Fish Tales shop job is complete! It plays GOOD!

Well, I have been hard at work shopping out the FT I picked up last weekend.

Rebuilt flippers including coils (had incorrect mediums on it.. put the high powers on it)
Re-sleeved all other coils
Replaced many playfield plastics including the clear boat ramp.
Polished everything else...
Repaired J115 trace and replaced J115 and J121 connectors on power driver board.
Installed Cointaker cool white frosted in lower GI.
Installed PBL 3 led white in upper GI under plastics.
Installed Cointaker warm white frosted in boat GI
Installed Cointaker flashers

It plays like the DEVIL machine is it. Very FAST, and unforgiving. Short ball times unless you get on a roll. I really enjoy this machine. I have been destroying TZ recently and I needed some variety in the game room. Think I might keep this one a while and see if I can't master it.

P1010147.jpg P1010149.jpg P1010150.jpg P1010152.jpg P1010145.jpg P1010144.jpg

#2 12 years ago

B R

BLACK_ROSE

Pinside member

Look's Great Shane.. Sorry i haven't been by lately.. I have a Bone in my back ,,ouch !!!

Will be by 1-nite this week.. Will call 1st... TMZAGYTRE

#3 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Here are a few more with the lights on....

P1010130.jpg P1010132.jpg P1010133.jpg P1010142.jpg P1010137.jpg P1010136.jpg

#4 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from BLACK_ROSE:
I have a Bone in my back ,,ouch !!!

Like a foreign bone of some sort impaled into your back??? ¡¡¡That doesn't sound good at all!!!

#5 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

But yeah, come on over. TZ and FT await...

#6 12 years ago

B R

BLACK_ROSE

Pinside member

Will be there soon... Should i bring a Few Thousand ? Is it 4-Sale yet.. FH

Also ,, Man that Mother's Polish Really make's those Chrome habitrail's Shine !!!

#7 12 years ago

Shapeshifter

Pinside member

13y 150K 10,470 8 144

Nice job

I always thought TZ was hard until I played FT!

Brutal at times but soooo addictive

#8 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from BLACK_ROSE:
Should i bring a Few Thousand ? Is it 4-Sale yet.. FH

Mmmm... probably not yet

Maybe one of these days. I would have to have something GOOD lined up to replace it first. Like AFM, MB, TAF, etc... something I could keep for a while and enjoy.

#9 12 years ago

NAM

kwiKimart

Inactive member

San Diego, CA

12y 90,650 10,693 3 71

What a beautiful looking playfield!!!! That's why I want a FT.

#10 12 years ago

MJN

mickthepin

Inactive member

Brisbane

12y 64,400 2,333 2 25

hey shanetastic i am spending a little bit on my fish tales to make it look a bit better. i got ripped off to start with and the lights and what not are making the overall cost well over the odds.What have you spent on this machine all told??

#11 12 years ago

SLY

Snurdley

Inactive member

Cincinnati, OH

12y 51,800 634 1 121

That FT looks GREAT shane!

#12 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from mickthepin:
hey shanetastic i am spending a little bit on my Fish Tales to make it look a bit better. i got ripped off to start with and the lights and what not are making the overall cost well over the odds.What have you spent on this machine all told??

If the game is already playing as you like, really making everything look better is more labor than anything.

I purchased new star posts, pop bumper caps, the plastics on either side of the boat, the slingshot plastics, the clear boat ramp plastic, a few decals, and the pinbits clear plastics kit for the rest of the clear plastic bits. I removed pretty much everything from the top of the playfield and cleaned the playfield surface with Novus 1. Then I polished all of the metal parts and posts with Mothers and reinstalled. Don't remove all of the metal guides and posts at the same time, because it would be easy to lose track of where everything went. I just strip the playfield to that point and work my wy around a piece at a time polishing and cleaning. Finally, reinstall each playfield piece, polishing with novus 2 for plastics, and mothers for metal.

I would say that I spent close to $200 on parts (the clear plastic ramp was half of that cost) for the playfield shop and the rest was just my time. Maybe 20hrs on the actual playfield part. Led lighting is another big improvement in my opinion. Cointaker and Pinball life have some good solutions. There are kits available and they usually turn out good, but desiging your own kit through trial and error can yeild better results if you are willing to invest the time.

#13 12 years ago

B R

BLACK_ROSE

Pinside member

You didn't mention the under p/f component's.. I know you Rebuild the Flipper's , Pop-bumper's , sling- shot's , Etc.... telll , Keep Goin !!! More info...

#14 12 years ago

JJS

GoneFishinLvMsg

Pinside+ Frequent

Edenton, NC

13y 102K 3,005 8 50 1

You have standard flipper bats and not the "W" logo ones?

Looks great otherwise. FT was made for LEDs!

#15 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from GoneFishinLvMsg:
You have standard flipper bats and not the "W" logo ones?

Yeah, I noticed the non "W" bats the other day.

So, I guess add $6 more or so to the total cost...

#16 12 years ago

JJD

coasterguy

Pinside+ Frequent

13y 133K 9,581 9 1

Looks amazing!

