Background replacement done on model A

[cardwwi]

I am done with a Nishijin model A background replacement.
Poker Tulip Before.jpgFront After.jpgPF After.jpgBack Before.jpgBack After.jpg

[mxfaiman]

Looks great. (what do you have planned for that one?)

[Microbus99]

Looking awesome as usual!! Its amazing how much that original background faded.

I snuck in an extra flower on mine to fill what I thought was a "void" in the original design in the upper left.

Keep up the good work. You're a pioneer in our hobby!

[pachiwall]

You guys amaze me when it comes to cell replacement! I won't say never...but it sure does intimidate me! There should be a sticky for cell replacement that covers (almost) all threads on the technical issues and material variations for such a monumental task. I mean ...if you are willing to do it, then you don't want to ruin it. Therefore you will probably just leave it alone. If you don't mind ruining it. then it isn't worth doing. Unless it is a parts machine, and you are practicing on it. You guys are KINGS...hope to be crowned someday!

[Microbus99]

Hey Pachiwall,

I've done 3 of them and I can tell you, unless you have a ton of extra time (since I travel a 5 state region for my job I dont have extra time this year) its not something to take lightly.

However, if you have the time, and ambition, no matter your skill level, its a very rewarding experience!! You should just "do it"!!!

I want to do more original backgrounds myself. Not just replacements. I've gotten past the debate of keeping it original on certain machines but I do have an intense need to keep some machines that are "on the fence" as original as possible. I'm nostalgic that way.

I'm not about trying to make money on my machines because of my time constraints but I'm all about "just what makes you happy" with your machine.

Give it a try! We have a couple members now selling background replacements which I'm impressed by. Very impressed by! There's no reason not to do it at this point!!

Its time to "go for it"

[MrGneiss]

Wow, the flower background looks Rad!!




A few people have done some custom backgrounds and the looked Really cool!!

[Rival]

Its not for the faint of heart, thats for sure. But like anything else, you get what you put into it. I have done I think 7-8 replacements now, and looking at machines that have faded, yellowed, and stained backgrounds just makes me sad. Mostly because I now know what they SHOULD look like.

[Microbus99]

When I say custom I still mean in the same style of the machines character choosing a design that incompasses the playfield centerpiece probably still in the Japanese style or era. Old Japanese watercolors interest me as well but maybe a little to old fashioned for the funkiness of some of these machines.

I think some vintage machines like the Football Player, Golfer, Baseball player have backgrounds that just dont work with the theme. Those would be candidates for something different but in the same style.

Just thinking out loud.

[cardwwi]

I did a write up on how to do this.

http://www.pachinkorestorations.com/...0model%20B.pdf

You guys amaze me when it comes to cell replacement! I won't say never...but it sure does intimidate me! There should be a sticky for cell replacement that covers (almost) all threads on the technical issues and material variations for such a monumental task. I mean ...if you are willing to do it, then you don't want to ruin it. Therefore you will probably just leave it alone. If you don't mind ruining it. then it isn't worth doing. Unless it is a parts machine, and you are practicing on it. You guys are KINGS...hope to be crowned someday!

______________________________________________________
ebay!

Looks great. (what do you have planned for that one?)

______________________________________________________
I did rework the artwork after I got it back from the printers, I just didn't like the colors. The updated artwork is on my webpage but I didn't want to waist a print so I used it on this one.

Looking awesome as usual!! Its amazing how much that original background faded.

I snuck in an extra flower on mine to fill what I thought was a "void" in the original design in the upper left.

Keep up the good work. You're a pioneer in our hobby!

[emmadog]

You guys amaze me when it comes to cell replacement! I won't say never...but it sure does intimidate me! There should be a sticky for cell replacement that covers (almost) all threads on the technical issues and material variations for such a monumental task. I mean ...if you are willing to do it, then you don't want to ruin it. Therefore you will probably just leave it alone. If you don't mind ruining it. then it isn't worth doing. Unless it is a parts machine, and you are practicing on it. You guys are KINGS...hope to be crowned someday!

