Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle
General Chat => Dragon's Lair / Space Ace => Topic started by: DarthNuno on April 18, 2025, 10:51:46 PM
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Following this road trip :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/news/dragonslair2_flyer_stonehenge.jpg) (https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=7800.0)
What an epic one, huh? ;D
So why "Dragon's Lair 2, the second one" in the title?
As I explained in the road trip report, I once owned a Dragon's Lair 2 arcade cabinet 20 years ago. I sold it a few years ago...I thought I wouldn't regret it, but that wasn't the case. :? Fortunately, I've found another cabinet, still in England, but this time it requires a lot of work!" :pac: :ghost: :ghost: :ghost: :ghost:
So, let's continue this story. Unloading the cabinet :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-1.jpg)
First examination ...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-2.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-3.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-4.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-5.jpg)
It's the same versoin than my first one: an Italian version made by Elettronolo :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-6.jpg)
Serial is -as far as I can read- 000655 or 000656? The last two digits are hardly visible. :ghost: I will need to take more photos with different lighting conditions to confirm these two digits.
Anyway, we're not far from my first DL2 cabinet, which had the serial number 000683
Alright, we'll take a look at everything after an initial rough cleaning ;D :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-7.jpg)
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Congrats, nice find.
A question to the cabinet, can the top be removed/disassambled?
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A question to the cabinet, can the top be removed/disassambled?
Yes, quite easily :) Pictures to come.
Do you also own a DL2 cab?
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Let's continue examining the beauty. No more PCBs or the laser video disc player. However, years of dust...and rust :?
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-8.jpg)
Not only did I bring back this arcade machine from England, but I also smuggled in some eight-legged roommates and a few other creepy-crawly companions! ;D
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-9.jpg)
Arghhh, this is not the original DL2 joystick :ghost:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-10.jpg)
The monitor bezel has also taken a hit. :ghost: What on earth could have happened to damage the bezel? :roll:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-11.jpg)
Alright, I'll remove the screen. The chassis has definitely taken a beating from the rust as well. :-\
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-12.jpg)
Located above the screen, there's a sheet of metal...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-13.jpg)
Once the metal plate is removed, I can access quite a few things, including the two large screws that hold the two parts of the arcade cabinet together...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-14.jpg)
...and thanks to the relentless grip of rust, one of these two large screws has met its inevitable demise :? :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-15.jpg)
With plenty of rust on the speakers grille as well... this arcade cabinet could easily have been part of the legendary haul from the 'Duke of Lancaster (https://www.dragonslairfans.com/smfor/index.php?topic=3346.0)' raid... ;D
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-16.jpg)
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Alright, I'm bringing the arcade cabinet back out for a closer inspection.
The artwork on this side has suffered, particularly at its base :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-17.jpg)
The other side is much more damaged :-[ :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-18.jpg)
...ouch... :-\
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-19.jpg)
Let's take a closer look at the two speakers
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-20.jpg)
Looking at the state of the right speaker? it does make you wonder what could have caused such damage. It might have been insects, like termites or carpenter ants, which can chew through materials. Alternatively, it could have been caused by a rodent gnawing away at it... whatever, it is dead! :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-21.jpg)
Under the back door, I can say that the cabinet is in good condition. I mean the structure is rather sturdy. :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-22.jpg)
On the other hand, all the metal parts have suffered from rust.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-23.jpg)
With so many plays on the counter, I think the game has definitely been well-utilized. 8)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-24.jpg)
I?m removing the metal parts...10 pence arcade coins 8) , evidence that it was indeed operated in England, where I went to retrieve it. :pac: :ghost: :ghost: :ghost: :ghost:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-25.jpg)
...Other coins here and there. For my English friends here, what was the price of a DL2 game back in the day?
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-26.jpg)
Here are the rusted parts that I will be working on :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-27.jpg)
Since the arcade cabinet is outside, I'm taking the opportunity to give it a deeper clean. The colors are now much brighter and vibrant. :)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-28.jpg)
You'd almost forget about the damaged artwork! ::)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-29.jpg)
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Nice one, I would LOVE to have at least a dragons lair - then I would run that minipc in it to play all the laser disc games....
