User avatar
wildcopper
Seattle, WA

Posted Sun Jul 10, 2022 8:36 pm

I'd like to share a recent eBay score with you.

The Amiga 4000 is one model I figured I would never own. I have an Amiga 3000 and a 1200 already - so I just couldn't justify the price the Amiga 4000 usually goes for. That all changed a couple of weeks ago when I happened upon this buy-it-now offer on eBay that must have just posted:

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:o

Needless to say I clicked "Buy It Now" (!!!!!!).

I still didn't quite trust that it would actually get shipped to me but sure enough it went out the next day and arrived only a few days later. Pretty decently packed too.

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I made a quick inspection outside and inside just to make sure nothing was obviously amiss. I was really worried that it had been battery-bombed (still a decent deal if so - but would be disappointing).

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It came with a Video Toaster 4000 installed. I removed that for the initial power on.

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Really the state of the logic board is a second miracle (after even finding the deal in the first place). It had a very slight amount of battery related corrosion but no apparent capacitor leakage (confirmed later when I recapped it).

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I snipped the battery, neutralized the corrosion and rinsed with isopropyl alcohol.

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Other details
  • Rev B motherboard
  • Rev 3.1 A3640 processor card
  • Socketed Super Buster rev 11
  • Chinon FZ-357A (high density) floppy drive
  • Fully complement of RAM (16MB fast, 2MB chip)
Built December 21, 1993:

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Time to power her on!

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<3

----

Now there was lots to do - pull everything apart, order parts (capacitors for logic board, processor board and PSU, new rubber feet, new power supply fan, coin battery holder) and clean up the graffiti and sticker residue left on the case by the Design Engineering.

The processor card also hadn't suffered any capacitor leakage - despite the infamous backwards capacitors on this rev of A3640 boards.

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Recap

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Testing

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Cosmetics

I started down the path of retrobrighting the front bezel - but the areas where the stickers were and the rest of it just wouldn't match. I had read about a really good paint for the plastics of the A600/1200/4000: Krylon Fusion 'Dover White' in satin sheen). I haven't tried it before but I have to say I am really impressed. The color is a perfect match - and of course it will never re-yellow. I followed the advice to apply several very light coats. It's a special paint for plastics and each coat is a bit translucent. I ended up applying three (light) coats. To my eye it doesn't read "painted". I didn't paint the floppy bezel or button as they cleaned up fine using H2O2.

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All back together

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Thank you for letting me share my find with you!
Last edited by wildcopper on Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:00 am, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
dalek
Australia

Posted Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:25 am

wow! congrats on the score.

I actually have that exact paint ready to go and the all the plastics of my A4000 washed ready to go. Just a bit nervous and haven't made the time to actually apply it - your thread has given me a new motivation! The previous owner of mine botched a retrobrite attempt >6 years ago leaving it streaky and yellow. I hope I get as good results as you.

You've got a few grand worth of kit there and it's nice to see someone give it the love it deserves <3

User avatar
wildcopper
Seattle, WA

Posted Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:03 pm

Thank you!

The main issue I ran into when applying the spray paint was dust. I checked carefully before each coat (about 20 minutes apart). The other thing was to not apply it so heavily that it looks like, well, paint. :)

Also I had this tool from applying spray cans in other projects - makes it much easier to spray and sweep smoothly across the target: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EQEE82

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trixster

Posted Fri Jul 15, 2022 2:49 am

This is absolutely superb, congratulations!

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gordanian
Green Camp, Ohio

Posted Sun Jul 17, 2022 8:36 pm

Very nice! Congratulations!

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:57 am

Incredible find in 2022, and absolutely superb restoration. What an impressive and exciting addition for your collection. Wow!

And yes - that paint job is pro! Simply gorgeous work, wildcopper.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:27 am

Also, some of us are curious:

Did you remove the badge before attempting your initial retrobright experiment? And then flake off plastic film before putting it back into the painted case?

User avatar
wildcopper
Seattle, WA

Posted Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:47 am

Thank you for kind words intric8!

Yeah - I did remove the badge prior to retrobrighting. (I ruined a Commodore 128 badge in the past because I left it on :'( ). I tried carefully flaking off the clear plastic bits with an exacto knife - but the plastic is stuck on. I decided to leave well enough alone in the end. It was weird - I think it was the original protective plastic for the badge that you're supposed to peel off but it had yellowed and become very brittle.

User avatar
kephunk

Posted Mon Jul 18, 2022 10:43 pm

wildcopper wrote:
Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:47 am
Thank you for kind words intric8!

Yeah - I did remove the badge prior to retrobrighting. (I ruined a Commodore 128 badge in the past because I left it on :'( ). I tried carefully flaking off the clear plastic bits with an exacto knife - but the plastic is stuck on. I decided to leave well enough alone in the end. It was weird - I think it was the original protective plastic for the badge that you're supposed to peel off but it had yellowed and become very brittle.
This etsy seller makes pretty nice replica badges if you're interested in a cleaner looking badge (no affiliation with the seller besides having bought from them before and finding badges to be really nice)

User avatar
wildcopper
Seattle, WA

Posted Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:14 am

Thanks kephunk -

The funny thing is that I ordered a repro badge from that exact seller when I first got the A4000! I just received the repro badge and you're right the quality is very good with a brushed metal look for the Commodore logo. The only real difference is a flat commodore logo vs. the embossed look of the original. For now I think I'm sticking with the original one since it looks decent after some of the flaking yellow plastic was removed. But I have a great backup if I change my mind!





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