Star Trek Upright Restoration

Madaracs

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This wasn't supposed to be a huge project but when the removal of the artwork from my machine ended up being a giant problem (veneer peeled with the art as I removed it) it became a restoration project almost immediately. This is more of a transformation than a restoration as I went away from "restoring" any of the veneer.

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This cabinet had most definitely been dropped. And maybe even down some cement stairs from the look of it.

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As you can see, there was more wrong with this artwork than just the accidental scraping.

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The other side wasn't as bad--and in fact it was in great shape. But since I was applying new art that doesn't perfectly match in color--they both have to come off.

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As I stated that sticker-style veneer just wanted to stay attached to the original artwork.
 
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The steps below are re-posted from another thread where I had a question about rustoleum and how long to wait for the paint to cure:

The first problem occurred when I attempted to remove the damaged artwork with a heat gun. The veneer peeled right off with the artwork in certain spots as I applied heat and pulled the 30 year-old-adhesive away. This is the thin sticker-backed type of veneer that Sega used on their Convert-a-Cab cabinets. I knew applying the artwork over the damaged areas would be a problem so I decided to take some advice from Smalltownguy2, Phet, RikiRichOldGame and other restoration posters and perform the following:

  1. Stripped the remainder of the artwork with a heat gun.
  2. Removed the T-Molding
  3. Stripped the veneer using Zinsser Magic Strip Citrus-Action Gel (similar to Citristrip that Smalltownguy2 used in his DigDug restoration.)
  4. Where the glue had remained from the artwork the Zinsser wouldn't remove the veneer so I ended up using Krud Kutter Tough Task Citrus Remover to get the glue off and then reapplied the Magic Strip Gel--then the rest of the veneer slid right off.
  5. Sanded the sides of the cabinet with 100 grit sand-paper. This removed any excess materials the strippers may have missed.
  6. Next, I sanded the surface with a 200 grit paper.
  7. Then per Phet's suggestion in another post I bought the "Super Smooth" FOAM roller and painted the cabinet with oil-based, black semi-gloss Rustoleum paint.
  8. Sanded the painted surface with 200 grit sand paper.
  9. Painted a second coat.
  10. Let dry [5 Days: Tested enamel with fingernail and was not able to dent paint.] and apply art per RikiTiki's Food Fight artwork application tutorial.
 
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Personally I like the woodgrain better but this is looking real nice. I wonder, I have to do a time pilot project and would like to save the woodgrain art. Is there something that you may have figured out along the way to avoid the peeling? More heat, less heat etc. Just curious.

Nice job.
 
Personally I like the woodgrain better but this is looking real nice.

To each their own I guess, the Sega Convert-A-Cab woodgrain look never excited me... The "wood grain look" looks more 70s than 80s and seemed like a step backward to me. That and unlike games like Time Pilot where the artwork completely covers the sides of the game, these convert-a-cabs are like the reverse-mullet of arcade cabs: Business on the bottom and party on the top. (I feel a sig change comin' on.) Since the cabinet wouldn't be going back to original it was time to make a change. I'm happy with it, too. Thanks for the compliment.

I wonder, I have to do a time pilot project and would like to save the woodgrain art. Is there something that you may have figured out along the way to avoid the peeling? More heat, less heat etc. Just curious.

Well first off Time Pilot's cabinet was made by Centuri. So the woodgrain veneer they used is likely completely different than what Sega used--but you never know. It could be laminate veneer, adhesive veneer, melamine based veneer or even Formica.

Sega's convert-a-cabs sported the adhesive style veneer--essentially a big sticker on particle board. I tried low heat and high heat... no difference. I tried pulling very slowly and faster. (insert "That's what she said" statement here.)

Anyway, the veneer on the Sega cabinets is super super thin. Then they took the super strong adhesive vinyl backing of the original artwork and laid it on top of the veneer sticker. Then you let cure for 30 years.

No matter what I did with the heat gun the veneer seemed to either pull completely away with the original artwork or bubbled away from the Particle Board once I pulled the art away.

So the answer to your question is really I have no advice because your cabinet is likely to pose an entirely different set of issues.
 
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Doesnt matter woodgrain or painted they both burn when it goes up in flames!!!! lol..j/k man
looks awsome nice job..heres to many safe years with that machine!!

Heh heh. Believe me, I've read about the G08 and G80 problems on these machines extensively and I've kept a close eye on it for the last 10 months I've owned it.

You'll love this: When I got it... the previous owner had disconnected the ventilation fan for the monitor. When I hooked it up it was clear it was disconnected because the bearings had worn out and it was too loud. Hmmm.... Too loud or too BURNING? What would you choose?

Yeah, first order of business: Hook that thing back up--in fact, bought a new one asap and it's been runnin' cool ever since. (as cool as a G08 can get.)
 
Anything looks better than those wood grain sides. I personally would have painted the front black also.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

I agree on painting the front at some point.

As far as wood grain goes I have a neo geo golden that is wood grain. I think it looks fine although it doesn't have dark sideart(well they had no side art).
 
I agree on painting the front at some point.

As far as wood grain goes I have a neo geo golden that is wood grain. I think it looks fine although it doesn't have dark sideart(well they had no side art).

Yeah, think I said I was gonna do that in my original post somewhere. I'll post final pics once I get the front painted.
 
doesnt matter with fans.. i hooked extra fans to mine and the monitor caught on fire.. Its just those monitors...

Heh heh. Believe me, I've read about the G08 and G80 problems on these machines extensively and I've kept a close eye on it for the last 10 months I've owned it.

You'll love this: When I got it... the previous owner had disconnected the ventilation fan for the monitor. When I hooked it up it was clear it was disconnected because the bearings had worn out and it was too loud. Hmmm.... Too loud or too BURNING? What would you choose?

Yeah, first order of business: Hook that thing back up--in fact, bought a new one asap and it's been runnin' cool ever since. (as cool as a G08 can get.)
 
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