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Nice catch, there will be a lot of work to restore this, but worth every second.:)
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Now comes the most tedious part : removing the paint and rust from all the metal parts. :ghost:
Fortunately, I now have a new young apprentice... Darth Nuno Jr. :) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-30.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-39.jpg)
8) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-31.jpg)
Usual treatments to restore all these metal parts that have suffered greatly from years spent outdoors...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-32.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-33.jpg)
There you go, this is the best I could do. But as you can see, the rust has really taken hold in some spots.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-34.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-35.jpg)
That's strange, at first I thought the corner of this door was damaged ??? :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-36.jpg)
But no, this cut is present on all four corners of this door. I've never seen such cuts on a coin door before :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-37.jpg)
Below is the piece that required the most time to work on (the grille that hides the speakers) :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-38.jpg)
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Well done, and yes, derusting takes a lot of time. But dont you have a company near you who do sand blasting?
Im really happy that I bought and sandblasting cabin and a big air compressor for derusting metal parts. But yeah, on the other side it takes some space and I dont need it many times in the year. :-)
Maybe I wouldnt bought it if I had a son ... ;D
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Well done, and yes, derusting takes a lot of time. But dont you have a company near you who do sand blasting?
Im really happy that I bought and sandblasting cabin and a big air compressor for derusting metal parts. But yeah, on the other side it takes some space and I dont need it many times in the year. :-)
Yes, I have used the services of a metalworker once or twice in the past to sandblast a few parts, but unfortunately, the price and waiting time weren?t great. :-[
Wow, you're lucky to have a sandblaster at home?that's really cool. :spaceace:
I've thought about getting one before, but I kept putting it off? so after all these years, I?ve managed without one... :P
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We continue with the marquee, or rather the absence of the glass window that protects the marquee. :ghost:
Not far from my place, a shop offers glass cutting services.
The dimensions I used are 405mm x 695mm, with a thickness of 4mm.
Nice! The employee is available and offers to do the cutting in front of me. 8) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-40.jpg)
I opted here for simple, inexpensive 'float glass' (this will not be the case for the pane protecting the monitor).
Below, the employee has finished the cutting and is now sanding the edges of the glass to ensure safe handling.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-41.jpg)
In less than 15 minutes, the job is done. It cost me 25 euro, including packaging to safely bring it home. :) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-42.jpg)
Did I take my measurements correctly? ::) :P We'll find out very soon... yes :-* :-* :-*
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-43.jpg)
Cool, things are moving forward 8)
As you can see, I'm also missing the glass window that protects the monitor. :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-44.jpg)
For this one, using 'float glass' is not an option. It needs to be tempered glass for strength and safety reasons.
Since tempered glass cannot be easily cut, I'll have to wait... one month :shock: to receive my custom cut...
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Great catch Bruno, and nice to see some action on the site.
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Great catch Bruno, and nice to see some action on the site.
Hey Michael, happy to see that you still drop by from time to time! :)
Let's focus on a small detail today: the marquee lighting.
Normally, I quickly replace the lighting system with a modern one, but I'm curious to see if this tube has withstood years of storage as well as outdoor exposure. :roll: :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-45.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-46.jpg)
Well, everything is still working fine. :P Great, we'll keep it as it is. 8)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-47.jpg)
:spaceace:
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I am absolutely loving this!
Seeing my old machine given the loving care it deserves is such a highlight. Keep on going Darth Nuno!
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Thank you, Dazza! :) Glad to see you following the new life or rather, the rebirth of this Dragon's Lair 2 cabinet! ;)
Today's small delivery... the new speakers :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-48.jpg)
Comparison with one of the two original speakers, completely destroyed :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-49.jpg)
Same diameter, same impedance?we're looking pretty good! :) On location :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-50.jpg)
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Think back to the catastrophic state of the metal surfaces ??? :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-51.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-52.jpg)
We're in a better place now :-* :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-53.jpg)
:spaceace:
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Looks really nice, great job!
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Looks really nice, great job!
Thanks Bela :spaceace:
Back on this broken monitor bezel :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-54.jpg)
In addition to the broken inner corners, it's mainly this broken/missing side that bothers me the most :-[ :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-55.jpg)
Well, for now, I still hope to find a replacement bezel, so I won?t do anything except a little cleaning...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-56.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-57.jpg)
...If I still can't find another one, I'll try to tinker with it a bit to hide the issues :-\
Update on the monitor's protective glass, which was missing.
I just received it after three weeks of waiting. It's tempered glass that can't be cut on-site by the store.
This type of cutting requires a special process, hence the waiting time
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-58.jpg)
The price is special as well: 126 Euro. ???
I'm attaching the invoice to keep a record of the cutting dimensions :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-61.jpg)
Once installed, it's perfect...phew! :P At this price, it's better not to make a mistake with the dimensions!
