Matthews, NC
BTC Fathom is ready to mask and prime.
image (resized).jpg(Topic ID: 225528)
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Addams Family, The
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Airborne
Capcom, 1996
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Alien (Heighway Pinball)
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Black Knight
Williams, 1980
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Bram Stoker's Dracula
Williams, 1993
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Centaur
Bally, 1981
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Centigrade 37
Gottlieb, 1977
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Champion Pub
Bally, 1998
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The BTC and HEP Fathom cabinet are both now ready to prime.
Took a bit of effort to rework that original head. Was in good condition just had to work through the factory slop.
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgQuoted from AUKraut:Are you going to make the indented head and cabinet serial numbers match?
No I like the smooth look personally so cutting some sloppy numbers on the outside of the cabinet isn’t for me but if they were originally on the inside that would have been better.
Quoted from nerdygrrl:Who do you use for plating? I have some stuff that I would love to send out.
I use a local source for my basic nickel plating on brackets and internal parts because it is a quick and easy turnaround.
If you can’t find a local source or want more of a show quality plating the I would recommend Chris at Hot Rod Arcade.
Spirit 3 upper playfield is ready to build up.
I am chipping away at this one as I complete Spirit 2
It has gotten to a point where I know the game well now. 032DDF15-EB9F-4682-B31C-F1C20C17E59F (resized).jpeg17A39918-337F-4A67-9A87-FC332D9F79AB (resized).jpeg
Rebuilt,polished,metal etched etc etc
Metal before C526F86A-4693-41D1-A52B-FEA3BE4CE6DA (resized).jpeg
The tin like parts were dented so straighten and etch 8669CDC2-61B1-4887-8BF7-66915D08E6FB (resized).jpeg
Ready to go.
F77421B8-CBC5-4814-8472-022195C87084 (resized).jpeg05F5E513-6F40-41DD-B197-B85580485EAD (resized).jpeg1A338240-6F9D-4722-9274-CB3A185C91FC (resized).jpegC3EED725-082E-47A5-BE34-84FFA009CECD (resized).jpegBack to Spirit 2
Had a short delay on the playfield build up because as I started harvesting the last bits and pieces I found more and more problems which are really no problem at all but I didn’t have the parts needed on hand.
Pinball resource did though and we decided to trade. The parts they have that I need for $683.14
Turns out that treating coils as a cosmetic item is pretty expensive on these Spirits.
6 flippers
5 slings
8 targets it adds up.
52DAB7C1-C639-4BF4-9D77-B77608173A27 (resized).jpeg2D195B4E-DF54-4EA2-B95D-9D8D9D311B28 (resized).jpegOne thing I thought about after finishing Spirit 1 was that I would like to have a little easier glide and protection for the playfield underside.
On Spirit 2 I plan to address that.
Here is the area of concern on the original. 4E9A52D9-BDCE-4741-A9B1-9781F1F848C1 (resized).jpeg
I bought some Stern brackets.
D161FBF3-2974-4B96-B7BA-BD9542D2C3D6 (resized).jpeg
I then straightened the round out. 7469C690-957B-4BF4-BAC3-BF921079BCB8 (resized).jpeg
This allows me to tuck them in. 1272FB2E-3B6F-44B4-84A7-74D4D2474F71 (resized).jpeg
0093A7F7-E0F8-4516-9B35-6614FA432755 (resized).jpeg
This should be an improvement.
DA520875-C49A-4ED8-A621-FA7F97FA5A46 (resized).jpegQuoted from High_End_Pins:One thing I thought about after finishing Spirit 1 was that I would like to have a little easier glide and protection for the playfield underside.
On Spirit 2 I plan to address that.
Nice idea, going to have to steal that one.
IJ is pulled from the warehouse. Cabinet is already ready to decal.
4E49FBEF-0C56-4F84-9D6E-7609ECED24B1 (resized).jpeg8243A3FE-C05D-46C2-BC25-6DE2ADA1C6E3 (resized).jpeg
Woolgoolga
Quoted from Calfdemon:Well, that's my JD sitting next to it and I am more than happy to let it take cuts. I would love to see how this one get done too!
a HEP dredd? that will be cool!
Quoted from High_End_Pins:New arrival at the warehouse.
I have done everything I could to avoid taking this in but it is for a really nice older couple that is local.
