Primal Rage Refurb

[plasticfactory]

EDIT: This is as done as it's gonna be. I would still like to do a few things, like potentially remake the heat sink (lower profile), and put some texture or pattern into the side pads. I'd also like to sleeve the cables, which I'll probably still do.

Behold:

I recently received a very dirty, partially working Primal Rage board. I have posted in a few forums asking for help with various things, and figured consolidating here would be best. First, it was absolutely filthy. I washed it in an ultrasonic with Branson EC cleaner for 4 minutes at 50C, then dried in an annealing oven at 175 for 2 hours.

Before and after pictures attached.

Unfortunately, I damaged a PLCC socket, but repaired it with some glue and a 3d printer as seen here:
https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/damaged-plcc-socket.26251/#post-386768

Next up is the enclosure!

PS. shoutout to Birdland, those trays are killer!

 

[plasticfactory]

I'm starting with just a base, because of the unruly nature of this board. It's got some flex to it, and I don't really want to do much more work on the board until it has a flat, stable surface to adhere to. Just moving it around feels like it could snap in half.

Unlike my VV, I plan to use mostly off the shelf hardware to mount everything on this one. Again, the size of the board and difficulty getting precise measurements is what drove this decision.

I'm waiting on the acrylic, but am doing a graphite/marble base (to somewhat reflect the look of the cabinet), with a 1/4" clear top. After cutting the clear bit, all the holes miraculously line up, and include a lip for the Rage adapter.

Next up (so I can have all the hardware match, and secure things more firmly), I need to remove the posts (third picture). I can't tell if these are press fit, tacked on, or bonded. I plan to put a heat gun to them to see if they can be removed easily. If anyone has a better suggestion, please let me know as I've not encountered permanent posts like this.

 

[plasticfactory]

Got the hardware bits today to properly test fit. Everything lined up very nicely. I gave up on removing the existing standoffs -- they are flared, meaning they can only be removed destructively. In the interest of keeping the board original and reducing risk of damage, they will remain as-is. I did forget to account for the edge connector itself, so will unfortunately have to cut a new acrylic base.

Next is to recap, then do the top, then machine a new heatsink.

On recapping -- I ordered them from digikey (first time not using a preassembled kit), but the 1000uf caps are much larger than the existing. I purchased Nichicon UKL caps. I'm assuming this is normal? Or should I be looking at a different "series" of caps?

 

[HornheaDD]

With my PR board, it didn't have its RageCage, so I just attached it to some light plywood, and mounted it vertical (its in an arcade1up shell Im in the process of converting to a PR dedicated). The mounts for the daughterboard on mine are obviously loose because of the missing RageCage. I just put some zipties on one to secure it since it's vertical and its pretty rock solid.

Will you be putting this in a dedicated PR cab, or in something else?

 

[plasticfactory]

Mine also didn't come with the cage, or I'd be less inclined to make a case It will be thick enough that it can be stood on its side and should protect it from severe warping due to the 14 or so standoffs.

I play most games in various JAMMA candy cabinets -- no dedicated PR cab. So it will live on a shelf with the rest of my enclosed PCBs until its time to play.

 

[plasticfactory]

Made some progress on the case today. Not really happy with how it turned out so will be redoing it. I still have all the spacers/structural parts to print anyway.

 

[HornheaDD]

I think it looks rad man.

 

[plasticfactory]

Thanks. I didn't like how everything mounted together. The size of the board really doesn't allow for anything other than "rock solid" from an enclosure. Waiting on some new pearl red acrylic to do V2.

 

[nem]

On recapping -- I ordered them from digikey (first time not using a preassembled kit), but the 1000uf caps are much larger than the existing. I purchased Nichicon UKL caps. I'm assuming this is normal? Or should I be looking at a different "series" of caps?

You purchased a higher ripple current, lower impedance capacitor. As long as it fits, it's fine.

 

[Kidkaos]

Made some progress on the case today. Not really happy with how it turned out so will be redoing it. I still have all the spacers/structural parts to print anyway.

It looks good bro! I got a board coming to me, If you're not happy with it I'll gladly buy this from ya as mine is missing the cage as well.

 

[plasticfactory]

Thanks man! Sent you a PM.

 

[xnz136]

Interesting thought on mounting it to acrylic - it's definitely a clunky board. I'll admit that I just drop mine in my wooden PCB box/cradle when I put it in a cab.

 

[plasticfactory]

The 1/4" thick acrylic makes an excellent base with negligible flex. The design posted above uses 2x pieces of 1/8" that is just too flimsy. The redesign also has the case top mount to the bottom case, rather than through the board. The blue part are unfinished side brackets to keep things rigid (and maybe support the board stack from the side), but primarily to mount rubber feet on so I can stand it on its side. Attached is (hopefully) the final design. Just waiting on the acrylic and 60mm spacers. It's starting to get ridiculous for a simple acrylic case, but I'd rather it be something I'm happy with in the end

@nem thanks for the info. I wound up purchasing some smaller diam. caps to reduce crowding.

 

[plasticfactory]

Getting closer! brackets fit, and I think I cut the last of the acrylic. Going to assemble tonight and print rubber pads for the brackets tomorrow.

 

[plasticfactory]

Well, I missed a measurement somewhere because the spacers are too short. Fortunately, that's an easy fix. What's left:

• ran out of aluminum spacers for the top board; waiting on more to arrive
• reprint the side spacers
• design a TPU pad to adhere to the spacers as "feet"
• cut and install the red-pearl "backsplash" behind the logo (seen here, waiting on the material to arrive)
• sleeve the cables

Lastly, I have finally found the source of my audio woes posted about here.

Almost done with this damn thing! ... Oh, and I think this will be the last gloss black case I do. Very difficult to keep clean, and is basically a magnet to dog hair I didn't even know was in the house.

 

[xnz136]

Nice. Not sure if you regularly run the board at the voltage shown in the photo, but just a heads up that Primal Rage PCBs really need a steady 5V or a bit over in order to run properly.

 

[plasticfactory]

Nah, I had just pulled a wolf board before putting this in to test. The extra adapter draws it down, it's currently set very close to 5.00.

 

[HornheaDD]

lol I dont exactly forget how big the Rage board is, but sometimes you see it set up somewhere else and think "oh damn yeah it totally is that big..."

 

[plasticfactory]

Finally got everything rock solid, working, and cut/printed. Going to assemble in the morning and never touch Primal Rage again.

 

[ekorz]

and never touch Primal Rage again.

Worth checking your program rom version to make sure it’s the latest - 2.3. In test mode it will say the date Jan 4 1995 for both OS and MAIN.