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-59.jpg)
The small logo certifying that it is indeed tempered glass. :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-60.jpg)
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126,- uff - I think I would have considered plexi glass, even if its not "original correct".
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126,- uff - I think I would have considered plexi glass, even if its not "original correct".
Yes, I hesitated a bit when the shop gave me the price, but hey... since it's a Dragon's Lair 2, an arcade cabinet that means a lot to me, I decided to do things properly and... to hell with stinginess. 8)
Oh and obviously, with that kind of price tag, I measured more times than a chef tastes his own sauce before serving. ;D
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Alright, I'm finally posting some updates about the beast... ::)
Weel, there's not much to be done with the side arts... sadly, they've suffered too much :-\ :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-62.jpg)
Damn, that glue must've been strong! peeling off the sticker also tore off part of the wood surface. :o :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-63.jpg)
The wood on the rear edge got soaked where the sticker was missing, and now it?s so fragile it practically disintegrates on contact.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-64.jpg)
I'm going to use this rotten wood hardener. I've used it several times before, so I know it works!
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-65.jpg)
I need to get a flat surface again, so I'm starting sanding with coarse grit.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-66.jpg)
Then another pass with finer sandpaper (400). You can clearly see the difference on the areas that have already been sanded. :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-67.jpg)
All done! rotten patch repaired, and it's now rock-solid like the rest of the wood!
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-68.jpg)
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Despite several sanding sessions, the surface still isn't smooth enough for my liking. I don't want to take any risks moving forward. So, I'm going to fill in the tiny imperfections with this product:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-69.jpg)
It's a type of wood filler, but it comes in a lighter form (almost like whipped cream) perfect for filling in all the small imperfections.
Here's the result after two coats :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-70.jpg)
I'm also prepping the edges of the cabinet, in case the T-molding is too small, by adding black paint along the borders :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-71.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-72.jpg)
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Nice work!
My experience with these "all in one" wood filler are the same, good for small dings and dents. But if you have to fill a bigger damage, they new "bondo" is drying out maybe too quickly and you will get crack?s again. So you have to redo that 3-4x until its nice.
So I went the path like the other guys and bought a 2 component body filler ( bondo + hardener ) and the hardest part here is to just fill it the right size - otherwise you will spend some time sanding again :D
But looking at your pictures again, the "one fill" says up to 10 cm and it looks rly nice. It looks like thats a better product than I have bought.
And the metal parts are looking great again, btw that coin insertion looks unknown to me, maybe some italian one?
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And the metal parts are looking great again, btw that coin insertion looks unknown to me, maybe some italian one?
That's correct. This cabinet is an Italian version, made by Elettronolo. Forza! 8)
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Alright, now we're tackling a big task: installing the vinyl on the sides.
But before installing it, I still had to find the right vinyl. If I lived in the US, I would've jumped on the Black Vinyl (Morocco style) from QuarterArcade, but I need to find something 'locally' or risk blowing the budget. So I spent a few days searching and finally went with a vinyl from Amazon that, on paper, should do the trick...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-73.jpg)
No luck! This vinyl turned out to be absolute garbage: no texture, doesn't stick, and way too thin... So I went back to searching for a few more days and finally found the holy grail, right here :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-74.jpg)
Here's a comparison of the two vinyls. On top: the Amazon junk. Below: the holy grail of Atari-style vinyl.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-75.jpg)
Just to be clear, this is a quick test for illustration purposes, on an unprepared surface. It really shows how thick the bottom vinyl is, how well it sticks, and most importantly how it has the same texture and grain as the vinyls Atari used back in the '80s and '90s. :-*
Honestly, I was starting to lose hope of finding a vinyl of this quality! ... and so true to the original. :spaceace:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-76.jpg)
Okay, time to dive in...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-77.jpg)
Cut's done. Seriously, this vinyl's so thick and sticks like a charm :-* I didn't even need the surface to be that smooth. :D
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-78.jpg)
The photos don't do justice to the quality of this vinyl...it's just perfect!
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-80.jpg)
... and I can't stop running my fingers over it. ;D
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-79.jpg)
I just have to share this great find with you :) it's from a site based in France. Here's the product description:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/film.jpg)
But here's the most important part, which explains the quality: it's a certified product for public spaces, so we're talking about professional-grade material here :arrow:
Decorative adhesive film for furniture, suitable for use in public spaces thanks to its fire-retardant certification and excellent VOC test rating.
