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Then stenciled and cleared.

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Fathom cabinet has dried down to its final gloss level.
On Fathoms and some others I try to complete the paint jobs in one single session if at all possible.
This is because the way the colors stack together can make for a nightmare to sand and reclear because those scale like patterns will likely break through and perfect realignment of the stencil for a second pass is impossible. That being the goal I was able to accomplish it this time around. Doesn’t always happen
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Next cabinet to sand and paint is the BSD

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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
Fathom cabinet has dried down to its final gloss level.
On Fathoms and some others I try to complete the paint jobs in one single session if at all possible.
This is because the way the colors stack together can make for a nightmare to sand and reclear because those scale like patterns will likely break through and perfect realignment of the stencil for a second pass is impossible. That being the goal I was able to accomplish it this time around. Doesn’t always happen
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Love how clean these look when you've just painted them. When the art at the edges is off like the sea foam green wavy line as that corner, is that a template issue or is it attention to detail to match the imperfection of the original run? Also, how do you get the edges so cleanly matched? Do you wrap all sides in the template then paint or do one side at a time?

Quoted from PinMonk:
Love how clean these look when you've just painted them. When the art at the edges is off like the sea foam green wavy line as that corner, is that a template issue or is it attention to detail to match the imperfection of the original run? Also, how do you get the edges so cleanly matched? Do you wrap all sides in the template then paint or do one side at a time?

Something like that one corner is a small compromise needed on some stencils to get the best overall alignment front to back.
You can be a 1/16 off in one spot and perfect everywhere else or you could be 1/16th off everywhere and perfect in one spot. Depends on what the detail is or how complex it would be to do it manually. For this stencil the scales and lettering are crucial the little sea waves are easy so I make sure the lettering and scales come first.
I manually mask and wrap my own corners if they wrap around to tighten things up on the second pass. Even that can be a little tricky when pulling tape.
This one doesn’t need another pass though so I just tighten the relevant issue up right on the spot.
Relevant meaning it will not be covered once assembled so just that one spot.
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BSD cabinet is ready to base and clear.

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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
Something like that one corner is a small compromise needed on some stencils to get the best overall alignment front to back.
You can be a 1/16 off in one spot and perfect everywhere else or you could be 1/16th off everywhere and perfect in one spot. Depends on what the detail is or how complex it would be to do it manually. For this stencil the scales and lettering are crucial the little sea waves are easy so I make sure the lettering and scales come first.
I manually mask and wrap my own corners if they wrap around to tighten things up on the second pass. Even that can be a little tricky when pulling tape.
This one doesn’t need another pass though so I just tighten the relevant issue up right on the spot.
Relevant meaning it will not be covered once assembled so just that one spot.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Crazy amount of work getting these right, but the results speak for themselves.

BSD cabinet based and cleared
Did a small lot of playfields rails as well.

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Quoted from PinMonk:
Crazy amount of work getting these right, but the results speak for themselves.

It really is.
Anyone can take some rattle cans and stencil a cabinet and I can appreciate the effort they put in as a hobbyist or non painter but to refinish one at a really high level dial in gloss levels etc is a much different process.
Something like the special Centaur took numerous revisions to get just right but then this Fathom took a bit less. The HG took something in the middle.That stated they all took way more than most could understand without doing it themselves.

Picked up my latest batch of nickel plating.
This is all for the special Centaur.
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Not cheap but cheaper than replacing everything.

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I wish I could get parts nickeled for that price. The place near me is a fortune. If I took them 66 parts it would be thousands of dollars, which limits the amount of parts I get done.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
New shipment of cabinets arrived.
Five in total.
Cleaned up and placed the HG over at the warehouse.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

That Fathom’s paint job is fantastic. Do you source these cabs privately or through a company? I have a flight 2K cab that needs a total replacement.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
On Sunday night I noticed my left calf was swollen from the knee to the ankle.

Chris, how is the leg doing? Swelling gone? Doesn't look like you have been keeping off it that much.

