Puckman Custom Made CPO for my Bootleg Puckman

[level42]

Wow that looks awesome  Good to see such a cab coming back to life. And even better that there is vectorized artwork for this available. Really good job! Enjoy your new mint looking cp 

Well, it wasn't available, but thanks to Guydanger and Zorg there is now

I had already forgotten about our Aussie friend....
This has been running for a long time, but it was worth it

[SeTTleR]

Wow that looks awesome  Good to see such a cab coming back to life. And even better that there is vectorized artwork for this available. Really good job! Enjoy your new mint looking cp 

Well, it wasn't available, but thanks to Guydanger and Zorg there is now

That's what I'm talking about 

[level42]

So after "cooking" off the CPO, next step is to fill the ugly and now unnecessary original ANd non-original joystick holes:

First I put some tape on the back to form a "backing" for the bondo:


Then FILL'ER UP !

[Superully]

don't you want to put something "strong" on the back where those holes were? i'd either weld or glue (epoxy) a piece of metal (or something similar) to the back to make sure that bondo doesn't break off / out! there is some pressure on the metal when you're moving around, so i wouldn't simply rely on the bondo, but that's just my .02

[level42]

Well I figured the holes are so small and the bondo is so strong that it wouldn't be necessary. If it would be button holes I'd agree.

[level42]

Just ordered this hole punch from RS online:

http://nl.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=543-608

To me it seemed a more clear and easy way to make a button hole compared to drilling. I had never heard of this tool before I read about them on KLOV

The US guys use 1.125" but 30mm is close enough to that.

[level42]

OK.....well my friends........today it was great weather, the wife was away all day so that meant........hobby time !

Decided to finish the Puckman panel because....the wonderful CPO deserves so.....


First I sanded the CP:


Since the panel was never painted before I completely sanded it all over...


2 layers of primer, 2 layers of black paint...


Applied CPO, went pretty well:


Look how nice the color of the (fully restored !) original Midway Pac joystick matches with the CPO and buttons !!

Does it look great or what ? I'm so proud that all the sizes were EXACTLY right ! Pretty amazing considering all the variables possibly involved...


Soooooo....next step is creating the extra hole for the extra button. I had doubted wether I should make the hole before I painted and installed the CPO, but thought this way I could get an exact position....so pilot hole drilled, first 3 mm, then 10 mm.



Install the hole punch exactly in the center....


And then as I started turning in the hole punch............well words are not neccesary:



[INSERT ALL THE WORST CURSE WORDS YOU CAN THINK OFF HERE PLEASE]  


So....what went wrong ?

Well...the hole punch has two sharp "points". I thought they had "grabbed" enough so that they wouldn't turn.....but they did and doing so it tore the CPO around the projected hole .....

Sigh....

Madly I tore the complete CPO off. I did finish the hole though....at least I've got it at the right spot Ha-ha-ha.....


Well.....I guess rich still has the file....A costly mistake indeed.

While I removed the CPO I also discovered that the primer hadn't set very well to the metal. Most parts the metal was completely bare again when I pulled it off. This was an el-cheapo primer and I'm going to ditch it ASAP.

I do think I may have been a little bit too impatient to do all the steps pretty quickly after another. I should have allowed to let the primer, the black paint and the CPO to cure much longer. But I had time now and I was on a roll so....

O well...Rich is getting a new order.....

[Superully]

damn, that totally sucks. i know how you must feel, because when i removed my pac-man stencils something similar must have gone through my mind, but it turned out nice eventually. as you've stated, patience often is the key, something i too often lack myself. now you have the holes (and the time for a new paint job), you will get there in the end. good luck, andre!!!

[ckong]

   I'm sorry for you André, unfortunately things like this sometimes happen.

But fortunately you know where to get a new one.    And in the meantime you have time enough to repaint the CPO and let it harden out.

[Muerto]

Damn! so close, yet so fare... 
I have ordered a set of these special drills..... i hope they will ease my drilling jobs:

[Q*ris]

Aouch, that sucks but shit happens... and the next one will be sooo perfect.
It's very thoughtful of you to share that story here so that hopefully it won't happen to others.
Thanks for that, André!

[level42]

Yeah....I have no problems sharing my failures. I share my successes so I think I should also share my failures...:S

So....to ease my mind.....I was just playing a couple of Ms.Pac Man games....


After about an hour the machine goes "plop". Screen crashes, everything dies....
I smell something....it's close.....Ah....it's the marquee area.....the tube and transformer feel VERY hot....
Actually I'm happy, this time it's probably a blow fuse because of that....not the PCB.

Anyway, this appears just not to be my day, I'm going to bed !

[gyruss]

that sucks bigtime! I hope it's just a fuse! 

[Etienne MacGyver]

Not your day......

sorry about that !

I remember last time i was there i told you i smelled something "electrical"....
maybe the mrs was already warming up back then ?

[Rikitiki]

I hate it when that happens

maybe I missed this but why did you punch the hole after?
Ill work on getting you a replacement ASAP.