That’s the problem, that will only work on one side as on the other side that interior block was broken.

Worked for me.

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Yep, that's doable....time to run to the BORG at lunch and buy a nice straight 2x4! Thanks for the tips!

I personally have redone 2 games so far so it looks like you have your work cut out for you. I just basically gutted the cabinets sanded everything down to bare wood, filled all the bad spots, primed everything, resanded and then painted using Graco paint sprayer

I'm doing a research on https://indoor2outdoor.com/best-paint-sprayers-for-cabinets/ to find a decent sprayer

I am going to re decal an EATPM that had some slight damage to the cabinet, and I am nearly done with doing the first rounds of sanding and filling. I have primed and filled the head but I have not primed the body yet. I have been filling and sanding like a crazy person.

Few questions:

Based upon recommendations in this thread I have been using and I am planning on continuing to use Kilz oil based primer (and I have found a formula for spraying in a smaller nozzle HVLP gun with 30% naphtha that I will be testing).

Can I use a somewhat cheaper LACQUER based HVLP auto paint on top of oil based primer? Will there be adhesion issues? If lacquer auto paint isn't good for this, what is the best laying sprayable paint to put on top of Kilz, specifically for eventual decaling? I see people say rattlecan a lot but every time I rattle can I get streaky results, like some of it is glossy, some of it is flatter.

Any thoughts on removing paint that has been applied over the original? Is sanding the only way to go or is there another way to remove the paint that would allow you to see the original design first? Seems to me I remember something about a chemical that could be used to remove the top paint, but can't seem to find that in any of the threads. Thanks!

Acetone soaked in paper towels. I haven't tried this method yet, but it looks affective and I plan to on my Black Knight cabinet after I get some good re-painting weather. Pinball Pimp's quick video of the process: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=585900965354094

Of course this removes ALL paint, including any underlying original.

Vid,

Welcome back. I thought I'd share what I did.

The first time I just scraped off the old lead paint, filled in the cracks and painted it. Later I realized it was a half assed job that should have been done right because the old lead paint left ugly bumps in the Kilz paint.

I completely sanded the Kilz and old lead paint until it was down to flat level bare wood and painted it again. I think you'll appreciate the difference.

The front of the insert needed to be flat, smooth and level so it wouldn't rub against the backglass. There's very little clearance between the glass and insert in this 1950's Williams woodrail.

My advice is to do it right the first time.

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I have sanded my cabinet with Kilz oil based primer and it felt great, found some imperfections, filled, sanded, re-primered and then sanded again to 400. I am ready to paint - I have airgunned off the major primer dust from sanding, but what's the best method of getting rid of a majority of the primer dust before the tack cloth? The dust is dense enough that it would clog the tack cloth in no time, but I'm afraid of gouges from a Shop Vac vacuum brush attachment. I feel like Naphtha would be ok but... doesn't Naphtha act as an oil thinner? I'd be afraid of taking off some of the primer with a Naphtha rag.

Any suggestions?

rapid prep:

https://www.amazon.com/s

I use a blow gun with a relatively small tip (for higher air velocity) in one hand and sweep with the other hand to brush off the dust while blowing. Then a quick naphtha wipe down followed by the tack cloth.

Rapid Prep instead of the naptha wipe down. It adds to the paint adhesion by removing embedded oils and waxes from the tack rags a bit better. I really like it.

It suitable for all paints including clearcoat and dries fast.

I do a final wipe down in the spray booth before spraying using damp kirkland paper towels or any towels that are scent, lint and dye free. The cheap ones work the best.

Didn't have any luck with harbor flight hvlp gun and kilz I'm used to old binks 69 or devilbiss guns using laquer, or imron, metalflake stuff. I changed the needle and tip to 1.8 that came extra with gun, psi 40 at compressor with gun squeezed, 25ft hose. And nothing but spatter. Air would come out at first good then drop off. My compressor is 5hp with 13gal tank I think. Really depressing so I used roller but not happy. Any ideas. Maybe bad needle or tip? Didn't try the smaller one.

Kilz is tough to spray.

Everyone seems to have their own recipe on how to thin it and still be a high solid primer.

The Kilz website has some info on this.

Does anyone have a recipe to share?

Maybe I should have bought an airless sprayer. Paints expensive, I was paying 20 or less a quart for lacquer in the 70s, probably 100 now. Lol and that was metalflake brand candy colors which were expensive back then.

4 : 1 Kilz oil based to naphtha through a $10 HF gun with the fluid control all the way out for me. 45 psi I think. Worked well for me granted it was my first time with a paint gun.

So thin 25% with naphtha. I'll give it a shot. We use to just thin lacquer until cobwebs dissapeared but the kilz didn't cobweb just spattered. Thanks for the advice. Greatly appreciated.

