Welcome to my first ground up pinball build. I did a restore of a heavily routed Dr. Who last year and have been collecting more parts since then. I have NOS PF that I got from Ron Kruzman, who is putting a good glassy clear on it. I bought a used wire harness that had all the switches, bumpers, coils, lights cut off. I bought all those missing parts from Marco and slowly learned the colors of the wiring harness matrix, while attaching parts. I decided to make molex plugs for all the heavy parts, like everything with coils. The wooden back box came from a Creature from the Black Lagoon, that I sanded down, repainted, and applied the right decals. I have had a cabinet made for me, that is in transit. Making the Back Box Light board from scratch was a real lesson in patience. Good thing I had one to copy from. I will also have to make the wiring harness for that light board with wires and connectors from Wire-Bot. My boards will come from Dumbass and Pinsound. So many features to add, so follow along my journey.

Cab2 (resized).jpg

Cab3 (resized).jpg

Cab4 (resized).jpg

BackBox1 (resized).JPG

Playfield90 (resized).jpg

Playfield84 (resized).jpg

DSCF2721 (resized).JPG

After getting the Back Box Painted, Decaled and ground wire added, I added the metal backplane the boards attach to.
Next, I made a Back Box Light panel, painted it, and attached the hinges and hardware.
I drew with magic markers the path where the different colored wires were to run to each of the 47 lamp sockets. Note that the Black lamp sockets are for Flasher bulbs, but are physically the same as the White lamp sockets.
I bought about 10 feet of each color of wire needed to wire up the lamp board from Wire-Bot here on Pinside.
Then the task of following the colored lines with wire and attaching each lamp socket in the daisy chain fashion. I have since ty-wrapped the wires into common bundles to look prettier.
The bundle of wires flowed to the WPC89 Power board. I terminated the wires into Molex crimps and connectors. Then plugged them into the appropriate board connections.

DSCF2788 (resized).JPG

DSCF2785 (resized).JPG

DSCF2800 (resized).JPG

DSCF2804 (resized).JPG

DSCF2796 (resized).JPG

Working on Priming/Painting new Cabinet on a warm sunny day finally.

278971657_5445358172155087_5503930694437372129_n (resized).jpg

Cabinet being primed and sanded before Black paint applied.

DSCF2815 (resized).JPG

DSCF2816 (resized).JPG

I made this playfield back panel from the drawing in the manual. I also made the wire harness for the 2 Flashers and one bulb PCB. The hole in the center of this panel is to accommodate the upper ramp that sticks so far back. Doctor 5 plastic panel was warped from 30+ years of Flasher Bulb heat. I learned a trick here on Pinside. Heat the plastic up slowly with a heat gun on low. But don't melt. Then sandwich it between two sheets of glass. Put a weight on top of the glass and let it cool down to being flat again. It worked too.

DSCF2820 (resized).JPG

DSCF2818 (resized).JPG

DSCF2828 (resized).JPG

Moving right along with the good weather we are having here on the East Coast. Once the Black paint had dried, sanded 400 grit, painted black again, waited a day for the paint to bake. Then it was time to add the $250 Decals over the Black paint.

Then I added the coin door, transformer, utility box, ground braid, side rails, prop rod, speaker and vent grills.

The Coin Door board from DumbAss was added.

Note that I added corner braces to the inside and outside corners that will really add to the rigidity of the new cabinet.

Currently adding Molex connectors and Trifurcons to the cabinet wiring harness were they attach in the back box.

My plan is to plug in the transformer and measure the voltages at the back box wiring harness before plugging it into any boards or attaching the back box.

While working on the cabinet harness, I noticed I was missing a 4 pin connector to the Launch button. Something I will make. Then I noticed I needed a couple Diodes 1N4004 that the wires attach to and the Launch Button.

Did I mention I am having so much fun learning and building. A shaker motor is on order from France.

