Cleaning My Atari 2600

[Difficulty A]

Greetings folks:

 

First post here, but I thought fellow Atari fans would enjoy reading my journey in attempting to resurrect my old Atari 2600, which had been boxed up and buried in clutter for about 15 years.

 

Read the story here.

 

Your input would be also be appreciated.

 

Thanks for your interest,

Greg =)

[Atari2600Lives]

Greetings folks:

 

First post here, but I thought fellow Atari fans would enjoy reading my journey in attempting to resurrect my old Atari 2600, which had been boxed up and buried in clutter for about 15 years.

 

Read the story here.

 

Your input would be also be appreciated.

 

Thanks for your interest,

Greg =)

 

 

Welcome to the forum. That was a cool story and a very well written article. It is just amazing you have your original Atari...I unfortunately gave mine away to a kid named Raul in the late eighties......(AAAARRGGGHH )

Edited May 1, 2010 by Atari2600Lives

[accousticguitar]

My advice is to finish the story first, then post it on the internet.

[ericwierson]

Greetings folks:

 

First post here, but I thought fellow Atari fans would enjoy reading my journey in attempting to resurrect my old Atari 2600, which had been boxed up and buried in clutter for about 15 years.

 

Read the story here.

 

Your input would be also be appreciated.

 

Thanks for your interest,

Greg =)

What story? OOPS missed the link.

Edited May 1, 2010 by ericwierson

[Difficulty A]

@acousticguitar: I know..but since I'd already started getting Google hits on "how to clean my Atari," I at least wanted to expand as much as I could for now (the original post was just a mere paragraph). The conclusion should be up in the next couple of days. =)

[Benzman66]

Pretty good so far. I'll refer my customers to your site for reference later down the road.

[accousticguitar]

The conclusion should be up in the next couple of days. =)

[tetrode kink]

Joined Oct. 2006, and this is your first post? Hmm...

 

Even though this is old hat to me, I enjoyed reading your story. Something about the POV of someone who hasn't disassembled a VCS is kind of charming. Kinda like reliving old times.

 

I also enjoyed the part about wondering just what's inside this thing that makes it tick? That really strummed my strings.

 

BTW, your disassembly job isn't done yet. If you really want to see the werx, take off the big metal shield. Underneath that shield is where the magic really happens!

 

-tet

[Ethaniel]

i can't decide what i like most... collecting old games and videogames or repairing and cleaning them?

btw what is TLC? i saw that term in another post earlier... is it a cleaning thing or acronym?

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

i can't decide what i like most... collecting old games and videogames or repairing and cleaning them?

btw what is TLC? i saw that term in another post earlier... is it a cleaning thing or acronym?

 

 

LOL! TLC = Tender Loving Care.

[Difficulty A]

i can't decide what i like most... collecting old games and videogames or repairing and cleaning them?

btw what is TLC? i saw that term in another post earlier... is it a cleaning thing or acronym?

 

 

LOL! TLC = Tender Loving Care.

 

If there's one thing that makes the biggest difference in the world, it's that. I wouldn't have spent half the time cleaning my Atari (much less writing one long diary about it) if I didn't love it like I did.

 

What's interesting is I'm actually on the lookout now for other Atari consoles that are being discarded, junked or merely abandoned, just to have the chance to rescue them like I did mine. Funny, eh?

 

Oh and @tetrode: Meant to say that this was my first post in um, years. Yup, I joined long ago when I discovered this Atari community, but then got wrapped up with my kid...lol now I have him playing Atari with me, so I'm back. Woo hoo =D

Edited May 1, 2010 by Difficulty A

[Difficulty A]

i can't decide what i like most... collecting old games and videogames or repairing and cleaning them?

btw what is TLC? i saw that term in another post earlier... is it a cleaning thing or acronym?

 

 

LOL! TLC = Tender Loving Care.

 

If there's one thing that makes the biggest difference in the world, it's that. I wouldn't have spent half the time cleaning my Atari (much less writing one long diary about it) if I didn't love it like I did.

