(Topic ID: 208174)

Future Spa: Father and Son's Second Restoration [COMPLETE]

By jsa

6 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

You

Linked Games

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

IMG_3460.JPG
IMG_3461.JPG
IMG_3463.JPG
IMG_3464.JPG
IMG_3459.JPG
IMG_3457.JPG
a470b2fe200cdc6a1672fe2e990560a2c592d314.jpg
81b0e25fea64481ef414cc3f0d1c761dcc50c764.jpg
dbb44982e231efc5df9dce55787f4b1b04ea439b (resized).jpg
6C096C9E-1EEA-4830-9CCE-643A87357CD4 (resized).jpeg
images (resized).jpg
After.png
Before.png
Screen Shot 2018-10-26 at 9.12.29 AM (resized).png
Screen Shot 2018-10-26 at 9.19.40 AM (resized).png
Screen Shot 2018-10-26 at 9.19.10 AM (resized).png

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Arcane.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

#108 5 years ago

I think the clear always sinks into the grain of the wood or any micro-crevasses there may be. In addition, by sanding the upper surface, you created a contrast that makes the lower levels of the clear coat more obvious. It is just a theory...

If you look at pinball machines from the late 70's or early 80's, they were never slick and smooth or intended to look like a glass surface. That trend to turn every poor quality wood box to look like a metal box or a marble coffin is ludicrous in my opinion.

Yves

1 week later
#112 5 years ago

I use the 3M blue tape for everything. It does not leave any residue either and is just sticky enough, especially if you use a spray gun to paint your cabinet.
For long term masking, it barely does the job, though.

Yves

#119 5 years ago

Have cotton swabs (for your ears) and Naphta handy, when removing the stencils.

I am in the process of re-painting my Mata Hari and have saved the situation multiple times, in case of excess paint, leaks under the stencils or paint too dry when you pull the stencils.

Dip the cotton swab in Naphta (just a drop) and very delicately approach it to the mistake: the cotton fiber will suck the excess of paint, while Naphta dilutes it.

Good luck.

Yves

#121 5 years ago

Same stencils as yours: Pimball Pimp. They are fragile and very sticky...be careful. Small details can remain glued to the backing paper.
I have no clue what you need to remove automotive paint. I would use the same thinner as what you use to clean your spray gun. The trick is the cotton fibers sucking the excess of paint.

Yves

#124 5 years ago

I completely agree with BJM-Maxx. I just finished the front of the Mata Hari cabinet and honestly, I do not know how I could have done more..... The paint would be completely dry by the time I finished pulling the stencils.
DSC03128 (resized).JPGDSC03128 (resized).JPG

Unless you are an expert with access to many small hands to help you, I would limit myself to one pane at a time. Of course, the Mata Hari design is quite complicated and requires a lot of care to remove the stencils. I am glad I can use the cotton swab and may have to do some touch-ups with a small brush.

Yves

1 month later
#175 5 years ago

I think you have a problem: Anal retentiveness!

I am prescribing a laxative, immediately. Strong dose, for a horse!

Seriously, I hit mine with sand paper (150) and then painted it:

https://images.pinside.com/4/22/422deaf3c09b20e0bc71036885a404f8639bc1fc/resized/large/422deaf3c09b20e0bc71036885a404f8639bc1fc.jpg

Yves

#179 5 years ago

No you do not have to worry about this board.

TP1 is measured with no load. Once the load is connected, the voltage will drop.

I just installed one of these NVRAMWEEBLY rectifier board on my Bally Mata Hari. They make a huge difference and you know they will last a long time while providing reliable services, which cannot be said of the original Bally rectifier board. Only drawback, you cannot re-install the plastic shield on top of the bridges, but that may be a good thing as it was impeding the cooling.

Yves

#182 5 years ago

So, you used the plastic mounts instead of the bolts and spacers provided with the kit. I prefer the bolts/spacers, as it gives a very sturdy assembly when connecting and disconnecting the large connectors on the board.

https://i1.pinside.com/d/1f/d1f5826b590a9e8521068c85c6b3308c5d176fb5/resized/740/d1f5826b590a9e8521068c85c6b3308c5d176fb5.jpg

Yves

2 weeks later
#216 5 years ago
Quoted from Joey_N:

Very interested in the newer corner brackets and protectors like that.
What do you recommend/where is best place to buy these? Are they a system/set?

Pinball Life sells those for $14 a set. I use them on all my pinball machines. Most efficient and discrete protectors.

Yves

#230 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

Can anyone tell me if it is advisable to add capacitors to the flipper cabinet button switches (not the flipper assemblies, got that already)? I can't remember the rule of thumb for these early Bally SS machines. vid1900 ?

Absolutely not. The flippers are not controlled by the CPU.

The purpose of the capacitors is to help detect a very quick and too fast contact that may take place while the CPU is busy doing something else.

For the flippers, you need fresh (or clean) contacts and a new fuse holder under your playfield.

Yves

#234 5 years ago

Very tedious but it will pay off in the long run. Those old Classic Bally games with the first generation Power supply were poorly designed and most issues are coming from undersized Pins (especially the static GI and the switched lights).