DSCF2830 (resized).JPG

DSCF2831 (resized).JPG

DSCF2832 (resized).JPG

DSCF2833 (resized).JPG

DSCF2834 (resized).JPG

DSCF2835 (resized).JPG

DSCF2836 (resized).JPG

The Cabinet is wired up with Ground Braid and Transformer to Lower Cabinet wire Harness (Gray bundle) to Coin door.
After a successful trip to Pinfest at Allentown, I procured and installed PinGrafix side blades, as well a sheet of incredible Voodoo Glass.
Searching for 1/4" Hex standoffs that support the ramps left and right. I managed to get a few from a previous teardown but not a complete set. And the ones I need are not stocked (1.5" long). Collecting obsolete parts is a challenge. Right?

DSCF2874 (resized).JPG

DSCF2875 (resized).JPG

DSCF2876 (resized).JPG

I located the hex posts I was looking for in the parts list, but no one carries them. 1 9/16". So, I have opted to go with the 1 5/8" ones on Marcos site. I also got a Back Glass for the Translight, that no one at Pinfest had. Lastly, I ordered new Ramps for the playfield with decals. That will mean making some new switch roll under cables and switches. The Opto pair on the top ramp will be a challenge, as it requires a metal mounting that needs to be riveted to the bottom of the ramp. Hmmm. Pictures to follow, once parts arrive next week.

New ramps arrived from Marcos. I put the decals on. I installed the 2 switches, Optos and wires with connectors. Cliffy sells a ramp protector for the large left ramp on left side. Marcos sells the right Guard Bracket Ramp Support (01-9614-R) but not the Left for the Right Ramp. Cliffys sells ramp protectors for a Bugs Bunny that look similar to the ones for the right ramp. That leaves the left ramp Right side (9" long). I am trying to modify a 9.25 one from an old Batman game.

DSCF3006 (resized).JPG

DSCF3007 (resized).JPG

DSCF3008 (resized).JPG

I found that while connecting and tracing wires from the new Ramp Switches/Optos, that I was missing a connection of wires to the 10 Opto board from the large ramp Opto. I made a new 4 wire cable for it. I also built a new 10 OPTO board from @dumbass.

DSCF3070 (resized).JPG

DSCF3071 (resized).JPG

DSCF3074 (resized).JPG

DSCF3076 (resized).JPG

DSCF3077 (resized).JPG

DSCF3078 (resized).JPG

New 10 Opto board installed and cabled up. I am still tracing a few wires to find out what is missing from under the playfield. I thought I had accounted for all the switches and lights on the Matrixes, but still have a few unknown loose wires.

DSCF3085 (resized).JPG

Good news that Ron kruzman is doing his magic touch to the NOS Playfield I bought from him. It was previously owned by a Bally employee and stored since 1992. Ron has sanded the original clear, repainted the tiny black lines around the inserts and then will put multiple glass like coats of clear and polish it to perfection. I am sure the game will play superfast. I do have to wait for the PF to cure though, once I get it shipped to me in a hand built wooden crate. Then the fun of PF swap starts. I am ready.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/kruzman-monthly-playfield-thread/page/44#post-7014936

Notice in one of the pictures that he has tiny taped off the fine lines to be repainted around the inserts. Attention to details.

9df62211da5f3bd94ad2eb978c7ca41746329c2d (resized).jpg

8b1ffa6fbbf470f83917de62538e28dfffbdb2bc (resized).jpg

04e0817e75b5a745265c5585e95f18a9367a2b7f (resized).jpg

49d34ea8f536359b480a8aa34f0c6a54d0f037aa (resized).jpg

67078f82ddb0a4a66056d45f69e76d9b0d2c8466 (resized).jpg

275fc119f9da252e62fed954c55691c8add0798c (resized).jpg

1ba4ca76ed2df06ef0c5109e0b28167568756655 (resized).jpg

90c1b02c098113459e56577c61422c471546579c (resized).jpg

One last sand and clear coat to go and PF already looks like glass. I have the rotisiere ready to begin the PF swap once it finally arrives. I have a ton of new parts and wires. The ULF smooth lifter kit just arrived. So I will begin that transformation. I have already built the Mark Davidson moving Dalek head topper.

