Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle

General Chat => Technical Area => Topic started by: eurotronic on September 22, 2012, 03:44:51 PM

Title: RENEWING ARCADE BUTTONS
Post by: eurotronic on September 22, 2012, 03:44:51 PM

Hi guys,
here is a tutorial showing you how you can easily renew the old buttons of your favorite arcade cabinet, to keep it as genuine as can be. ;)

THING YOU NEED:
- Glue gun
- Driller
- Leg leveler or a big screw with kinda flat head
- Some plastic polish (i use Novus 1,2,3)
- Some cotton balls
- Roll of tape
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0010.jpg)


Leg levelers are the parts that let you level your arcade or pinball.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0110.jpg)


We'll use it as an interface between the driller and the button parts.
Put a big drip of glue on the base of the leveler.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0210.jpg)


Wait until the glue is no more tacky but still soft, then put your part on it.
To avoid button parts to stick on the glue you can wet it a little (i use saliva :P ).
Center it.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0310.jpg)


Wait for the glue to be cold.
Now you have a mold to stick your part on the polishing device, aka the driller.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0410.jpg)

Secure the part with some tape, stick it on the driller, and you are ready to start.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0510.jpg)


As stated before i use Novus polish. It'a 3 parts polish. It work very well on this plastic.
Set the driller at half speed or below. If you feel the plastic heating, then lower the speed.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0610.jpg)


Job done, here is a before-after pic.
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0710.jpg)


Do the same technic for the other parts of the button.

Check out my 3 buttons completly restored.
They are shinier then new!
(http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/16/19/20/12/0810.jpg)


Do you like it?  ;D

Title: Re: RENEWING ARCADE BUTTONS
Post by: Q*ris on September 22, 2012, 05:35:07 PM

Nice! This last pic makes me hungry  ;)

Title: Re: RENEWING ARCADE BUTTONS
Post by: eurotronic on September 22, 2012, 06:05:05 PM

Funny because they go on a CANDY cab .   ;)

Title: Re: RENEWING ARCADE BUTTONS
Post by: Etienne MacGyver on September 22, 2012, 07:03:21 PM

High MacGyver factor here..

thats why i like it !  :spaceace:

Title: Re: RENEWING ARCADE BUTTONS
Post by: joeks on September 22, 2012, 11:01:44 PM

Thanks for the tip. I am going to restore the buttons on my Nintendo cabinets that way.
When the cabinets from the container arrived that is :)