They have been asking me for over a year so I caved in.
No telling when it will filter in but it’s here.[quoted image]
Do you have an estimate of the pre-HEP value of this thing?
Let’s see what else have I been doing today?
Spirit 2 and 3 aprons.
2 is starting to turn the corner. 3 is just starting after being straightened.
Aprons are really tedious work. It is just like touching up and reworking a small playfield.
This is Spirit 3 s
Straighten then a basic metal etch over the worst areas.
3CF0030B-E7A7-4EBF-89E3-0423C663FA16 (resized).jpeg
Then lightly prepped for a first clear. The apron art is too fragile to tape on at all until it gets cleared once first. It will only make more work.6808A863-311B-4A8F-B19D-C0708EA62D92 (resized).jpeg
Cleared. Has a ways to go but it is a start.
3B2A1324-6CD8-4C3D-9A62-BEFC0944BE8A (resized).jpegQuoted from Langless28:a HEP dredd? that will be cool!
According to Chris, mine will be HEP JD #2. He said he has done one before!
Spirit 2s apron is a good bit further. Every time I think I can live with it I find a way to make it a little better.
I have previously cleared and sanded and touched up a few times.
This time I have traced it out to paint all the black. The yellow land blue are probably not something I will be able to do much with because the lines are small and cuts tedious enough to make more sloppiness than improvements.
Masked A2AF786F-EB76-4477-A911-40765774465E (resized).jpeg
Blacked out. F61CAB21-D055-4FF8-9863-B1ED5D09759D (resized).jpeg
Unmasked and cleared.
D3753046-49CC-4A9C-BF01-B0AF5438646D (resized).jpegQuoted from High_End_Pins:Spirit 2s apron is a good bit further. Every time I think I can live with it I find a way to make it a little better.
I have previously cleared and sanded and touched up a few times.
This time I have traced it out to paint all the black. The yellow land blue are probably not something I will be able to do much with because the lines are small and cuts tedious enough to make more sloppiness than improvements.
Masked [quoted image]
Blacked out. [quoted image]
Unmasked and cleared.[quoted image]
Given your paint abilities.. why not just paint it like a car with pinstripes? Or ask Jeff to make stencils. The patterns here seem like a mask would do well..?
Then there was the Fathom playfield. This one goes with the BTC Fathom.
Just like the cabinet I thought it wouldn’t need anything besides the swap but the owner decided he liked the blue insert roll overs from the previous so we need to deal with that.
CPR silver maybe can’t remember off hand?
5AD19A55-B21A-4DFB-962D-8501F3D10EF9 (resized).jpeg
Basic insert settling CF9F3ED9-FC22-4221-83FB-77147E674BDC (resized).jpeg
The roll overs to cut and get working these are really gummed up.
One thing I always have to rant about is that these are basically ruined upon arrival.
708F9106-E7E9-466B-A9A7-6FB8FA9F62D0 (resized).jpegFathom playfield sanded.
C5AB1C1E-1161-41BA-8FD0-2B027C510868 (resized).jpeg
Rollovers are working now after trimming. 38AE17A0-1909-4434-BFAE-8ED4ED1D8934 (resized).jpeg
Rollovers done in blue.
I didn’t do a transparent repaint on these because they look better unlit since the orange is still a part of the equation. Light will come through but it is much more subtle. C937BCE6-B38A-45DB-9588-5FCAB4172E55 (resized).jpeg
Unmasked then cleared.
3266F983-75A5-4AA4-9ABD-1D4114CAF10D (resized).jpegC4481730-14C9-4FB4-9192-6D4D492B8888 (resized).jpegF33010ED-B01F-4622-86E8-5D5C2352D2B3 (resized).jpeg437D2C63-7F81-44A2-92C9-AE09E5D7F4C5 (resized).jpegQuoted from flynnibus:Given your paint abilities.. why not just paint it like a car with pinstripes? Or ask Jeff to make stencils. The patterns here seem like a mask would do well..?
I might as it evolves. These aprons are in a strange space in that they aren’t quite bad enough to warrant a total repaint but not good enough that a straight blackout and clear is enough to make them absolutely perfect.
There are other factors too.
Manually I can and have but in general numerous cut outs can create scratches because these are metal not wood like a playfield plus the lettering is tricky to cut out without a single glitch the way it rounds in many letters .
