Space Invaders bezel repro quality

[philsfan64]

In my never ending quest to find a good quality Space Invaders bezel, I turned to Phoenix Arcade. I know how good their stuff is. They just came out with one. Real glass instead of plexi. Gorgeous colors. But unfortunately the back masking just isn't right. Too much light shining through the background. Quite similar to This Old Game's attempt. Why can't anyone get this right? The effect where only the graphics shine through isn't there. Phoenix Arcade is trying to come up with a fix but at this point I went back to my Facebook marketplace original. Faded and scratched, it's still way better than either repro when it's lit.

1st pic is Phoenix, 2nd is original, 3rd is This Old Game. Ignore the light around the edges. Trim pieces were not installed when I took 2 of these photos. Incandescent bulbs. No LEDs.

 

[McHale]

Wow. #2 doesn't just look better. It looks a million times better... and deeper... and richer.

Out of curiosity, have you tried putting like window tint or something on the backside to darken the others up? I'm just curious if a couple layers of dark tint would fix that.

 

[philsfan64]

Wow. #2 doesn't just look better. It looks a million times better... and deeper... and richer.

Out of curiosity, have you tried putting like window tint or something on the backside to darken the others up? I'm just curious if a couple layers of dark tint would fix that.

It sure does. No I haven't tried that. I believe that's what Phoenix Arcade is trying to come up with. Something to put over the back. I just think they need to go back to the drawing board and make the masking completely opaque. I don't know why that's so difficult. Look at these pics with a flashlight behind it. Spotlight, no spotlight. The original masking blocks 100% of the light. Unbelievable difference.

 

[horseboy]

SI bezel is similar to a pinball backglass. Different beast than normal vid bezels and marquees.

 

[philsfan64]

SI bezel is similar to a pinball backglass. Different beast than normal vid bezels and marquees.

That's exactly right.

 

[WadeLanham]

Keep in mind that with a lot of these, there are variations in the originals. Phoenix and TOG look so much alike with the blue color that it makes me wonder if they were working from a different original than you have.

Also, I added an extra piece of paper behind a nice quality repro marquee to tame the light down. You might need to do something similar. Even when good material and the same process is used to create a repro, it can be tough, even impossible, to duplicate the original look. If being exactly the same as original is that important, you might need to just stick with your original.

 

[ArcadeTechGW]

Keep in mind that with a lot of these, there are variations in the originals. Phoenix and TOG look so much alike with the blue color that it makes me wonder if they were working from a different original than you have.

Also, I added an extra piece of paper behind a nice quality repro marquee to tame the light down. You might need to do something similar. Even when good material and the same process is used to create a repro, it can be tough, even impossible, to duplicate the original look. If being exactly the same as original is that important, you might need to just stick with your original.

You can try this to mute the light.
Get a thin sheet of plexi - more than saran wrap, but not more than 1/32.

Use 600 grit sandpaper, and skuff it at a 90 degree angle. The skuffs go away from the bezel. Those skuffs will diffuse the light.

Tinted material may work better for this. Use the 600 grit so it doesn't look like lines - it's more like fog.

I used this approach when I put a fluorescent light fixture in the back of my AMT Millennium Falcon - it worked perfectly - you can't see the lamp, and it diffuses very well.

 

[horseboy]

The problem is that it isn't about muting the lights or the color being off. The light is supposed to come through only in specific areas. The space ships, the aliens, the logos. The light is supposed to be pretty much completely blocked off in the other areas.

 

[philsfan64]

Thanks for the ideas guys. Darin from Phoenix Arcade is working on this and I do appreciate that. He is trying to come up with a piece of vinyl to stick to the back of it. When the game is off, in my opinion the Phoenix Arcade glass has the best colors and best detail of the 3. This Old Game on the left, Phoenix in the middle, original on the right. Sorry about the reflections.

 

[WadeLanham]

If it needs to be seriously/completely masked like horseboy describes above, a vinyl layer applied to the back might be the best solution. If Darin printed hundreds of these already, maybe they can go back to the printer to add a layer of black or silver paint or whatever was used to mask the original.

 

[philsfan64]

If it needs to be seriously/completely masked like horseboy describes above, a vinyl layer applied to the back might be the best solution. If Darin printed hundreds of these already, maybe they can go back to the printer to add a layer of black or silver paint or whatever was used to mask the original.

The back has silver masking. I know he has sold quite a few of these already.

 

[WadeLanham]

The back has silver masking. I know he has sold quite a few of these already.

It has one already? Wow!

 

[geech]

Quite the variation in the planet surface too.

 

[philsfan64]

It has one already? Wow!

This is the back. Flashlight shines through.

 

[philsfan64]

Quite the variation in the planet surface too.

Yes there is. I actually like the orange but I'm not sure what's more accurate.

 

[obitus1990]

The original looks to be in great condition, as far as I can see in the photos. Why not just leave it?

 

[philsfan64]

The original looks to be in great condition, as far as I can see in the photos. Why not just leave it?

The original is back in the game. Chassis monitor was just fixed by Chad at Arcadecup. Game is back in business.

 

[philsfan64]

Darin is intent on making this right. Replacement backglasses are being made. That is some outstanding customer service.

 

[philsfan64]

Just to follow up to this. Darin completely redid this. The masking is way better now. They got it right. It's hard to capture the lighted image but it looks fantastic. Side by side photo repro is on the right. Moon is more orange but I like it. Original has faded yellows and reds. Lit photos: Original is the washed out one. Last 2 photos are the repro with different exposures. I still have to put the trim pieces on.