Vintage Machine Restoration and Modification

[chmer01]

I agree! This is the machine tagged for conversion to "Cowboy Bebop" - It was selected by Mrs. Shocksystem. I want to find some larger images of Spike, Fay, Jet, Ed and Ein to work with. I'm also "marking it up" for an LED effects map.

Don't forget some nice graphics of the ships to go on the bottom of the cell near the ball launch ramp.

[Moparformances]

wow i cant keep up

go to dinner and you add another page of posts?? do u ever sleep

[ShockSystem]

The finish on the playfield face is looking good, the texture is even and nice (even after the repair) so I chose to continue with some fine tuning and details. A mask setup to create a teal stripe across the playfield.

After finishing the stripe to accent the playfield, I couldn't resist checking out the work by placing the features and face trim. I'm going to polish up the face trim some more to get it as nice looking as the rest of the machine.

I am very excited about completing this project!

[ShockSystem]

wow i cant keep up

go to dinner and you add another page of posts?? do u ever sleep

No, I never sleep - Goes with my job... and my hobbies.

[ShockSystem]

OK, here we go...

A little silver and black paint to create the quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern in the background Ghost In The Shell plate.

[takethecastle57]

I think that this is another level to the vintage pachinko . Custom modified machines . These could be worth more than the so called vintages sold now .

[ShockSystem]

I think that this is another level to the vintage pachinko . Custom modified machines . These could be worth more than the so called vintages sold now .

I agree, although it's far easier the less restoration you have to do. I could easily modify a reasonably operational pachinko machine - This presented a bit more of a challenge - but I had to learn.

I wanted to stay true to the vintage machines - Uses only the mechanical components to operate the game and payout, but added spice and "modern" themes and electronic flash is fun but not critical to operation.

[ShockSystem]

Here are some shots of the progression of the cell background paint work.


Thanks everyone for all of the encouragement!

[Moparformances]

OK, here we go...

A little silver and black paint to create the quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern in the background Ghost In The Shell plate.

that is a creative mouth full

say that 3 times fast

quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern, quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern, quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern

where do u come up with that ummm "stuff"

[chmer01]

I agree, although it's far easier the less restoration you have to do. I could easily modify a reasonably operational pachinko machine - This presented a bit more of a challenge - but I had to learn.

I wanted to stay true to the vintage machines - Uses only the mechanical components to operate the game and payout, but added spice and "modern" themes and electronic flash is fun but not critical to operation.

Remind me after you finish this machine to tell you how much I hate you!

Your taking this to a level I could only dream of doing. Heck those black and silver lines were done so well I though it was metal sticking up that might interfere with the balls falling properly.

I can hardly wait for the posted lessons on how to do some of the electronics your adding to these.

I have to ask when you repainted the spinners did you use an air brush or just paint from a spray can?
______________________________________________________

that is a creative mouth full

say that 3 times fast

quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern, quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern, quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern

where do u come up with that ummm "stuff"

It's an anime thing. He probably watched all three movies and both season of the TV series more times then all of us on this forum combined. An lets not forget Adult Swim or SciFic Mondays.

[MrGneiss]

WOW!! It just keeps getting better!!

[digital1]

I thought the thin lines were something raised up off the board too. Your work is amasing!

Was that part freehand? OOPS... that might be the next class. I can wait for the textbooks to come out.

[ShockSystem]

I have to ask when you repainted the spinners did you use an air brush or just paint from a spray can?
______________________________________________________

It's an anime thing. He probably watched all three movies and both season of the TV series more times then all of us on this forum combined. An lets not forget Adult Swim or SciFic Mondays.

I do have several airbrushes, but these were done with just the spray can at a distance of about a foot to 14in using careful even stokes - I laid them out in a a row and coated them and rotated them in thirds, then hit the faces.

I also have both seasons of Ghost in the Shell and the first movie. Mrs. ShockSystem is trying to acquire the second and third movies.

[ShockSystem]

I thought the thin lines were something raised up off the board too. Your work is amasing!

