is there an advantage to using mdf for the lamp panels (assuming that's what that is) as opposed to plywood? more stable?
and look at that, flipper holes and no knots!
is there an advantage to using mdf for the lamp panels (assuming that's what that is) as opposed to plywood? more stable?
and look at that, flipper holes and no knots!
Quoted from High_End_Pins:I am going to start painting the Tommy
This will be done through stenciling.
I reckon it was originally screen printed? Is it possible to reproduce the delicate and thin art through stenciling?
Dude, time for a beer...how do you expect me to keep up with all these posts
I love seeing them, you are truly a veritable paragon of pinball craftsmanship!
Who needs to ship HEP a pinball machine? He can probably make most pinball machines from scratch if parts available. What he does is better than coming straight from the factory.
Quoted from Strohz:Dude, time for a beer...how do you expect me to keep up with all these posts
I love seeing them, you are truly a veritable paragon of pinball craftsmanship!
Beer and some stencils
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgQuoted from High_End_Pins:Hoped to have it painted and cleared today but it looks more like tomorrow. Getting there though. Long day.
Lost about four hours dealing with all the drilling so that is difference sometimes in getting it done in one day at two.
[quoted image][quoted image]
Who made the stencils?
A few hours more and it is ready to clear.
This is an extremely difficult paint job. The details are so small. The colors and order of them is all over the place but I couldn’t see doing it any other way given the options.
My personal goals for restoration quality have been raised dramatically ever since I started reading your threads!
Quoted from twinmice:Dont know if this has been asked before, but what do you do to avoid the wrinkles in the new cab artwork after bolt installation? I know don't over tighten I have barely tightened the bolts and sometimes still get the wrinkles. Any tips? Thanks Mike
I have had this happen as well, any tips?
Quoted from twinmice:Dont know if this has been asked before, but what do you do to avoid the wrinkles in the new cab artwork after bolt installation? I know don't over tighten I have barely tightened the bolts and sometimes still get the wrinkles. Any tips? Thanks Mike
Yes. The twist of the bolt is usually the issue with the wrinkles so if it is a pivot bolt make sure you remove all the loctite from the threads and that you can easily thread the pivot nut on there.
Then only seat the bolts fully into the cabinet with a rubber mallet and then of course only tight the nut enough to hold.
The goal is not to let the nut have anything to do with pulling the bolt in then you can better avoid the wrinkle or pucker that can happen.
Quoted from High_End_Pins:If anyone following this thread has a plastic set for the Tommy project please let me know.
Be carefull. These are repro’s and there are different opinions in regard to quality of pinball center repro plastics. Now it’s a complete set so if the color is slightly off with original you will not notice it.
The Flipper button holes are drilled in the new TAF cabinet
2C33EA91-62D1-4281-8118-25B9B0C92946 (resized).jpeg
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72789B07-438A-4B79-A7B4-87723D81E43C (resized).jpeg
then the playfield pivots.
2EE9F172-43C7-47CA-A0D7-5FB6609B6F51 (resized).jpeg
85DE751C-FB7F-4776-922E-30A9F233E9A1 (resized).jpeg
A picture inside the backbox would be nice.
That's where a lot of the fun comes in when working on one of these.
Quoted from Maide:That is nicer than factory, surely. Well done, HEP!
Out of curiosity, how much in parts does replacing all switches in an IJ cost?
Maybe like $100 if you figure the game has 20 switches at $5 a switch with diodes for the good ones.
My process is a little more involved and cost are a little higher since I build sub assemblies with color correct wiring and connectors but I don’t track.
I probably under charge on that in terms of parts but it is part of the restore so it all works out
Quoted from ToucanF16:The GP is absolutely phenomenal!
Nobody’s opinion matters more on that Grand Prix
Quoted from o-din:A picture inside the backbox would be nice.
That's where a lot of the fun comes in when working on one of these.
Here are a few I put a keyless lock in that door so it is easy to access. Wish the lighting was better.
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgQuoted from High_End_Pins:Wish the lighting was better.
That's what I always say when working on these things.
Nice job! Lotta parts to clean. Lotta parts...
Quoted from o-din:That's what I always say when working on these things.
