What started as a Mame cabinet…

Ended up a collection of arcade machines and all that goes with it..  Restorations of original machines has touched upon many of my favorite hobbies.  Woodworking, electronics, designing and overall problem solving.

I discovered a pattern that I like classic designs – however I like them functional and original.  Returning arcade machines back to a condition that resembles new has been fun.  All of my machines are in various states of restoration.  At minimum – they need to function perfectly..

Donkey Kong – Restoration

I had been hunting for one for a while. They rarely come up for sale in the north east. It looks better than it actually is.. Surprisingly the game runs. The monitor barely worked. Triage: The inside was pretty typical for an old cabinet. Dusty and needs a power cord. At some point Mikes Arcade…

Star Trek S.O.S – Restoration

I picked up this machine earlier this year and it has made it to the front of the line. I’d never played it – but c’mon.. Star Trek! It had been owned by a Star Trek fan/collector vs. an arcade machine collector. He had a Bally Star Trek pinball machine too – but that was…

Joust Upright – Restoration

Well ….  Got another one.. I’ve always loved Joust and even while I was restoring my favorite machine, Centipede, I kept an eye out for an original Joust project/restoration.  What I learned is that they are not easy to come by..  Working / restored machines are selling for a considerable amount. Buried in a Facebook…

Joust Cocktail – Restoration

When one Joust just won’t do.. I’ve always liked Joust and searched for a while to get one that could be cleaned up – my Joust Upright restoration is much more than a cleanup and was well under way when this became available. It was posted on KLOV for a reasonable price considering its (relative) rarity…

Asteroids Deluxe Cocktail – Restoration

Picked up this machine because it was the right price and I do like Asteroids. It didn’t need too much more than a full servicing. But as I got into it – I kept adding things to the list. Triage – Asteroids Deluxe When I picked this one up – the guy who owned it…

Ms. Pac-man Mini – Restoration

I picked this machine up as part of a package deal when I got my Joust Cocktail. Two years ago – we had our yearly labor day party and I unveiled Lakeside Arcade which is how I got started in the arcade machine hobby. My Mame machine had all of the usual’s on the favorites…

Gyruss – Restoration

Into double digits – 10th machine I had never played Gyruss in an arcade, I saw it once on a video and heard about it from a friend. Finally I remembered one day to play it on my Mame cabinet and really liked it. Enough to start keeping an eye out to get one. Turns…

Centipede – Restoration

I was warned by those on the BYOAC Forum that you could end up with more than one machine.. My Mame cabinet – Lakeside Arcade – was fun to build and gets considerable use.  But it’s at a summer home and isn’t all that available in the winter.  My game is Centipede – it has been since…

Ice Cold Beer – Restoration

Something I haven’t done in quite a while – worked on one of my own machines! I had not really played this game until last year, saw it around but always walked past it. When my arcade buddies came to town we ended up at a barcade (shocker) and the competition began. The knock on…