ATARI Asteroids Deluxe restoration

[namfreak]

Nitromors definitely isnt as effective as it used to be. Going to be fantastic when completed!

Can I ask what the bike on your wall with the mag wheels is?

It's a 1985 Raleigh Vektar

I posted about it on J+ years ago, but there's a brief discussion about it here where someone else has spotted it in the background

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/search_results_posts.asp?SearchID=20201018213350&KW=vektar

Do an advanced search for "vektar" and member name "namfreak" and "any date"

namfreak2020-10-18 21:35:23

 

[namfreak]

My tried and trusted finish for metalwork is "Plastikote"
First two coats of grey primer

 

[namfreak]

Followed by minimum 4 coats on Plastikote Satin Black
I do thin and even coats to build up to a deep solid colour, and flat down with wet and dry paper between coats to give a nice finish free of dust particles etc trapped in the paint

I find the finished metalwork needs to be left for around 7 days for the paint to harden. Start handling it too soon and finger prints and finger nails starts to mark the fresh paint

namfreak2020-10-18 21:45:35

 

[namfreak]

Whilst the paint was hardening on the metal work I started cleaning the inner sides of the cabinet.

I couldn't work out if it was careless overspray from a previous touch up job or original, but there was spray paint on the lower faces of the inner cabinet on top of the original black vinyl

I marked a line about half way up with masking tape and cleaned the paint off with surgical spirit

The upper sides were left as matt black paint as some of this area is visible through the bezel during gameplay and would benefit being left as is to blend in with the matt black cardboard background

 

[itruk]

Is the black vinyl, the pica stuff? that has a slight texture to it?

If you, could you link me in the direction as to where you bought it from please? I have a few cabinets that need touching up in areas

Thanks.

 

[qjuk]

This seems to be coming along really nice. Doing the paint jobs can take a while but so worth it when you see the end results.

Keep up the good work

 

[namfreak]

Is the black vinyl, the pica stuff? that has a slight texture to it?

If you, could you link me in the direction as to where you bought it from please? I have a few cabinets that need touching up in areas

Thanks.

Yes Pica Black vinyl has a slight grain texture. I'm 99% sure it came from Arcade Renovations years ago.

I can check when I'm next in the loft to read the shipping label

My Dragon's lair had a slightly coarser grain - what you might call a leatherette texture. That stuff was called Morrocco Black

And then there is a very coarse leather like texture (almost like hide) that is called Bison Black

 

[namfreak]

Next was to start re-fitting the wiring harness that I had previously cleaned to the cabinet. Originally Atari had used staples to secure long cable tie tails to the inside of the cabinet.

I ditched the staples idea and went for 19mm x 19mm self adhesive cable tie mounts

 

[Haves1979]

QUOTE=namfreak]

Nitromors definitely isnt as effective as it used to be. Going to be fantastic when completed!

Can I ask what the bike on your wall with the mag wheels is?

It's a 1985 Raleigh Vektar

I posted about it on J+ years ago, but there's a brief discussion about it here where someone else has spotted it in the background

http://www.ukvac.com/forum/search_results_posts.asp?SearchID=20201018213350&KW=vektar

Do an advanced search for "vektar" and member name "namfreak" and "any date"

[/QUOTE]

Thanks, looked familiar and couldn't place it but I remember a local lad had one. Very tomorrows world and a lot snazzier than the blue Raleigh burner I had..Haves19792020-10-20 20:59:12

 

[namfreak]

Painted metalwork now had 7 days curing time, I couid then re-fit the speaker grille

As I had to drill out the original pop rivets I replaced with 5mm dia x 12mm long pop rivets

 

[namfreak]

And could then replace the speaker / marquee light / blacklight assembly back into the cabinet. Quite a good idea by Atari - a complete assembly that slides in and out for maintenance and repair

 

[namfreak]

I had acquired a repro marquee made by This Old Game

Mr original one (bottom) was OK but has the odd chip of paint which results in light bleed. I thought I'd trial fit the repro (top)

Notwithstanding the shadow on the text is alot more purple, the repro loses alot of fine detail and also looked too "new"

Needless to say I eventually went with the original marquee

 

[namfreak]

Re-assembled coin door and fitted to cabinet

Sadly I don't have matching coin return flaps - one has a leatherette like texture that was on the cab when purchased. I acquired a smooth repro from another collector. You'd have to be on your knees to see it though.

Repro Atari logo on aluminium mount plate, installed using masking tape guide markers. 3M self adhesive backing

It does look black in the flesh, the camera flash makes it look navy Blue

New cam lock

namfreak2020-10-20 21:26:15

 

[namfreak]

Next was to recover the Electrohome G05 - 802 black and white vector monitor from storage and remove the HV cage and deflection board for service

 

[namfreak]

My aspirations for the monitor boards were to give them a recap (since I couldn't be sure how comprehensive TNT's work was 7 years before)

Plus a reflow on the header pins

The other main service task I wanted to perform was the well publicised and discussed topic on KLOV - the HV diode connections

Seems the original design was somewhat flawed - leads of HV diode were bent onto tiny springs inside tiny cups on the end of the anode wires

As these things age and oxidise or rust it introduces resistance which generates heat and the whole thing snowballs.

Seems it is linked to "blooming" or "breathing" of the image which i had always noticed since day one

As I desoldered the electrolytic cap[s there seemed to be a right mixture, Jamicon, JH, Elna and Nichicon brands. The tiny orange ones were marked with 04.80 which i hope wasn't a date code!

I had to warn the silicone rubber boots with a heat gun to soften them enough to get them off the ends of the HV diode

namfreak2020-10-27 19:59:36

 

[namfreak]

Thankfully the tiny springs and cups were not rusted as others have reported on KLOV. The remains of the greasy residue might have saved them.

Bit of a clean up with surgical spirit and all looks good

 

[namfreak]

In desoldering C901 I noted the copper trace was hanging on by a thread to the board, and the copper trace came off with the cap

I made a repair by removing the solder mask from the adjacent copper trace very carefully with my Dremel and a rotating brush

Then leaving the -ve lead of the cap long and soldering it to the exposed copper trace

namfreak2020-10-27 20:09:31

 

[namfreak]

The "fix" suggested on KLOV with the HV diode connection design is to physically solder the HV diode leads to the spring.

More surface area to make contact

Warmed up silicone boots again to slide back over the repaired connection

 

[namfreak]

Re-capped HV cage and deflection board with Nichicon caps from ArcadeShop

Reflowed all header pins

Refitted to monitor chassis

And it felt good to clean off all that old gunk from the anode cap and leads!

 

[namfreak]

So next was to refit the power brick, Audio / Regulator board and main logic PCB to the cabinet.

They tested OK pre restoration, but as they went back I tested each one in turn before connecting up the next

Then to refit monitor and flick the switch!

All good - I have a picture and the game board is cycling between high score and attract screens as it should