Epic Nintendo Red Tent Restoration!

Join Video Game Preservationist Tod Curtis on an epic journey to restore one of the grails of arcade/console collecting: a 1980s Nintendo Red Tent system. Plucked from a field in southern Indiana where it spent months (or even years!) decaying in the elements, this Red Tent (also known as a Nintendo Vs. System Table) had nearly succumbed to rust before Tod brought it home and embarked on an intense six-month restoration process.
You'll learn some of the tricks of the trade, including metal fabrication, rust removal, Bondo patching, arcade monitor rehabilitation, circuit board repair, wiring, painting, and more!
This is truly an incredible restoration and one that must be seen to be believed!
If you enjoy the video, please help me out by liking and subscribing. I'd love to be able to do more videos like this and the positive feedback would be much appreciated :)
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
00:14 - The Find
01:10 - The Deal
02:02 - The Pickup
02:51 - Unloading
05:40 - Red Tent History
06:52 - Rust Removal
10:45 - Base Renovation I
11:56 - Fiberglass Resin Repair
13:39 - Power Supply And Monitor Disassembly
23:19 - Base Renovation II
26:51 - Another Pickup
28:25 - Monitor Rehab
36:21 - Control Panel Rehab
39:18 - Base Renovation III
47:54 - Let's Paint
49:54 - Wiring
55:17 - Monitor 2
01:03:50 - The Hood Part I
01:11:24 - Audio Repair
01:13:08 - The Hood Part II
01:14:05 - Wrapping It Up
01:16:07 - Fully Restored
Music Credits:
Itty Bitty 8 Bit:
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/it...
License code: KZHWAPBMNUGLJOQY
Lazer Beam
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/matrika/lazer-beam
License code: TRVYUBFMP0ZCVY8J
The Incident
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-in...
License code: ZLNYBK03QHJNUUCI
Refresh Mountain
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/refresh
License code: BKXDXPGSA4MYWW7U
Hype Is Everything
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/hype...
License code: PES79XBENCWCHMTB
Light Up
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/wake-yourself-up...
License code: 9TXTRCL7TC7IKNUI
Space Ranger
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/moire/space-ranger
License code: KTOCIE5WMJPAMLSK
Mr. Brass
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/m...
License code: QPTABUSC2UAQ8JXO

[@winstonslone2797]

During the time when these games were obsolete and not a collector or nostalgia items, many of them were simply thrown in the trash. When you opened a game back then you threw the box in the trash. People never expected Nintendo items to become collectables. Very sad thinking about all the cool stuff that ended up in a land fill. Happy to see you are giving this guy a second life.

[@tcurtis49]

I bought a lot of NES games back in the day from people and video rental stores that were just going to throw them away. It seems weird now but back then they had little to no real value. I’ve always been a preservationist and was mostly buying them to keep them out of landfills. Turned out to be a good move but so much has been lost to history at this point.

[@winstonslone2797]

@@tcurtis49 I bought about 50 NES games at a pawn shop for 5 bucks a peice. Zelda and final fantasy came complete in box for 10 each. Still have my NES and games. Trying to find a little crt I can carry up five flights of stairs in a NYC apartment building

[@tcurtis49]

I bought nearly 400 CIB NES games from the local video stores for $1 each...but the manuals were often well-used and there were security stickers on every cart. But still a deal looking back :)

[@alikanak123]

This machine is so good dude. Lucky to be you :)

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! I’m definitely lucky to have accumulated so many things that bring back fun memories of my childhood/teenage years.

[@COOL-DROPS]

God bless you for investing so much time, money and energy into restoring and preserving these wonderful pieces of our past

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@RobMcCallum99]

Here we go! A literal example of someone else's trash being someone else's treasure!

[@PotatoeSnow]

I don't think average person could have ever done this. Even if happened to have all the tools, if I sold this for $300 I'd assume he'd wanted to take out parts, and fix the metal for another machine.

[@RobMcCallum99]

@@PotatoeSnow All I will say is that Tod is not an average person. He's ridiculously resourceful, intelligent and determined to find answers by any means necessary - not to mention just a real decent person.

