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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
IJ MB playfield.
The Kornfreak planes were great. Very well packed and thoroughly explained.
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Awesome job Chris! That IJ looks stunning! Thank you for incorporating my planes in your incredible restoration!

Personally I like the black trim better than the brass.

It makes the colors pop more.

Now you’re just showing off.

Another beautiful work of art. Thanks for posting all those great pics.

Quoted from pinballinreno:
Personally I like the black trim better than the brass.

It makes the colors pop more.

best looking IJ I have seen to date i think!

The colors on the main sides of the cab look off to me. Almost like pre-faded. The front and head look fine. I'm speaking in regards to the sun beam "rays".

The only indy things that stick out for me is the ark that is the wrong scale compared to everything else and in a weird place, and the far right flasher that I think would look better as yellow or orange. But everything else is stellar, as usual. Really beautiful work.

As usual, you took the IJ to another level. I love all the subtle detail.

The one thing that struck me looking at the pics, though, are the flat plastics. Like the jackpot sign, slingshot plastics, and just a couple others are all that's "left" that's not more of a 3D kind of art piece. Would be cool if someone did some kind of textured replacement for those...something with the same basic art, just with a little bit of added texture. The close up pics make it worse than I'm sure it is in real life, but things like those three rivet heads on the jackpot sign also jump out.

I don't think that kind of mod is in your wheelhouse, Chris, and I'm not criticizing YOUR work here, just sort of thinking out loud as to what's left that could make an IJ look any better than this.

Anyway, more just thinking out loud. But I agree with others...this is likely the best looking IJ to date.

--Donnie

Quoted from djb_rh:
The one thing that struck me looking at the pics, though, are the flat plastics. Like the jackpot sign, slingshot plastics, and just a couple others are all that's "left" that's not more of a 3D kind of art piece. Would be cool if someone did some kind of textured replacement for those...something with the same basic art, just with a little bit of added texture. The close up pics make it worse than I'm sure it is in real life, but things like those three rivet heads on the jackpot sign also jump out.

I was going to comment on the instruction and score cards, but I figured the customer likely insisted on using THOSE cards fitting flush or not. I know it's the easiest thing to mod, but I've always preferred stock instruction cards.

Quoted from PinMonk:
The only indy things that stick out for me is the ark that is the wrong scale compared to everything else and in a weird place, and the far right flasher that I think would look better as yellow or orange. But everything else is stellar, as usual. Really beautiful work.

I almost threw the Ark in the trash the minute I unpacked it but the customer supplied it and so I like to give it a chance.
Nine times out of ten when people send something they are adamant about using it despite my advice so I don’t draw a hard line about about it unless it is something that will effect the reliability or durability of the game.
Often people will ask for mirror blades and I will refuse them and direct them to interior art if they don’t like plain interiors.
When asked why no mirror blades I say.
“They are too thick and will get scratched. I can’t even guarantee they won’t be before the game arrives because I have to lift the playfield repeatedly during the process. “

Usually they say fine but occasionally they insist.
Then with those that insist after the game arrives they say “Looks great”. There are some scratches on the mirror blades.Any way to polish or touch them up?”

The Ark did the game a favor though and self destructed after two test plays.
It was being hit by the ball.
I grabbed it to make an adjustment and it came off right in my hand.
I honestly get so sick and tired of these f*****g cheap toys people sell for some of these games.
They rarely hold up.

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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
I almost threw the Ark in the trash the minute I unpacked it but the customer supplied it and so I like to give it a chance.
Nine times out of ten when people send something they are adamant about using it despite my advice so I don’t draw a hard line about about it unless it is something that will effect the reliability or durability of the game.
Often people will ask for mirror blades and I will refuse them and direct them to interior art if they don’t like plain interiors.
When asked why no mirror blades I say.
“They are too thick and will get scratched. I can’t even guarantee they won’t be before the game arrives because I have to lift the playfield repeatedly during the process. “
Usually they say fine but occasionally they insist.
Then with those that insist after the game arrives they say say “Looks great”. There are some scratches on the mirror blades.Any way to polish or touch them up?”

The Ark did the game a favor though and self destructed after two test plays.
It was being hit by the ball.
I grabbed it to make an adjustment and it came off right in my hand.
I honestly get so sick and tired of these f*****g cheap toys people sell for some of these games.
They rarely hold up.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Good riddance it was like a pimple on the Mona Lisa

Hmmm, that's quite a crack, you're lucky you didn't get all your skin burnt off.

