A few arcade-based questions

[Jibbajaba]

Got this one in the Knowledge base today:


Arcade Machines (Jamma-Based, Superguns, Pinball Machines, etc):
OK...I have quite a few questions... 1) I need artwork for some arcade games I want to restore. Where can I find artwork, especially side artwork. I need art for the games Tetris, Mortal Kombat, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and Thunderblade. 2) One of the monitors is rolling...how can I fix this? I hear you just have to buy a simple part to install, but where and how? 3) Can you restore the playing field of a Dynamo airhockey machine? The top is very wore-out and I was hoping to repaint it somehow. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading and taking the time to ponder. I just hope I get some good answers! :)

I'll give 250 meseta for each part of this question that is answered properly. Post here please.

Thanks!

Chris

[Jibbajaba]

Got this one in the Knowledge base today:


Arcade Machines (Jamma-Based, Superguns, Pinball Machines, etc):
OK...I have quite a few questions... 1) I need artwork for some arcade games I want to restore. Where can I find artwork, especially side artwork. I need art for the games Tetris, Mortal Kombat, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and Thunderblade. 2) One of the monitors is rolling...how can I fix this? I hear you just have to buy a simple part to install, but where and how? 3) Can you restore the playing field of a Dynamo airhockey machine? The top is very wore-out and I was hoping to repaint it somehow. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading and taking the time to ponder. I just hope I get some good answers! :)

I'll give 250 meseta for each part of this question that is answered properly. Post here please.

Thanks!

Chris

[ClubNinja]

1) Besides eBay (which can be a good source for NOS art) and the arcade newsgroup (rec.games.video.arcade.collecting), I highly recommend:

http://www.localarcade.com/arcade_art/

2) Before you start looking to buy parts, have you tried adjusting the vertical or horizontal hold (whichever direction you're rolling) on the monitor? Turning the knob very slightly, you should become stable.

3) Give it a good waxing/buffing before you do a repaint - unless the surface has gouges or deep pits. Then, you may want to try filling/sanding first. Of course, I've never done it to an air hockey, so who knows.

[ClubNinja]

1) Besides eBay (which can be a good source for NOS art) and the arcade newsgroup (rec.games.video.arcade.collecting), I highly recommend:

http://www.localarcade.com/arcade_art/

2) Before you start looking to buy parts, have you tried adjusting the vertical or horizontal hold (whichever direction you're rolling) on the monitor? Turning the knob very slightly, you should become stable.

3) Give it a good waxing/buffing before you do a repaint - unless the surface has gouges or deep pits. Then, you may want to try filling/sanding first. Of course, I've never done it to an air hockey, so who knows.

[DogP]

Well, I'm still not sure what good Meseta does, so if someone else wants to answer these better for the Meseta, go right ahead ;) . Here's my answers:

1) Lots of places, but many of them suck. The good/bad isn't from personal experience, but what I've heard from many collectors.
Good ones:
http://www.phoenixarcade.com/
http://www.arcaderenovations.com/
http://www.69zl1.com/arcadeart.html
There may be one or two others that I missed

Bad ones:
Pretty much all of the ones that sell on ebay (unless it's in the above list). The problem is that some of the games aren't worth the good guys' time to repro, so the cheap places just scan the sideart and basically do a color copy, usually on a large inkjet printer. It ends up looking like crap compared to the original (usually wrong material, fuzzy/grainy graphics, etc), but I guess it's better than nothing. They are typically pretty cheap compared to the good guys.

2) First try adjusting the vertical/horizontal hold, that may fix it. It could also be a dirty vertical/horizontal hold pot, or if the pot seems fine, a cap kit will probably fix it. First you have to figure out what monitor chassis you have, so compare it to the pictures on Bob Roberts' site (down at the moment). Then you buy the cap kit for the correct model, I recommend from either from Bob Roberts (site down, but is http://www.therealbobroberts.com ) or Zanen ( http://randyfromm.com/amusements/yellowpages/zanen/ ). It's not an EASY process, but it's not difficult either (will need to solder), you just have to remove around 20 capacitors and replace them with all new ones... the monitor will look better than ever too. Just make sure you discharge the tube first.

3) I don't believe that you can do that... IIRC if they get dirty, they recommend to use soapy water to clean it (not any strong cleaners). I think if you tried painting it, it'd clog the holes, and it'd probably not be smooth enough and peel really easily. You may be able to use some sort of wax (like a car wax), but I've never seen this done.

DogP

[DogP]

Well, I'm still not sure what good Meseta does, so if someone else wants to answer these better for the Meseta, go right ahead ;) . Here's my answers:

1) Lots of places, but many of them suck. The good/bad isn't from personal experience, but what I've heard from many collectors.
Good ones:
http://www.phoenixarcade.com/
http://www.arcaderenovations.com/
http://www.69zl1.com/arcadeart.html
There may be one or two others that I missed

Bad ones:
Pretty much all of the ones that sell on ebay (unless it's in the above list). The problem is that some of the games aren't worth the good guys' time to repro, so the cheap places just scan the sideart and basically do a color copy, usually on a large inkjet printer. It ends up looking like crap compared to the original (usually wrong material, fuzzy/grainy graphics, etc), but I guess it's better than nothing. They are typically pretty cheap compared to the good guys.

2) First try adjusting the vertical/horizontal hold, that may fix it. It could also be a dirty vertical/horizontal hold pot, or if the pot seems fine, a cap kit will probably fix it. First you have to figure out what monitor chassis you have, so compare it to the pictures on Bob Roberts' site (down at the moment). Then you buy the cap kit for the correct model, I recommend from either from Bob Roberts (site down, but is http://www.therealbobroberts.com ) or Zanen ( http://randyfromm.com/amusements/yellowpages/zanen/ ). It's not an EASY process, but it's not difficult either (will need to solder), you just have to remove around 20 capacitors and replace them with all new ones... the monitor will look better than ever too. Just make sure you discharge the tube first.

3) I don't believe that you can do that... IIRC if they get dirty, they recommend to use soapy water to clean it (not any strong cleaners). I think if you tried painting it, it'd clog the holes, and it'd probably not be smooth enough and peel really easily. You may be able to use some sort of wax (like a car wax), but I've never seen this done.

DogP

[98PaceCar]

On number 2, please make sure to put a huge disclaimer about not capping a monitor if you aren't sure how to discharge. This cannot be stressed enough!

[98PaceCar]

On number 2, please make sure to put a huge disclaimer about not capping a monitor if you aren't sure how to discharge. This cannot be stressed enough!