An extreme Amiga 600 repair takes center stage in the latest episode from More Fun Fixing It, as Lee tackles one of the most chaotic recap jobs he has ever seen. The machine’s story begins when Henry, a fellow retro enthusiast, bought it on eBay. It was advertised as working but with a slight red hue in the video output — a problem he assumed would be fixed with a simple recap. Instead, he received an Amiga hiding layers of corrosion, missing components, and questionable repair attempts.
First Impressions and Hidden Damage
From the outside, the Amiga 600 looked worn but serviceable. Inside, however, Lee found radial capacitors where surface-mounted ones should be, stacked components, missing caps, and suspicious bodge wiring. Some pads had lifted completely, traces showed corrosion, and one op-amp was missing pins. Even the keyboard connector bore signs of heat damage.
A closer look under the microscope revealed more issues — green corrosion, damaged solder mask, and sticky residue that might not be capacitor fluid at all. Lee suspected the board had endured a spill or other liquid damage long before its eBay sale.
The Repair Approach
Determined to restore functionality, Lee began methodically removing all electrolytic capacitors, including the original survivors. He carefully documented each section, identifying components for replacement — from 2N3904 and 2N3906 transistors to rare JFETs in the audio circuit. PCB cleaning exposed further exposed copper, reinforcing the need for protective solder mask before rebuilding.
Corrosion extended under major ICs, prompting Lee to remove a video encoder chip, resistors, and connectors to ensure nothing was left to cause future failure. Throughout the process, he kept the goal clear: return the board to working condition without introducing more damage.
What’s Next
This episode concludes with the Amiga stripped, cleaned, and prepared for reconstruction. The next installment will focus on rebuilding the audio and reset circuits, replacing the damaged components, and re-capping the board correctly.
For retro hardware fans, this extreme Amiga 600 repair showcases just how far a restoration can go when a machine’s past repairs hide deeper problems. The video delivers both the technical challenge and the satisfaction of giving an old computer a new chance.