[@FlatBroke612]

“One mans garbage is another mans good un-garbage. Or something like that bubs”

[@ThomasGrillo]

I'd swear a dead one of these was used as a prop for the engineering section's work table, in Star Trek The Next Generation. Very cool. :)

[@tcurtis49]

I had no idea but you are the 2nd person in the last week to say that!

[@Retrogameplayer8000]

I agree. I'm not alone. I knew I was right

[@oak8194]

Man, that seller kept raising up the price every time you talked to him. It’s like “Yeah, the machine has 2 screens… oh wait, it doesn’t, so that’ll be another 50 bucks on top.”😂 I love that you’re showing the process in such great lengths. Even if I have zero clues in the field of electronics and repairs, it’s still very interesting and educational (not to mention therapeutic to see things get repaired!). This is wayyyyy better than those junk repair channel where it’s people happen to come across perfectly salvageable devices in the middle of nowhere and with only a little bit of scrub-a-dub-dub, they’re practically brand new AS IF they were bought beforehand and swapped in…

[@tcurtis49]

It's just me (or me and my wife), my phone, and whatever I find. I definitely want to make videos that anyone can relate to. Especially those who know nothing about the technical side but are curious how someone even starts this kind of process. I love watching videos of things going from a wreck to beautiful, no matter what it is, and I'm glad that appeals to others as well. What's even funnier is that I'm always looking for a really terrible project to fix up and when I find one that's seemingly simple, there are unexpected twists that make it that much harder (see Pole Position video, for example). And I'm experiencing exactly the same thing on the project(s) I just started last week. Makes for good viewing but more headaches for me :) Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad you enjoy my content!

[@oak8194]

@@tcurtis49 That's another thing I like about your video is that you also showed the parts where you came across certain obstacles and difficulties. It's not always a smooth sailing as others tend to show, making restoration seems like the easiest things to do with just some toothbrushes, cleaning detergents and paint sprays. XD I just subbed to you and was planning to go through other videos starting from the Pole Position! Please keep up the good work and do take care! (Seriously, working with all the power tools and rusty parts sure is dangerous!)👍

[@user-lx3th5on8l]

​@@tcurtis49did it use two crts or just one I'm pretty curious cos there is two controllers on each side 😊

[@tcurtis49]

@@user-lx3th5on8l Two CRTs-one on each side. Some games (like Tennis) played 4 player with each side seeing the court from their own perspective.

[@user-lx3th5on8l]

@@tcurtis49 so I suppose there'll be two isolation transformers for the two CRTs right 🤔 cos some arcade machines sometimes have two transformers one a isolation and another which is for the main power supply

[@smeatonmedia]

I just picked one of these up the other day, and stumbled on this video. I thought mine was in rough shape, but compared to how you found yours it seems pretty minty. Huge respect for taking the time to restore this part of gaming history. I’m so glad you found that machine. This is better than a movie!

[@tcurtis49]

Haha-I hope you have good success with yours!

[@fasthippy]

Early on you said it looked overall reasonable... man you are a optimist haha. This was a journey and a half- amazing work.

[@tcurtis49]

I am definitely an optimist…but sometimes reality comes crashing down on me :)

[@dustyisdusty]

This is such a great restoration, it looks like a lot of thought and effort went into it.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! A lot of thought, for sure…it gave me as many problems as I could want!

[@sfunk6294]

Awesome video. I love your attention to detail. This game looks and operates perfectly. Way to go! All of your games look perfect.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! Many have battle scars from their days in the arcades but that's all part of the fun :)

[@winstonslone2797]

Wow! They had one of those in the movie theater lobby when I was a kid in the late 80s. I only remember Kung Fu, punchout and super Mario bros on it. I know there were more but it was 35 years ago.

[@tcurtis49]

That’s a cool place for one!

[@mathewgrinnell7392]

I ain't gonna lie i avoided this video for a while due to the fake restoration stuff flooding youtube lately in the last few years and I literally thought that's what this was with your thumbnail for it sitting outside. But I'm glad I watched it because you did an amazing job on it...

[@tcurtis49]

Haha nothing but real with me, good and bad :) If you liked this one you’re probably going to like the Tron one as well. Thanks!

