repairing VCS switches

[joeybastard]

Anyone have any tips on repairing a game reset switch on a 4 switch Woody? The return spring is long gone. I opened up the switch, cleaned inside and tried replacing the spring with one that's a similar size.

 

No go, the switch still doesn't work. Thoughts?

[Tsukasa]

If you don't intend to sell it, I would desolder and remove the switch, and replace it with a spst no pushbutton switch because that is the way that it is wired on the board.

Or, you could remove the select switch and put it where the reset switch was and use a pushbutton for the select switch instead. That would probably be better because the switches tend to bounce.

[Whisper]

Quick question: Is there a good way to get the aluminum switches nice and shiny again? Mine seem to be pretty oxidated. Can I use normal copper polish or would that do damage? Has anybody tried this? Thanks.

[CPUWIZ]

Quick question: Is there a good way to get the aluminum switches nice and shiny again? Mine seem to be pretty oxidated. Can I use normal copper polish or would that do damage? Has anybody tried this? Thanks.

 

Yes, super fine sandpaper applied in a circular motion around the switches. Takes some time but it's worth it.

 

Examples:

 

 

[video game addict]

Ugh Zip ties, I hate those things! They are such a pain to remove. Sometimes like with what you have pictured they can be cut with fingernail clippers, but I often get packages in the mail with these super heavy duty industral ones, like what you could use to hold you exhaust system up with, around some small little cord. Damned fingernail clippers won't even cut it. Get the xacto blade out or pocketknife and still have a time with it, they only get tighter around not looser. And it's digging against the cord to get underneath to cut or cutting into the cord possibly if you go from the top down. I've seriously damaged cords before by removing those things. Maybe I'm just a klutz, but I just don't like those thing anymore.

 

Great looking switches thou!

[Atariman]

Quick question: Is there a good way to get the aluminum switches nice and shiny again? Mine seem to be pretty oxidated. Can I use normal copper polish or would that do damage? Has anybody tried this? Thanks.

 

I used polish and that seemed to do the trick. I would be afraid to use sandpaper (even the finest sandpaper) because I'd be afraid that I'd be a little overzealous and end up with a 'nice, scratched-up look', although I'm sure it can be done. I can't remember what the name of the polish is that I used on it. Whatever it is, they stuff a big piece of wool that is saturated with the stuff into a can and you pull pieces off of it. Funny how I never took a good look at the label. Although, I do seem to remember that it had one of those weird names like E-Z polish or something to that effect.

[CPUWIZ]

Ugh Zip ties, I hate those things!    They are such a pain to remove. Sometimes like with what you have pictured they can be cut with fingernail clippers, but I often get packages in the mail with these super heavy duty industral ones, like what you could use to hold you exhaust system up with, around some small little cord. Damned fingernail clippers won't even cut it. Get the xacto blade out or pocketknife and still have a time with it, they only get tighter around not looser. And it's digging against the cord to get underneath to cut or cutting into the cord possibly if you go from the top down. I've seriously damaged cords before by removing those things.  Maybe I'm just a klutz, but I just don't like those thing anymore.    

 

Great looking switches thou!

 

You mean to tell me there is still a household left without one of these ?

 

 

 

[VidGameKing]

yeah sand paper works well. also I've replaced many a switch Best Electronics sells them!

[joeybastard]

Are the switches the same in the Vader model? I have an extra that's got 2 other broken switches so I could steal it from that.

[CPUWIZ]

Are the switches the same in the Vader model?  I have an extra that's got 2 other broken switches so I could steal it from that.

 

Yep.

[joeybastard]

Thanks!

[video game addict]

You mean to tell me there is still a household left without one of these ?  

 

 

 

<img src="http://www.kassoy.com/images/benchtools/pls116.jpg">

 

 

 

Probably right but then I'd need to put shoes on and go down to the shop to get them,

 

I usually just cut with whatever I can find in my room, around my desk, don't always have the "proper" tool for the job. Not that it always makes the difference when I sometimes get them so tight they've already probably damaged the cable before I cut.

[Whisper]

You mean to tell me there is still a household left without one of these ?

 

Yes there are... But then again, I'm not much of a hobbyist.

 

I decided to use some good old (litterally, my mom said it was somewhat the age of the 6-switch, which means older than me) metal polish we still had on the shelve. I only have raw sand paper, so I thought I'd try this. It takes a lot of patience on very dirty switches like mine, but it pays off! I should have made a before pic, but we all know how switches look when oxidated. Still the pic below doesn't do the switches justice as they are shinier in real life than they appear on the photo, but you get the idea.

 

Really amazing what this heap of dust and dirt, sold "untested" and originally with a cut off tv cable can turn into with some tender love and care I just played a round of Space Invaders and River Raid on it, those 6-switches sure have great image quality compared to 4-switch systems.