(Topic ID: 286857)

CPR Old Chicago Playfield Swap Thread

By Dono

3 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 22 posts
  • 7 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by DanMarino
  • Topic is favorited by 4 Pinsiders

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#1 3 years ago

Not meant to be a How-to thread necessarily, but more focused on 'gotchas' that you most likely will need to address as part of your CPR OC swap. I recommend reading the following thread prior to beginning your project as there's quite a collection of techniques and tips to save you time and some serious cussing sessions:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/playfield-swap-guide

Looking back since the completion of my swap, I have to say that I'm really impressed with the quality of the plyed board, artwork, colors, dimpling marks, and clearcoat. If you have been on the fence about ordering one of these, I'd go grab one now!

Read the instructions on the CPR website; these guys know what they're talking about. Get yourself some drill bit collars and use them religiously to avoid any chance of drilling through to the topside of the PF. Make sure before you drill holes, and especially for the mechs below the PF (DT bank, kickouts, flipper mechs), double check the dimple marks proper prior to drilling; you may need to make minor adjustments. I'd also heed their instructions on how to deal with the metal wire guides; that saved me some anguish - seriously!

#2 3 years ago

Better be planning on bringing that to the next Allentown show... whenever that is.

#3 3 years ago
Quoted from Ballypalooza:

Better be planning on bringing that to the next Allentown show... whenever that is.

Planning on it; Praying we'll have a show... waiting is gettin' old.

1 week later
#4 3 years ago

Pop bumper fin shank screw alignment issue. After inserting the fin shank screws into the factory-drilled pilot holes (I increased the size of the countersink holes to alleviate pressure on the clear as those screws are pulled in), when attempting to place the pop bumper bracket onto those screws, brackets did NOT line up and could not be tightened down. The middle screw is the issue; it's placement is about 1/8 of an inch off. I had to increase the size of each bracket's middle tab screw hole in order to get the bracket screwed in properly. So at least in my game, and probably all of the CPR OC PFs, you'll need to do some surgery on the bracket to get it screwed in. Not a big deal if you have a drill press.

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1 week later
#5 3 years ago

It's a good idea to check the pilot hole marks on the topside, especially the areas that have a clear plastic below the graphics plastic. The left side plastic adjacent to the spinner - two holes were about an 1/8th of an inch off (see yellow arrows on pic for screw locations).

Also they missed pre-drilling the pilot hole for drop target bank protection bumper (see pic). You will need to measure and drill that through the PF, as it takes a #8 T-nut (all other T-nuts in this game except the protection bumper on the right hand side of the spinner are #6s), helpful if you're replacing your T-nuts.

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1 week later
#6 3 years ago

Getting very close to completion. Be sure if you're replacing your T-nuts that the T-nut base used for the protection post next to the drop target bank is small enough to allow clearance for the base of the drop target bank. I had to do some cutting with a grinder on the one I had pre-installed (see pic).

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#7 3 years ago

Here's the last issue, as the playfield is complete (will post pix soon). I recommend NOT drilling pre-marked holes for your shooter gauge until you check alignment on yours. I mistakenly pre-drilled, and then had to repair those two holes with a glue-sawdust mix and re-drilled those two holes after drying.

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#8 3 years ago

Super cool custom playfield posts?? Perfect match!

#9 3 years ago
Quoted from Ballypalooza:

Super cool custom playfield posts?? Perfect match!

Once I figure out a GI issue I'll post some pix, I think the teal posts are great! Thanks for the thumbs up.

#10 3 years ago

Playfield installed today (it actually played a game straight away). A few tweaks required - to the bonus step-up light contacts, as well as the star rollover switch contact. That's about it, now it's time to play her.

If you are considering LEDs for this game, it's going to require non-ghosting, as any other type will drive you insane with the constant strobe effect. Non-ghosting bulbs work fine behind the backglass (I used a few red and blue Comet 1SMD non-ghosting), and they look incredible if mixed with 47s... HOWEVER

For the playfield under-insert lamps, I noticed a faint ghosting that was driving me insane... so I ended up reverting back to 44s. Because the extra ball, special, and double bonus insert lamp colors aren't pigment rich like vintage, I used painted 47s to match the insert color; this worked fine for the special and double bonus lamps, but the extra ball lamp color emanating above the PF still underachieves; perhaps a red or orange bulb cover over a red or orange painted lamp could work... experimentation continues.

