Late 50s restoration - sacrilege?

[Siouxzan]

I'd like some advice and opinions before continuing onto restoring the cell of my recently acquired Nishijin A single shot.

The cell design haunts me with 2 problems-- it's sort of drab, and it's in pretty bad shape (mainly water staining, of course).

I can reproduce the graphics and have them heat laminated with acrylic, or I could do something else I've wanted to try. Here come some gasps, I'm guessing.
Replace it with a 50s-ish Formica pattern. Durable and easy to work with.
Below is a pattern I'm considering in 2 of the available colors.

While I'm at it, also attached is a picture of the results of last night's foray into nickel (actually KopyKrome) plating. The spinners were solid rust. I wished I'd bothered to take a before picture, but imagine solid rust. I beadblasted the hell out of them and just simply had to leave some degree of (at this point microscopic) pitting before all the metal was gone. Considering everything, I'm happy with the results. All the other cell features are chrome and paintless, so I figure they'll fit in nicely (they were, I think, just white before).

One more digression. I am in the midst of horrible family tragedy, yet I find myself thinking about (although not having time to work on) my pachinko hobby and this group. It seems weird and wrong, but it's a link to sanity, for which I want to thank the rest of this little subculture.

Be well,
Brian

[JACKSJE4]

Sorry to hear of your family tragedy. I hope everything turns out well for you and your loved ones. Distractions like a Pachinko hobby can always help you through the tough times and get your mind off of what bothers you.

As for the formica cell, it would look cool, however I would think that it might split or crack when driving a nail through it, unless you pre-drilled all of the holes first. You also might need to allow for the added thickness when you reassemble.

Those spinners look amazing!!! What did you use to apply the nickel coating??


Jeff

[Meathead]

It's perfectly natural to turn to this kind of thing when things aren't going right. Hobbies are therapeutic and it's important to have one (or several). No guilt allowed.

The spinners look fantastic, and the formica is a great idea. Remember you're not altering a rare Bugatti, think of it as a vintage Ford Pinto or Chevy Vega. Then you'll understand it's ok to make improvements.

[dattia]

I had a '74 Vega way back when... I say the formica will look great!

I am glad that you found this forum to be at least a distraction from your reality at the moment, we all need that once in a while. I truly hope that brighter days are on the way and I dare say that if you ever found yourself in a position where you need to vent to someone or just share, you can find that here also.

[candyflip]

I'd just re-iterate and support all of the above. It's a pretty good distraction from work-a-day-blues too, I've found!

best wishes for the coming days...

[Microbus99]

Sorry about the tragedy. Hobbies are great to have in times like these.

Its funny you considered the 50's retro formica. I actually ordered some samples from Formica with the same pattern and idea you had. I decided against it but it would cool to see you do it to know how it would have turned out. Go for it.

The nickle plating looks fantastic by the way.

[BigBearSteve]

This site is the best medicine for lifes heartaches

[Siouxzan]

Those spinners look amazing!!! What did you use to apply the nickel coating??

Thanks. I've had a Caswell electroless KopyKrome kit around here for 7 or 8 years and have used it multiple times, mainly for firearm frames. Some people say it holds up longer than electroplated nickel. I've never had a chip, crack, split, or scratch. It's a great kit that just keeps on working. It's all in the prep work though.

[Siouxzan]

Check it out!

This isn't a laminate that's available locally, so I'll order it online, now that I have the pachitalk blessing on butchering my ultra-rare Bugatti single shot in such a manner.

So, the decision is made. I love this pattern. It's somehow so pachinko-y

[Moparformances]

thats a great pattern for a 60's machine
i dont know how i feel about the vega pinto remarks ... had a sweet Monza with a 350 under the hood before i made my conversion to the tru power house...

thouse spinners look amazing I would give them a touch of dark blue that matches your background.. to tie the two together.. but thats my two cents

sorry to hear about your family..

[Siouxzan]

Yeah, on the spinners I'm thinking use some translucent glass paint, thin it out, and let it pool in the recessed center ring to dry. Should look cool.

I am wondering if increasing the thickness of the cell will cause any problems.

I'm also wondering if this thing even works. I won't know until I've completely restored every piece and put it all back together. My suspicion is that I'll figure it out. Hopefully nothing is missing. I need another early Model A as a guide. There, I just found an excuse to buy another machine.