Was that part freehand? OOPS... that might be the next class. I can wait for the textbooks to come out.

Thanks guys! That was the effect I was going for. I started out free hand in the upper left "Empty Machine Light" corner - I liked the work but it could be improved as it still had a good, but "home made" or non factory look. So I grabbed dollar store (totally expendable) plastic school house rulers, triangle and arc to guide the brush. The effect was much better, however... Mrs. ShockSystem thought the effect was awesome but saw how much time it was taking and it could get real frustrating, real fast if even a minor mistake was made. She suggested I use a silver paint marker and a black fine tip sharpie, so I could keep the guide directly on the play surface. The effect does not have perfectly sharp edges but its not very noticeable and it saved a ton of time! The effect still looks like raised circuit traces.

[ShockSystem]

that is a creative mouth full

say that 3 times fast

quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern, quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern, quasi-futuristic circuit / virtual reality pattern

where do u come up with that ummm "stuff"

I don't know... although Mrs. ShockSystem says I'm full of, ummm... "stuff" all the time!

[ShockSystem]

Remind me after you finish this machine to tell you how much I hate you!

Your taking this to a level I could only dream of doing. Heck those black and silver lines were done so well I though it was metal sticking up that might interfere with the balls falling properly.

Thank you... I hate you too. You have good taste in anime.

The next level... I'm tryin'. I just had to resign this machine to being a learning experience (and spare parts for others) if I wasn't successful. So I took a few chances that a collector (with a machine in better shape) may not try, but that gave me opportunity to experiment with things I want to do to other machines and perfect the techniques. As it's turning out, things are working well - this is pleasantly surprising!

I thought the background should match the futuristic communication and computer screens seen in Ghost and other anime. I also wanted to add some depth to the cell as vintage pachinko's are very "2-D". So I faked some simple shadows on the lines and "broke up" the playfield with the horizontal teal strip.

I'm still deciding what other things I want to add before the images are glued into place and the polyurethane coating begins.

[ShockSystem]

Hello all,

Here is some of the work on the centerpiece. I used the vacu-form plastic to create a ring in which the LED's are mounted. Now its time to start in on the wiring. I bent the pins that will be attached to ground in continuous loop (no need to run wires for each ground as the all go to the same place- so one will do) and soldered them as one daisy chain ring.

The next step is just tedious. I used some CAT-5 (computer network) cable I had because it was inexpensive and each of the three cables has 8 wires, totaling 24, the exact amount of LED's mounted (10 blue / 10 purple - and 4 center multi-flash) and some 10awg Radio-Shack solid speaker wire as ground. Each of the wires from the CAT-5 cable must be trimmed to length and soldered in place to each positive side of an LED. I then glued the wires in place (hot glue) I went, to insulate the connections and create a strain relief. I tested each wire connection with a three volt watch battery (make sure the LED works) before finalizing the glue. The for twisted wires in the center are left for the 4 multi-flash LED I need to make a mount for - to go in the 4 holes at the base of the centerpiece (a little later).

[ShockSystem]

Here is the finished unit after soldering, gluing and testing, coiled and ready for a test fit. This will include the back panel (which will get a notch cut for the cable) and ball feed (in the center of the wiring) from the top tulip and through to the back ramps. I designed this so that it should not interfere with the ball path at all (wires go completely around it).

I chose the upper right as an exit point for the completed cable as there is nothing on the back of the machine in that area to get in the way. Now we do a test fit in the machine and flex the cable to trace its path to the area I designated for the control board - the lower right side when facing the back of the machine. This step also insures that I didn't screw up before it's to late.

I determined it looked good so I dressed it out in a more permanent fashion using blue cable ties for finalization. I added a final piece of black heat shrink at the base of the collar to add strain relief and insulation from the back panel that will be trimmed to accommodate it - plus it looks nice and professional.

[luckydog]

amazing

my clumsy fingers could never do something like that

[wrkey]

Dude.. .that's just crazy awesome. I am so intrigued by this thread!

Your finished product will certainly be a priceless one of a kind machine!

You go dude!