What front glass is recommended - tinted or non tinted?

[mawrick]

In Process of restoring my vintage arcade machine that is missing it's front glas and going to order a new fortified glass for it, is there any "standard" when it comes to what glass was usually use on these machines?, I have another one and that seem to have a slightly tinted glass.

The options I have is

1. Normal blank glass

2. Diamond - very clear blank glass (not the greenish tint that often is present in normal glass)

3. tinted grey glass (I presume this is the one that is most likely to be used?)

4. Tinted bronze glass - I presume this might throw colors off ?.

The monitor in the cab is a Hantarex MTC-9110 with 25" tube

 

[qjuk]

What machine is it?

Some machines didn’t even use glass, but had acrylic/perspex instead.

I’d be looking to get as close as match as possible to an original machine.
There might be some good quality images already on the Internet of the same machine or post a picture of your machine and others might be able to help identity what you need.

 

[mawrick]

What machine is it?

Some machines didn’t even use glass, but had acrylic/perspex instead.

I’d be looking to get as close as match as possible to an original machine.
There might be some good quality images already on the Internet of the same machine or post a picture of your machine and others might be able to help identity what you need.

Didn't have picture of mine here, but found some images on the net that is of the exact machine, seem to have had some variouse "artwork" on the glass, I suspect these to have had "proper" glas in it's time.

It's a Rene Pierre cab.

I guess mine is closest to the first picture (the one with the black inside sides)

EDIT: found image of my machine from when it was picked up, added image)

 

[69er]

If you post the precise size somebody on here might have one with border artwork laying around and can’t recall what cab they were recovered from? I have a few and Mo at videotronics used to have a rack full.

Tinting depends on screen position and brightness. Early games had vertical screens you viewed directly and there was an issue over eye strain for people who worked hours at VDU computer screens.
So for video game players alike the cab makers fitted tinted glass or a Perspex diffuser behind plain glass like these old redundant ones in our garden. They prevent ivy growing up the fence behind the wife’s pool ball and marbles year round colour corner! Held in place by upcycle lock tongues . Nothing wasted here if it can be re-used?

Also cosmetically the diffuser hid the glass tube edge frame and mounting screws .
Some are more opaque than others.. common in 80s uprights and cocktail tables.

 

[Bods]

you could get some standard glass and copy the lower left one pictured, mask of the middle area for the tube and spray the reverse side with some Plastikote Quick Dry Acrylic Spray Paint 400ml Black Gloss which says good for glass and you'll have it looking quite nice, need some good car masking tape for the edge so it's nice and sharp, some really good tapes now, thin stuff for corners
For tight curves, sharp corners, and detailed car detailing or paintwork in the UK, thin fine line masking tape (typically 3mm to 6mm wide) made of vinyl or specialized low-tack material is the best choice

 

[mawrick]

Yea, some glas that already have some artwork would be ideal, so if anyone have any in size it might be of interest, but would need shipping (as in Norway).
(feel free to send pm with images)

if not I probable go with some tinted rugged glas from the local glas store and maybe get a printshop to make vinyl decal, or as sugested paint the sides of it....

size wise it looks to be roughly height: 45cm, and width 57, width has some play as inner of cab is 58, and the resting pieces is 2cm, height might work a bit smaller, but not much.

regards