Nice job! Lotta parts to clean. Lotta parts...
Yeah. When I worked back there I had that part faced to a window in the sunlight.
I couldn’t believe how many loose wires I found to resolder.
Not broken but it was like they just became unsoldered in a way.
It was mostly the larger grouped wires on the score reels where they would take two 18 guage wires and solder them to one little old switch blade tab.
I would have never spotted them by eye I found the first one by accident investigating a dead digit then gently tugged on the rest and found several more.
Quoted from flerp:Nice work on the Grand Prix (and others)! How was the "player count issue" worked out?
That issue is the lone one that is still lingering a bit but now more occasional than before where it was every time.
I am not nearly as EM tech savvy as I am with solid state though so a good friend that also happens to be an EM guy will be by this week to help me.
This is probably my fourth EM and I am starting to get a better understanding of them.
Wish I saw more come through here it would speed that learning curve up.
The IJ switches are wired with color correct wire and lug protection where appropriate and two pin plugs
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Even though each switch now uses a two pin plug the color correct wire helps guide anyone with common sense in the future and the only risk of interchanging the plugs will be the wrong switch signaling so nothing that could do any harm. B13CC576-711A-44F2-8141-A967179FA85E (resized).jpeg
By doing this switches become easily serviceable as individuals and they can be quickly disconnected and interchanged for trouble shooting if needed or replaced outside of the game on a workbench. 3EC766E1-83ED-48C9-9FFC-14CB98F21BA1 (resized).jpegF48C5E84-10A0-4007-ABDE-2E8C1F272765 (resized).jpeg
This will also help loosen a tight spot in the harness that runs too close to the drop target bank. 00E5EAB9-35AD-4203-9005-9DA90F24DEEA (resized).jpeg
11A1C384-B9F9-49AA-88F7-8F372AB974E9 (resized).jpeg
The targets will be done as a group the same way and it will help further provide some slack in this tighter area.
5508EE03-F761-44B4-850E-B251125B74FD (resized).jpegWow! I love that set up. Makes future adjustments on the bench or switch removal and reinstallation a breeze.
I made it through the switch harness
Now it is time for the lamp harness.
This will also be heavily reworked and reconfigured.
First is placing the lamp boards
Appropriate LEDs are placed replacing the multiple colored versions that were in there at teardown.
I like to color match some inserts but in general outside of red,blue or green inserts I prefer to go simply warm or cool depending on the desired effect. It maintains the advantages of a both standard bulb look and LED durability. 1D172297-B610-47A9-AA16-BC23790A9D48 (resized).jpeg
So for the IJ lamp harness we can go over what the issues are and goals.
Maverick would like to add teeth marks to that list but we are watching that guy and he knows it
image (resized).jpg
The concerns are almost always the same.
Rusty sockets image (resized).jpg
Corrosion on the springs inside them
image (resized).jpg
Generic thin wire daisy chaining large sections together that easily break. image (resized).jpg
Goals at this stage are to replace the sockets and rewire with a color consistency from socket to socket. Do it neatly of course.
Before I settle in with the lamp harness wiring on the IJ and the evening beer I kick on the compressor in the paint shop.
It cost more than the building it is in which is sad but it is an essential tool and clean dry air on demand is important. image (resized).jpg
I will mask and prime the TAF cabinet real quick now that the button holes are made and the Tommy cabinet is out of harms way.
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgQuoted from High_End_Pins:Before I settle in with the lamp harness wiring on the IJ and the evening beer I kick on the compressor in the paint shop.
It cost more than the building it is in which is sad but it is an essential tool and clean dry air on demand is important. [quoted image]
I will mask and prime the TAF cabinet real quick now that the button holes are made and the Tommy cabinet is out of harms way.
[quoted image][quoted image]
When sanding the cab paint off, do you use a ventilator/respirator? I am getting ready to sand my NBAFB, just wondering how harmful the sanding is...
Quoted from KozMckPinball:When sanding the cab paint off, do you use a ventilator/respirator? I am getting ready to sand my NBAFB, just wondering how harmful the sanding is...
Dust mask on a newer game like that is fine.
On an older game that might have lead paint I would wear a true respirator.
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