Quoted from ReadyPO:
Chris, how is the leg doing? Swelling gone? Doesn't look like you have been keeping off it that much.

It is looking much better. Still slightly swollen and tender but healing pretty well.
Would probably happen faster if I stayed off of it and skipped the daily workout if I could stand or manage to do either or both.
Stocked up on the compression socks. Kind of defeats the purpose of wearing shorts but they definitely help.

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nice BLACK socks 'old man'

are you attempting to out old man brYan kelly?

Quoted from j_m_:
nice BLACK socks 'old man'
are you attempting to out old man brYan kelly?

Yeah right I mean the next thing you know Chris will be drinking crappy beer like Bryan! !

Quoted from j_m_:
nice BLACK socks 'old man'
are you attempting to out old man brYan kelly?

I am hoping to eventually out old man everybody but for now I just settle for socks that match my clothes.

Quoted from meSz:
Chris, heads up for Black Friday Beer Sales!
https://tenemu.com/news/goose-island-announces-eight-different-bourbon-county-variants-for-2019-including-bourbon-county-double-barrel-stout-2019/08/2019

Thanks. Looks like there are some interesting choices coming up this year. Hopefully I will be able to find a few.

Gutting what is left if the base Centaur image (resized).jpg
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There are a lot of little brackets and stuff that are on the walls.
These provide hinging,placements for servicing,prop rod etc. image (resized).jpg

Instead of measuring each hole I make a template.it only takes one because the left and right mirror each other and anything that does not carry over from left to right is noted on the template image (resized).jpg

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The template is then located in the new cabinet.

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Now everything is predrilled with a very small bit as a way of dimpling.
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Now before I full commit to anything really essential like the pivots I will double check them with a tape measured but this will be much more efficient than doing each hole manually plus I can save this template and store it easily.

All parts are verified and placed.
Only the pivots anchor all the way through.

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The special Centaur cabinet lives.

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can you turn on a wpc game without the playfield? as your restoring the game i see you turn it on without a playfield is that ok for the game? thank you

Quoted from cavalier88z24:
can you turn on a wpc game without the playfield? as your restoring the game i see you turn it on without a playfield is that ok for the game? thank you

Depends on the era but the Solid state Bally’s like the HG and centaur can be powered up to test the boot up,cabinet wiring and displays without issue.
I prefer to do that since I reconfigure things like the coin door to verify that all is well before moving forward with the playfield. This way I know if any issues pop up later they are exclusive to the playfield build.
Does no harm to the game.
WPC games are more tricky because of ribbon cables and other things so I do not use that method on them.

Centaur playfield is sanded and ready to polish.

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Playfield is polished.
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The red insert roll overs are going to be a nice subtle detail and the frosting of the green insert turned out well now that it is ready for install.
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A new set of rails were made out of oak by Taylor and I painted then cleared them.

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Quoted from j_m_:
are you attempting to out old man brYan kelly

Somebody is always trying to bring poor ol man BK into it
That Centaur is going to Crazy Awesome!!!

The underside of the Centaur playfield is refinished in the same base white as the cabinet.
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The first step is checking the insert rollover action.
I swapped these because they were gunned up from day one with too much clear.
These work perfectly without the need to file
They fall down nice and flat with gravity which is a good sign.

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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
The underside of the Centaur playfield is refinished in the same base white as the cabinet.
[quoted image]
The first step is checking the insert rollover action.
I swapped these because they were gunned up from day one with too much clear.
These work perfectly without the need to file
They fall down nice and flat with gravity which is a good sign.[quoted image][quoted image]

Don't think I've ever played Centaur, but just following your progress sure makes me want to get my hands on one.

I love Centaur. It reminds me of High School and my underachieving, acid dropping, metalhead friends. And seeing this beautiful example and knowing it is coming home to me, makes me feel all fuzzy inside.

Thanks, Chris looking amazing

Rails are installed along with the ball guides.
Playfield is then test fit in the cabinet before proceeding.