[@mathewgrinnell7392]

@tcurtis49 dude I used to watch @Johns arcade and I did go ahead and subscribe you earned it I'm a pinball nerd mainly I do know how arcades and vending machines I also noticed that you used joy carpets nebula in your game room.

[@tcurtis49]

Someone just asked me today where I got that carpet as they are ordering some for their arcade. Popular stuff :) It is cool under the blacklights tho. Thx for subscribing!

[@Drummer8282]

My mind has been blown. I’ve done a few arcade restorations but nothing on this scale. I wouldn’t have given that red tent a second look. The time and dedication to see this restoration through is commendable 👏

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks, Tom!

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

Yup I'd have savaged the monitor and binned the rest. Really incredible dedication!

[@mitchsterling3266]

You did an awesome job. Price bidding is a very alien bidding practice to me, I like how you shared it, it made it a valuable fun point in the video, I love your positivity over that whole thing. I love you information generosity and linked in my brain that the generosity may be the only info bank for people to fix this thing again in the future without you. I love this whole video. Ive gained arthritis on projects like this outside which included acorn projectile injuries too and i also work on unsolved consoles issues like ps4 base model rebuild, i was first to solve. Im relating to you. Thank you so much for this man! subbed big time.

[@tcurtis49]

I’m glad you liked it. All of this is just for fun for me. I like seeing what I can fix. Both of the sellers that I bought from in this video were great people, super helpful, and kept track of how the restoration was going and watched the video at the end. It’s not weird for people in Indiana to haggle and try to work the best deal-it’s just something we do. I’ll keep trying to find cool stuff to restore and share my journey with others. Thanks!

[@mikeytappe]

This was incredible to watch! I don’t know why I’ve never considered using donor parts from a spare tv to fix one I care about. The cabinet looked so good by the end!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@briangoldberg4439]

looks great! fantastic that you saved it. One suggestion is that the smoked glass requires it to be run at a higher brightness and that will wear out the tube faster. swapping for clear glass will hurt the contrast a little, but it's really better in the long run to preserve the tube

[@tcurtis49]

I typically keep it fairly dim anyway since the lights are always off in the arcade area. But good tip :)

[@9lavender]

This. Is. Incredible. I have so much respect for and envy of people who are able to pull off something like this. It was sitting out in a field!!!! If you don't have a degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering then I just don't know how you did this. Amazing! Also your video is very well produced. Wow!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks for the kind words! I wish I had more formal training in those areas but it’s amazing how much you pick up over the years by necessity. Luckily there are a lot of resources out there and good people willing to help when I get stuck on something.

[@Tarpo]

I'm so glad I found your channel. Your rebuild and restoration videos are fantastic. The fact that you even have the patience to photograph, video and document the process over so many months is mind blowing. The pacing, editing and content of your videos is just top notch. It blows my mind that you aren't in the 100k range for subs and rocketing beyond.

[@tcurtis49]

I’m glad you like it! Lately I’ve gotten a lot more views so hopefully more people can enjoy them. But I’ll keep making them no matter what because it’s fun to do. I appreciate the kind words!

[@bostonnbunn]

Amazing ,stunning restoration work, you must have patience like a Buddhist 👌

[@tcurtis49]

I have definitely learned patience over the years. Plus the fun in restoring is the journey itself so it’s kind of sad when it’s over :)

[@Albert-ru7ob]

I hope to get a job over the summer at an arcade repairing the games and stuff. I already am pretty proficient at fixing consoles so I hope I can do this type of stuff too. Great video it was really inspirational especially for me who may be doing stuff exactly like this in less than a month. :)

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! Sounds like you are going to have a lot of fun!

[@woogaloo]

I never really understand KZbin recommendations, but I'm very happy your channel showed up! You do such an awesome job and you're really enjoyable to watch. I know I'll never take on an arcade restore, but I can live vicariously through you. So, so good! I've been wanting to chop up some Wiis to turn into custom systems so you might finally convince me to try it out just because you look like you're enjoying yourself throughout all of this (even if like 50%+ is sanding lol).

