It would make a good test, but I'm not sure it's really necessary to go to the trouble. The step where you install the playfield is actually pretty easy, in that there aren't any fasteners involved. The fasteners are all in the prep steps, with the playfield out of the cab: you attach the pivot nuts to the cabinet walls, and you separately attach the 01-8726 brackets to the underside of the playfield. The playfield then drops in simply by sliding the brackets onto the pivot nuts. It's designed specifically so that you can move the playfield in and out of the cab with the playfield populated.

I really like what wallyb is doing with the stern slides and supports.

Im very tempted to do it.

Re Davi's video - note that that won't quite apply for TAF. That's for the new-style brackets used on the later WPC games. TAF uses the older fixed brackets, so it's a bit different (and a lot simpler). Unless you're planning to change that in your build to the new-style brackets, or the modern Stern system, which as pinballinreno mentioned, wallyb has gotten working with TAF.

I really like this!
Im doing a restore on my TAF next summer and am very interested in this.

Are the backbox hinge holes drilled?

Were gonna need a bigger drill.

Its hard to see in the picture but,

My question was:

1) Can you attach the head with the bolts that go thru the sides of the cabinet?

2) do you have the safety bolts that secure the head onto the cabinet body from inside the head at the bottom?

2) can you clip the safety clip on the back?

4) can you fold the head down onto the cabinet using the hinges?

It all of this is good, then all you have to do is drill the holes for the rear playfield mounts, this part is pretty easy.

If no, then I can help you sort it out a bit.

you can mount the lower cabinet speaker:

get 2 pieces of speaker grill from marco:

https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=Screen+-+Speaker+%2F+vent+7%22+square%0903-8603-1

Staple one piece into place for the speaker, centered, using a square.

use other one for the other small holes in the lower cabinet.
Just cut into 2 or 3" squares and staple into location.

They are called rodent guards lol.

Mount the speaker plate over the speaker grill plastic:
20201116_154411 (resized).jpg20201116_154415 (resized).jpg

Use 4 or 6 regular playfield screws, they are 5/8", longer if you wish but they shouldnt go thru the bottom.

Screw the speaker down onto the plate using the pre-drilled, divoted holes.

Done in 5 mins.

For others who havent bought a new undrilled cabinet, this is how i do it:

Mount head on cabinet.
Center it and make it flush with the backside.
Make a small centerline for reference if you want.

Mount the DMD channel.
Check it with the DMD for fit and location. You want the panel vertically plumb. Check that the translite fits and all is good.

Bolt it together with the head bolts
20201117_112114 (resized).jpg

Add the safety draw clip:
The hook part can just be flush with the bottom edge.

Align the bottom latch with the latch opened and hooked, latch handle opened to about 90 degrees or a bit less. Screw it all down with regular playfield screws.

It doesnt have to actuate super tight.
Too tight and it just rips out the upper screws. If it ends up springy but slightly firm its good enough.

Its a safety latch.
20201117_112103 (resized).jpg

Mount the hinges with the screws and plates firmly.

Mark the center of the square with a center/transfer punch:

20201117_103942 (resized).jpg20201117_103854 (resized).jpg

Next pull it all apart and lay the lower cabinet on its side.

Use a drywall square to mark your hole locations for the playfield.
20201117_112600 (resized).jpg20201117_112556 (resized).jpg

Once you are certain of your location, use a punch and make good solid punches to keep the bit centered.

drill the holes.

1/2" for the head hinge inserts.
3/8" for the playfield pivots.

Use forstner bits.
20201116_172813 (resized).jpg

Its important that the holes are straight. I use a cheap drill guide i bought from harbor freight.

A key thing to mention:

The drill bit cuts pretty slow.
It won't run away from you like an auger bit.

In fact you can press on it pretty hard and it will be ok.

Just keep checking that you dont drill thru all the way.
20201116_171217 (resized).jpg

I dont drill all the way through, just untill the bit shows on the oposite side:
20201116_171624 (resized).jpg

Then drill from the inside to finish the hole, you dont need the drill guide for this:
20201116_171742 (resized).jpg

When done you will have holes comparable to the CNC ones:
20201116_172831 (resized).jpg20201116_172824 (resized).jpg
Install the hinge inserts from the "inside" with a 1/4" allen wrench, widen the holes if necessary by running the drill bit around a little.

Install the pivots, crush in the carriage bolts with a nut and washer.

Drilling the 4 holes in the head is pretty much the same.

Really its not dificult at all.

If you take your time, everything will fit good enough to continue the build:
20201117_145401 (resized).jpg20201117_145409 (resized).jpg

Now that the playfield is rough fitted,
I can address warps, inconsistencies and whatnot, With reverse bends or shims etc.

Very good!

Wing bolts or 3/8 × 16 x 2 or 2.5" bolts with washers go in the empty holes.

Its important to put in the bolts.

The little safety latch wont hold anything really.

I like the wing bolts, but if they are in the way of an add on board, i just use regular bolts.