20% naphtha

Ok looks like naptha is disappearing from lowes and HD. HD only had 1 dented qt can left. Lowes had a couple but I wanted gallon. Paint store Sherwin had none.
Kilz original is on clearance at lowes also. 5.64 for qt and same for spray bomb. The red can.

Ace might have it.

Coleman camping fuel is naptha...
Naptha has not been available in California for awhile now so its what we have been using...
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Should work perfectly! And cheap at Walmart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_gas

Thanks for that info. I lost my job years ago to Nafta. Seriously thanks again , I will checkout walmart. Great info.

PXL_20210324_234654073 (resized).jpg

... I am never doing this again.

Why not, you've killed it!!

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Actually that's me, I didn't wear a respirator while sanding or painting.

Its rough work, but rewarding when done properly. It looks great!

I tried thinning the primer still spitting. Using gun for cab insides and rolled the outside. Looks OK to me. It's not a car. Lol

I'm now thinking of a LVLP gun. Harbor sells them and it looks like the cheapie sears used to sell.

I ordered a gallon online. Can never have too much. ebay.com link: itm

I'm getting ready to do my first cab decal replacement. Machine is a 1984 Spy Hunter. My worry is that the cab is not plywood, I'm guessing MDF or some cheap flake board. My main concern is not letting the wood swell or become bumpy since my new decals are glossy. Which chemicals can I get away with for removing the decal glue? Naptha, Acetone, Goof Off to avoid selling?

You shouldn't be dealing with any glue. You should just have screened ink on wood.

I never used any kind of liquid. I just sanded everything off. Start with 80 grit and end with 220.

Screened ink on wood? This cab has decals.

I would never have thought they did that back in 84.

You have vinyl covered wood.. that they then screen printed onto. Not decals that are stuck on.

The vinyl can separate from the wood and you get what looks like decals bunching up, etc.

Bally Midway started it with the 3rd gen EBD, Spy, KOS. Heavy ass particle cab and head.

I guess that explains the way they faded so bad? What do you mean by "decals bunching up"?

I watched a youtube vid where a guy sanded the decal completely off a Scared Stiff with an orbital sander with an elaborate vacuum setup. Can I go that route or will need heat gun to remove?

Sanding works pretty good.

I use this one, its good for light work and you can hook a shop vac to it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-Amp-Corded-6-in-Variable-Speed-Dual-Random-Orbital-Sander-with-AIRGUARD-Technology-R26111/100523155

I have the 5" one also.

Nice, I have a Makita variable speed 5 inch but the exhaust port is small, maybe less than 3./4 of an inch ID. Maybe time to piece a hose together w some adapters and duct tape

Pinching of the vinyl and the vinyl detaches from the substrate. Happens around the legs typically - just like modern decals.

Sanding or scraping.. pick your religion. I use a scraper and heat w/o much trouble at all. You will still have to sand though because of residual glue.

My Spy decals were printed on Ore-Jet. These were done by the guy in the UK, unauthorized of course. I'm totally green when it comes to this. I have only done restenciling of so far. Can anyone tell me how this stuff is as far as adhesion goes? He only left about a 1/2 inch of play on the ends of the cab sides, 1/4 inch per side. I have to be a 100% spot on before I lay these down, I know that much.

Is there a sticky primer needed to make sure these stay put? I'm thinking of something used when hanging wall paper. Or is the clean wood sufficient?

This cab has T molding on the front, should I fold the extra material over and cover with the T molding or cut it flush to the cab front? I don't want the edges of the decal showing any white. I'm not sure if this material is black all the way through or just printed black.

I definitely did not fold over anything around the T-molding, I always left a 1/16" cut back on the head and cabinet edges all around. (I used the same decals on Ore-Jet without any white showing)
One thing to watch out for in my experience is wrinkling wherever metal touches the decal. (side rails, legs, and hinges)
Avoid that at all costs.
Good Luck

Great info, thanks! Yeah I figured the decals would wrinkle. I had them make a custom decal for the boring black front of the cab. Nothing special just red checker pattern and the Spy hunter font across the bottom.

Use rapid tac and do a wet install and don't worry about this perfect fitment. What you need to worry about is not stretching the material trying to reposition. But even if you do a dry install, you should be able to position the decal FIRST, secure it, then lift some of it back, remove the backing, install that section, and then remove your securing stuff and work the rest of decal on by working up from your initial spot. Lookup any vinyl install video where they talk about placing, then removing about 1/4 of the backing to start your initial placement. you then remove your securing points and work the rest of the way back.

You can assume it's white - you can use a paint pen to cover white edges left from cutting. For decals the key is the surface free of defects.. because they will transmit right through the decal, especially if glossy. You should sand, prime, sand, paint for best base. Normally you would paint at least around the edges to avoid any edge issues.