I bought this game in june 2016 from a very gentle Pinside member in the US. It's by far the most expensive game in my collection. The previous owner had got it restored in may 2015. Cabinet had been redone, all assemblies had been revised, or replaced, there's lots of new parts as well, but most important: it had a perfect NOS playfield. I doubt that the previous owner played the game a lot since its restoration, because it still looked like new when it arrived at my place.

DEF_1305 (resized).jpgDEF_1307 (resized).jpgDEF_1309 (resized).jpgDEF_1311 (resized).jpgDEF_1314 (resized).jpg

I reckon it got some 200 plays since, but I stopped playing it about a year or so. The reason: the NOS playfield starts showing too much damage already.

And that's where I don't understand the previous restorers. They did such a great job on the cabinet and the assemblies, but neglected the most vulnerable part of the game: the playfield. What were they thinking (or not thinking). Of course it would get damaged if left unprotected, the question not being whether it would happen, but when. And I must admit that I'm surprised myself how fast playfield damage happens.

An overview. There's some mild planking, mostly visible in the black areas.

DEF_1392 (resized).jpgDEF_1391 (resized).jpg

There's substantial insert bordering.

DEF_1388 (resized).jpgDEF_1393 (resized).jpgDEF_1394 (resized).jpg

Paint chipping off on drop target holes

DEF_1390 (resized).jpg

'Is that all damage there is', you might ask. Yes, that's about it. Perhaps you think that I'm overreacting, but my point is that all this damage could have been avoided if they would have walked the extra mile and had properly protected the playfield before populating it.

It simply makes me sad to see all paint gone where posts sat.

DEF_1389 (resized).jpg

My plan: fix the current damage and protect it to prevent more damage in the future by clearcoating the playfield.

Obviously I have to remove everything from the upper side, but the idea is to keep the bottom side as populated as possible as there's no point in completely stripping it. This is without doubt one of most populated, and as a consequence one of the heaviest playfields in pinball history, so I decided to unsolder all metal assemblies, and added connectors to the drop down assemblies, which will make future servicing easier.

DEF_1359 (resized).jpgDEF_1383 (resized).jpgDEF_1385 (resized).jpg

OK. Weight has been brought back to acceptable proportions . Next I have to finish depopulating the top and will then apply a first layer of protective clearcoat.

DEF_1386 (resized).jpg

I'll keep you posted

I made sort of crate to protect all the stuff that will remain attached to the playfield: wire harnesses, switches, lamps...

DEF_1409 (resized).jpgDEF_1414 (resized).jpg

Apart from the damage mentioned before, there is some mild insert cupping but nothing substantial that clearcoat cannot fix. Shooterlane is rough and needs sanding.

DEF_1416 (resized).jpgDEF_1418 (resized).jpg

I lightly sanded the playfield surface with #400 to improve the adhesion of the Dupont 2K clear.

DEF_1420 (resized).jpg

Well wow ! I think you are right. I just had a good look and indeed it seems like the original artwork... How crazy is that: by its appearance I was really convinced that the cabinet had been restored and repainted. Me and a friend talked only this week about the nice "original looking" overspray they managed to obtain in some places

But indeed on a closer look there are a few minor scratches, which proves your point. Also because the inside appears original and untouched.

I feel stupid now ha-ha.

Totally!

I cannot guess how many games were played on my EBD since I restored and cleared it, but for sure it are many. The playfield still looks like the first day... I always clear my playfields when restoring a game, it makes no sense to me to skip such essential part in terms of preservation.

Actually I don't clearcoat my playfields myself.

It's not my ambition, not only because I have no garage (hence no chance to build a spray booth) but also because there's an amazing guy working in a car body shop nearby who is doing his magic to my playfields since years. I have no hope to obtain a result that would even be remotely close. Hence I prefer to stick to what I think I'm good at, and leave this delicate work to a professional.

He's using Dupont 2K clears, that's all I know.

I've been touching up some damage prior to clearcoat. Some may find it pointless to try fixing post damage, but I cannot stand the idea to know that it would remain there. It looks like some damage may still be visible outside the post border. And if not: it's good practice for the future... and actually fun as well.

DEF_1429 (resized).jpg

Before-after. Not perfect but I experienced before that things blend better together once the relief is levelled after clear.

DEF_1421 (resized).jpgDEF_1437 (resized).jpg

Left side.

DEF_1423 (resized).jpgDEF_1438 (resized).jpg

I also already addressed some planking in the black areas. And the shooterlane is smooth now.

DEF_1432 (resized).jpgDEF_1427 (resized).jpg

I think the playfield is now ready for its first clearcoat. I just have to find my box with old bulbs to keep the sockets clear-free .

