If the cabinet is just painted... not decals... save yourself the time and cleanup and just sand. If you use stripper... you’ll still be doing a sanding pass anyways. Use a heavy grit and just knock it out quick with an orbital sander. Normally you strip to wood if u are chasing the best finish. Less variables.

Thank you Sir!

I recommend this as a good sanding guide:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ij-restoration-started

Keep in mind that old cabs, esp EM's may have lead paint - in the paint and leached into wood. Protect yourself (respirator, hand washing, shop coveralls for this purpose only) and control/collect/dispose of resulting dust. I use a citrus based stripper to remove the bulk of the paint thus reducing the hazard and sand with an attached vac w/ filter and/or outside.

Just an FYI from one of the pics in this post. You should always clamp using a block.

The block does two things:

1. Protects work piece from indentations from the clamp face. You don't have to over-tighten to get indentations. Softer woods and plywoods often are not hard enough to accept suitable clamping pressure.
2. Distributes the clamping pressure more uniformly over a larger area. In this case, I would have a simple 2x4 cut to the length of the cab joint and apply multiple clamps.

One of the most common errors, if not the most common error, in woodworking is not appropriately applying clamps. Hint: there is no such thing as too many clamps.

Great points. Sometimes though the clamp is not large enough to accomodate the extra block as we've all found out in the past.

Too also add- use parchment paper under blocks/clamps, etc to prevent glueing unwanted items together.

Two questions:

How do you properly remove the metal security plate from a classic Bally?

How do you quickly remove the panel? (since there isn't a need for these in home use)

metal plate (resized).jpg

Thanks for the reply. I can get the nails out (with a little work). The problem is removing it from the machine. It doesn't want to flex/bend enough to pull it out, since its very rigid.

My fear is the only way to remove it would be to cut the trim pieces holding it in around that area. But these also hold the floor in the cabinet.

Thanks for confirming. I was hoping there was a super secret way of removing this. I'll have to weigh my options for doing this.

I just got one out by removing the T headed nails, then lifted it up enough to grab it with vice grips. I tapped the vice grips towards the back of the cabinet. Once it cracked free I pried up and out, the plate was fine. I trimmed the corners at the front a little and was able reinstall it.

I ended up taking a sharpened scraper, and could split a couple layers of the plywood off the cabinet. This allowed for the plate to be removed without bending it. I'll end up putting the trim piece back on with window screen molding, as Vid mentioned.

Just got a Diner.

Outside artwork needs some TLC.

As a first time pinball owner, I’m seeking some advice.

Wondering just to leave it alone, attempt to touch it up, or just get new side art.

07F333DF-7D73-44A9-8F22-3326B3432DBF (resized).jpeg63586441-5474-443B-AB1C-21BDA022153D (resized).jpeg125B8520-640F-4B72-8F45-018BCD10300C (resized).jpeg5493E98E-8DC9-4D0A-8D5E-A24CEFF33DBA (resized).jpeg8122C313-D3CA-47A3-92A9-3C1FE7D3408B (resized).jpegEF9CBC02-4A2F-40D8-9D33-843D620B4566 (resized).jpeg

Vid, what would your approach be to this large hole in my TZ project cabinet? The game was definitely mistreated. possibly dropped off a loading dock. And at some point someone did some major damage with overtightened straps.

The non pinball internet says popcicle sticks and wood putty. Would this be a better job for fiberglass resin?
FJIMG_20180921_130842 (resized).jpgFJIMG_20180921_130117 (resized).jpg

Vid, the local birch plywood(wanted to try this route before MDO, is the standard plywood sizing. So the 3/4" is not the full 3/4".

The old williams cabinets had the full 3/4" wood. Is this something I can somewhat easily find or should I try and just use the 23/32”?

I just got a Flash project, and I noticed some wierd splinter on the side of the cabinet. The inside doesn't show anything so it wasn't bent/broken. Any ideas on what would be a good way to go on this? pry off the splinters and fill with bondo or try and lift a little and squeeze some glue underneath and clamp or what?

IMG_3803 (resized).jpg

IMG_3805 (resized).jpg

well slight separated corner... i'll to see what the inside looks like next *_*

20190110_082024 (resized).jpg

Just need a little gorilla tape

Put the leg back on. No one is even going to notice that.

Thanks!

Agree, looks worse than it is

Any tips on what to do about it this edge?