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! Yeah, I ruined a lot of shirts and towels sanding that stuff but it was all fun :)

[@SAPopeOnARope]

This was a fascinating video, and I loved watching your excellent work. So. Pin pullers. I've had one for about... 15 years. The key is to shove the wire forward, hard, and then shove the pin puller as deep into the connector as you can. This is usually fine on newer connectors (I use em for ATX / EPS / PCI-E / Modular PC cables). I find that the older style 6 pin connectors are... very very tight. Those ones you have to keep pulling, almost inevitably until the outbound wire gores your finger. Those ones are like working on mid 90's PCs... you aren't done until it draws your blood.

[@SAPopeOnARope]

"I have orthodontic tools, because I'm an orthodontist" Yeah. That tracks. Spending a whole lot of time staring at things that are... "Not optimal" and making a whole lot of small adjustments to get them to meet the vision. Do you have any of your cabinets / displays set up at the office for the youths?

[@tcurtis49]

I have heard that and I will keep practicing. It seems like sometimes pulling pins is simple and other times they are just jammed in forever :) Thanks!

[@tcurtis49]

Being an orthodontist is really analogous to being an engineer, and in fact the head of our graduate program was a former engineer. And I have a degree in computer science. Both involve multiple short, logical steps and analyzing results along the way. I was drawn to it because I am math/logic oriented and like to fix things up. Plus it pays the bills :)

[@Pezzapoo]

Bravo! Top skills and perseverence! Good to see real restorations

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@TomMannCenturia]

Great video, I tend to agree with comments about the music being a bit in your face, especially against your very calm voice, but still a fun watch and that machine was very lucky you found it, you did a fantastic job on it. I look forward to watching your other vids. Thanks for sharing.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! I am keeping that in mind as I get ready to put together videos for my current projects. Appreciate the feedback!

[@alexlefevre3555]

This seems like one of those moments where single sided, through-hole PCBs saved the day! I absolutely love refurbishing, restoring, and saving electronics from the bin. My ability to metal work is so very limited compared to your level of skill... I have a tendency to remove as much rust and corrosion I can and basically paint a cool color to call it good. I enjoyed every moment watching you dedicate yourself to this labor of love. A tip of the hat to you, sir!

[@tcurtis49]

Yes, I’m still a noob when it comes to surface mount chips but you can work magic on old traditional boards. Thanks so much!

[@alexlefevre3555]

@@tcurtis49 Surface mount is probably my specialty; my first job out of college was at a small electronics manufacturer... Learned it all from pick and place, reflow, defective board repair, and of course my absolute loathing of lead free solder. You've given me the inspiration to get back into a couple of old projects getting dusty that look nowhere near as bad as this did but felt was out of my scope. No time like the present!!

[@tcurtis49]

Awesome! Glad I could inspire :)

[@Gobra11]

Please, don't call this "restoration". This is more like "resurrection". It was damaged beyond any repair, yet you managed to bring it back from the dead. Wonderfull job!

[@tcurtis49]

Well--maybe it at least deserved the "Epic" title. Seems like I've had a few of those :) Thanks!

[@Mr_Craftician]

Great job. I appreciate your attention to detail and the excellence in which you approach your hobby and fandom.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@keymad4]

its definitely a cool community you belong to people helping you out like that, brilliant.

[@tcurtis49]

I’ve always been surprised by the generosity of other arcade (and video game) collectors. Good people :)

[@Alextheampguy]

I repair vintage electronics on a daily basis and love old games, so these videos is right up my League, nice work. so sad that old arcade machines are so rare here in Norway, i would love one from Nintendo or sega 😁

[@tcurtis49]

It is definitely hard in other parts of the world to find this kind of stuff. I’m in a good location not terribly far from Chicago, which was an epicenter for arcade and pinball manufacturing back in the day. On the other hand you get to live in Norway so you have it pretty good! That’s often the country that people I know dream about living in from a cultural standpoint :)

[@markray3263]

I've done a few restorations, and I was VERY impressed by this restoration. If you think arcade cabs are difficult to unload, you should try a full size video slot machine, they are also made to repaired ONLY by factory service techs. Consoles and arcade machines are SOOO much more approachable, ...except for units like your Red Tent. After seeing how badly the cabinet was rusted through, I thought the only solution was to fold and weld up a new one, ...I was mistaken. I hope to see a lot more of your restoration videos.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! I got the feeling these were designed to last a few tears and then be discarded. That metal doesn’t stand the test of time. I may eventually come across a slot machine so I consider myself warned!

