Tempest.. Kill or not to kill?

eXidy

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Well, I have a tempest that *was* at some point super nice, but dropped :( Have a huge crack on the side of the cabinet. What would you do? restore it, convert it or trash it?

Jon
 
How is the rest of the machine? Monitor, board, CP?
If all that is wrong is the damage to a cab, I would keep it and restore it. Look for another Temp cab, bondo or just put that side so it doesn't show.
 
A beautiful machine, except for the minor crack down the side. Tempest junkie here. How about putting another game next to it, real close. Maybe wedge a 2x4 off the wall if you don't have another game.
 
The crack is def a problem. If the rest of the cabinet is nice, there has to be a way to save it. I don't know how you'd get a permanent bond on the particle board seam, but maybe:

peel the artwork off that side
use glue in that crack
use ratchet straps around the perimeter or long pipe clamps
bondo, sand, smooth
repro artwork on that one side.
 
The crack is def a problem. If the rest of the cabinet is nice, there has to be a way to save it. I don't know how you'd get a permanent bond on the particle board seam, but maybe:

peel the artwork off that side
use glue in that crack
use ratchet straps around the perimeter or long pipe clamps
bondo, sand, smooth
repro artwork on that one side.

This, and reinforce the crack inside by screwing in a piece of plywood and gluing it. You do that and bond work on the outside, and it won't go anywhere.
 
you really should fix that. I would get a long clamp, and force the broken part down, then screw a 1/2" thick piece of ply on the inside to join the two together. Then take a utility knife and cut a V into the crack. Fill it with duraglass. it has fibers in it, turns hard as a rock. After it dries, knock it down, then a skim coat of bondo, knock it down too. Prime, sand, install art, done!
 
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The crack is all the way through that side though. You can see the crack from the inside of the game by the marquee. Im not sure how that'll look, but ill glue it/secure it and see.

the game is otherwise in good shape.

jon
 
Stick it against the wall or between cabs so i can't see it, and play it. Then someday when I have some extra money, space, and time, fix the side and replace the art...
 
My buddy Chip has a real nice Track N Field that was dropped. Everybody says the same thing about it-

"Hey- that's a NICE looking game-
.. except for that GIANT F*#KING CRACK..."
 
If this were the only tempest i could find and i just had to add it to my collection, i'd break the cabinet down, strip the vinyl off inside/out and fix the break. At that point you're into a full restoration with a pile of parts in front of you and hundreds flying out of your wallet. Finding a different cabinet would be the member majority approved method but i've been known to take a different approach when cabs look like this.
 
This, and reinforce the crack inside by screwing in a piece of plywood and gluing it. You do that and bond work on the outside, and it won't go anywhere.

+1 for this repair. Use a strong waterproof glue and clamp the plywood to the inside of the cabinet and screw it down from the inside of the cabinet wait till the glue dries before removing the clamps then bondo the outside and replace the side art and call it good. Use the largest piece of plywood possible to cover as much left to right and top to bottom as possible, I would use a 3/8 piece. Should be fairly easy:)
 
If its a keeper for you, then kill it.. The temptation to restore it will eventually get you.. Your going to pour a bunch of money into a cabinet that will end up with a repro side and repro side art. Even if you have mad woodworking skills, I would bet it would not come out right..

If you plan to sell it, then fix it the best you can and make it someone elses problem.
 
Maybe see if anyone in the area has a decent empty Tempest cabinet...they seem to be quite plentiful, for some reason. Then at least you wouldn't be killing it, just giving it a skin transplant :D If it was me though, I'd just patch that bad boy up and put the left side against the wall or something. Games were meant to be played, and as long as it works and isn't falling apart, it's doing its job :)
 
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