11e5cbf27e15e88adec403b8d6f1b3a2461edcc4 (resized).jpg

The Ulf Smooth MPF lifter kit arrived and has been assembled. Awaiting the new NOS MPF wood to attach it too. Meanwhile, I will rewire the MPF harness with new wires and connectors. I have already built the 5 button Opto switches with boards from DumbAss and new wires from @wire-bot. I have a new plastic top cover that needs to have the riveted 2 lights attached and decaled. It is slowly coming together.

297970995_5748479135176321_5657533861399333526_n (resized).jpg297371722_5748478995176335_7876234650012821474_n (resized).jpg297061217_5748478798509688_3935211563740143071_n (resized).jpg

NOS PF curing at Ron Kruzmans after several coats of clear. I have made a plexiglass template of all the dimples and holes that need to be made from an old PF. That will be a challenge drilling a zillion tiny holes for screws to attach all the pieces parts.

b12faf5cf91b67d727a9a8a0b18f2d8080ab85d9 (resized).jpg

More pictures of the Ron Kruzman treatment of clearing my NOS PF. Looks like glass.

18fce942c41e2a7282931f3a055e3d6a48ee0c48 (resized).jpg50effdabb633a76727890281109619aa2741139c (resized).jpg6cda626d3bdc949fbfe5d44bf58c65887fd4e985 (resized).jpg

The PINNDOC rotisserie is painted/assembled and waiting for the PF to arrive via the slow mail system.

DSCF3134 (resized).JPG

DSCF3142 (resized).JPG

See attached photos of the awesome shipping crate and sandwiched Styrofoam that my beloved PF arrived from Ron kruzman. The last 3 photos show I have attached the Plexi drilling templates, as guides to adding the dimples and holes that need to be drilled in advance of attaching any hardware. Ron provides the dimple drilling for a fee, But I had an old PF and thought I would give it a try. I even copied all the already drilled holes, open spaces, and where the light shines through plastics, so I would have a good matchup from the old PF to the new. The Red highlights are where the plastics are and open holes. The Blue highlights are where TNUTS already have holes but need cleaning the clear out. The Plexi will even prevent scratches on the top Playfield, while I drill all the dimples in the back of the PF. After all the predrilling, the PF will move over to the PINDOC rotisserie for assembly phase.

DSCF3184 (resized).JPG

DSCF3186 (resized).JPG

DSCF3188 (resized).JPG

DSCF3190 (resized).JPG

DSCF3192 (resized).JPG

Well, that did not take long (1 hour) of drilling the dimple holes on both sides of the PF with the Plexi template! I think I got them all. Very few on the top side, which was greatest concern. Next step is to get the holes to the appropriate size for the screw that will be going in the hole. Glad I have a precision caliper to do my measuring. This is getting exciting and fun!

DSCF3198 (resized).JPG

DSCF3196 (resized).JPG

DSCF3200 (resized).JPG

DSCF3202 (resized).JPG

DSCF3204 (resized).JPG

Progress this week on populating the NOS PF. After Dimpling all the holes in the PF and then making them half the size of the impending screws, I installed the 9 Pop Bumber screws. Next was adding the new top of the Pop Bumpers with the LED rings. The spoon switches were added and aligned with the red pop bumper skirt post. Last was adding the 3 new coils. Wiring to follow much later, but I have the coils ready with numbered plugs already.

PF20 (resized).JPGPF23 (resized).JPGPF24 (resized).JPGPF27 (resized).JPGPF29 (resized).JPGPF39 (resized).JPG

3 Flipper Coils, 1 VUK Coil, 2 Sling Coils, and 1 Trough Launch Coil were added to the new PF with numbered plugs. Then the Light Boards with new bulbs were installed and screwed down on stantions.

Prep for the wiring harness is ongoing. The three sets of targets will make the move next. I still have a few unknown wires that need to attach somewhere.
Happy Halloween!!! Boo....