[@JMurdochNZ]

Amazing work.

[@joox7364]

Great video! I really like how you take the time to explain each step and how you're doing everything.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@ENM-RE]

Absolutely incredible, I personally did a Red Tent restoration as well but my machine was no where near this level of decay. This is just amazing, fantastic job! Those monitors are really hard to find! Makes me happy another one of these were saved as people used to buy two+ busted machines in an attempt to save just one.

[@tcurtis49]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it and were able to get yours restored. It’s a labor of love and preserving history, sometimes. I am about to wrap up saving a Tron cabinet from a fiery demise and hope to add that to the playlist before long. And yes, those monitors are extremely hard to find :)

[@JRCentrex]

Wow, what an amazing transformation. Brings me back to when I was in grade 9! There was an illegal arcade in the basement of a pizza store that had two of these.

[@tcurtis49]

An illegal arcade? Tell me more!

[@JRCentrex]

@@tcurtis49 This was in the early 90's. Literally a main floor pizza joint in Toronto Canada and in the unfinished basement that you access through a side door without any sign they had two of these same machines down there and a dirty bathroom for the visitors and pizza shop employees. I guess they let the word out to some of the local students. Super sketchy then, would be even more sketchy today. I put a lot of coins into those machines.

[@tcurtis49]

@@JRCentrex That’s awesome :)

[@rwdplz1]

Can't believe that hoarder left it outside. nicely done!

[@tcurtis49]

Junk is junk--and it was junk at that point :) I'm just glad he decided to offer it up for grabs rather than let it sit. Thanks!

[@mrshaw3794]

And I thought I was great putting a new fuse in my Snes. 😊 Very impressed from across the pond.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! One day it’s just a fuse, the next you are doing a cap kit on a monitor…that’s kind of how it escalates :)

[@patrickp.1998]

Suprisingly no bulletholes 😂👍

[@tcurtis49]

Not that we know of!

[@AerynGunn]

Tod, this was an awesome project and I really enjoyed watching this. I loved the little interviews with your wife and son. And I really liked the clips showing the work itself and the music choices are spot on. I'm looking forward to your next project.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks, Kim! Hopefully next time I plan ahead and include a little more commentary from friends and family along the way. And I really dug the music as well-I found some tracks on Uppbeat that fit perfectly.

[@jeffm5056]

I can't get over your insane Nintendo collection display, and your understanding wife. This was so fun to watch. Dude, those boxes Atari games just bring my childhood back. Excellent job!

[@vulgaros]

This video was truly enjoyable for me. What a nice Sunday watch!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@Crynok]

A master class in restoration. I sat in disbelief in the first half part of the video just shaking my head at the state of that thing, thinking that surely no-one in their right mind would ever take on such a project... Thank you for including so much teaching about crt's as well, I'm sure I'll eventually get some use for it somewhere down the line!

[@tcurtis49]

I spent the first part of my first day with it shaking my head at the state of that thing as well...and Cindy definitely thought I was out of my mind. I'm still a bit amazed at just how nice it turned out and it has been a focal point of my collection ever since. Thanks for the kind words!

[@nErfEr308]

Just saw this in my recommended a few days ago and already watched this and the Tron restoration. You mentoned you get toothbrushes from work but as soon as I saw the bird beak and three jaw pliers I knew you were either a general dentist or orthodontist haha. Those are literally the perfect pliers for the coin switch wire though!

[@tcurtis49]

I’m. an orthodontist. And that really helps with a number of things, particularly board work. Everything I do restoring games is on a huge scale compared to teeth :)

[@Price-qd1cd]

Ok I’m finally through all of our arcade videos!This red tent turned out amazing and I love the hammer finish on the red paint

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them. The finish on that has held up really well and still looks good, I’m glad I went that route :)

[@corvustiberius3591]

This is an impressive endeavour. Your place looks so awesome too. Super cool, man. Very skilled.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@mikematkovic3466]

Great video ! Great job of documenting the Red Tent and nicely done ! Thanks for sharing !!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@MikesArcadecom]

Amazing work! I love how you restored the rusted out tub. Great Job!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks for the help getting parts! I hope you noticed a couple of shoutouts for you along the way :)

[@MikesArcadecom]

I did Tod. So glad we had some useful bits for you. Thanks for the shoutouts.