Don't be intimidated by doing cel replacements. Yes, they take time but these are very simple machines-it's not rocket science by any means. Plus now Cardwii has posted an excellent guide so you have that to go by and you can even buy cels already made. Guides and premade cels weren't available when I did my first ones but I still woulda done it on my own because I enjoy figuring things out. Looking back on a Power Flash redo which was my first cel replacement, the thing that took the most patience was separating the plywood playfield backing from the frame (it's held together by nails) but that only entailed going around the perimeter of where they join and gently prying. The biggest pain was removing the nails with makeshift implements. I ended up doing a couple of playfields before I discovered the correct tool for the job.
Ayway, taking pictures, a little common sense, and a few simple tools are all that's needed-anyone can do it.
Now consider replacing a fully populated pinball playfield with a new one. Still not rocket science but quite an undertaking. I've yet to do it and I've got NOS playfields stacked up in a closet ready to go. So many projects...

[Rival]

Emmadog, I agree it may not be rocket science, but there is one important point to consider.

I spent almost 20 years working on electronics on both fighter aircraft as well as a wide range of land based systems. The lighting systems on the pachinko machines are about as difficult for me to figure out as it is for me to figure how to get soda out of a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi. But not everyone has the benefit of my experience. Restoring a pachinko machine, and in particular replacing a playfield graphic will pull from dozens of disparate skill sets, and not everyone is suited for such a task. I think anyone who suceeds in such an undertaking should be proud that they have accomplished a very complicated and difficult project. Even after doing as many as I have it is still a challenge every single time, with new obstacles to be overcome and new puzzles to be solved. Although there are excellent guides available, they are still generic. The first one for anyone is still a difficult and complicated process.

I am not trying to disuade anyone from trying, on the contrary. I hope more and more make the attempt, because once you have experienced the pride in creating a showpiece from a relic, you cannot help but look forward to the next one.

[emmadog]

Hmmm well, I'll just say that I'm not particularly bright nor have any special aptitude and I didn't find tearing down and rebuilding pachinkos difficult or complicated at all. What it is is time consuming, especially at first. I don't think special skills or skill sets are required. What is definitely required is attention to detail and patience.

I'm sure just about anybody here barring a mental deficiency, can redo a vintage pachinko. There's just not much to them.
Desire is another matter.

[Microbus99]

Emmadog, I agree it may not be rocket science, but there is one important point to consider.

I spent almost 20 years working on electronics on both fighter aircraft as well as a wide range of land based systems. The lighting systems on the pachinko machines are about as difficult for me to figure out as it is for me to figure how to get soda out of a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi. But not everyone has the benefit of my experience. Restoring a pachinko machine, and in particular replacing a playfield graphic will pull from dozens of disparate skill sets, and not everyone is suited for such a task. I think anyone who suceeds in such an undertaking should be proud that they have accomplished a very complicated and difficult project. Even after doing as many as I have it is still a challenge every single time, with new obstacles to be overcome and new puzzles to be solved. Although there are excellent guides available, they are still generic. The first one for anyone is still a difficult and complicated process.

I am not trying to disuade anyone from trying, on the contrary. I hope more and more make the attempt, because once you have experienced the pride in creating a showpiece from a relic, you cannot help but look forward to the next one.

Rival, Emmadog,

That was very well said. It takes a multitude of skill sets to do this type of challenge. I find mine in the fact that I was a Auto Mechanic for 20 years, have a degree in Art and Design (my first love), started my working experience at 13 with my Dad as a Carpenter, and now a Mechanical Engineer and degree in Automotive Technology. Vintage machine restoration encompassed all those skills. Simple in-series electronics can be a challenge to some. Playfield graphic design is another skill set. Understanding the mechanics of the operation is another skill set.

Too me, its a perfect combination. Takes up less space in the garage as rebuilding a VW bug as well (My first resto 25 years ago).