I'd like to strengthen it up. It leaves a pile of chips underneath.

IMG_20190112_223854 (resized).jpg

I have soaked such particle board with wood glue with good results.

I was tempted to do such thing... clamp it between some boards and soak it with glue. I'll give that a try first. My second thought was to cut it out and replace it but that just seems excessive.

Fiberglass resin.

AA94C4B0-906C-4031-9C68-D76E3928C38D (resized).jpegA886D9AB-96BD-4BA0-9CD6-F62F1F832D70 (resized).jpeg91CF9C68-1F41-4D79-87D2-4D8369647A07 (resized).jpeg61A5BB34-3565-414C-B9D6-B0C5E6C9ADBB (resized).jpeg13CEBA3E-3B9F-4AF6-970D-327810B2D5E6 (resized).jpeg

Late the party, but I'd agree that fiberglass resin is probably the best in terms of strength. There is more work involved to finish the resin which may be a downside.

Another alternative, that may be applicable here is a product from Minwax called Wood Hardener. You can get it at most big box stores or online. I've used it a fair amount on Arcade restorations with good success.

https://www.minwax.com/wood-products/maintenance-repair/minwax-high-performance-wood-hardener

Are you talking about these? They go over where the hinge bolt hole show inside the cabinet
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Table-Self-adhesive-Covers-Stickers/dp/B019V62MWW/ref=pd_day0_hl_196_3/131-3920019-1641832

Sounds like a non factory hack

i think i have dealt with the separated corner and remaking a gusset however i have the back of the bottom panel deeping out. Looking at the back of the cabinet the whole lip and even cabinet bottom "flaked" off?

20190310_170342 (resized).jpg

reading your thread i saw the lip can be "Easily replaced by wooden "windown screen molding" from the home center ". Should I find the right size one at HD, then fix it on either side and what is left of the cabinet with nails before fixing the back of the cabinets? How best to attached the molding piece?

Not an expert, but my cab had the same particle board rot there.
I scraped out all the weakened material and built a form fronted with wax paper. (as Vid has already described)
Then I filled that up with Bondo fiber reinforced filler. (it took about 2/3 of a can to fill it)
Bondo Fiber (resized).JPG
That stuff is green while wet, but drys dark brown.
It looks and sands like wood when dry. (really a lot stronger than the particle board)
Don't forget to drive in some long wood screws down into the healthy fiber board before you poor in Bondo to hold it together.
(Vid has described that already)
BTW, only do all that work if the cab is really worth saving.
Mine came out fine and the repair is not noticeable.

I routed the particle up about 2" and about 1/2" deep. I cut a piece of plywood with a rabbet cut and glued and screwed it to cabinet. Then I finished it with bondo

Glue and clamp it in place

20190303_143734 (resized).jpg

20190303_143743 (resized).jpg

Vid -

I was going to use fiberglass resin on the back of this cab (and corner). It is my first time using resin. I usually bondo. I intend on putting a stern cabinet protector over this corner once I'm done. My question is this: Would it be o.k. to put a screw through the resin (for the cabinet protector) or will it crack? Apologies for the poor pics...

20190306_203222 (resized).jpg

20190306_203227 (resized).jpg

20190306_203230 (resized).jpg

cp (resized).jpg

Saving the rest of the pic deck for when I post the total restore, but here's a sneak peek of my first fiberglass corner restore. I'm proud of my first effort. (pre-sanding down)

Thanks for the step-by-step tips, vid!!!
-mof
20190428_231857 (resized).jpg

I bet it would crack. That fibreglass is tough but brittle, man, that doesn't make sense, but it does. hmmm.

Nice corner mof, i'm going to fire up a cab refurb soon and plan on fibreglass corner repairs again on my WW

Pre-drill and you should be fine. If you tighten enough to crack cured fiberglass resin backed by wood, then you are likely overtightening the screw/bolt.

This vid really helped me see the whole process of using Bondo on wood, which I'm about to do for the first time.
I really like the move of laying down the painter's tape, and shaping the bondo while it's still drying... Look forward to trying that!

THX mof!! That was really good to see. Looks to be much cleaner, and maybe easier than the fiberglass I was using, I believe they both have their uses individually but man, I might have to go with the "bondo" also on my next cabinet refurb.

The fibreglass was so rank smelling in my garage i couldn't believe it.