A different method of playfield restoration

[Cystic]

Wow! cut paper under clear acetate, great solution. The glare across the colour and white made me think the colour was incorporated into the background.

Overall a relatively simple and low tech approach that seems to work a treat. BTW They make clear sign vinyl for about $7 a yard. You may have saved me $40 or so per face. So...

Thanks Buddy!



Just goes to show when you have a hammer(access to cool equipment) everything looks like a nail. Reminds me of the space race, USA spends a million dollars making a pen that writes in space, the Russians just used a pencil.

[digital1]

WOW! I had to read two pages to get to where I could tell you "Good Job".

I like to see so many diferent ideas for these machines.

People using what they have availible to them. (With you the Art degree doesn't hurt at all)

Great work

[Microbus99]

Thanks Digital,

I'll soon post pictures of the finished machine. I'm just cleaning up the electrical after a shabby soldering job a couple weeks ago.

I've read your post's as well and you have some talent yourself!! Did you ever post a photo of your finished machine?

Thanks again!!

[pinball wizard]

awesome job on your restoration !

[mudfud]

that looks new! great job.

on the cell, I can see that you sanded all the way down. did you prime and paint this for the white background behind the paper blobs? did you use a filler to smooth out the plywood?

is the acetate showing an wear along the ball track (does it scratch?)

I like your nail puller, too. I don't have the wrist strength I used, given some tendinitis. a nail whacker would be another way.

please post pix of the cell along the steps. this is very interesting, and gives hopes to countless lost pachi's

[digital1]

I've read your post's as well and you have some talent yourself!! Did you ever post a photo of your finished machine?

Thanks again!!

I haven't finished yet. I played it last night for a little bit. I have the cabnet started and painted with the first coat of red paint and I have the digital file of the Coke logo to make a stencil of for the sides.

I like to start things and never get them...uh...

[dishpan]

Nice Job! Thanks for sharing.

[rubberratt]

VERY creative and resourceful.

Bee-you-tee-ful JOB WELL DONE !!!

[Microbus99]

Hi Mudfud,

Yes you see some of the sanding marks. Actually I started to use a sander and then quite right away. I used Paint Stripper and that worked exellent!! I wont take a sander anywhere near it next time. I didnt need to fill any sanding marks. It was very smooth and flush after stripping.

I used a premium white paper that costs about $5 a sheet at an art store. I then used the old cell as a template and marked the holes. I had the old cell handy through the whole process. I then used spray adhesive to affix the white paper to the board. Then I cut out all the chute holes with an exacto knife.

I also used spray adhesive to mount the "blobs" ,as I call them, to the white sheet. I thought about using the spray adhesive between the acetate and the and the background but after performing a "test" on a piece of wood with a test blob, paper, acetate and nails, I noticed that the glue discolored the paper. I decided that the brass nails, the chutes, and the ball track would be good enough to hold the acetate down, and it did.
So far I have about an hour of playtime (testing nail adjustment) and it hasnt scratched a bit.

Hope that answers your question. I just finished up the electrical tonight so I'll post photos of the finished machine tomorrow.

Gordon

[chmer01]

This is truly the best restoration job I have ever seen.

It looks like this will be the only way to get rid of the ghosting problems.

Thank you very much for sharing the information.

[mudfud]

Hi Mudfud,

Yes you see some of the sanding marks. Actually I started to use a sander and then quite right away. I used Paint Stripper and that worked exellent!! I wont take a sander anywhere near it next time. I didnt need to fill any sanding marks. It was very smooth and flush after stripping.

I used a premium white paper that costs about $5 a sheet at an art store. I then used the old cell as a template and marked the holes. I had the old cell handy through the whole process. I then used spray adhesive to affix the white paper to the board. Then I cut out all the chute holes with an exacto knife.

I also used spray adhesive to mount the "blobs" ,as I call them, to the white sheet. I thought about using the spray adhesive between the acetate and the and the background but after performing a "test" on a piece of wood with a test blob, paper, acetate and nails, I noticed that the glue discolored the paper. I decided that the brass nails, the chutes, and the ball track would be good enough to hold the acetate down, and it did.
So far I have about an hour of playtime (testing nail adjustment) and it hasnt scratched a bit.

