Home Hack - Making my own stencils

Sure, I could buy a set for my 6M$M, but where's the fun in that? The sides are pretty awful, the front is so-so and the back panel and backbox support were replaced completely. Being as I plan to keep this game awhile, I will fix it as I see fit and I want the paint to look factory fresh. (If I were in the market, I would take the repro paint job over a scratched up cab any day. But that's me and opinions vary.) So my options are to either buy a set for $100 plus shipping or make a set. I choose to make a set. Tracing and cutting is way to low tech for me, plus I'm lazy. So here's how it goes. I start with a decent photo of the cab portion to be painted via a 10MP digital SLR.

IMG_3989.JPG

#2 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Next, I clean it up using AdobePSE 8.0 with a Bamboo draw pad. Looks kinda like this.

front3.jpg

#3 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Next, I use a piece of freeware called Inkscape to turn it into a scalable png and trace it out to a line drawing. Like so:

frontfinalall.png

#4 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Next, I have a product from an online sign shop I use called 'Oramask 813 Spray Mask.' http://www.signwarehouse.com/p-VOR813-2410-STMSKB.html The idea is that my sign cutting software at work will size the png, and direct the cutter to slice and dice the mask film. The end result should be that I will get great computer cut stencils for a fraction of the price (minus my labor) that will give me a nice looking cab. Once I confirm that the stencils are good, I'll sand/fill/sand/fill/sand and then paint. Results to be posted. OK, purists, you can beat me if you want, but it's my machine!

#5 11 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

I know I'm stating the obvious here, but if you're doing all the cutting just from that inkscape line drawing...

How are you going to stencil the color separations? lol.

#6 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

That's just to show the process to this point. There will be one with just the red cut outs and one for the blue. Easily done from this point.

#7 11 years ago

JDS

swinks

Swinks Pinball

12y 136K 10,573

Well done mate, please post pics right to the finish

#8 11 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Mk1Mod0:
That's just to show the process to this point. There will be one with just the red cut outs and one for the blue. Easily done from this point.

Just making sure.

#9 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Front(red) and front(blue)

frontred.png frontblue.png

#10 11 years ago

MAC

mcclad

Inactive member

New Bedford, MA

11y 69,900 2,034 12

I see nothing wrong with what you are doing. Espescially if it is a machine that you plan to keep. It will look much more presentable in you home with a fresh paint job. Some people would rather have it original, but if I were buying the machine from you, I would rather have it after you put a new paint job on the cabinet. Can't wait to see some before and after photos.

#11 11 years ago

JLW

jrrdw

Pinside member

White Hall, MD

14y 56,100 2,144 1 12

Will you be using vinyl for the stencil?

#12 11 years ago

ROB

RCA1

Pinside+ Addict

St Joseph, MI

11y 128K 8,681 28 11

Quoted from jrrdw:
Will you be using vinyl for the stencil?

PVC, according to the link in his description.

#13 11 years ago

BJS

DrStarkweather

Pinside member

Chicago, IL

12y 59,300 2,002 3 26

You could simplify the first few steps by using Adobe Illustrator to trace vector lines instead of using photoshop and 'Inkscape'

#14 11 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

"freeware called Inkscape" is a pretty far cry from Adobe Illustrator, which is 500 bucks if you don't already have access to it or a discount.

#15 11 years ago

MJN

mickthepin

Inactive member

Brisbane

12y 64,400 2,333 2 25

Cool hope this ends up good

#16 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Yeah...if I could get AI I probably would. Can't really justify that expense. Even with it, I doubt it is smart enough to figure this mess out...

IMG_4024.JPG

-1

#17 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

The story I got from the gent I bought it from was that it had been in a frat house at one point. You would not believe the hacks in the electronics. Not to mention this mess of a box. Surprisingly, the P/F is an 8.5 and the B/G is a 10. Not too bad a deal.

2 weeks later

#18 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

FINALLY got the side art done. The head art should take no time at all in comparison. Now all I have left to do is get the paint color matched, cut out the stencils and paint away.

rightblue.png

1 week later

#19 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

No turning back now...

IMG_4126.JPG IMG_4127.JPG IMG_4128.JPG

#20 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

First white coat. One more then my stencils get the ultimate test.

IMG_4131.JPG

#21 11 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

Nice dude. Man, it's crazy to see woodgrain on a pin like that. It took me a second to figure out what the heck part of the pin it actually was.

#22 11 years ago

WYO

Ballsofsteel

Inactive member

Riverton, WY

12y 73,550 2,923 7 81

great progress. i'm assuming you painted the backbox and cab indoors, and brought them outside for pics?? hopefully?

#23 11 years ago

DUG

trilogybeer

Pinside+ Frequent

Elkhorn, WI

11y 150K 8,892 14 2

Not really a hack , looks like you're doing it the proper way . Nice work.

#24 11 years ago

DAD

TopJimmyCooks

Pinside member

Wilmington, NC

11y 31,650 232 4

Every time i use the Inkscape trace feature, I always get lines that are actually two lines/curves with black filled in between. Makes it so hard to edit. it looks like your traces are the same. Does that give problems with the vinyl cutter? Does it cut both lines with spaghetti inbetween? Is there any way to force it to a single line/curve at the transition from one color to the next?

I just did the stencil art for a Gameplan Sharpshooter. It was fairly simple and I just hand traced it in CorelDraw over the photos and sent it off to be cut and backed by Gamestencils.com. Worked great. Autotracing attempts on it were terrible because there was so much overspray and speckling on the original artwork.

#25 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

After you make the line drawing in Inkscape, fill in (with black) the part(s) you want the vinyl cutter to remove. That will make it run the outline of a shape instead of cutting "both sides" of a line. I had the same trouble until I looked at other clip art that came with the cutter and figured out the difference.

#26 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Meanwhile, on the other side of the garage...

IMG_4105.JPG

#27 11 years ago

TSR

TaylorVA

Reese Rails

13y 116K 8,893 11 7

Looking very nice.

1 week later

#28 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Finally got the weax to cooperate. First, a final coat of white.

IMG_4139.JPG

#29 11 years ago

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Mk1Mod0

Next, apply the red paint stencils...

IMG_4151.JPG IMG_4152.JPG IMG_4150.JPG

#30 11 years ago

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Mk1Mod0

Shoot!!!

IMG_4154.JPG IMG_4156.JPG

#31 11 years ago

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Mk1Mod0

Aaaaaaaand peel...

IMG_4166.JPG IMG_4165.JPG

#32 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Blue next weekend, then some clear.

#33 11 years ago

DAD

TopJimmyCooks

Pinside member

Wilmington, NC

11y 31,650 232 4

Did you mean to paint your fence?

#34 11 years ago

BIL

NinJaBooT

Pinside member

12y 114K 2,777

That is awesome! Nice work Mk1. Can't wait to see it finished.

#35 11 years ago

JM.

catboxer

Pinside member

12y 54,300 1,865

All I can think about is the fence! Cab looks nice though.

#36 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

I use the fence to adjust the gun. Makes it kinda festive, no?

#37 11 years ago

j_m_

Pinside+ Frequent

11y 124K 7,590

"always look on the bright side of life"

#38 11 years ago

TJD

Dawson

Pinside member

New Plymouth

12y 49,150 837 5

this is over awesome , great job

#39 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Okay. Good weax again, on with the show. First, the stencils for the blue paint. Kinda weird to apply blue film then REMOVE the parts where the blue paint goes...

IMG_4170.JPG IMG_4173.JPG

#40 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Add paint, spray, peel and voila!!

IMG_4176.JPG

#41 11 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0