PF25 (resized).JPGPF26 (resized).JPGPF37 (resized).JPGPF38 (resized).JPGPF34 (resized).JPG

The wiring harness is officially installed! Huzzah~! Damn that was a lot of nut driver turning. 3 wires decided to break off in the transition and had to be soldered back on. The Pop Bumper spoon switches were soldered on. The hardest part so far was soldering the Pop Bumber light cables. Well, there are now 6 burn spots on the back of the playfield where the wires were attached. A smarter move would have been to have some asbestos cloth under the wires while soldering. Too late now. I am on a roll...

In some of the pictures you can see the old worn-out PF that I borrowed from Rich Wick to trace all the dimple holes and to mock up all the pieces/parts that I have been collecting. It made the PF swap install a whole lot easier. And allowed me to still play my working Doctor Who.

Next, I need to start installing the top of the PF with standoffs, ramps, plastics, side rails, etc. The PINDOC rotisserie is essential for a PF build up. On my first restore of the first Dr Who. I worked on it, out of the cabinet, leaning against car tires and resting on a towel.

I am gaining confidence in the pinball maintenance game. Time will tell when I hook up all the wires and hear the dreaded gong of the sound board telling me I got errors and troubles.

DSCF3243 (resized).JPG

DSCF3245 (resized).JPG

DSCF3247 (resized).JPG

DSCF3249 (resized).JPG

DSCF3251 (resized).JPG

DSCF3253 (resized).JPG

Very interesting and learning is the key to progress. Only 1 day too late to learn this. Oh well. The website I was using to learn about Pop Bumper install, recommended the flat wire socket, because you have to ty-wrap the round leads in an S configuration to get the lamp socket to sit upright.

According to Vids Guide. "If you somehow got stuck with the flexible wire lead Lamp Holders, you have now probably discovered that they won't go down very far into the Body, and tend to fall to one side or another.

You need to fix this with a Zip-tie so the Holder can go all the way down to the bottom of the body.

Next time, make sure you buy the stiff wire leads, LOL.:"

3a123858fde83fbd455c6460c9a16fb26dd035d4 (resized).jpg

abb82b37a60eab578a53ba727743bb26757edf9c (resized).jpg

pinballinreno if you look closely on Post 24, you can see I already have the multi LED pop Lights. That I stole from your resto. LOL. So I see why it would be easier to use the insulated wire leads for the bulb holders in that case. And could have easily added Molex connectors. Maybe next time, if there is one.
Thanks, Chris

Populating the top of the playfield is very challenging. I started at the flipper area and am working towards the other end. Many holes need to be enlarged, as the clear coat made them smaller. I install parts, then find, I have to remove them to dremel out a hole next to where I just installed a bunch of parts. So many different types of posts and screws. I have my working Pinball half disassembled, trying to figure out where all the parts go on the new pinball.

I have had my NOS Bally Doctor Who PF that Ron Kruzman cleared for a couple weeks, and I am slowly closing in on the population.

I cut 3 new black side rails that I got from Pinball Life. Two of them had to be notched for the 3rd flipper on left side and the shooter lane gate.

Attached is a current picture of the top of the PF population.

Next up are new ramps/switches and back rail install.

The MPF part of the install is going to be a whole other job. (Motor, elevator, 2 coils, 4 lights, etc.).

DSCF3262 (resized).JPG

DSCF3265 (resized).JPG

DSCF3267 (resized).JPG

DSCF3269 (resized).JPG

DSCF3273 (resized).JPG

This plastic piece I had to hunt down and found in Germany. I had to have Zitt get it for me in a group purchase, as they do not sell or ship to the US. Then I had to build a new harness onto a female 3 pin plug and solder it onto the 2 opposing lamp sockets. Was kind of surprised, when I found the matching plug under the PF waiting for me. I had wondered what the red, blue wires were going to attach to. LOL.