What you did, should give you years of enjoyment without having to worry or be frustrated when half the game goes dark, during a pinball party.

Yves

#250 5 years ago

Very clean installation with no ground loops. Well done!

Yves

#255 5 years ago

This is going to be the best Future Spa restoration that can be found.

I like your description of the process to "tame" the harness. That is exactly how I do it, too.

Yves

#263 5 years ago

I would not worry too much about it. It is important for the panel to sit firmly on the metal bracket (right, bottom side) when closed.
If it does not or if the backlight panel is too free, it will shake and create disturbance during spirited plays.

Yves

1 week later
#290 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

First, while the front of the playfield looks better than any Future Spa I've ever seen, the backside of the playfield is kind of gross. Wood splinters near the screw holes, rosin flux, some areas where it looks like paint was goopy or perhaps melted from a soldering iron, the inserts are dusty. Before I mount anything to this, I hit it with 320 grit. Some folks repaint the grey paint, that's not going to happen folks. No one cares. I barely cut into it and make it smooth as it possibly can be.

You should do it. It is very easy and I just did it with my recent Mata Hari restoration. I used regular wall paint of the proper shade and brush it very lightly with a 1.5 inch brush. It makes quite a difference.

https://i1.pinside.com/7/34/734d989989abdc689b2b9ede6a30b8df112ef8f4/resized/740/734d989989abdc689b2b9ede6a30b8df112ef8f4.jpg

Your machine is going to be the best Future Spa restoration. You cannot just ignore that side of things. Every time you will be lifting the hood for maintenance, it will bother you. Also, don't forget cleaning up the inserts with Q-tips and alcohol.

Yves

#293 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

You’ve all convinced us. I feel like it would be safer with a brush, but as long as there is something like a sponge in those inserts it might spread better with a foam roller.

You do not need to put anything in the inserts. The paint will not leak or run into them. Keep very light brush strokes (it is called dry brushing) and things will be fine. No need to clear coat it, the regular paint can be obtained in Satin, which will give you a very close approximation of the original paint.

Once you are done, you will like your playfield so much more..... there is no comparison.

Yves

#306 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

Side question: The playfield wood rails were long stapled to the playfield. There were screw holes, but no screws. Have most of you re-attached the rails with screws? That’s our plan, but the whole thing strikes me as curious.
Those staples were super long and not fun to remove.

Yes, of course. Staples are an aberration. Bally used them to save time and money.
Screws are so much better. You will have to drill pilot holes in the wooden rails after clamping them to the playfield in the right position.

Yves

#322 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

Ok early Bally folks. How normal is it for the NOS pop bumper base assembly lamp lead holes not to line up?

Perfectly normal. You even wonder how the flat part can go through sometimes. Very poor design overall.

I like to make these connections and solder them with tiny connectors that can slide through the small holes. That helps for future maintenance, not that you will ever need it ......

Yves

#327 5 years ago

Very nicely done. There is a little fortune in sockets and LEDs on that playfield.
And with LEDs, maintenance should be almost non-existent....

Where did you procure the braid ground line? I could find some for the cabinet, but for below the playfield it was not so obvious.

Yves

2 weeks later
#376 5 years ago

Just check the schematics. Not every switch needs a diode.

Yves

1 month later
#672 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

Thanks! It couldn’t have happened without this generous group of people here.
Today I tried an isolating transformer.
Problem is entirely gone.
Tomorrow I’ll see what happens with a ferrite choke and no isolating transformer (though until I get the noise eliminated at the source, I’ll probably keep using the isolator to protect the game).

Did you replace the main AC filter on that machine? For $20, it is something that should never get skipped.
This what I used on my Mata Hari:
dbb44982e231efc5df9dce55787f4b1b04ea439b (resized).jpgdbb44982e231efc5df9dce55787f4b1b04ea439b (resized).jpg
You can see the differences.....

Yves

#674 5 years ago
Quoted from jsa:

Not quite as big as yours. Anything remarkably different?

The only thing I can see is the current capability (6 Amps versus 5 Amps) and the double filtering versus single stage on yours. On a wide body machine, there is more electrical consumption than a narrow-body, due to the some additional GI lamps and extra switched lights. The double stage may also helps if your electrical supply is dirty in California. These filters were installed to prevent parasitic oscillations and interferences generated by the pinball to go back into the main supply, but they work in both directions, due to their symmetrical design.

I sourced the filter I used, from Digi Key.

I am glad that you found a solution for your unnerving lamps issue. After all the care and labor you put in that machine to restore it to pristine condition, that was very demotivating. If you ever get a beefier filter, try it and see if you can get rid of your isolating transformer.

Yves

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
From: $ 2.99
From: $ 150.00
Displays
PinballSolutions.eu
Displays
$ 55.00
Displays
PinballSolutions.eu
Displays
$ 17.50
Lighting - Led
Pinballrom
Led
$ 149.95
Boards
Allteksystems
Boards
From: $ 14.00
Electronics
Third Coast Pinball
Electronics

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Arcane.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/future-spa-father-and-sons-second-restoration?tu=Arcane and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.