#17 12 years ago

WOW

terrable

Inactive member

Bolingbrook, IL

13y 30,900 647 5 17

nice

#18 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from BLACK_ROSE:
You didn't mention the under p/f component's.. I know you Rebuild the Flipper's , Pop-bumper's , sling- shot's , Etc.... telll , Keep Goin !!! More info...

I was assuming that mickthepin was content with the way his FT was working otherwise... so I was just explaining what I did to the playfield itself.

There is a lot of work under the playfield if you want to be overly obsessive like I get sometimes. I like to target the components that provide most of the action in the game... flippers, pops, and slingshots at least. If they are all in tip top condition, the game really comes alive... and of course, fresh rubber!

#19 12 years ago

DEY

absocountry2

Pinside member

Wasilla, AK

13y 82,050 7,424 29 72

Looks great, I will find one someday

#20 12 years ago

HDC

HELLODEADCITY

Inactive member

15y 72,650 5,822 8

Very nice and very clean - nice job

#21 12 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

Roanoke, VA

14y 67,650 3,243 36

"WOW, what a beauty!!"

#22 12 years ago

LBD

PwninShiznat

Pinside member

Troutville, VA

13y 34,400 279

OP
Quoted from shanetastic:
GoneFishinLvMsg said:

You have standard flipper bats and not the "W" logo ones?
Yeah, I noticed the non "W" bats the other day.
So, I guess add $6 more or so to the total cost...

You need to go for the lighting flips, if you're into a challenge

#23 12 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

Roanoke, VA

14y 67,650 3,243 36

How bad do the LED's ghost?

#24 12 years ago

MAD

Thunderpants

Inactive member

12y 48,050 513 1

Looks nice, but those flippers
i like the warm or yellow lights under the boat.
I'll be ordering some of those noflix for my lower playfield tomorrow.
Do you have any strobe/flicker issues?

#25 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

Actually, the only time I notice any ghosting is during video mode when all of the lights turn off. But it is not bad at all. During regular play, I don't notice any at all.

#26 12 years ago

JJS

GoneFishinLvMsg

Pinside+ Frequent

Edenton, NC

13y 102K 3,005 8 50 1

Quoted from RawleyD:
How bad do the LED's ghost?

Mine ghosted bad, especially the fish inserts and the "LIE" inserts. Some ghostbusters from Pinballlife took care of it. I do not have any flickering.

1 week later

#27 12 years ago

VDT

dvandentop

Inactive member

12y 29,900 1,426 26

nice looks like i need to get LED for my fish tales, there must be alot more lites in FT then others due to cost of the kit

#28 12 years ago

TOM

Rascal_H

Pinside member

Cumberland, RI

12y 138K 6,567 2 36

Pardon me for being 2 weeks late... Just wanted to a 'Day-um!! That looks good!'. Nice work!

#29 12 years ago

GSC

tk375

Pinside member

Chula Vista, CA

13y 61,050 819 2 25

FT is such a beautiful PM all around!

#30 12 years ago

RSG

tatman9999

Pinside+ Frequent

Lisle, IL

14y 113K 4,655 48 31

great job.

#31 12 years ago

MYK

mykquillion

Inactive member

Wheaton, IL

13y 21,900 275 1 221

Lighting looks amazing, wish I owned it.

#32 12 years ago

JMG

Pintucky

Pinside member

Bowling Green, KY

13y 85,300 2,306 18

You did a great job on that. My Fish Tales is in very good condition and I thought it looked good, but yours really SHINES!!! I need to put some LED's in mine and clean it up some more. Don't think I'll ever sell it.
Mike

#33 12 years ago

RND

RawleyD

Pinside member

Roanoke, VA

14y 67,650 3,243 36

Quoted from dvandentop:
nice looks like i need to get LED for my Fish Tales, there must be alot more lites in FT then others due to cost of the kit

they always like to charge more for the kits..

1 week later

#34 12 years ago

904

HighProtein

904 Pinball Zine

13y 167K 6,348

More inspiration to clean up and sharpen up mine.
I've just put a few LEDs in mine so far and it helps so freak'n much.

#35 12 years ago

ALX

donjagra

Pinside member

14y 72,100 3,402 10 34

Quoted from GoneFishinLvMsg:
You have standard flipper bats and not the "W" logo ones?

I think you mean the ones with the lightning bolts.

Looks great Shane.

#36 12 years ago

VDT

dvandentop

Inactive member

12y 29,900 1,426 26

can you scan and email your cointaker order form showing what exactly you ordered for this game to me? want to do LED on my FT

[email protected]

thanks

also what are correct coil #'s for flippers so i can check mine

#37 12 years ago

B R

BLACK_ROSE

Pinside member

Fast-4-Ward to almost the end and some of shanetastic's FT footage is Available..

#38 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

Pinside+ Frequent

The backbox was still standard bulbs in the video. Leds really helped the colors pop out better... check the before and after...

FT_before.jpg FT-After.jpg

#39 12 years ago

BSS

shanetastic

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