[@Scorpiove]

You are an artist. Superb work. Learning that your an Orthodontist makes everything make sense on your amazing work.

[@tcurtis49]

It certainly helps that I had so many years of fine tuning with my hands and working with small objects. And to understand patience and taking things one step at a time. I find that a lot of dentists are craftsmen and hobbyists as well. Thanks!

[@baddestmofoalive]

That purple thing at 0:54 is the old “Light and Easy” Shark Steam Mop lol

[@tcurtis49]

I should have made him throw that in the deal as well!

[@ReedLove]

Amazing restoration work! I remember playing on one of these at a pizza place when I was a little guy back in the 80's. What a cool project and awesome collection!

[@undermask1111]

I just can’t describe how cool you are in my opinion. One of the most satisfying video. Thank you for your job!

[@tcurtis49]

I wish everyone thought I was cool. I’m still a big nerd as far as I’m concerned:)

[@irrigamii]

Seriously one of the best restorations to anything I have ever seen. Extremely amazing work, makes me happy to see this left for dead machine working again!!

[@tcurtis49]

Much appreciated. Even I was stunned by how well it turned out. It’s really all about taking one step at a time and being patient :)

[@miganhawkins8390]

Excellent work. Yeah it's an enjoyable hobby. Like welding for me. It's always something I enjoyed. Relaxing and a great escape mentally. Awesome video

[@tcurtis49]

Couldn't agree with you more. When people say it would have been easier just to start with new, they perhaps don't understand the joy I get from patiently working something back into form. I'm never in a hurry with these projects--they are the perfect wake up on Saturday morning and tinker around with for a few hours hobby :)

[@miganhawkins8390]

@@tcurtis49 oh absolutely 💯. It's more enjoyable looking at all the hard work, effort, and patience put into a project. It's easy to start with new but it's not much different than spending money on a game to just win easily. It's more enjoyable to grind, and work. Your efforts express themselves through hard work and patience. Much more enjoyable to look at instead of paying to win do to speak.

[@ReadyMack-g]

wow what a skill , :) thanks for the share

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@dukert27]

Awesome work looks amazing. I learned the hard way about those plugs, working on an old crt, shocked the crap out of myself.

[@tcurtis49]

I think even those who take all the precautions shock themselves from time to time. I have once when a HOT shorted itself to the metal shielding next to it and I touched it while adjusting a powered on monitor. Nice jolt :) But a good reason to remember to never touch the monitor with both hands--you'd much rather have the current run through you to ground than through one hand, across your heart, and through the other back to the live current.

[@ellgwapo.1754]

Meny good watter'ed! The electronik Monitor oh'.

[@paultgreen]

This is one of those cathartic videos that I've enjoyed having on in the background. Well done!

[@danieldelewis2448]

This is next level

[@dhultgren1]

Just a little advice for prepping rust pitted metal... It's better to use "Self-Etching Primer" instead of regular primer. Nice job!

[@tcurtis49]

I'll check it out. I know I had little success with regular primer and went with the thicker sandable automotive primer, which was much better. I'll look for Self-Etching next time.

[@OnlyDadz]

This so far from what I've watched, is an awesome video. I must say cutting metal is scary as hell and I don't have anyone to help me either. That rotozip and track made quick work of it! Good job!

[@tcurtis49]

Yes it is! But had to be done :)

[@_asher]

So many skills used and so much knowledge needed for this restoration, really impressive! I learned a few things for sure!

[@tcurtis49]

Glad I had something helpful to offer! I'm always learning new things myself as I work on these projects.

[@YEN100YEN]

Incredible. You've got seriously mad skills! Respect and congratulations!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@sillysausage72]

Super restoration. 👌

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@WrestleCrapRD]

Having seen this machine in person, the video doesn't really do justice just how great it looks. Can't wait to see more of your incredible work documented.

[@alexanderfederowicz]

Played all of these for hours on end in the late 70's into the 90's and even early 2000's... Used to flip over the score on asteroids with dozens of ships across the screen...

