Hello,
First of all great site! I particularly like the collection page where you can find out the completeness of your collection. Very cool. Well anyway I am a huge display collector and I recently acquired a VB display off ebay that is missing the base and inserts. I want to complete this piece and restore its former glory, but I don’t know where to start. I searched the site and found some pics of the countertop displays and the base looks easy enough to fabricate, but I need some more precise measurements and pics of the bottom of the unit to see how it is attached. I also need to come up with inserts. I have a feeling that this will be the hardest part to find. If anyone can be of assistance it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

The inserts are easy… I’ve got some pretty high res scans that I used to print mine from since mine were missing (IIRC I got them from Ferry @ virtual-boy.org ). I can send those to you if you’d like. About the base… what parts are you talking about? The entire base? I can get you some measurements, but I guess I’d need to know what you need. If it’s the whole base, I don’t really think it’ll be easy to make though.

DogP

[Radiac]

Wow! Man if you don’t mind to send me the scans that would be great. As far as the base, I just need the actual plate. The bottom of my unit has 2 metal L brackets coming out of it with 2 screw holes each. From the pictures i’ve seen the base on these units is just a metal plate that is covered in rubber. I would like to replicate this as closely as I can minus the rubber coating. I need to know the actual width, length and thickness of this plate. I also need to know how these L brackets attach to the plate. The easy way is just to run screws through the plate, but that would look like ass. So if there is any way anyone could lay their unit over and either take a pic, or just describe the mounting setup that would be great.

• This reply was modified 18 years, 5 months ago by Radiac.

Attachments:

1. 

   100_0164.jpg
   

Oh… that makes sense… I thought that you were talking about the small plastic countertop display (from blockbuster). I don’t have scans of the sides for that display, but I could probably scan them and send them to you. I’ll get you dimensions of the base too.

DogP

Outstanding! After talking to a friend I think I might try to replicate the rubber coating as well. It might be difficult to find the exact pattern as the original, but I think the effort will be worth it. Ultimately I would like to have my display indistinguishable from a completely original one.

I also have a complete display. if I could be of any assistance, let me know. The actual base plate is made of 1/8″ black iron. It has a thin foam coating on the bottom, and of course the rubber mat on the top side. I could probably cut the base plate out at work. I am a sheet metal worker and I have a computer automated plama cutting table at my shop. I could eaily program this flat shape and have it turn out almost exact.

As far as that rubber mat, you are on your own. I could probably take some silly putty and mash it down on mine then send it to you. Perhaps you could replicate it some how. At least you’d have an exact pattern to go by.

Anyway, if there is something I can do to help, let me know.

Man you guys are the best! Opeth if you don’t mind to do that at work just let me know how much money for the metal and your time. I’ll gladly pay for a professional job versus me trying to do it on my own. I still wonder about attaching the L brackets to the plate. If the plate is only 1/8″ thick any screw/nut and bolt will obviously have to go through the top of the plate. It seems to me that would look tacky. Are there any exposed bolts on the originals?

Well, probably the most expensive part of me doing the plate will be the shipping of it. The material I’m sure I could find pretty cheap. I may even be able to get it for free if I look hard enough. The thickest stuff we have at our shop is 16ga. Which is only about 1/16″ thick. But, I’ll look around. I’ll find something.

As for the screws, it’s really hard to say. The entire bottom on the base plate has a type of foam on it. Basically to protect whatever surface you decide to set it on. I would imangine that the screws would go in from the bottom up. Notice the “L” shaped brackets and the location of the holes. I have a tap and die set at work too. So, I could probably place the holes where they should be and thread them to fit a screw. The end of the screws will most likely be concealed by the tapered plastic piece at the base.

I’ll have to tinker with mine a little and see if I can figure out exactly how it is mounted. I’ll let you know what I come up with. In the mean time, don’t be afraid to play around with some ideas yourself. Just don’t modify any part of the original stand, as doing so may compromise a perfect fit for the one I may try to make for you.

I’ll keep you posted.

EDIT: maybe for a temporary solution, you could use some 3/8″ plywood and mount it to that. At least it would stand upright and help prevent any damage from it constantly lying on its side. :thumpup:

Cool. One idea I had was to get rid of the L brackets completely and weld two pieces of metal at 90 degrees from the top of plate. Then drilling and tapping holes in them to match the holes in the stand. That should hide beneath the plastic cover and look no different than the original. The reason I was contemplating this was that the L brackets extend past the plastic cover thus the screw hole problem.

Sorry for the shameless bump, but I was just curious if anyone was making any progress. I would like to add that I am not a freeloader and am willing to pay for any goods/services that anyone provides.

Sorry if I seem impatient but I just had an XBOX 360 countertop project fall into my lap on top of the VB and a N64 display I’m trying to complete. In short the projects are piling up and the VB is the closest to completion.

I have tons of black rubber, it is about an 1/8″ thick. If you give me dimensions, I could send you a piece. (if that’s the stuff you need).