tron control panel restore-step by step as I go

tron guy

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not finished yet, but I wanted to get the pictures off of my camera so I will load what I have and talk a little bit about it. Just in case this helps someone down the road.


The first thing I did (that I didn't get pictures of) was to remove the old cpo. It came off in layers. Took the art off then had to get the black underlining off, then the glue. What a bitch. Lots of time with a heat gun and scraper, then with goo gone and scraping, then with a sander, and finally my drill with some wire wheel attachments. This is how I got from rusty and gluey to all steel looking.


Most who have a tron have noticed the little holes where the joystick and spinner mounts on the bottom of the CP have cracked in and left little circles in their cpo.
 

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I didn't want those holes to return with my restored cpo, so I used bondo. Well the first time 3 of the 8 took. 5 of the bondo chunks fell out when sanding. So the 2nd time I took some sandpaper and really roughed up and cleaned up the inside of those little indentations so the bondo would stick better the 2nd time.
 

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So at this point, I am ready to apply the cpo. I spray painted the control panel black since the tron cpo is black. Just in case the nos cpo fits a little bit off, it won't stand out too much with silver showing through around the edges.

Not sure when I will update this thread again, but I need to gameplan the cpo. I hear guys talking about heating them, or having them clipped to the control panel, getting kind of 'pre-bent' to help minimize cracking down the road.
 

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Yep, using these clips, along with heating up the CPO while applying helps. Got these for $1.50 clearance at Target.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1351045004.239481.jpg
 
Ok I got the nerve to put the cpo on. This is a high pressure situation. I'd hate to be one of those guys (which I probably am anyway) that destroys a hard to find NOS cpo.

So I went through got her lined up, put the buttons in and slowly applied the cpo using a heat gun as I went (cautiously) to get the bends to take easier.

My next move is to disassemble the extra joystick I have, sand it down, clean it up, and install a NOS grommet and new joystick handles. I may even redo the wiring for the entire control panel, haven't decided yet.
 

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Ok I took apart the joystick and it had a lot of rust. I took out the wire wheels with my drill and hand sanded some of it. I think I'm done with this part. I'm going to put in the nos grommet and get her back together.

These pictures while part of the thread, are to help me remember how to put it together as much as anything. :)
 

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I've decided not to rewire it, but I am going to rewire new molex connectors and reflow the solder to all of the points.
 

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Nice job, Dylan. The cpo application looks perfect. Someone is going to have a sweet control panel when you're all done.

Oh, and your workbench looks as crowded as mine. ;)
 
Nice job, Dylan. The cpo application looks perfect. Someone is going to have a sweet control panel when you're all done.

Oh, and your workbench looks as crowded as mine. ;)

yeah that thing is 8 or 10 feet wide and it's completely covered (like most everyone's I'm sure) I just ordered some screws from ggg.com so I have to wait for those to show to install the joystick.
 
yeah that thing is 8 or 10 feet wide and it's completely covered (like most everyone's I'm sure) I just ordered some screws from ggg.com so I have to wait for those to show to install the joystick.

I just went to ggg.com. That doesn't look like a plays you can order screws. :D

So... where did you order them from?
 
Although they are not 100% accurate to original you can find screws that are a near perfect match at some hardware stores. Locally I get them from ace hardware. I believe the difference is that the tron screws are security screws with the pin in the center while the hardware store ones are just hex or torx (I forget which style tron uses). Other than this they carry them in different lengths and sizes as well as black and silver.
 
Although they are not 100% accurate to original you can find screws that are a near perfect match at some hardware stores. Locally I get them from ace hardware. I believe the difference is that the tron screws are security screws with the pin in the center while the hardware store ones are just hex or torx (I forget which style tron uses). Other than this they carry them in different lengths and sizes as well as black and silver.

damn I wish I would have looked before paying $8 to get some shipped, lol.
 
So when you're all done, tron guy, I'd like to buy that control panel from you and send you my pile of CP, spinner and joystick. ;)

I am going to rebuild a 2nd one, and sell one of them.


actually dj dns got over $500 for a non restored decent CP about a year ago, maybe this one is worth $1000. :)
 
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ok the spinner is 100% smooth and fast now. Turns out someone had installed a little plastic disc between the bushing, my assessment is this was installed to slow the spinner down. Maybe one of hte games like two tigers is better with a slower spinner, who knows.

In any event I disassembled the spinner, cleaned it up, I used a drop of 3 in one oil in a spot or two and reassembled the spinner. It was still slow even with the new arcadeshop bushing.
So I pulled out my other panel and noticed the little spacer/disc that was in there and took it apart again, pulled that piece and now it flies.

Probably the last pictures I will post. All I need is the new buttons I ordered from bob roberts and the little plexi tron piece that I will be getting from phoenixarcade.com

Now I am highly considering selling this panel and restoring my current one. I have an odd "connection" to my current panel becaus I've dropped over 2 million on this cab with this panel and I always think my panel is awesome. (though it looks like shit right now), oh yeah and i got the screws from groovygame gear to replace the rusty torx tops.


This panel has a NOS cpo(klover),nos centering grommet, and nos spinner(from mylstar). It has a riptor spinner opto pcb, nos handles I got on ebay. (who knows about that, with the ggg ones out there it could have been them, but I got them cheap enough so who cares)
 

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