In sticking with the OEM tantalum type this is the closest I could find, it should work.

Thanks for all of the help!

Siemens
ST513 Series
Sealed Tantalum
22uF, 35V, 10%
Military grade
Axial leads

Yeah it'll work but when tantalum caps go bad they burn. I would never put one of those in. But hey, do what you like.

Didn’t know that. Crap.....

Anyone have any experience or input on using this product? Looks like it might be a good solution to my wear area but I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do.

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I purchased the same product. My machine had about the same amount of wear as yours. I ended up only using the arrow and circle decals. The large center decal color was bit off and I wasn't sure I wanted that look. The machine is somewhat of a family heirloom an I didn't want to change it that much.

In addition to the decals, I added added a play protector from playfield-protectors.com. I've been very happy with the product, it 'fixed' my sunken insert problem and I don't have to worry anymore about additional wear. The machine plays just as fast as before. I was a bit worried about the rollovers but that too has been fine.

I haven't used this decal, but I personally their is no way I would use this on that playfield, I don't think that playfield is that bad. Also, If it is removed later for playfield restoration it will take off paint.
If it was mostly down to wood in the area & looked really terrible, maybe an option.

If that playfield had the magic eraser treatment & nicely touched up & finished with a playfield protector it could come up great & fix all the problems with cupped inserts ect as well, If you are not familiar with what a "magic eraser" can do to improve a playfield it's worth reading up so you know it's an option . But not everyone is able to do or wants to do this.

Wow, good to know, thank you! I too have the sunken inserts. The playfield protector seems like a good idea too. Does it actually go over the rollovers or is it cut out around them? Was it difficult to install? Did you install the arrow and circle decals over or under the protector?

Any photos that you’d be willing to share with me? Thanks again!

Thanks again!

Thank you! I’ll definitely look into the magic eraser treatment and you’re the second one to mention the playfield protector so that might be the wise way to go.

I don’t necessarily want (at this point) to restore it but I also don’t want it to degrade any further.

Thanks again!

If you can live with the wear for now, a protector is the best way to go to stop any futher playfield wear. It will look & play much better & you can review what you want to do later on, this way their are no regrets with applying something like that decal.

Here is just one thread on using Magic erasers.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-dirty-playfield-with-magic-eraser

Here is how one area of my Firepower playfield turned out after using a magic eraser, small touch up & Novus 2 polish. Most was engrained dirt nothing else but the eraser would remove.

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Wow, very nice, good job!

Excuse my lack of knowledge but how do the playfield protectors attach to the playfield? I presume it’s not sticky like the Mylar.

Yeah, they are not sticky - just a pre-cut PET-G sheet that sits on the top of the playfield. They don't tend to move, if it does move a bit, a tiny bit of sticky tape in a couple of discreet spots is all needed to hold it firm, usually not needed though.

https://www.playfield-protectors.com/22/Playfield-Protectors

Protector review:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lexan-playfield-protector-install-and-review

I've pretty much gone through my Flash. Here are the wpc flipper mech upgrades and molex connectors added to the drop banks. New flipper plate placement on Flash was trickier than on, say, Gorgar. I had to use some bendy neck leds around some of the lamp holes by the plates. The upper flipper was especially tricky. I replaced the three rollovers on the right orbit as they were proud and worn. I also "upgraded" some of the worn playfield art and added a playfield protector until a Hardtop becomes available.

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Here are a few pictures of my "poor man's" restore. To clean up the playfield, I used magic eraser with a bit of alcohol. I used decals to clean up the 3K, 5K and 100 triangles near the top together with the kick out score lamps. I tried using them a few other places but I was getting bubbles, probably due to a lack of surface preparation so I pulled them up. I replaced all of the plastics and put on new drop target and spinner stickers.

I also replaced the back glass. Both the plastics and back glass were a bit more pastel than the originals but they match each other fairly well.

I then added a playfield protector. I took a couple of close up shots to show how it is cut out around the rollovers.

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Very nicely done! What is your opinion on the playfield protector?

Truth be told, I was a bit skeptical of the playfield protector idea before I installed it. But, I've been very pleasantly surprised. Both my son and I think its a big step up from the old, sunken insert PF. I do however seem to get more airballs than before. But all in all, I've been very pleased.

Thank you! I’ve decided that my #1 priority is to get the game functional first. My boards are currently being worked on by a magician. In the interim I’m checking over the wiring and cleaning/waxing the playfield. Once the boards are back I’ll see how the game behaves.

If all goes well, I’ll go ahead and get the protector.

I have 3 incandescent GI lamps which come on at full power when the game is powered on, but fade to very dim after a few minutes of play. What would cause lamps to work properly at first and then fade over the next 5-10 minutes?

