UPDATE:
COMPLETE!
- Here's the album along with descriptions:
https://imgur.com/a/IBLiYkw
- I consolized the Vewlix F, and I plan on making a post to detail what the consolization entails. Feel free to ask any questions in the meantime. People restoring their Vewlix obviously do not have to do this. They can simple wire everything up as before. Because I consolized, I did not clean the original Vewlix monitor, speakers, power supplies, or wiring. If doing a restoration, I would recommend replacing the monitor and speakers. The power supplies can probably be cleaned with some IPA, paper towels, and canned air. The wiring can probably be cleaned with some IPA/Simple Green and paper towels.
- Mistakes:
- Do not use baking soda or anything abrasive to clean the Vewlix F body! Simple Green and paper towels/Magic Erasers works great!. If you want to test a cleaning solution, test it on a removable panel that will be easy to get repainted. Repainting the whole body worked for me because it came out great, but I would not have done it if I didn't mess up part of the finish with the baking soda.
- Don't use Goo Gone on the wooden boards or they might get stained. Wiping them down with some water and paper towels worked for me.
- Do not remove the stickers (unless you are going to repaint the Vewlix)! You can lightly clean the stickers with paper towels and a little bit of Simple Green to preserve the original arcade look.
- When removing the feet to clean, use the original feet bolts. I replaced mine and they were not quite the right size and one of the bolt holes broke when installing the feet:
https://imgur.com/a/ANghvqn
- Further restoration options:
- You could get the other panels repainted/powder coated. Would only do this if they were in horrid shape.
- You could repaint the side and top plastic panels and get new decals printed. Would only do this if they were in horrid shape.
- You could get new casters from Taito. Might do this in the future, but of low priority since they work fine.
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PROGRESS LOG (COMPLETE):
- Completely disassembled the cab except the feet (parts detached disassembled as well); took pictures and separated screw, washers, etc. in ziploc bags with small notes to document what went where.
- Used Goo Gone to remove all sticker residue (a few of the wire holders that were stuck inside the cab had fallen off or were about to fall off and they left behind sticky residue; can be replaced easily)
- Used canned air and sponge cloths to blow/wipe away all the dust and grime (you're not going to get everything, some spots are too hard to reach)
- Finished wiping down the ENTIRE Vewlix body with Simple Green and Magic Erasers (outside, inside, bottom). Used Brasso on the feet/wheels. Wiped them down with Simple Green and paper towels. Applied lube to the feet bearings. Reattached the feet and wheels. Wiped down the body (outside, inside, bottom) with IPA.
- Finished cleaning cleaning things as outlined in post
17. Used Novus 2 and 1 to repolish the chrome coin insert piece (did not strip the paint, was gentle). Cleaned the lock tangs with Brasso and then Simple Green and paper towels. Removed the circlip from the coin door button and used Brasso and steel wool on the button. Reattached the coin door button.
- OPTIONAL: Repolished plastic panels (main side pieces, control panel side pieces, top plastic and acrylic pieces, and marquee). I also repolished the two plastic black pieces directly above and below where the monitor sits because they had scuffs on them, but this is completely unnecessary (wanted to see what would happen with Novus and matte plastic). Soaked everything in a tub with Simple Green for a few minutes to soften up the remaining Novus residue. I then hosed everything down (in the shower; messy) to wash away the Novus crud and Simple Green. Dried things off with a towel/waited for things to finish drying and then applied the Novus 1 finalizing spray. This is optional because you can do the ALTERNATE method as described in post
24 and end up with something good in most cases.
- Removed the original monitor from the monitor frame. Separated the frame into all of its separate pieces (body, two side pieces, top piece, and bottom piece). Used Goo Gone to remove sticker residue from the frame pieces (let the Goo Gone sit for a while). Cleaned all the pieces with Simple Green, Magic Erasers, and paper towels.
- Ordered new glass from a glass shop (
OR clean the glass). I did not clean my glass, but post
3 in this
thread has good information on how to clean it. The side of the glass facing the LCD screen is normal and can be cleaned with glass cleaner, but the side of the glass facing the player has an anti-glare coating and needs to be cleaned differently. Another option is to remove the anti-glare coating on the glass like shown on post
392 in this
thread. My Vewlix F glass coating was not removable! (The coating is different somehow and can not be peeled away as described in that thread). Ordering new glass will differ between shops, but you basically get the height, width, and thickness and ask the glass shop to cut a piece that has decent clarity and durability.
- Reassemble everything using the disassembly guide and your own documentation. Once everything is together and setup, wipe the exterior metal with IPA and the side and top plastic pieces with Novus 1 if needed. Wipe down the glass as described in above paragraph. From here, what you do is up to you!