[takethecastle57]

I love that 50's countertop formica !

Just remember when you have the playboard stripped down to sand down the surface so that the thickness of the new surface (formica) is the same thickness as a factory cell. Take care of yourself and family .

[hanabi]

Check it out!

This isn't a laminate that's available locally, so I'll order it online, now that I have the pachitalk blessing on butchering my ultra-rare Bugatti single shot in such a manner.

So, the decision is made. I love this pattern. It's somehow so pachinko-y

I'm sorry to hear that you have a family tragedy, I do hope things get better soon for you all...

I think that design looks great!! I love the bright colours!!

and your chrome-work looks so good

I have no experience in Cell refinishing so I can only suggest that you double check everything as you go along, especially with regards to thickness and durability of the surface

But I'm looking forward to seeing how this one works out, so nice to see ways in which damaged, faded or water-stained pachinkos can get a new lease of life

[Cystic]

Wow, Those spinners look great!

I look at the restoration of pachinkos about the same ae I look at car restorations.

If you find one thats been garaged and its got maybe just a little wear here and there and but still looks "bright" and you change it then it *is* sacrilege.(imho)

If you pull it out of a field(and it had a tree growing through it like my dads '47 Ford sedan delivery) and you then restore it to its former beauty you are honoring the original.

If it's wore and beat and you customize it to your liking and it's just how you like it, well you only have to please yourself.

All it takes for Art to be created is the Artist and you seem well on your way.



Sorry to hear about your families tragedy.




Thread drift and restoration/plating anecdote:

My father also had a '46 Ford pickup as did a friend of his.

They met in a car club about the same time as they both started the restoration of their pickups. They even painted them the same factory colour.(they called and wrote Ford to lookup the mix for the laquer to get it *just* right)

The difference between the trucks stopped at the colour. My father was(and is) a purest, He made them as they came off the factory floor. He liked them plain, He made a deluxe into a standard(less chrome strips and some plaques)

His friend was a ChromeHead. If it came off and fit in the tank it was chromed. Under his hood the only thing not chrome was the block and carb.

This guy liked chrome so much he later opened a chrome shop. His dream project(and what he built his tanks to fit) was to chrome an entire VW Bug body. Alas my father and I lost contact and I haven't seen(or heard) of one so I think it never came to be.

They both trucks looked great parked side by side at the rodruns and most people appreciated the effort shown in both.

[mudfud]

you should probably pre-drill the formica so it doesn't split when you nail through it. the extra thickness won't be a problem, since the nails are plenty long.

do you think the formica will get scratched from the balls?

very fun pattern.

chrome looks great, too!

[Moparformances]

do ya have pics of the machine befor teardown?? that way we can see if someone has one similar for pics

i think the thickness is not going to be much of an issue.. unlike mudfuds being to thin is causing problems with clearance... i can only come up with one problem from being to thick... if your machines has pockets no issue.. if it has tulips u might have to cut into the back of the original board to give balls room to drop out.. but thats going to be minimal...

[Siouxzan]

you should probably pre-drill the formica so it doesn't split when you nail through it. the extra thickness won't be a problem, since the nails are plenty long.

do you think the formica will get scratched from the balls?

I certainly plan on predrilling the holes. I'll make a template from the old field.

My concern with the cell thickness would only be the distance from the surface features to the parts in the back, but that should be easy enough to test beforehand.

I absolutely do not think formica will have a problem holding up to the balls.

[candyflip]

Can't wait to see the final product - print pattern is awesome.

Will you include a written note saying what you did to the original, in the backbox, so all future owners after you're gone will know what you did to the machine? Just a thought.

[Siouxzan]

Will you include a written note saying what you did to the original, in the backbox, so all future owners after you're gone will know what you did to the machine? Just a thought.

That's a great idea. I am also considering having Kinko's scan the original face full-sized, just in case I ever change my mind and want to revert.

(bad timing on the "after you're gone" comment )

[candyflip]

That's a great idea. I am also considering having Kinko's scan the original face full-sized, just in case I ever change my mind and want to revert.

(bad timing on the "after you're gone" comment )

Yikes you're right!!! Sorry!! Didn't even see that one for my own 2 big feet!!