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the chrome switches are IMO better as they dont get eaten up and are 100x easier to polish than the aluminum ones, its just hard to find them (given the odd's)

 

I also find them on promo 4 switch atari units (that is where those came from, but it had 2 broken off and long gone switches heh) , but that does not mean they were not refurb's that got hot stamped at random

It'd be interesting to know the story behind them. Was it something Atari did to identify refurbs or promo units? Were they left over from some other project and just needed to be used up?

 

Anyway - thanks again for the switches! I was told by Best Electronics that using a heat gun might be a way to remove stubborn caps from aluminum switches. I guess if I ever have to replace my Reset switch again, I'll give that a try.

Looks real sharp, nice job!

Awesome! Looks Great!

It'd be interesting to know the story behind them. Was it something Atari did to identify refurbs or promo units? Were they left over from some other project and just needed to be used up?

 

Anyway - thanks again for the switches! I was told by Best Electronics that using a heat gun might be a way to remove stubborn caps from aluminum switches. I guess if I ever have to replace my Reset switch again, I'll give that a try.

If I had to guess, I would say it was a cheap and easy way to make used switches look new during the refurb process.

I think the Hakko's are well worth the money if you do much desoldering. I can desolder a 40 pin POKEY in about 5 minutes using my Hakko.

Mostly promo systems had the chrome switches. Brad at Best Electronics once told me that they used chrome switches on those because of how many people would be touching and using them. Basically, just a way to keep it looking sharp after everyone and their uncle handled it.

My Sears system is a refurb and it doesn't have those, but 2 promo 4sw units I've had in past did. I'd needed a new Reset switch and had asked Brad about the shiny ones.

speaking of desoldering gun's I am going to eventually pick up a S-993A which is a china hakko look alike for about half the price, one of my buddies has one and its decent enough considering its not going to be used on every project

Mostly promo systems had the chrome switches. Brad at Best Electronics once told me that they used chrome switches on those because of how many people would be touching and using them. Basically, just a way to keep it looking sharp after everyone and their uncle handled it.

That makes a lot of sense. It makes me wonder more about my console's previous life before I bought it.

Very pretty! Thanks for showing the whole process, too.

Armor All!

No Armor All. Q-Tips and monitor cleaning spray. Armor All leaves everything slimy.

That makes a lot of sense. It makes me wonder more about my console's previous life before I bought it.

 

Sears likely had demo systems as well. They also seemed to have older revisions of the system later than other stores, i.e. selling 6ers when most had 4sw woody consoles. That could be just certain areas and not common. Ellijay was, and is not the most up-to-date place around, lol.

 

I use Countertop Magic on my systems. Nice work, I still run my 1st 2600, a Sears Sunnyvale refurb L6er.

Correct about the "not for resale" in store use systems having chrome switches, but Atari also use them to refurbish returned units both 4 switch and very rarely 6 switch.

 

I have both a Chrome four switch and a Chrome six switch.

 

I've never seen Chrome Switches in a Sears Tele-Games machine.

I did want and have a Tele-Games model, but my personal nostalgia means an Atari 6-switch is getting Chrome.

 

I just can't decide whether or not to have an RF stock Heavy Sixer with Chrome switches, or a modded Sunnyvale Light 6 Switcher with chrome switches!