Quoted from TomT:
Good riddance it was like a pimple on the Mona Lisa

Yeah I was never crazy about it either

Interesting about what the one guy said about the cards. The other about the flasher dome.
Just a couple little details can attract or turn away people
Nothing is ever universally loved or hated but sometimes it is cool to present it other ways when possible.
Those changes took less than five minutes and it is just a matter of taste which can be impossible to pin down and why my primary focus is always build quality above all else because the other stuff isn’t really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

image (resized).jpg

In regards to mirror blades being too thick... if a customer was determined to have them I think there would be an opportunity when a custom built cabinet is built that the build could route an area to allow the blades to sit flush. The darn things will still get scratched but it would lessen the possibility... and of course increase the cost of the cabinet build I'm sure.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
Interesting about what the one guy said about the cards. The other about the flasher dome.
Just a couple little details can attract or turn away people
Nothing is ever universally loved or hated...

For the ruins flasher, the reason why yellow/orange matches better is because of the idol "tray" which also is lit and kind of an orange-y yellow. Having a green flasher above that looks wrong. But the green flashers on the ramps are perfect because they match the green of the foilage. That kind of stuff I'm OCD about.

And I think your work is universally loved. So that's ONE thing.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
I honestly get so sick and tired of these f*****g cheap toys...

Why are you holding back? Tell us how you really feel about it - we're all friends here.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
I honestly get so sick and tired of these f*****g cheap toys people sell for some of these games.
They rarely hold up.

Hear Hear!!! Not only do they not hold up, I feel that they add nothing to the game personally.

Also wasn't trying to rip you about those cards. To me, non stock cards are just another cheap toy

IJ plays great. Took a day to tweak a few things the most frustrating was the typical bounce out in the mode hole.
I had already put things in place to eliminate that but it was still inconsistent so off with the POA and back down in there to address that
Some of these go right together and need just a touch here or there others can fight you.
One thing I learned a long time ago though is if it is a problem now do whatever it takes to fix it no matter how inconvenient,major or minor it might be.
I would much rather deal with it here than have a customer attempt it. 94F9FDD5-38EB-4F26-AE36-1C92CA11B4B6 (resized).jpeg
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This is how we say goodbye in Matthews. 126D94A8-4F2C-4536-85FD-03714706F3C7 (resized).jpeg
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We got some new chairs to use in what I call the big building.
No room for anything permanent or big between the pins,cabinets,bikes and gym stuff.

Curtis is going to try to get back in shape.
I got him a Whoop strap so hopefully he can get a better idea of the whole picture.

I now wear two trackers

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We are able to see how hard we are working. 3FA0F37B-A612-4286-A1E8-D5FC3E5C8876 (resized).png
How much sleep we get
How we recover and a lot more.

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Quoted from radial_head:
I was going to comment on the instruction and score cards, but I figured the customer likely insisted on using THOSE cards fitting flush or not. I know it's the easiest thing to mod, but I've always preferred stock instruction cards.

I've never been able to find instruction cards that I liked for IJ, so I solved the problem by extending the artwork and not having cards at all:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/824hmyb02y3uhx5/ApronMagnet.jpg?dl=0

Sorry it's an external link, but I didn't want to mess up Chris' gallery by posting a non-HEP picture here.

Quoted from AaronZOOM:
I've never been able to find instruction cards that I liked for IJ, so I solved the problem by extending the artwork and not having cards at all:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/824hmyb02y3uhx5/ApronMagnet.jpg?dl=0
Sorry it's an external link, but I didn't want to mess up Chris' gallery by posting a non-HEP picture here.

These are the ones I made for when I re-do an Indy. I print them on nice yellowed parchment-looking paper.

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instruction_card (resized).jpg

Quoted from PinMonk:
These are the ones I made for when I re-do an Indy. I print them on nice yellowed parchment-looking paper.
[quoted image][quoted image]

Those are quite nice and not over the top.

You should post them on #coindroppers printable cards thread. Just save them with the print size info embeded in them:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/custom-apron-cards-printable-versions-only/page/19#post-5791399

This should be our last IJ Monday for a while.
The final game is just about done. These went a bit faster than the TAFs.

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The GNR cabinet is ready to decal.
I will be glad to close that one out because it has been cluttering things up.
It was torn down in major assemblies and it just isn’t the type of work I like to do or am used to.

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GNR cabinet is decaled.

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Looks nice, but was really looking forward to the full HEP treatment for the GNR.

IJ PS is pretty much done.
Couple details left and it can move out.

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Finally had enough patience to circle back around to the F-14 cabinet.
I know that I don’t want to use yellow on this one.
For a few days I studied the plane.There are different schemes but this one looks in the same family as the original red and white used on the cabinet.
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Black as the base is set in stone but I will make some minor changes.
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First color is done.
We will see where it goes from there after I get some exercise and eat some lunch.