[@tcurtis49]

I was pretty good at Asteroids myself. It was at the very front of our arcade in the entryway and I always made sure to get my initials at the top of the high score list for all to see :)

[@jasenwm]

God bless people like you saving this hobby!

[@frankierzucekjr]

After all this sanding, I think its a good idea to invest in a sandblaster. I know I need one, well more of a WANT lol. Just because it looks like fun, and it definitely makes sanding, especially in tight spots, so much easier

[@tcurtis49]

I have a small sandblaster at my office that I could use for little parts. It’s not so much that I wouldn’t use a bigger one; it’s where to store yet another tool. I live in a town with a lot of metal fabrication business (we have a GM plant as well) and next time I may just run over and use someone’s equipment. Thanks!

[@yeahsamweller8671]

You're an incredible host and editor!! This was thoroughly engrossing and educational. Keep doing you!

[@tcurtis49]

Much appreciated! I know my style and these types of videos aren’t for everyone, but they certainly represent what I like. Thanks for watching :)

[@FTfilm]

damn that seller got greedy very quickly Edit: after reading some comments it seems thats not the case, although the conversation in the vid makes it look that way. Btw, nice work! Got yourself another subscriber.

[@tcurtis49]

Yeah I didn’t realize how bad I made that look until I saw comments on it. He’s actually great and the typically kind southern Indiana type of person. Glad you liked the video and thanks for the support!

[@tbonemaloneknowsitall]

This video is amazing! Great job dude! You deserve a wider audience!

[@tcurtis49]

It’s already much wider than it had been. For whatever reason 75% of views and subscribers have been in the last two weeks. I’m just glad people are entertained by what I consider silly fun projects.

[@jamesleonard1887]

Actually amazing.Top ten KZbin channel easily

[@tcurtis49]

I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the compliment :)

[@keymad4]

I'm impressed

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@markusheitmann]

Thanks for bringing us with you on this adventure! 😊

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks for watching! It was definitely a fun experience:)

[@98of99]

Bravo on an amazing project - I’m learning soo much from your videos, thank you!

[@tcurtis49]

I’m not sure that’s a good thing! I likely do or say things that other restorers shake their heads about but I like to find my own solutions to problems and try different approaches :) Thanks for the kind words!

[@98of99]

Your results speak for themselves, you’re definitely doing something right when you can take a rusting hunk of junk and make it beautiful and functional.

[@archeroftime123]

You sir are awesome! Great restoration! Retro stuff is always a treat to see.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@TortureBot]

You're an orthodontist? I was wondering what you did for a living since your game room looks phenomenal. Excellent work, and that red tent surely blesses the day you happened upon it. You resurrected that machine! So much hard work. Great job!

[@tcurtis49]

I also have a game room for my patients to play while at my office, so I can move some games around from home to there sometimes. I’m definitely out of room, though!

[@TortureBot]

@@tcurtis49 that would definitely entice kids and even adults to make more visits to the dentist! Your wife must really enjoy the games to let you spend so much time picking them up, fixing them up, and cluttering the place with video game related stuff. I only have five cabinets and my wife thinks that's too many.

[@TracyConstantine]

I just found this channel. You do a great job of making the videos interesting, not too much talking about what you're going to do, just an explanation, and then work. It's great!

[@tcurtis49]

I’m glad you like the style…it’s pretty much just how I am all the time :) Thanks!

[@tehLilaQ]

Discovered your channel today, love your videos. Especially the in-depth looks into every part of the process. I'm an emulator developer and enjoy preserving old tech like that SO much, so please keep it up!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks and very cool! I have a computer science background which really helps in problem-solving. Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@RaverSnowLep]

Hey! Just watched the whole video! Really great work! I love how you show how you do everything! I have to tell you, I have done some arcade repair and I know a friend who does a lot more and my god do you really have some talent! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! I will admit there were multiple times during this project where I thought I would have quit! Good on you for sticking through all the way and saving a piece of video game history even at great expense! Subscribed!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@FelipeBudinich]

The red tent is beautiful

[@emajansen]

Incredible!!!