Later.... new sockets cured 2 of the misbehavors. The third is in a hard spot to get to, but I'll do it next.

Looks good!
-mof

Ha I wondered if u would ever see
that.lol

Do you know of a source for a new shooter lane ball guide (i.e., the curverd metal strip which guides the ball from the right shooter lane to the left upper playfield)? Mine broke its weld.

I should have one, I stripped a Flash PF a while back.. I can look for it later tonight if you still need one, I guess PM me?
Same for anyone needing flash PF parts

thanks-

I had reason to replace the PCBs, horseshoes and guides in my 5-drop unit. While I was at it, and with the help of a friend, I cobbled together a set of red targets with correct Flash artwork. My game was early enough that all its posts are red instead of the later blue, and I wanted to get some more red onto the playfield. This is what it came out like:

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Red looks good!

Thanks!

At the beginning, as you probably already know, they tried red and also blue backglasses and finally went with black. I think Williams never did quite figure out what this game should look like.

Did Flash ever get any alternative back glass art made?
The original art is kinda bland, the mirrored version might be better but its hard to justifiy the cost for that odd art.

Thanks.

Nothing official that I know of, though a couple of clever people made their own:

https://flashredo.weebly.com/Flash1 (resized).jpg

https://classicplayfields.com/the-custom-shop-barbarella/Flash2 (resized).jpg

Cool. Just bought a project flash to retheme
as my winter project for next year. I love playing
my original flash. Fun simple game.

I was cleaning out some old paper work and saw this log that was in my flash.
Not a big money maker but it was about fifteen years old at the time. The biggest pull was New Years eve weekend for seven bucks...
Guessing the number at the top corner was the total to that date.

Thought some Flash fans might like to see this.

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Wow, this game had been in service 15 years at that time! The one we have was thrown out by its operator after 8 years of service, and was thoroughly used up.

Yeah exactly what I was thinking. Still interesting for sure. Love to see ths history. Too bad location was not listed.

The red looks awesome! Good job!

I read that the Flash machines were either System 4 or System 6 MPU. Was there any difference in the wiring if it was a System 6 machine? I am going to put one back together that was missing the boards in the head. Have a good power supply and driver. I also have a spare System 6 MPU that I redid a while back. Just want to see if I should use that or pickup a System 4 MPU to redo.

system 6 is backwards compatible to system 4. As long as it has the memory protect circuit wiring you should be ok that's the only difference IIRC (that might be between sys3 and up though).

There are 2 different variances of the software, both a yellow rom version and the green rom version - use the green rom version. The manual has the settings for the yellow rom, but I think it's best to use the latest available software in most cases. There is an addendum for the green rom differences.

Thanks! I saw an old Flash recently which came with red drops and blue stickers. It's funny how many variants there were of this machine.

Cool. I'll just go with my extra System 6 board then. I've never played Flash but it looks like a really cool game. Have a few things to wrap up and it will be one of my winter projects. Should clean up well.

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That playfield looks great. Nice find

Yeah, it looks like you got a good one. Backglass seems to be in good shape and even the red is still red!

Hi I have had a flash machine in my basement for over 20 years. I had issues with the mpu and power so I replaced with new power supply and rottendog board.. finally got it working but the sound does not work. When I hit the test button on sound board I get a continuous sound. Should I start by trying to get a new sound card? Could there be an issue with rottendog ?Any help would be greatly appreciated...

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Do you get individual sounds when you run it through the solenoid self-test?

Thanks for the reply... I did not get any sound through the diagnostic

No sounds in solenoid self test, but you do get the loud, squeely continuous sound when you press the sound board self-test button? ...and both fuses on the sound board are OK?

Yes fuse is ok

My memory fails me, but I recall this happening to me. It seems to me that replacing the PIA at IC3 on the sound board fixed it. Looks like yours is socketed so may be worth a check with a quick swap.

Anyone else soft plunge into the 5-bank for lit, roving target? Reminds me of T2 skill shot.

It's a fun option... but can be a bit risky if the game is set up to be difficult.

I had mine dialed in for a full plunge to get to the 3rd flipper.. could repeat a few times usually until sinking one of the top rollovers.

Has anyone else had trouble painting their topper? I cleaned mine off and sprayed some gloss white on it. It got the weird cracked look in a few areas. Any idea what to do about it? Sand it down and use a different primer?

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Well, I've been doing that since Koji (thanks!) sent me a new plunger lane metal guide to replace my broken one. I haven't found the sweet spot and 95% of our plunger shots hit the middle post in the upper left lanes or the tip of the 3rd flipper. So, super soft plunger shots get left drop targets and keep the ball in play....

Hey Mark, is that the topper to Whirlwind?

Whoops, wrong group...duh

It's the only shot i ever go for. A soft plunge for the skill shot to the 5 bank.