Then if having stencils made it creates some logistical issues and sometimes details are so small that stencils can be a challenge to make at all and even harder to transfer.
My focus always starts with what I can do well here in house with my skill set then branch out from there if absolutely necessary to get acceptable results.
Quoted from nerdygrrl:OMG those PF's are stunning! I'll always regret not having one done by you when you were offering the service.
It's really too bad PF restoration is such a labor intensive process. PF restoration guys are getting harder and harder to find.
Quoted from ToucanF16:It's really too bad PF restoration is such a labor intensive process. PF restoration guys are getting harder and harder to find.
I had to stop because I almost always lost money on it when all was said and done and they were getting in the way of my total restorations which aren’t all that profitable either but at least sustainable.
These were based in blue then cleared.
I will reprep and stencil from there but I found the ability to wipe the stacking colors off when cleared initially an advantage worth the extra step.
1540B784-4AD9-41E3-9483-8D252A2CB5B8 (resized).jpegEBB6FF3B-2C63-469B-9E4C-F90910B9E616 (resized).jpegCE3A4BEB-1317-4C5B-96F5-FF52253D2417 (resized).jpegAEA69E4F-87C3-4C73-9E8B-4D436A25BB6E (resized).jpegBDF01B37-C7A3-4F28-B55B-BC453B64D199 (resized).jpeg22A273FF-8675-4610-8EC1-0DB855C9760D (resized).jpeg62611F33-CC39-4E04-A585-2739786A3392 (resized).jpeg066CCF68-C14A-475D-8753-E7959FF2AA9F (resized).jpegQuoted from High_End_Pins:I had to stop because I almost always lost money on it when all was said and done and they were getting in the way of my total restorations which aren’t all that profitable either but at least sustainable.
I would imagine that the cost didn't even come close to covering labor and skill, let alone supplies. I'm just glad that you're still doing full restorations and taking the time to post them here.
I was just thinking how unbelievably productive he is. Yesterday I waxed half a playfield. He's taking a well-deserved break I'm sure.
Quoted from ToucanF16:Two days and no HEP posts. I’m going through withdrawal!
Quoted from spblat:I was just thinking how unbelievably productive he is. Yesterday I waxed half a playfield. He's taking a well-deserved break I'm sure.
Im thinking a new beer and seafood shipment came in the same day and he's in a food/beer coma !
Quoted from meSz:Im thinking a new beer and seafood shipment came in the same day and he's in a food/beer coma !
Maybe some ribeyes too. He grills a mean steak!
I just had a busy couple days this week
Yearly physical etc.
I have managed to get some work done.
The parts came back from plating. BFD6AE12-7B4B-47F3-9361-E96FD7E03263 (resized).jpeg
That allowed me to work on building both Spirit 2 and 3 back up.
Spirit 2 mechs
7BA4B077-5B0F-4137-94FC-F8E97B2AE90A (resized).jpeg
CACB4FCB-ADDD-4E64-A87E-C8A3F4021284 (resized).jpeg
Spirit 3 cabinet. 5C2033F9-6F30-4964-BFF8-9B47DA2172A9 (resized).jpeg
163FCAEA-03BF-4945-81B8-7930A27A7DD6 (resized).jpeg08640E13-D3B2-4041-B7EF-94EDA5771AA7 (resized).jpegD1581243-DD12-4B6F-9916-48CD6984544D (resized).jpegA96196AC-9173-4A23-8039-A593A9AC24FE (resized).jpeg4ABDF7FC-C2D0-4716-A08A-2905ECB58ADB (resized).jpeg6E868640-D10B-423E-886D-08F1DDADB155 (resized).jpeg91DB46F4-C821-49FA-8D8B-85AE43BB0F84 (resized).jpeg225A038A-6ED9-4C76-8542-99637AA3A3B4 (resized).jpegThe Spirit 2 playfield build has been a bit of a challenge because there was so much rust and corrosion that most screws broke or stripped during the teardown process.
I had to source those because they are oddball #5 wood screws and I wanted to convert to Phillips in place of the flats originally used.
1D563708-F33C-470E-AD6C-4BC99CF7A98C (resized).jpegAA8D44A2-B5B6-4F03-B8CB-529592D199B9 (resized).jpeg
255CC8AE-928C-41FE-9CE8-144F13BF8594 (resized).jpeg
All the nickel plated parts are then placed. 69C558C6-1438-4EBC-8172-CD73D9197E86 (resized).jpeg
The dimpling on these new playfields are horrible so it is really tedious placing and adjusting each mech ,saucer and kicker. Nothing that can’t be overcome but it is an extra step.