[@trabolmix2839]

Maravilloso y súper bonito trabajo realizado, muchas felicidades y disfruta de esa estupenda maquina. ❤

[@raning207]

This was such a pleasing watch. Incredible work!

[@AdvancePlays]

Tried to like this video about 5 times throughout watching, just couldn't help it! Incredible job, looks amazing

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks! Glad you liked it Hopefully the Tron and Pole Position (and maybe other) videos will also be fun watches for you. I’m in the early stages of more projects and look forward to making more :)

[@simonmarshall19]

Holy moly . That’s amazing . I remember Super Mario Bros 3 was on that cabinet .

[@tcurtis49]

I also have a Playchoice 10 cabinet, which is kind of a similar thing. I have Super Mario 3 in it.

[@jonathan.ruagil]

Greeting from Colombia, awesome job

[@tomleech9753]

Beautiful.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@DoubleVGames]

Dude. Thanks for sharing your journey in restoring this. I learned a lot about salvaging arcades machine. I didn't even know you could repair old arcade boards like that. Now I just need to invest a truck when I go out and look for arcade machines lol

[@tcurtis49]

Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, even if I can’t figure out what’s wrong with a board there are experts out there than can fix just about anything. It’s a cool hobby for sure. My truck has been a workhorse for over 20 years now but is really starting to make me nervous on long trips. Going to be sad when it finally kicks the bucket :)

[@paulinetinsley68]

I wish that I had your skills. Well done

[@tcurtis49]

Much appreciated. Lots of years of learning a little more here and there :)

[@00Uglyduckling00]

Such an enjoyable video to watch, you did a fantastic job. Good things to come for your channel, keep well

[@tcurtis49]

Much appreciated! I’m having fun working on these projects and glad people are enjoying the videos :)

[@mikuneverdies6288]

Im Finished too..Red tents by far my fav..cant wait to see whats pop-N nex :) ~ *Cheers an GG's ~ Miku des~!!

[@tcurtis49]

Got a couple of projects going right now…and close to wrapping one up :)

[@LakesideAmusementPro]

It doesn’t surprise me it wasn’t simple and straightforward. People in Greene County Indiana are a strange bunch. Speaking from a Southern Indiana resident myself. Haha

[@tcurtis49]

We are all a special breed :)

[@snailcat86]

This was amazing! Stellar work, what a beautiful machine.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@BIGWojo68]

Another amazing video! I'm absolutely in love with these Restoration Projects!!

[@tcurtis49]

I’m glad I found an audience. I thought there was a pretty good chance that the only person who would like these was me but am so happy others find them entertaining. Thanks!

[@dizzystj]

Beautiful just beautiful

[@JamesGarwood]

Awesome work 👏 👌🏻

[@joek511]

Nice job, I remember playing on them. Around 1983 or so, not sure where, but near (on) a Navy base. May have been in the E club.

[@tcurtis49]

I remember playing one in an arcade in Tennessee on vacation, but never saw another.

[@binxyde]

What a nice machine! 😍 Thanks for rescuing this piece of history!

[@LatitudeSky]

These games did exist in Japan as well. Not sure if there was a question on that or not. One example appears in an arcade scene in the original Macross anime. Anyway, flash rust can be controlled by keeping the humidity below 50%, ideally even lower. This means don't do the metal work outdoors :) Metal won't rust if the humidity is kept low. I work with a large industrial machine that has its own HVAC pack to keep the whole machine below 40% humidity regardless of ambient. It actually runs a steamer unit to bring humidity in and then conditions that to below 40. The end result is a lot of bare metal parts free of rust. It just can't rust and looks brand new inside even after years of service.

[@tcurtis49]

Yes, they did indeed exist there and had some interesting games in them that didn’t appear over here. And yes, the flash rust is definitely a hazard of keeping things in a garage during humid Indiana summers. I moved pieces inside as quickly as I could but there were definitely some touchups recurring on the outside parts. Maybe someday I’ll find a nice climate controlled workshop that would be more appropriate:)

[@Jackson-id9iz]

This was amazing to watch. Wow from almost scrap to beautiful, well done.

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!

[@killerhertzmercedes]

Excellent video, watched until the end!

[@tcurtis49]

Thanks!