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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
IJ PS is pretty much done.
Couple details left and it can move out

After seeing the Kornfreak planes installed, it's hard to look at anything else...

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
Finally had enough patience to circle back around to the F-14 cabinet.
I know that I don’t want to use yellow on this one.
For a few days I studied the plane.There are different schemes but this one looks in the same family as the original red and white used on the cabinet.
[quoted image][quoted image]
Black as the base is set in stone but I will make some minor changes.
[quoted image][quoted image]

FYI - The generally white, with red and orange markings like that are used on test flight aircraft.

Quoted from dmieczko:
After seeing the Kornfreak planes installed, it's hard to look at anything else...

I found them a bit gaudy, as well as the sculpted, overly painted idol/path plastics. No knock on Chris, the customer is always right (or at least paying to be wrong). This current IJ is perfection my semi-purist eyes.

Quoted from yancy:
I found them a bit gaudy, as well as the sculpted, overly painted idol/path plastics. No knock on Chris, the customer is always right (or at least paying to be wrong). This current IJ is perfection my semi-purist eyes.

Eye of the beholder for sure. I can understand the purist standpoint as well, but I think the sculpted paths by Loir are amazing and really take IJ to the next level. I also think the Kornfreak planes are an upgrade. But again, to each their own.

Whew!
Finally caught up after being 2 months behind.
More Maverick please.
And get to the Cyclopes soon please.

I'm sure he'll shuffle his schedule now you've said please.

Second color is done on F-14.

image (resized).jpg

Third color F-14 I matched this to the playfield blue for a better tie in to the playfield itself and the translite.
Not so worried about how correct it is more about the overall look.

image (resized).jpg

Like the Blue... great integration

Holy crap that cabinet is looking GOOD.

—Donnie

GnR came in with gloss black trim.
It was pretty beat/dry looking though so I couldn’t install it without a decent paint and clear.

image (resized).jpg

The F-14 cabinet is cleared in full gloss for the time being.

image (resized).jpg

Quoted from fxdwg:
looks amazing!

Agree! At what point does it get ridiculous? Every thing that rolls in here is just jaw-dropping amazing, and you just run out of superlatives. It never gets old, I love seeing the next thing come along and watch develop into something so awesome as this F-14 cabinet. I am talking, every single thing, there are no exceptions or things that are just "pretty good" or even "really good". It is all amazing, just one continuous streak of amazingness that never ends.

Chris your skills and artistic talents are an inspiration for me to do things better. I probably already said this, but it is very much appreciated that you take the time to not only post pics, but show the process, and even answer questions. Sitting here reading through the thread is just so darn enjoyable. I'm pretty sure my wife thinks I'm looking at something else, but its all pinball pr0n!

Also, I can only imagine what some of the car stuff you did looked like back when you were doing that before pinball.

Final IJ is ready to go.
I should be able to get started on that Tron beside it this week.

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The F-14 cabinet is ready to perfect and final clear.
This is what separates a good job from a great one when it comes to cabinet paint work.
Anyone would probably be happy or proud of the cabinet as it was but I always aim for what I consider a 5 inch cabinet not a 5 foot one.
What I mean by that is it needs to look great from 5 inches away not just 5 feet.
There are a lot of 5-10 and even 15 feet cabinet repaints out there . Probably a few 20 and 40s as well
First step is to sand it flat. 911A99F8-5C69-4B30-B068-846EDC111EFF (resized).jpeg

This is the problem with any clear applied over the stencil hard lines.
They are not runs but it does picture frame.
That essentially means it creates a gathering of clear that kind of halos the shape of the stenciled color. Before sanding it isn’t obvious but once that process starts it is. AD19B680-A326-4ED9-92B6-93C916628368 (resized).jpeg
Carefully sanded flat. There is an art to this. You can easily ruin a lot of paint work if you don’t know what you are doing or what to look for.
The main thing to check often is your sand paper.
If you see color you have went too far. Figure out where and prepare for repaints.
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Final clear is done. This is a 60/40 matte so it won’t be too glossy
I painted a set of legs for it also but I do not plan on fully blacking this game out just making some subtle changes.

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Evening beer comes to me by way of The A-Team.

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I bet that silver color you used for the stencil would look good on the legs and rails, etc.

Quoted from RC_like_the_cola:
I bet that silver color you used for the stencil would look good on the legs and rails, etc.

I am hoping the silver plays well with the factory stainless and I don’t have to get too fancy on this one

Am I the only one who, when looking at those F14 pictures, could hear the music blaring in their head? That cabinet looks insanely good.

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HEP This Week

By High_End_Pins

5 years ago

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