Tackling water damage on a cabinet top

[Spunkmeyer]

Hey all, my new Tempest has some serious water damage at the rear edge of the top. I think if I remove/replace the back 3-4", it should eliminate the problem without requiring the cabinet to be taken apart.

Has anyone tackled this condition before? I'm thinking of cutting it out carefully with a small circular saw.

 

[joeycuda]

Are you suggesting just replacing the top panel or also cutting into the back edge of the side panels?

I'd def replace the top panel, which shouldn't be too tough. I recommend getting the black adhesive vinyl from ThisOldGame.com and using 3/4 particle board, since it would match the original material and it isn't crucial to the strength of the cabinet. The original panel is probably held in place by a combination of glue to the 3/4" square blocking and narrow crown staples. The glue probably won't be holding it at all, so carefully pry the panel out and use it as a template. Measure anywhere on the cabinet to figure out the exact width of the top panel and use an angle finder/copier to determine the angle of the blade for the front and back edge cuts.

 

[Spunkmeyer]

Are you suggesting just replacing the top panel or also cutting into the back edge of the side panels?

I was thinking of just cutting the top panel out as needed (avoiding the nailing strips at the sides) then cleaning out the remnants by hand. The rest is rock solid.

The peeling on the cabinet sides is just the vinyl -- the particle board is sound.

 

[joeycuda]

I was thinking of just cutting the top panel out as needed (avoiding the nailing strips at the sides) then cleaning out the remnants by hand. The rest is rock solid.

The peeling on the cabinet sides is just the vinyl -- the particle board is sound.

yeah, I'd get that entire panel off of there. Any attempt to bondo or patch it would be a waste of time. I don't think extracting that panel will be that difficult, just a bit messy. See if you can salvage those decals off of the old panel, or least save them. Good luck-

 

[Phetishboy]

Hey all, my new Tempest has some serious water damage at the rear edge of the top. I think if I remove/replace the back 3-4", it should eliminate the problem without requiring the cabinet to be taken apart.

I'd replace the whole piece. Take you a little longer but it'd be worth it. Cutting out the damage and piecing in a new chunk would be what my grandfather calls "Half-assing it". That water damage usually breeds mildew and stink. Even if you get rid of the swell, you'll never get rid of the smell.

 

[Spunkmeyer]

Hmm, maybe I'm making it more difficult in my mind than I have to. As much as I loathe yanking this monitor out, maybe that's going to be the best way to attack this.

Stay tuned! Thanks to both of you for your input...

 

[EagleTG]

As much as I loathe yanking this monitor out, maybe that's going to be the best way to attack this.

You'll regret trying to do it with the monitor in there. Especially if you wind up breaking/damaging the monitor. Also, power tools will cause vibrations... Definitely do yourself a favor and remove the monitor.

I know Tempest monitors suck to remove, but it's in your best interest. Just be glad it's not a Pinball 2000 monitor, they really, really suck to remove (in my opinion).

 

[Spunkmeyer]

there... satisfied?

 

[joeycuda]

If you're gonna use black vinyl on the new top, maybe you can figure out how to replace some of the vinyl that's peeling. You might be able to seam it in somehow and make the repair hard to notice.

 

[EagleTG]

there... satisfied?

Yes, much better. You'll be happier working on it this way too.

You know, your monitor looks like it's mounted a bit differently than the one I worked on recently (it's a friend's machine). Maybe that's why it was such a pain to remove. I'll have to see if the T-Nuts are installed with bolts coming through next time I'm over at his place. I bet they aren't, and am thinking that's why it really sucked.

 

[gabesdad1981]

Damn that looks 100 percent better already........................

 

[gabesdad1981]

And then??????????????

 

[Spunkmeyer]

Crappy pic of the top I took yesterday - actually it looks better than this in real life. I went with plywood instead of MDF for the replacement piece. I need to get a piece of black vinyl for the sides and top but am going to hold off and do that, a new control panel overlay, t-moulding, etc. when I have some spare cash to do it.

I HATE the Atari particle board of these cabinets. Hate it. You can see rampant edge swelling all along the existing T-Moulding.

I'd take another, more flattering photo, but it's now in place and I have people coming over to play it and I need to put my basement back together...

 

[gabesdad1981]

Did you get the glitch in the graphics lined out??? Its looking really good btw..

 

[Spunkmeyer]

Did you get the glitch in the graphics lined out??? Its looking really good btw..

Thanks - yes, I think the graphics glitch is fixed.

I reseated all the main board ROMS and it seems to have fixed the problem. When I got it home it was acting just as you described it would... OK for a few games, then, gets scrambled and the maze disappears. I think the heat that the game generated may have popped some of the ROM legs loose from their sockets. Fingers crossed that it will stay fixed!

I have ordered edge connectors and a new interconnect cable from Bob Roberts for good measure.

We have people coming over Weds. night for happy hour, and I expect the game will get a pretty good workout then. We'll see if the "fix" holds!