My next task is to attach the under-playfield subway with 3 switches that feeds the VUK under the Tardis. I have put an interior walls inside the Tardis and a blue LED to shine out the top of the improved Tardis that was once a USB device. It looks better than the original with Stickers.

DSCF3274 (resized).JPG

Tardis1 (resized).JPG

Tardis (resized).jpg

Tardis19 (resized).JPG

Good to know! They are comet LEDs that I had left over and fit the sockets. I will switch over to 906s immediately.

First real cold day of winter. Brrr 48 degrees F and sunny.

The new Subway from Marcos was added to the bottom of the PF. One of the white wires had broken off and required soldering back on.

I test rolled a pinball across all the switches and found that the Switch on "Hang On" Alley just past the third flipper would allow the ball to go across it but not allow ball to roll back across the switch. I swapped out the switch with a different one and soldered that one on. More better.

I attached both ramps and that required some reverse engineering. I had drilled a hole in the PF for the Black rail on the left side, not realizing that was where there was a gap in the rails to put a Stantion/Post to support the larger back ramp and the trap door. This meant, I had to glue a toothpick in the hole to accommodate the smaller screw threads of the Stantion.

Then all the plugs were connected to the 10 Opto board and switches connectors.

Attached are pictures of my current state of progress. Oh and I attended the 50th Anniversary of the YES Close to the Edge Concert.

DSCF3281 (resized).JPGDSCF3283 (resized).JPGDSCF3285 (resized).JPGDSCF3286 (resized).JPG315421971_6044031958954369_8505457568859116187_n (resized).jpg

The playfield has landed into the new cabinet! The front hooks however required a lot of massaging, hammering, bending to get them fit into the slide bar. So my next task is to build the MPF with the Ulf smooth lifter kit. kruzman is finishing up clearing and buffing the NOS MPF. It should arrive soon.

To follow on with my issues in building a Doctor Who pinball machine, I had ordered a new carrier baffle from @swinks. I ordered new 5 Opto Board, new grey mushroom buttons, springs and 1/4" C-clips from Marcos. I built new boards from DumbAss and bought them from Pindora Box as well. 3 sets of new boards to go with my 2 sets of original boards that each have a different Opto non-functioning. Overkill, I know.

First I found that the C-clips were interfering with one side of the Swinks dividers. So I dremel tooled them so that they would not bind. When I installed any of the Opto boards onto the carrier, the Clips would then hit or not pass the LEDs or would get stuck closed. I checked Marcos site again and I had ordered the right part supposedly. I did a further search on the internet and found that there were smaller OD C-clips out there. I ordered them from McMaster-Carr in NJ. The smallest order was 25. So if anyone needs one cause it flew off and can't find it. I will slip one in the mail to you. The first picture shows the problem of the larger C-clips. The following picture shows the size difference installed.

DSCF3357 (resized).JPG

DSCF3363 (resized).JPG

DSCF3365 (resized).JPG

Thanks swinks for the advice. I love your products. I will flat black paint the insides as suggested. I actually have all 3 of those Channels. I was trying to point out the error of my ways by using the wrong C-clips. They were the only ones available from marcos, so I thought they were the correct ones. I know better now. Trial and error.

The NOS MPF has arrived from Ron Kruzman with one of his beautiful clear coats on it. He had to remove the T-nuts, so that they would not be filled with clear coat. My next job is to dremel out the areas where T-nuts sit. Then I can begin to build it up from there with the ULF smooth lifter kit, new plastic dome, Cliffys and Cliffy colored posts. New Opto boards, carrier, mushrooms, springs, C-clips...

DSCF3367 (resized).JPG

DSCF3368 (resized).JPG

I will be adding a mylar on top of the MPF. Right after I put the Cliffy's on. I just finished dremeling out the excess clear that was in the T-nut cavities. Then attached the 18 T-nuts. 14 T-nuts are 8-32 and 4 are 6-32. See my collection of MPF's in the picture. Which one should I use? LOL

320210272_1685926011809436_3939648488725600130_n (resized).jpg