one, then my advice is at least buy a sanding block and be prepared for a workout. If you do go it this way, I'd strip the paint first, it will be much easier.

I talked to my boss today and he's going to loan me a palm sander... good guy. :) Thanks for the feedback... sounds like the drill attachment would basically be disaster.
 
Some pictures, as promised... The inside of this thing was filthy -- still smells pretty bad after cleaning -- probably never cleaned out since it left the factory in 1982.
 

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More pics... the burn on the tube looks worse in person than it does in these pics... Time to start looking for abandoned 19" CRTs I guess. :)

Btw here's the other thread I have with regards to this cab. http://forums.klov.com/showthread.php?p=904279
 

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With a 48-in-1 you could always put a VGA monitor in there. Just sayin'.

True, but I'd prefer to keep it a true CRT if possible.

Note to self: Brown vinyl != brown paint. I went over to sand down the paint, and turns out it's vinyl. My lovely girlfriend and I spent a few hours peeling off that nasty vinyl and only got about 2/3 done.

Looking forward to painting this after cleaning the rest, but if I had realized it was vinyl I would've left good enough alone...
 
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It's official -- I'm not cut out for arcade restorations. There may be pictures of this turd when I'm done, but I really haven't done the cabinet justice. No matter how much I sanded, the sides still looked pocked (like a cement wall) and the paint job looks terrible. The wood filler I used cracked when sanded. The CPO (which I got from chips4sale and is excellent at an excellent price) looks like it has air bubbles because I didn't repair the CP itself properly and didn't realize how it would turn out..

It's too bad, because I really enjoy the electronics side of this -- wiring in a new JAMMA harness, installing cap kits, etc etc, I really enjoy and am pretty good at... The woodworking aspect, not so much.

Lesson learned.
 
It's official -- I'm not cut out for arcade restorations. There may be pictures of this turd when I'm done, but I really haven't done the cabinet justice. No matter how much I sanded, the sides still looked pocked (like a cement wall) and the paint job looks terrible. The wood filler I used cracked when sanded. The CPO (which I got from chips4sale and is excellent at an excellent price) looks like it has air bubbles because I didn't repair the CP itself properly and didn't realize how it would turn out..

It's easy to get carried away and try to do everything in one weekend. Know when to walk away and come back to it later. The gratification that you will get when the job is done right is well worth it. Just start over and do it right.
 
Re:

I feel your pain about the wood working part. You really have to decide if your cab or game is worth a total restoration or just a partial one. Do you have the Zaxxon pcb,wiring,etc?
 
first off although your pics made it look as if your zaxxon cab was in ok condition, zaxxon cabs were made of the cheapest particle board that ever existed. Either that or nearly every zaxxon was kept in a really damp environment. The damn things were like a sponge. I'd venture a guess that when you peeled off the vinyl you also pulled off small chunks of the particle board. With this type of cab it's a good idea to give the really badly cracked and crumbling parts a coat or two of wood hardener. I would follow that with bondo where needed which might be darn near every where if the cab is badly pocked. After bondo is dry grab that sander and sand the cab smooth. If you missed any spots you may need to go back and add a little bondo here or there. Then sand again. Now get a tack cloth and wipe away all the excess dust ect. Give the cab a coat of primer. Let the primer dry completely not just to touch then sand smooth with something like a 220 grit paper. Assuming all went well and you have a smooth sanded coat of primer with no bare cab spots. If this is the case it's time to paint. Personally I spray on paint with an HVLP gun and compressor set up but a dense foam roller can be used if you don't have a sprayer. Never really done the roller thing myself but I think the key is to apply numerous light coats of paint until the surface is fully covered. I usually apply 3 coats of paint. Lightly sanding in between the 1st and second coats. Personally I always like to use oil based paint but many people choose latex and are happy with the results. Personally with a cab like zaxxon that tends to absorb moisture easy, I would definitely use an oil based paint.

