u/1937Mopar

I do have to say I am jealous of seeing all the people who get the poor scores on finding free and cheap machines. Sometimes it's luck of being at the right place and time and some of it is through networking.

Just because a machine is cheap/free pulled out of a dumpster what ever the case doesn't necessarily mean it's trash. Most machines will never hold the gold standard of collectability for a variety of reasons that are to long to list, but that doesn't mean the machine you rescued is worthless.

To some that machine could be just "to far gone" for them, that doesn't mean it's not for someone else. That machine thats wrecked could be someone's learning tool into restoring and keeping the hobby alive. Sure you may never recover the money invested potentially but you've gained knowledge and skillets you may not have had before. Most of all you have a piece you can be proud of to show off to friends and family on what some elbow grease can accomplish.

I grew up in the 80s at the golden age of arcade machines. Which got me into owning 2 vintage games and building a cabinate for a 3rd.

My biggest pet peeve about the whole experience is finding the right screen. Working CRT's cost a pretty penny when you have budgets to work by and flat screens just don't have "warmth" or the right look to them.

Is it just me on these builds that I wish there was modern day LCD/LED screen that was more shaped like an old CRT screen with the correct aspect ratios?

You put your heart in soul in building an awesome cabinate, but it just seems incomplete or off looking with a flat-screen.