Easy to apply without requiring any downtime for the premises - a practical and efficient solution. Offers elegant, refined decoration with a high-quality surface that withstands nearly all forms of wear and tear.
Direct link to the product : REV-1K (https://www.film-pour-vitre.com/192-8778-papier-peint-autocollant-noir-mat.html) (for the record, this isn't a sponsored post)
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real nice, the vinyl looks fantastic.
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Wow, a difference between these two like night and day!
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real nice, the vinyl looks fantastic.
Yes, and so happy because I never expected to find a professional vinyl like this again ...and so close to the original material! :spaceace:
Wow, a difference between these two like night and day!
Yeps, and speaking about the shitty one (the vinyl from Amazon)... I was wondering what use I was going to find for it? :roll:
And I had an idea... when I saw that frame containing an original Space Ace 91 (conversion kit) marquee :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-81.jpg)
I had pulled out from my stock this frame that happened to be just the right width. Unfortunately, the back of the frame is a rather ugly natural brown. So I'm going to cover it with the sketchy vinyl from Amazon.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-82.jpg)
OK, this SA 91 marquee looks a way better now with a black background :spaceace: :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-83.jpg)
If you remember the road trip, I salvaged this marquee that was rolled up inside the cabinet. So yeah, it's totally legit for me to bring it up here. ;D
And as for that sketchy black vinyl from Amazon, I'm using it to create nice black backgrounds for frames that were way too big, exactly like I did for the SA91marquee... so in the end, I'm kinda glad I bought it too! 8)
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Now the other side of the cabinet. We are starting from here :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-84.jpg)
I peel off the sticker, expecting to do the same job as on the other side of the cabinet... I was wrong! :arrow: This Dragon's Lair 2 decides to mess with me a little more :? Look what I find after removing the sticker. :evil: :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-85.jpg)
Rotten, moldy, broken... :ghost: :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-86.jpg)
Guess we've got to break it more before we can fix it! :-\
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-87.jpg)
The area to repair is now too large to use just wood filler.
No, I'll need a piece of wood with the same thickness as the side of the cabinet.
But wait...I've got an idea? ::) I'll do a graft, or rather, an hybridization. ;D I still have an old board that once belonged to a ...Starblade ;D, with a few leftover parts...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-88.jpg)
Time to carve out the perfect donor piece for the graft 8) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-89.jpg)
A generous dose of this rotten wood repair compound is absolutely needed.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-90.jpg)
Let the graft begin!
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-91.jpg)
Wood glue, nails...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-92.jpg)
I smooth out the nails with the grinder, let everything dry, then it's time for the wood filler... :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-93.jpg)
I patch it all up...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-94.jpg)
Time to bring back my trusty old router :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-95.jpg)
Since I drove nails in vertically, it's impossible to make a continuous groove :ghost: I'll deal with that later... :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-96.jpg)
Now that this area is repaired, I can sand the rest of the side and fill in the small imperfections to get the smoothest surface possible before applying the new vinyl :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-97.jpg)
The thickness of the wood has probably shifted after all those years spent outdoors, so I'm prepping the edges in case the T-molding ends up being too small :
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-98.jpg)
Brush in hand, and knowing the surface would be covered anyway...I just couldn't resist, guys ;D ;D ;D :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-99.jpg)
:spaceace:
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Here we go! Finally laying the vinyl on the second side... and it's still just as delightful to caress with the hand. :-* :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-100.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-101.jpg)
I'm pleased to see the base repair left no visible mark behind :) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-102.jpg)
This DL2 Italian edition demands a little extra effort, crafted in two distinct pieces. ::) I?m now turning my attention to the upper half!
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-103.jpg)
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-104.jpg)
The moment a brush touches my hand, resistance fades :P I'm already swept away ::) :lol: :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-105.jpg)
At last, she stands tall complete, and draped in her new gown! :spaceace:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-106.jpg)
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Now comes a crucial and oh-so-satisfying moment, the reward stage that delights the eye: time to put up the new side art! :P
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-107.jpg)
This Italian cabinet version just won't stop adding extra work :roll: : I need to split the side art in two and precisely calculate the spacing between the pieces to make sure it all lines up perfectly when the sticker goes on.
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-108.jpg)
Last adjustments before locking it in for good...
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-109.jpg)
Et voil? 8) :arrow:
(https://www.dragonslairfans.com/20th/DL2-wip-110.jpg)
Super happy with the result and the side art quality! :) big shoutout to Barry for the great print! The cab's finally starting to look badass, right?
:spaceace:
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Amazing work, looks superb.