Nice, ugly tar stained formerly clear tubing
I've been told that smoking is a family value in Europe, I truly believe it after working on some of these pins. Reminds me of my earlier days as a computer repairman, and working on some computers that were in closed up offices that allowed smoking, when you could get sick off the contact from the tar all over the inside of the computer!
A stop at a local farm and fleet store turned up some nice new tubing. I got 3 sizes. Will go back for the 4th later, only need 2 sizes for this restoration and have them. The 4th size is the size used in the later WPC games that the power harness from the transformer to the power box runs through.
New ground braid needs one of these ends so it can attach to the ground stud in the backbox
After searching around online and getting ready to place a $2 pinrestore.com order, I realized I'd ordered a bunch with a previous order
Time to carefully run the new ground braid alongside the old in the harness
Braid run through the nice new clear insulation
Now, something that previously would've stuck out will blend in nicely.
Hacked up speaker wiring spliced in with color correct replacements. Will terminate once the harness is installed properly, so it isn't too short or too long
Time for the next problem, one I've been pondering for a couple weeks now...
When I installed the new enhanced leg bolt plates, the power box has to be shifted back ever so slightly. In the past, I've done this several times, and never had the problem I'm currently facing. The power switch can't be flipped, due to interference from the cutout that is routed into the cab
So, I debated my choices.
My first choice was to pull the power box, and move the hole the switch goes through, so it's back centered in the original hole.
After pulling it, and taking some measurements, I realized it wasn't super likely to work. I don't have a bit large enough to drill the hole. That's not a big deal, I could buy a bit, and then find someone with a drill press that fits a 1/2 inch bit, or borrow a hand drill with a 1/2 inch chuck, but the two holes would be really, really close - if they don't run together and turn into a slot.
I debated having someone trim the leg bolt plates up for me, or trim part of the flange off the power box. I decided that didn't work well for me, either, as once again, I'd have to depend on someone else, and it wouldn't look 'right'.
So, I did what I'd been pondering for awhile, and decided to massage the hole slightly. It wouldn't be noticeable from the top, and it wouldn't be common to be seen from the bottom, either. The guy who restored the cabinet for me could also cut me a new switch plate if necessary, and a little wood glue and a couple brads or staples, it would be back to original too.
After a bit of massaging, it worked! And it looks 'right', and the hole doesn't look horrid from below, either.
Before I hit it a bit with a sanding drum, I snapped a picture.
From below
Harness for cabinet switches is run, too.
Now, I need to clean some corrugated tubing for the harnesses from a junk game - the originals from this game were the same color (black) instead of one black, one grey, and were hand cut and are kind of ugly. I cleaned them up, but I want some nice clean looking ones. Any of the parts I've replaced on this game are going into a storage bin, and should I ever have the desire to go back to 'original' on something, it won't be impossible.