5D1FAFE0-B9D2-479C-BFC3-2FB61618740B (resized).jpeg
On this one every Socket target,coil and sling switch is being replace.
D09CA141-1B1D-459A-A2D6-F6A965B0B8BB (resized).jpeg6E5FCAB1-8BD4-43AB-934E-5DC298E9B92C (resized).jpegB23A67AD-1241-4535-BDA4-D40D758D3E1F (resized).jpeg88AE8FA7-2C12-40A3-9D7D-C82094037AC5 (resized).jpeg7039CBE9-952A-41C9-B83F-FB7A61F75D2C (resized).jpegF596A53D-3C79-47D9-9DFE-DFA61F87A969 (resized).jpeg841E878A-8CA2-4D39-91A0-31AFA4168A27 (resized).jpegBEE33825-F9C3-485F-A329-063A9918A993 (resized).jpegC5AF59B8-A9E7-46A9-9E60-51A1795E44FE (resized).jpegQuoted from High_End_Pins:New arrival at the warehouse.
I have done everything I could to avoid taking this in but it is for a really nice older couple that is local.
They have been asking me for over a year so I caved in.
No telling when it will filter in but it’s here.[quoted image]
NICE
I can't imagine spending HEP-money on a bingo-hybrid-pinball machine but I'M EXCITED ANYWAYS
Also working on my Fathom projects.
I have new rails from Taylor that I requested unfinished so I can paint them to match the cabinets perfectly.
Setting them up to spray and clear is a little process so they won’t blow off the stand,I can get all around them and they don’t bridge to anything.
I set up a table lay them out and trace them out Then make holes in that table where the holes are in the rails
AB082436-F74A-4CE0-9826-624075551DC5 (resized).jpeg
Then finish nails are used to secure and elevate the rails. 1641A7DB-E703-4E4B-8E10-FE4D17F05753 (resized).jpeg
They are pressed down on the nail heads. 55F8088B-1D15-4850-833D-BEE05DBF28D7 (resized).jpeg
Ready to paint. 56D2794B-3386-426C-9DCD-45E5F6BA46CA (resized).jpeg
Based in blue17CA735F-586B-4314-882B-79077E0ABD23 (resized).jpeg
Cleared.
3CD1F7A5-C1B0-4867-8349-30F3F1FCB4D1 (resized).jpegE6743980-4880-4C47-9594-B29ECDF14741 (resized).jpeg935AB99C-8C8A-41D3-BFEF-54A33A74F9E5 (resized).jpegQuoted from SkaterVet:Do you have an estimate of the pre-HEP value of this thing?
A few hundred bucks, tops. In the transitional era between the 1940s one-ball gambling machines and the 1950s bingo pins there were a bunch of these awesome little hybrid experiments. They are more of interest to pinhistory collectors and bingo enthusiasts (small market) and don't tend to offer much compelling gameplay.
This one at least has more skill involved than a machine like, say, Hayburners https://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1142 but it carries the same kind of spirit: A reaction to the Johnson act, experimenting with new ways to get around the legislation, and trying out designs with these new-fangled "flipper" things.
I think it's awesome.
I know we all say it, but it can't be said enough. This work is truly jaw-dropping. That's a ground-up remanufactured Spirit, made to quality standards no manufacturer could ever dream of. I feel lucky just to read this thread. Can't imagine what unwrapping one of those would feel like.
Leduc, AB
Quoted from Stretch7:I hate working on Gottliebs with flat heads.
Maybe you prefer working on Gottliebs with wedgeheads?
Quoted from yancy:I know we all say it, but it can't be said enough. This work is truly jaw-dropping. That's a ground-up remanufactured Spirit, made to quality standards no manufacturer could ever dream of. I feel lucky just to read this thread. Can't imagine what unwrapping one of those would feel like.
I have zero interest in even *playing* games like Fathom or Spirit, let alone owning one. But it’s always just super cool seeing freshly plated assemblies going in and all the new wiring and plugs, etc. These things are so much better than when they left the factory that it isn’t even funny.
—Donnie
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