[emmadog]

Both of you have impressive backgrounds but I still say without your backgrounds and all those "skill sets" you could still redo a pachinko. I have none of the training that y'all have and had no problems other than very minor ones in the restos I've done. These machines are so simple that if you did have to replace the wiring for example, you could "borrow" that skill/knowledge from someone on here and get it done. No pre existing skill needed. Wiring up a modern? Completely different story. I'll concede skills are learned while redoing a damaged pachinko thru trial and error as I experienced redoing badly damaged ashtrays and cointrays. I had no idea how so I jut trial and errored it.The talk of training in your backgrounds is great and very helpful but a newbie without any of that training can still tackle a pachinko. I did.JC out.

[cardwwi]

I bought my first pachinko in high school and promptly started to figure out how it worked by taking it apart and putting it back together, with no skill sets at that time. When I first started doing playing field replacements, I was a little intimidated but I remembered what my grandfather told me: short of deliberately destroying it, there is not much that you can do to a machine that can't be fixed. The key is, if you don't know then you need to find out. Most people are proud of their skills and are more than willing to help you learn. I'm now an Electronics Engineer and have been for 21 years. I've found out that vintage pachinkos have very little to do with my degree or experience. I figured out how the lighting worked on them back in high school, before I even knew much about electronics. Remember not to be intimidated or afraid. It can always be fixed or replaced!

[JACKSJE4]

When I look back at my first few restorations and compare them to the restorations I am doing now, I can see a BIG difference in the overall quality and level of detail froom then to now. I had little skills and a lot of curiosity back when I tore apart my first machine, but as time went on learned from my past experience, built up my skills and improved my product greatly with each machine I tore apart and restored. A lot of the improvements were things I learned here on PachitTalk (I didn't know of this site when I began doing restorations), one thing that really intimidated me back then was rewiring the lights - I have ZERO skills and understading with electrical stuff (which is really odd seeing my 25 year career is in the IT support field). I read up about the wiring on PT and through trial and error I was able to get the lights on one of my machines working. The feeling of accomplishment was addicting!! Now I routinely rewire the lights on all of my restorations.

Anyhow, my point is this: If there is basic skills, curiosity, desire to learn, and a little bit of confidence, then anyone can do it. Anyone can do anything they want to do as long as they put their mind to it. Like many, I bought my first Pachinko on good old Craigslist and it didn't work right, so I started trying to figure it out so that my son could play it. Rather than abandon it, I was determined to get it working and I had the desire to fix it. I learned a lot about how it worked in the process. I am still learning new things about these machines and techniques for restoring them today, and that is what makes it fun.

Emmadog and Rival, I think you are both right. Anyone can do a cell replacement as long as they are somewhat mechanically minded, have the basic tools at their disposal and know how to use them, and have the desire to do so and the confidence to give it a try. I made up my mind long ago that doing cell replacements was too much work and not something I would be good at, but after reading about so many of them here recently and seeing the great guide that Cardwwi posted in the Vintage section, my confidence has improved and I am engouraged to give one a try now. They still intimidate me a bit, but I am sure that once I get started I will be able to figure everything out and get the job done, perhaps not perfectly the first time but I will perfect the technique with each one I tackle. I want to experience that tremendous feeling of accomplishment when I complete my first one!

The way I see it, it's like learning to ride a bike; anyone can do it if they want to learn, nobody does well the first time they try, but with some determination and practice it will become second nature.

[Rival]

Jackie, I agree with you whole heartedly. I am reminded of something my father once told me when I was young:

"Everything is easy if you know how to do it, and can be very difficult if you don't."

[yose]

In my opinion it's all in the mind set, and the trust in yourself.We always have the time and effort to do something twice if it's wrong the first time.Thats how we learn.The difficult things take some time ,the impossible takes a little longer.

[owennewton]

The difficult things take some time ,the impossible takes a little longer.

reminds me of another quote

"Eternity lasts a very long time, especially towards the end"

[cardwwi]

I think the best thing is to buy a junk pachinko you would take apart just for the parts and try it, that way if you fail you are not out that much. This way you can get a low cost education on playing field replacment. Take your time and don't rush on the first one.