I've already documented a lot of the dis-assembly already on the thread below. PF is going out tomorrow to HSA Pinball in Arkansas for restoration and clearcoat.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/embryon-owners-club-fans-also-welcome

This thread will focus on the re-assembly of the PF, and the repainting/repairing of the upper/lower cabinet. I'm not going to write too much here, but for those who know me from various forums I like doing pictures and video on my side projects. I apologize ahead of time if you get tired of my terrible voice over work!

Haha thanks! And to correct what I said in the video the bare wire is the power wire, not the ground wire.

I'm hoping so. I did notice some small errors in their restore where the artwork was completely destroyed. Nothing that couldn't be corrected...

One example is this one - http://www.hsapinball.com/HSA_PINBALL/hsa142.html#5. They completely missed the text "SPOTS" above the MULTIPLER insert, and missed bullets along perimeter above RELEASE.

An example like that I don't think I need to worry about. Much of the original artwork on my PF is there to be touched up & filled in. My playfield won't need entire sections of the artwork replaced like I've seen some Embryon PF's.

That apron is a bitch to find, unique in the sense it has that right flipper puts ball in play. I haven't seen anyone try to do some sort of decal for it.

Though I have a flatbed scanner and mine isn't too bad. Maybe after the restore.

Well, I have a friend in the label printing business. I know he has access to large flatbed scanners, maybe scan the entire restored PF, get a photoshop file, etc. Hmmm.

Hey everyone.

Quick interim update. Brian emailed me and said he is about 2-3 weeks from completing the restoration.

Went to a paint shop and they can match the colors on the cabinet. I will need to bring the backbox so they can scan the colors to match it. I got some minor chipping that i will use some wood bondo to repair. The next step now is to purchase the stencil kit to make the repainting/touchup easier.

Ive got high hopes and excitement to see this PF restored. There is such extreme detail on this PF. I already told Brian that im going to be analyzing every detail from his restore. If it meets my approval, if anyone needs specific scans of the PF before I start reassembling let me know. I got an 8.5by11 full color photo flatbed scanner to scan specific sections to make decals for those wanting to fix specific sections

Mainly because its way more work than I want to do. Plus it opens up the possibility of incorrectly wiring the PF during reassembly. I may wind up putting the "E" in EMBRYON in the space for "M" for example. With the power wire soldered the lights and solenoids "fit" like a puzzle piece back on the PF without guesswork. Already secured the proper sized staples and staple gun. After I reattach the bulb holders and solenoid brackets via screws, I'll staple the power wire back the way it was so it doesn't ground out against anything.

This is certainly no small project having the PF disassembled and restored. The cabinet I can have repaired/repainted in a few days once I get all my materials.

Hey guys. Brian @ HSA got back to me the other day, my PF should be coming back to my doorstep within another week or so. Turned out that due to the planking and moisture damage my PF wound up being a stage 3 restore. So the cost was a bit more than anticipated. Hes going to be posting up before and after pictures on his website. I went with a high gloss clearcoat. I toyed with asking him to do a matte finish but the high gloss is gonna look flipping sweet! I'll update soon!

Everyone, Brian at HSA has completed my PF. I invite everyone to please help me look over the before and after pictures. Just spent 20 minutes going through them and so far I cannot find any major inaccuracies of the artwork. So far I am VERY IMPRESSED!!!!!!

http://www.hsapinball.com/HSA_PINBALL/hsa92214embryon.html

PM sent

Spending 1.5hrs looking over this PF WOW, I am impressed!!!

So I wont be immediately start reassembling the PF just yet as I have a few other priority projects going on.

Since its fully apart still I DO have an 8.5 by 11 inch flatbed scanner that I could use to create high pixel density picture files for the people who want to create waterslide decals. I figure i wont be getting around to the reassembly for at least another week. So now would be the time to put your request in or forever hold your peace.

I can confidently say now that I've laid my own eyes on the PF and not just pictures, I'm thorughly satisfied with the restoration job!!

No issues at all. In fact thats the reason it took longer. All the inserts are level with the rest of the pf!!!

Glad they took the extra time to level everything. Its really going to make the difference!!

I had to use a small finger nail file to open up the star points of the rollover inserts as they were filled with the clearcoat. You have to be SUPER SUPER careful so as not to lift the clearcoat off the PF. Avoid this and you are golden!

Pictures are coming for sure. I started putting the side rails back in, the machine screw studs, and replaced the long staples that held them in last night. I got so many other side projects going on the pinball has been taking a back seat. Hopefully not much longer.

They did do that. I actually took my stars out before I sent it to HSA. I cleaned mine up and reused them, nuttin wrong with them.

I did wind up chipping the clearcoat on one of the rollovers ever so slightly. The other two I cleaned out without issue.The clearcoat on in between one of the star points lifted up. So I took a knife and cut the piece off. I have some auto clear that I'll dab the area and let it dry with a spare star upside down. I've done this before with other PF's with positive results.

20141005_140629.jpeg

Hey guys! been a while since my last update, but finished remounting all of the mechanisms underneath the playfield. I fixed any loose screws with wood glue and redrilled into the bracket of one of the slingshots to bite into the wood better. Re stapling the power wire was not as bad as taking them out. From bare PF to what you see in the pictures is about 8 hours collectively so far.

Now that I have the PF more than halfway complete, I estimate about 3-4 hours more to install the top PF parts complete with new rubbers, new pinballs, new flipper bats w/ super bounce rubbers, and polished ramps!

The next step for me is to repaint the cabinet. I have some wood bondo work to do. I purchased the cabinet leg protectors as well. The legs themselves are a bit surface rusted too, those will be repainted as well. I'm going the krylon spray can paint and a stencil kit for $140 bucks. I know others will swear by the auto paint, but my cabinet is not that bad where I need to go that far I think. I'll get some pictures up of the cabinet tomorrow.

Coming along nicely!
All mechanical pieces secured and working!
Shiny!!!

Here are the cab pictures. its not in that bad of shape. I figure some touch up with the stencils will make this cabinet look new again. A decent amount of prep work is needed before I can paint.

Coin Door
Side, the other side was about the same
The back box has the same damage on the other side as well with some chipping, this is where wood bondo is required.

It lives! 8 hours work for the bottom half. I figure another 3 hours to reassemble the top half of the PF.

9.5 hours to dissasemble
11 hours flat to reassemble

This includes top and bottom halfs, the majority spent on the bottom due to complexity

All done over a period of 2 months since I got it back.

As ive discussed previously the cabinet repainting is the next project to tackle. Very pleased with the results.

Once everything is done ill take some real good pictures with my DSLR camera instead of my phone.

fully restored, assembled, and working!!

Bally Embryon Playfield Restoration & Reassembly:

Thank you guys! I dont want to say publically what I paid. Brian @HSA does amazing work and others can atest to this assessment. His price was fair for the amount of work that needed to be done.

Yup that was about my turnaround time as well. Great guy. I'm ordering the repro plastics from CPA now. That's great stuff to have!

My plastics are delivered! I'll take some pics after work today how they look! Once I get them on the machine the ENTIRE PF from A to Z is restored!! That just leaves refinishing the cabinet which I already have the stencils to accomplish that once the better weather gets here in CT!