See my prior post to drill holes.

Its pretty easy with the right tools.

I can get dimensions for your pivot holes off my TAF cabinet if you need them.

Note:

I use a set of side protectors all the way thru the build to protect the cabinet from many playfield insertions.

yeah its pretty basic.

Bolt thru the wood.
black fender Washer on inside over the bolt.

Add a nut over the washer and bolt, tighten to crunch the carriage bolt into the wood until the head of the bolt meets the cabinet side. Remove the nut.

For DW, TAF, and somewhat later games, use a slotted Pivot bushing over the bolt. Tighten with a flat blade screwdriver, sideways thru the slots. If the bolt is in the way of the slots of the pivot bolt, the bolt is too long or the pivot bushing is too short. There are 2 sizes....

In a pinch Ive been known to dremel the bolt shorter with a cutoff wheel...

Paint the heads of silver bolts with acid etch black primer, etc.

Fully tightened the end of the bolt barely comes thru into the slotted area of the bushing by a thread or 2.

A couple people PM'd me about drilling the head:

Layout the hole locations using the top and back of the head as a reference.

Again I use my drywall square, $9 at harbor freight...

You can write on it with a pencil to go between its 1/8" marks!

Once you are sure of the locations, punch a nice solid mark with a center punch, drill with a regular 3/16" oxide or gold bit.

Its ok if there is a little chipping on the inside, its covered by the lightboard mounting bracket.

Use the drill guide for good straight holes.
20201117_165622 (resized).jpg20201117_165644 (resized).jpg

Notice that I have the locking points on the drill guide all the way out.

I dont need any holes or scratches to fill later, might as well remove the stupid things.
I can clamp it down if necessary for my use.

I hope all of this helps...
I can post a picture of a bolt, washer and pivot nut if it helps..

Put some masking tape where the holes are going to be drilled and make your marks on that.

If you need a picture of the side of the cabinet just ask.

The lower cabinet has only 2 holes on each side. One for the playfield pivot and one for the head/backbox hinge.

On your cabinet, since the head is already attached, you only need to drill one 3/8" hole, on both the left and right side of the lower cabinet, for the playfield pivots. The head hinge holes are already done for you, you dont need to drill those.

In the backbox/head, there are 2 sets of 2 holes (total of 4) for the 2 hinge brackets that mount the light board inside of the head.
They are only on the left side. The right side does not have to be drilled.

Get those holes on the bottom cab perfect, I messed up a brand new cabinet and had to improvise once, it was messy. But in the end I save it, but yikes, I should have reached out for help

Its easy to mess it up if you are not careful.

I have a pretty good methodology at this point.

It makes it pretty easy.

Here's a link to HEP's restoration of a TAF cabinet. It has the exact location for the TAF playfield pivot holes.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hep-this-week-9-17-18/page/32#post-4728213

One thing to note:

The flipper button holes on my Funhouse virtua-pin cabinet were 3/16" lower than on my original cabinet.

This does not in any way affect the playfield installaton.

Also I prefer to make all of my measurements from the front of the cabinet.
The playfield hangs from the front hangers in the lockdown bar receiver, and rests on the pivots. Nothing hangs off the rear of the cabinet.

Measuring from the front avoids any cabinet length inconsistency problems.

Hence the drywall square, lol.

Chris's measurements should be spot on. He has done many, MANY, TAF cabinets !

Measure twice (or more) cut once...

Looks about right.

Did your backbox/head come with the light board installed?

Post a wanted ad on pinside for the backbox hinge set. They are pretty generic.

Im confident that someone has a few of them left over from a dead game.

They arent ever seen, so old crusty ones are just fine and clean up wonderfully.

I'd send you some if I had them.

someone must have an old set laying around,

The original hinges seem easy to find - they're available on Marco (and probably other places). I don't think there's a common substitute; you might be able to improvise something with hardware-store door hinges if you really put your mind to it, but the geometry makes it tricky. I'd just go with the standard parts for this.

would this work , then cut to length https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-1-2-in-x-48-in-Bright-Nickel-Continuous-Hinge-15372/202034038

Out of stock

Make a wanted ad

Really? Huh, I got some just a few weeks ago... actually, I just checked, and it looks like you're good to go with all three parts at Marco - all show in stock:

A-12498
A-12497
01-6571

Maybe, but I don't think so. Take a look at pictures to get a feel for the geometry. The trick with the standard parts is that the pivot point isn't at the seam - it's set up with so that the left edge of the insert swings out in an arc, to clear the little guide rails on the sides. The other issue is that the front part of that door hinge probably won't fit in the available space without conflicting with the guide rail or sticking out in front of the backglass plane. What you'd need in a generic part is probably something called a "pivot hinge", which has the special geometry needed here.

By golly, they are back in stock!

Time to order!

Note that you'll need two of the 01-6571 hinge mounting brackets - one for the upper hinge and one for the lower hinge.