Well ramps & boulders you're already $600 down; good luck with all that.
I mean I got some old shitty ones for you on the cheap side though.

About a year ago I spent a weeks time researching all parts needed to build a MM from scratch using a NBAFB as donor game. The result? I would be forced to get parts from 6-7 different vendors all over the world and the shipping + import taxes alone would be a lot. Some parts like the wire harness and backbox tub are unobtainable and would be a pain to find or make myself. The parts cost including donor game and a new playfield amounted to about the same price as buying a playing MM in decent condition and in my calculations I had not included a single screw, nor LEDs and such but only the larger thungs like mechs/lamp boards/ball guides/ramps and similar items. Add to this at least hundred hours (probably more) of work to put it all together.

I came to the conclusion that the only upside with doing a scratch build (apart from hopefully having fun doing it) is that you get a game in great condition with lots of new parts in it.

Sure, you could go with used parts as much as possible but to me putting in all that work and money and still end up with a game in rather bad condition (like a used worn playfield, scratched cabinet and so on) would suck.

You will absolutely NOT save any money compared to buying a used one and call it a day. I would say this insight is true for any scratch build, including white water.

New ramps only are $660 shipped. Might be lucky to get new boulders for $120.

I did it for around 3500, but I kicked off with all the backbox circuit boards and major playfield mechs and lamp pcbs for $1200.. you’d probably be hard pressed to get the board set for that. Got mostly used ramps, used playfield and a free cabinet. Had to make some guide rails and various tidbits, and have upgraded to new boulders, real topper and such over time, but had a playing game for mid 3k. Wired from scratch,
The manual is great, i recall one error i think with the bigfoot circuit otherwise it was a perfect guide for wiring from scratch.

Well the fly in the ointment for WH2O is the topper. Yeah you could do a reproduction if you had one but it really takes the seriousness out of it for me.

Can you even reproduction topper parts? I know you can get the dome but think that's it.

It's not that bad. For the price of bad/average condition MM, I purchased a donor machine, and required parts, built all playfield harnesses, lamp boards and other pin specific parts.
Of course this is a lot of time (over 200 hours before assembly stage), but that's part of the hobby.

I bought the dome, the plastic standup that the decal goes on, and the lamp PCBs fairly recently.

I am about to undertake this task shortly and plan on documenting the whole process for youtube viewers. It took me 20 years to find all the NOS parts for WWH2O. I hade to sit and wait for years to find NOS complete ramp assemblies. This was only possible when the Canadian arcade guys bought out an operator and he happened to have all the NOS ramp assemblies in a box. Wound up buying the whole lot but it was the only way to get the ramps I needed. Along the way I picked up an nos Bigfoot assembly but it cost me big. I got lucky with an NOS waterfall assembly when IPB had one left. Then one year I found NOS playfields I got from Dennis directly at the Milwaukee show. A little bit here and there when they showed up.

I am personally doing this out of love for the game. Others have tried to duplicate the waterfall header with no true success. Unless Chicago Gaming figures this out it will be tough because of the unique parts needed. Your best bet is to find a decent used game and make it as good as possible with the current parts available. It’s a great playing game and as some others have said looks like a diorama under glass. Is it the best game, no, but a great difficult game that can kick your ass sometimes.

Thanks
Dougram69

I always thought WH2O was a fun game but didn't really appreciate how good it was until I owned one. Tons of details in rules that are easy to overlook. Sound/music is just fantastic and something you usually cannot appreciate in load location environment. Of course the game looks fantastic with great artwork, waterfall topper, and world under glass. Love how mine looks with leds, ocd boards, and light strips under boulders.

Please document that here as well, would love to follow along

Hit up @wallybgood, I'm sure he'll have a lot of advice for you on it! If you haven't seen his amazing work:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/there-s-one-more-addams-family
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/there-s-one-more-scared-stiff
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/theres-one-more-cc
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/theres-one-more-monster-bash
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/theres-one-more-afm
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/theres-one-more-mm

I’ll build one with you!

Hey, thanks, Strohz.
Wally

Where did you find ramps for $660 shipped? Starship fantasy has the set of 7 for about $100 more

Well, I forgot where I got them new from. Also, that was the price 10 years ago on my amateur restoration.

That is what my cost was many years ago as well.

If you look up Tz scratch build I know the guy who does that if you contact him he can probly help you out

Just buy one and redo it, it will be easier and will be a real wh20.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/124620