 

What's interesting is I'm actually on the lookout now for other Atari consoles that are being discarded, junked or merely abandoned, just to have the chance to rescue them like I did mine. Funny, eh?

 

Oh and @tetrode: Meant to say that this was my first post in um, years. Yup, I joined long ago when I discovered this Atari community, but then got wrapped up with my kid...lol now I have him playing Atari with me, so I'm back. Woo hoo =D

 

FYI: It's done! =)

[Frostbite Bailey]

A thing of beauty! Great restoration job! Cheers, FB

[A.J. Franzman]

Nice story!

 

A couple of notes:

Armor All is actually considered a no-no by purists. Also unfortunately, a running gag that newbies here at AA often misinterpret. Unscrupulous Ebay sellers often slather their beat-up old consoles with Armor All to give them an artifical shine (much shinier than the console had when new) and then claim their console is "Like New LQQK!!!!" etc. Just getting the console thoroughly clean is enough of a "restoration". Also, if you happened to later decide to do some paint touch-up to the woodgrain and/or the switch panel border, you'd find that having had Armor All (a silicone product) applied to it at any previous time makes it very unfriendly in regards to paint adhesion.

 

Also, you don't have to pull all of the RF cable through the hole in the case; it unplugs from the motherboard.

Edited May 2, 2010 by A.J. Franzman

[Difficulty A]

Nice story!

 

A couple of notes:

Armor All is actually considered a no-no by purists. Also unfortunately, a running gag that newbies here at AA often misinterpret. Unscrupulous Ebay sellers often slather their beat-up old consoles with Armor All to give them an artifical shine (much shinier than the console had when new) and then claim their console is "Like New LQQK!!!!" etc. Just getting the console thoroughly clean is enough of a "restoration".

 

Hi Franzman:

 

Thanks for the input. I know that purists are totally against the Armor All treatment. I debated on using Armor All, but as I said in my blog, I just wasn't happy enough with the alcohol and soap treatment. Even after the scrub, the console's finish had become too flat, faded and inconsistent for my taste. I wanted to bring back at least a bit of the old vibrancy, and Armor All seemed to be the only way. Believe me, I knew that once I touched the console with that stuff, there was no turning back. =) I worried about that undesirable gloss, so I used very, very little of it.

 

I was indeed happy with the results. I am going to go back though, and put in a line about the "purist no-no" thing, because that is something to consider when restoring.

 

Also, if you happened to later decide to do some paint touch-up to the woodgrain and/or the switch panel border, you'd find that having had Armor All (a silicone product) applied to it at any previous time makes it very unfriendly in regards to paint adhesion.

 

This was also something I considered the minute before I rubbed on the AA. I couldn't stop looking at that missing orange paint, but figured it was something I just had to accept. Same with the woodgrain, which had also rubbed off slightly in some areas.

 

Also, you don't have to pull all of the RF cable through the hole in the case; it unplugs from the motherboard.

 

Thanks for the tip. I was so careful with that motherboard that I overlooked the junction of the RF cable to the board. This is also something I'll make note of when I edit my blog.

 

Thanks for your input. It is appreciated. =)

[Trinity]

Great story!

 

But I have to say I love the armor all effect.

 

I treat every 2600 with it.

[Benzman66]

I use a lite wiping of baby oil on a soft cloth for my consoles to make them shine.

[+jsmith73]

Great story! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[DickNixonArisen]

Is it me, or is this thread getting a little sensual?

 

 

 

I've never done anything beyond a damp cloth, but don't people put the plastic in the dishwasher for some consoles?

[fiddlepaddle]

Great article! I think I'll have you over to clean my place the next time I move...

[classicgamingguy]

That was a great story, and got me to thinking...it might be time for me to do something similar. My console could use at least an exterior cleaning. It powers up and works fine, and I'm deathly afraid to go inside and ruin something (as I was 30 years ago). The "ridges" are particularly dirty and could use a good cotton swab and some cleaning solution.

 

Thanks for sharing your story with us, and the pictures really helped tell the tale.

