Water damaged cab....WWYD?

sohchx

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I really want to buy this cab but I'm not sure if I should. As you can see in the pic there is water damage with slight swelling on the inside and outside. The seller says the wood is still hard and is dry, just stained, and the bottom has no water damage at all. It got wet over a year ago when his basement got wet during a hurricane. What do you guys think I should do, or what would you do in this instance? Obviously if I do buy it I am going to haggle like crazy.
 

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wow. I usually say go for the repair, but water damage that bad deserves a system part out. If the price is cheap enough, buy it and hope for another cab to turn up..otherwise, run away!
 
Yeah I was thinking of a part out. Why would only the sides take in water and not the bottom? Could it be the glue acting as an insulator between where the pieces of wood join? I have also hear of instances like this where the swelling can be sanded down evenly with the rest of the cab, any truth to that?
 
The bottom must have water damage based on what I see in the pic. Looks ugly. I have fixed the bottom in a machine that only had water damage to the bottom as the water did not make it to the sides of the machine.
 
I'm sure it's "hard", and might hold up for a while, but I wouldn't trust moving it much, nor restoring it at all because the slightest nudge on that wood and it will break apart.
 
Since it's an original I'd get in there with a pocket knife or something and try probing the wood, if it looks swollen, you can sink it in deep and stuff comes apart really easy (especially near the very bottom) then I'd say walk or buy it really cheap for the parts only. Otherwise staining doesn't really matter as you can always paint and bondo, plus you can use Minwax wood hardener to re-enforce surface rot, I've used it before and it's pretty good stuff. Of course how much effort and money you want to spend depends on how much you like the game itself.
 
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Too sad Contra Is a Classic in my book. You have to look at the electronics as well If the cabs around 50.00 -100.00 and the monitor and PCB work then you are in good shape anything more than that I'd walk.
 
Since it's an original I'd get in there with a pocket knife or something and try probing the wood, if it looks swollen, you can sink it in deep and stuff comes apart really easy (especially near the very bottom) then I'd say walk or buy it really cheap for the parts only. Otherwise staining doesn't really matter as you can always paint and bondo, plus you can use Minwax wood hardener to re-enforce surface rot, I've used it before and it's pretty good stuff. Of course how much effort and money you want to spend depends on how much you like the game itself.

I have always loved the game and dumped many a quarter into them in the past. My wife also loves the game and was uber excited when I told her I was offered one. I guess it would'nt be hard to find another Konami cab for the guts. Thing is, empty cabs are kinda rare around here but there are plenty of full ones.
 
My concern would be how high was the water? If it just wicked up the sides then the PCBs are probably safe... they look like they are mounted low in the cab. You would really have to look at the PCBs first... "working" is fine but if its holding on by a crusty thread then it may not work after you move it. ;)
 
I got 2 converted Taito cabs with water damage to the bottom 12 inches or so. Lots of damage on the top and front too, but not soaked. Must have been a leaking pipe or something cause the water damage was from the top down and the bottom was worst.

Cabs were free, so it was an easy choice... Chopped the bottom 15" off the cabs and made new bottoms and other pieces that were too badly damaged. Now they look like little Moppet cabs and they will be for my daughter...

Bottom line, if the price is right, you can either restore them back to original condition (given the right tools and enough time) or, make something useful out of them.
 
My concern would be how high was the water? If it just wicked up the sides then the PCBs are probably safe... they look like they are mounted low in the cab. You would really have to look at the PCBs first... "working" is fine but if its holding on by a crusty thread then it may not work after you move it. ;)

Water was less than 1/2 inch, just enough to get it wet
 
I got 2 converted Taito cabs with water damage to the bottom 12 inches or so. Lots of damage on the top and front too, but not soaked. Must have been a leaking pipe or something cause the water damage was from the top down and the bottom was worst.

Cabs were free, so it was an easy choice... Chopped the bottom 15" off the cabs and made new bottoms and other pieces that were too badly damaged. Now they look like little Moppet cabs and they will be for my daughter...

Bottom line, if the price is right, you can either restore them back to original condition (given the right tools and enough time) or, make something useful out of them.

would it be possible to completely replace the bottom?
 
would it be possible to completely replace the bottom?


Definitely. Search KLOV for old posts, many people have replaced not only the cab bottom but a good chunk of the sides as well! Look for Galaga rebuilds, there are few on here where people did that type of repair.
 
A dedicated Contra would be worth restoring in my book. If the cab seems solid and the price is right you should go for it. Some wood hardener and paint and it could be a really solid cab.
 
Definitely. Search KLOV for old posts, many people have replaced not only the cab bottom but a good chunk of the sides as well! Look for Galaga rebuilds, there are few on here where people did that type of repair.

Okay, I was really wondering how I would bond the new pieces to the sides of the cab while keeping them flush at the same time. I would assume nail and glue the sides, then fill the seam with bondo.
 
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