The main thing is to not rush it. It is possible to restore a game completely in 3-4 days but it is a lot of work and actually requires the correct environment for the paint to properly dry that quickly. Usually expect 24 hours for a coat of paint or primer to dry completely.
 
first off although your pics made it look as if your zaxxon cab was in ok condition, zaxxon cabs were made of the cheapest particle board that ever existed. Either that or nearly every zaxxon was kept in a really damp environment. The damn things were like a sponge. I'd venture a guess that when you peeled off the vinyl you also pulled off small chunks of the particle board. With this type of cab it's a good idea to give the really badly cracked and crumbling parts a coat or two of wood hardener. I would follow that with bondo where needed which might be darn near every where if the cab is badly pocked. After bondo is dry grab that sander and sand the cab smooth. If you missed any spots you may need to go back and add a little bondo here or there. Then sand again. Now get a tack cloth and wipe away all the excess dust ect. Give the cab a coat of primer. Let the primer dry completely not just to touch then sand smooth with something like a 220 grit paper. Assuming all went well and you have a smooth sanded coat of primer with no bare cab spots. If this is the case it's time to paint. Personally I spray on paint with an HVLP gun and compressor set up but a dense foam roller can be used if you don't have a sprayer. Never really done the roller thing myself but I think the key is to apply numerous light coats of paint until the surface is fully covered. I usually apply 3 coats of paint. Lightly sanding in between the 1st and second coats. Personally I always like to use oil based paint but many people choose latex and are happy with the results. Personally with a cab like zaxxon that tends to absorb moisture easy, I would definitely use an oil based paint.

The main thing is to not rush it. It is possible to restore a game completely in 3-4 days but it is a lot of work and actually requires the correct environment for the paint to properly dry that quickly. Usually expect 24 hours for a coat of paint or primer to dry completely.

Yeah, you just basically 100% described what I should have done. However, time was of the essence as I was doing the restoration at someone elses house (I live in an apartment) and it has to be gone soon.

If I had my own space and was starting over from scratch, I would heed your advice. Unfortunately, as it is, I'm going to just have to live with the results. I can't throw any more time or money at this project.

Thanks though, for giving all the information. You're right that the entire cabinet should probably have been bondo'd due to the pockmarks. Also, you're right that the vinyl was in pretty decent condition, but the whole cab smelled -- if it didn't smell, I would've left the vinyl as is and saved myself a lot of aggravation. :) Still, I'll file away all this information for future reference, and remember that if I do decide to test the restoration waters again, I need to make sure I have time and space in abundance, and also to be willing to put in the work to bondo EVERYWHERE the wood is imperfect.
 
I feel your pain about the wood working part. You really have to decide if your cab or game is worth a total restoration or just a partial one. Do you have the Zaxxon pcb,wiring,etc?

I do not -- the goal was to make a Zaxxon themed 48-1 (since Zaxxon is on the 48-1 anyway). As I've said before, I would've loved to leave the vinyl intact if the whole thing didn't stink like mildew. Cleaning, painting, airing it out, and priming the inside with KILZ has helped, and hopefully when I have it all reassembled, it'll be A-OK.
 
Okay, here's some pics of the progress, sorry they're blurry. It's really not that bad, and I think it'll turn out okay for my home arcade as a 48-1, but it's nowhere near as good as I'd like it to be -- it looks better in the pictures. Oh well, maybe next time.

Next up is cleaning/painting/reassembling the coin door, and installing the t-molding. Then I'll put the electronics back in. Oh, and there's a few places to touch up the paint too..

And like welove80s says below, maybe a clear coat would help... cab would still be pockmarked though. :\
 

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Ordered 48 in 1 and Tmolding. Finished wiring up the new JAMMA harness today. Installed a new (old, microswitch, bat style) joystick because the joystick that came with the cabinet was total shit (even though I like the balltop look for this cab).

Going to buff and paint the coin slots tomorrow and reinstall those.

Cab still smells like paint, but that's better than some dude's garage.
 
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Well, it's done. I will maybe someday find a replacement tube, and maybe put on a new joystick, and there's a few places where I need to touch up the paint, but none of that is happening any time soon. Here's the final pics, you can see how rough the sides are in the first picture.
 
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