[Difficulty A]

That was a great story, and got me to thinking...it might be time for me to do something similar. My console could use at least an exterior cleaning. It powers up and works fine, and I'm deathly afraid to go inside and ruin something (as I was 30 years ago). The "ridges" are particularly dirty and could use a good cotton swab and some cleaning solution.

 

Thanks for sharing your story with us, and the pictures really helped tell the tale.

 

No problem. You know, what really pushed me to do this was the fact that it had died on me, which I just could not accept. Just the thought of opening it up made me cringe, but I figured there was nothing to lose at this point.

 

I feel now like I owe my 6-switch the same thorough attention, but something tells me not to open it up if nothing's wrong with it. Ugh.

 

Thanks everyone else for your input and compliments. I'm more than happy to share this story with other Atari aficionados...people who'd really care. =)

 

Um, btw...was my discovery of the little taped paper inside commonplace? Has anyone else made the same or similar discovery? Was that the serial number? I couldn't see anything anywhere else.

 

I still laugh when I say "Atari Super Service." That's just too awesome. I wonder how many calls they got in their day. Now I just imagine an abandoned, cobwebbed office in an industrial park with antiquated, unplugged fax machines...or something just demolished altogether to make way for a Jamba Juice or Panda Express or something.

[Benzman66]

 

 

Um, btw...was my discovery of the little taped paper inside commonplace? Has anyone else made the same or similar discovery? Was that the serial number? I couldn't see anything anywhere else.

 

Every Atari (4 and 6 switch ) that I have ever opened has had the paper taped to the board. Some have just the "adding machine" printout of a number, and some have a round rubber stamp like imprint with numbers. Some have an actual date (mm/dd/yyyy).

[kb9snl]

i can't decide what i like most... collecting old games and videogames or repairing and cleaning them?

btw what is TLC? i saw that term in another post earlier... is it a cleaning thing or acronym?

 

 

LOL! TLC = Tender Loving Care.

 

If there's one thing that makes the biggest difference in the world, it's that. I wouldn't have spent half the time cleaning my Atari (much less writing one long diary about it) if I didn't love it like I did.

 

What's interesting is I'm actually on the lookout now for other Atari consoles that are being discarded, junked or merely abandoned, just to have the chance to rescue them like I did mine. Funny, eh?

 

Oh and @tetrode: Meant to say that this was my first post in um, years. Yup, I joined long ago when I discovered this Atari community, but then got wrapped up with my kid...lol now I have him playing Atari with me, so I'm back. Woo hoo =D

 

Interesting, I do the same thing, I look for the consoles that are damaged or considered "dead" and bring them back to life. I have done so with 3. My favorite console is a circa '78 sixer (not a heavy, but still nice) that my brother found in the dump, discarded in a side building for recyclables and half buried in mud and partially submerged in water. It took a week to clean it out, and it involved a small ant farm living in the cpu board under the shielding. It's amazing what the electronics in these things can withstand. After the cleanup, it works like a champ, and has for the last 8 years.

[Skylark68]

I still laugh when I say "Atari Super Service." That's just too awesome. I wonder how many calls they got in their day. Now I just imagine an abandoned, cobwebbed office in an industrial park with antiquated, unplugged fax machines...or something just demolished altogether to make way for a Jamba Juice or Panda Express or something.

 

I know we called that number 1 time back in the day. We ended up having to take it to an Atari Super Service center somewhere in Houston. I don't remember where it was, I think I was about 6 or 7. I do remember going in to the place and they had a bunch of (I guess) broken Ataris sitting around. There was a guy with a soldering gun in the back and the guy up front took our Atari. I was hoping I would get it back fixed. Sure enough, I was playing it again a week or so later.

 

Your article was great, the results speak for themselves. I particularly liked this line:

 

"You know, as a 10-yr.-old kid in 1981, I would’ve been horrified at the thought of opening up my Atari for any reason at all. I mean, it was like some kind of mystical magic box to me from which all happiness emanated, and for me to even pry it open would’ve been like slicing open the belly of my beloved pet cat."

 

I felt much the same way. I still haven't taken apart an Atari, although I did fix my Coleco Telstar awhile back. Talk about simplicity...