DEF_1430 (resized).jpg

Yes I will do that.

No problem, I don't mind sharing. I'm happy to help.

Whilst waiting for the playfield I've scanned my plastic set and drew plastic protectors in Illustrator. I created precise vector outlines on the plastic borders whilst adding 2pt extra protection where the ball can hit the plastic.

2018-09-30-at-16.48.37 (resized).jpg2018-09-30-at-16.49.07 (resized).jpg

Here's a combined file with clear protectors for Defender, Barracora and Quicksilver. Ready to be lasercut from 2mm polycarbonate.

I had some space left and added a few extra protector sets for the slingshots and the center plastic on Quicksilver. And also some clear lane guide sets for Eight Ball Deluxe. Drop me a PM if interested.

2018-09-30-at-16.46.24 (resized).jpg

Look who's back, more shiny than ever...

DEF_1439 (resized).jpgDEF_1440 (resized).jpg

Obviously still bumpy near some inserts after only the first clearcoat session. Yet I don't think it needs additional clear applied locally.
I'll let the playfield settle for a few more days, and will sand it flat after the weekend.

Oops, no sorry, I didn't. Usually I only scan my playfields before restoration in case the damage is substantial and I might need these scans to reproduce missing artwork using design software. Which wasn't the case here.

I only planned on scanning the playfield before repopulating, as requested above.
Note that I always try to keep the layer of clear as thin as possible, most will be sanded away anyway.

As said I'm happy to share. Even better: I will stitch the scans together by hand, as it should, by manually rotating and positioning each scan pixel perfect. In my opinion the automatic stitch functionality in Photoshop doesn't do an accurate job. Photoshop CC will rather imagine pixels to visually fit the different parts. The result for sure looks good, but it is no exact carbon copy of the original.

The playfield has been sanded. The insert borders had some cracks and glitches. Not anymore

DEF_1444 (resized).jpgDEF_1445 (resized).jpg

Only remaining job is to fix some light damage in the pink borders round the Baiters drop targets, and then the playfield will be ready for its final clearcoat.

DEF_1446 (resized).jpg DEF_1447 (resized).jpg DEF_1448 (resized).jpg

Only remaining were the bright pink borders round the Baiters drop targets. Not an easy colour to match (it looks brighter than original on the photos, but that is because the playfield is sanded - it should be ok when cleared).

DEF_1449 (resized).jpgDEF_1450 (resized).jpgDEF_1451 (resized).jpg

The wooden border was next. I decided to slightly deviate from the original design (as it is a little clumsy imho) and to airbrush a thin wooden border matching the cutout instead.
DEF_1456 (resized).jpgDEF_1457 (resized).jpgDEF_1458 (resized).jpg

The playfield is now ready for final clearcoat.

DEF_1459 (resized).jpg

Thank you sir. As said earlier I admit that I'm a little obsessed by games from this era. I wish I had the room to collect them all

The final clear has settled for a week. I'll sand and polish the playfield tomorrow, and will then scan it, as promised.

DEF_1474 (resized).jpg

Everything is ready for rebuild. All plastic parts cleaned, guides regrained, metals and screws polished. I'm really eager to get the game back together...

DEF_1470 (resized).jpgDEF_1472 (resized).jpgDEF_1473 (resized).jpg

I didn't want any clearcoat in the screw heads that hold the crate, nor in the gaps. The tape will be removed and indeed the rails will cover the "ridge", which will be hardly noticeable once sanded, since I always try to keep the layer of clear as thin as possible.

Playfield is sanded...

DEF_1480 (resized).jpg

... and polished...

DEF_1481 (resized).jpg

... and scanned.

DEF_1483 (resized).jpg

Here's the scan.

DEF_1482 (resized).jpg

Thx!
You'll find a lot of answers here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration

Playfield rebuild has begun. Playfield guides and wires are back in place.

DEF_1488 (resized).jpg

I decided to remove these decals on the standup targets. Some were already getting loose and they didn't look very original anyway.
I also replaced the bare GI wire next to the target bases with insulated wire. Things were way too close to my liking.

DEF_1487 (resized).jpgDEF_1486 (resized).jpg

Almost there

All posts, lamps and switches are back in place. Topside is ready, apart from the plastics.

DEF_1489 (resized).jpgDEF_1490 (resized).jpgDEF_1491 (resized).jpgDEF_1492 (resized).jpg

Next I'll put it back in the cabinet to test lamps and switches. Or the other way around

DEF_1493 (resized).jpg

It's alive!

DEF_1496 (resized).jpgDEF_1495 (resized).jpg

Time to put the playfield back in the cabinet and get the coil assembly's back in place.