The red post in honor of designer Greg Kmiec remains, but dyed it purple to blend in with the other posts used up top.
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#11 3 years ago

Beautiful work of art. The teal posts and skirts look like the should have been original equipment. I can’t wait to play it sometime. I’m wondering if your pinball skills will be too much for this game though.

#12 3 years ago

It looks fantastic! The teal posts and skirts go perfectly. Great job.

#13 3 years ago
Quoted from phillyfan64:

It looks fantastic! The teal posts and skirts go perfectly. Great job.

Thanks! Rocket City pinball worked with me on the teal color for the posts I used. I wasn't sure I'd like the opaque look, but I was pleasantly surprised how it looks with teal skirts, especially with the lights on. She's a keeper.

#14 3 years ago
Quoted from Dono:

Thanks! Rocket City pinball worked with me on the teal color for the posts I used. I wasn't sure I'd like the opaque look, but I was pleasantly surprised how it looks with teal skirts, especially with the lights on. She's a keeper.

The posts look great as does the entire project - congrats!

#15 3 years ago
Quoted from JeffThanksYou:

The posts look great as does the entire project - congrats!

Thanks for the kudos... lots of work left... cabinet, coin door and legs... it’s gonna be a beauty!!!

#16 3 years ago

Love the teal posts!

1 month later
#17 3 years ago
Quoted from Ballypalooza:

Super cool custom playfield posts?? Perfect match!

Quoted from Ballypalooza:

Beautiful work of art. The teal posts and skirts look like the should have been original equipment.

Quoted from phillyfan64:

The teal posts and skirts go perfectly. Great job.

Quoted from JeffThanksYou:

The posts look great as does the entire project - congrats!

Quoted from Digimatt:

Love the teal posts!

Quoted from Dono:

Thanks! Rocket City pinball worked with me on the teal color for the posts I used. I wasn't sure I'd like the opaque look, but I was pleasantly surprised how it looks with teal skirts, especially with the lights on.

Hey, it's Andy with Rocket City Pinball here, sorry I'm late to the party -- Don, thanks for sharing, the posts look great and I appreciate everyone else's appreciation of them too! I've been putting colored posts in lots of games now -- the regular plain white posts are so boring. So much nicer to complement the art, make the posts part of the art package, like the 60s era games used to!

Anyway, obviously I'm a fan, but I wanted to jump in here to say THANK YOU to Don and everyone else. If you're interested in a set for your own Old Chicago (or for other games), you can reach me through my website (https://rocketcitypinball.com -- colored posts are about 1/3 the way down the page), or here via PM, or in my Pinside shop (https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1282-rocket-city-pinball/04782-teal-posts-for-accent-colors-on-playfields for teal, https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1282-rocket-city-pinball for everything else).

Congrats Don, the game looks fantastic!

#18 3 years ago
Quoted from SkyKing2301:

Hey, it's Andy with Rocket City Pinball here, sorry I'm late to the party -- Don, thanks for sharing, the posts look great and I appreciate everyone else's appreciation of them too! I've been putting colored posts in lots of games now -- the regular plain white posts are so boring. So much nicer to complement the art, make the posts part of the art package, like the 60s era games used to!
Anyway, obviously I'm a fan, but I wanted to jump in here to say THANK YOU to Don and everyone else. If you're interested in a set for your own Old Chicago (or for other games), you can reach me through my website (https://rocketcitypinball.com -- colored posts are about 1/3 the way down the page), or here via PM, or in my Pinside shop (https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1282-rocket-city-pinball/04782-teal-posts-for-accent-colors-on-playfields for teal, https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1282-rocket-city-pinball for everything else).
Congrats Don, the game looks fantastic!

Thanks so much for the kudos, your product worked perfectly. Also thanks for working with me on providing that color. I'm loving the look!

3 months later
#19 2 years ago

Don….Is this beautiful game going to be at Atown on free play?

#20 2 years ago
Quoted from Ballypalooza:

Don….Is this beautiful game going to be at Atown on free play?

That's the plan... got a few issues to work out first and not much time to get it worked out. I took on a client restoration so I had to put this game on the backburner... so if it makes it, it will be without a cabinet makeover... but like they say, ya don't play the cabinet.

I'll figure it out. Thanks for askin, can't wait for a great show.

#21 2 years ago

Can’t wait. Thanks for your efforts.

#22 2 years ago

It looks fantastic Dono. I hope to see/play it and talk to you at Pinfest.

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