Hope that answers your question. I just finished up the electrical tonight so I'll post photos of the finished machine tomorrow.

Gordon

thanks for the details. I thought that the background looked too good for a paint job, so a heavy paper on the back makes sense.

you certainly are good with your exacto knife.

if I could just convince myself that taking all those nails off was worth it, I might give it a try.

one more Q: how did you get the brads off for the metal fences? I have heard that it can be difficult, and has caused some hand lacerations and frustration.

say, maybe you could make a business of this!

chewy

[Moparformances]

geting the tracks off is a bit hard but not that bad once i understood exactly how they were instaled... my HUGE concern is geting them back on and held down tight?? how did u accomplish that??

geting them off was not to bad

i used one of thouse little tools u get in a set.. the one that is shaped like a question mark "?" It has a really sharp point.. worked it under the end adn lifted it. then used flat head screwdrivers to straighten them out as best i could.. then back to my handy dandy Linesman plyers covered in tape to pull on the tracks..

just keep in mind the brads for the tracks go all the was threw the play field cell board, bend 90 degres, go over an inch, then 90 back into the backside of the board

[BigBearSteve]

WOW!! Nicely done

With the use of the acetate sheet, I can see a whole new market for custom pachi's

You could put printed pictures, logos, anything you can think up

Oh, BTW, Welcome to PT

[Microbus99]

I think the best way to describe the track fasteners is that they are "Cotter Pins". Very long ones! Pretty standard in the automotive industry years ago. You could probably find them at the Hardware Store.

And yes Mopar, pulling them thru and getting them tight was extremely important. I was suprised however how they were able to not break after all the bending and pulling I did and the fact that they are 35 years old. It took a little bit of technique with some side cutters and needle nose pliers to pull them tight but they turned out ok.

Anybody can do this stuff. It's just a matter of being crazy enough to go all the way. Expect some long tedious hours!!!

Out of the whole project the most tedious was pulling the nails and cleaning them. I've seen how some of you are using tumbler/vibrators to clean metal parts. I've found one on Ebay for cheap and looking forward to an easier way. How has this worked for you guys?

Later,
Gordon

[emmadog]

geting the tracks off is a bit hard but not that bad once i understood exactly how they were instaled... my HUGE concern is geting them back on and held down tight?? how did u accomplish that??

I am thinking use some lock wire (the kind that I have seen running thru a castellated nut to keep it from loosening) or similar, run it thru the track and back thru the existing holes in the playfield cell and wherever else. Then take both free ends, twist them together, grab some pliers and twist further until the track is pulled tight against the playfield. Then bend the twisted ends up gainst the wood and tap down and into the wood a bit with a hammer.
Now my huge concern is how to remove/preserve the two stickers above the top track on my PF so that once I vinyl the surface I can have those there to maintain the factory appearance. The stickers are wrinkly and look fragile. Ideas?

[digital1]

The tracks were a very scary part but they realy are just cotter pins and they didn't break on me either. I got them as straight as possable and pulled them out, To put them in I cleaned them well and put a smear of dish detergent on them ( It makes stuff slipery untill it dries and then it is like glue.) They went in well and I bent them back the way they were and they held tight.

[Microbus99]

I dont think I would use safety wire. It's not sturdy enough. Unless its some pretty stout stuff.

I'm not sure where you would get cotter pins this this long though. I havent even really looked but Home D or a hardware store might have them

Check it out below:

[SphereJunkie]

Welcome to PT!! And you sir are one of the reasons on this forum that have my creative juices going again. Great lookin machine and the techniques that you used are great.

Can't wait to get my first major restore pachi, hope my neighbors in this apt complex don't mind the noise.

[Microbus99]

Ok...Here are pictures of the finished product. My first restoration. I definitely learned alot with this venture and will do things differently next time. This was a case study.

The background will be better on the next one.

Many thanks to all the members and their excellent ideas for me to refer to. Look forward to chatting with you all in the future.

See ya!!

[Moparformances]

very nice

nice touch with the signature...

it always concerns me when i see nails missing?? had u not punched the holes i would not have spoted it... any reason u left them out??