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Topside is building up.

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Quoted from DefDumBlindKid:
I love Centaur. It reminds me of High School and my underachieving, acid dropping, metalhead friends. And seeing this beautiful example and knowing it is coming home to me, makes me feel all fuzzy inside.
Thanks, Chris looking amazing

Having just bought a beautiful machine that i followed in a restore thread on here i understand your excitement.

Your are indeed a lucky person.

Decided to go a different direction on the post now ready to flip and wire.

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I will use all new two lead lamp sockets on this build. image (resized).jpg

This template will help guide me through that process as well as what to avoid or what could be an issue as I adapt it.

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Chris thanks for posting everything that you do. This thread is my favorite one to follow on Pinside.

What are your thoughts on why a lot of modern games from all the manufacturers are having clear coat issues? A lot of threads popping up showing rippling and chipping around posts on newer games. I figured with your experience on clear coating playfields you might have an idea.

Thanks!

Quoted from Pmaino:
Chris thanks for posting everything that you do. This thread is my favorite one to follow on Pinside.
What are your thoughts on why a lot of modern games from all the manufacturers are having clear coat issues? A lot of threads popping up showing rippling and chipping around posts on newer games. I figured with your experience on clear coating playfields you might have an idea.
Thanks!

I have a few different educated theories. Without typing several paragraphs I will just state them

1) Non stop Robotic clear mixes are much slower curing than one off applications

2) Clears are being applied over ink that has not flashed off long enough therefore smothering it into a state that traps solvents and they gas off and lead to puckering at pressure points.

3) The ink itself is not bonding at the ground level to the wood. An adhesion or certain type of primer coat may remedy this.

4)The wood itself is too slick or tightly grained to accept the ink so the ink just rides on top of it.

5)The clear itself is not hardening properly for some other reason if the robotic mix is not a real concern

6) they are just simply being shipped and assembled too quickly but given some of the issues I think this may be least likely unless this is a really slow cure product.

Lamp sockets are placed and prewired.

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Quoted from DefDumBlindKid:
I love Centaur. It reminds me of High School and my underachieving, acid dropping, metalhead friends. And seeing this beautiful example and knowing it is coming home to me, makes me feel all fuzzy inside.
Thanks, Chris looking amazing

Haha. I did a report on art for school and talked about what made Centaur art great in it. I specifically remember a couple kids mocking it, but I didn't care - they were morons. I was completely enamored of that pin in an arcade with probably 20 pins or more (the 80's were the best!). So many cool things going on and such great art.

Maverick is off to the groomers again. 2A56E9E5-C5E3-4D66-941A-938C544AC41C (resized).jpeg

Ask him if he wants to go to the groomers and he says
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Started tearing down the Centaur donor playfield.
Starting with the biggest assemblies and those that are hardest to get to now since it will be easier to place them at this time on the new build.
Plugs are created as I go.

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wow, the original centaur playfield had a lot of staple down lamp braid

One of the more tedious parts in this era is the pop bumper assembly.
They join the body,mech , lights and switches altogether on one assembly using the switch body as a junction for the light connection
On top of that a diode and capacitor need to be fished on there too.
So between the coil,lamp and switch you have like 9 or 10 wires coming off of it with chaining accounting for some of those. 4E6801D1-EB29-4189-A5AD-9D081C8998ED (resized).jpeg

Body is desoldered and pulled to test fit.
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It did not fit to suit so a little roughing in was needed.
When done on the fly it is not as pretty as when planned but the biggest concern and most important part is proper or ideal fit. This will not show once assembled.
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Much better.

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I wanted to change bumper bodies, caps and lamp styles for this special build.
The need to have to run the big bumper cap rings and snap in cap along with the limited color choices doesn’t really work for this build.

This is a process.
The body used on these is specific. image (resized).jpg

I want to use this style by comparison.
Completely different styles but fully adaptable with modifications and careful attention

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First the standoffs are shaved off the clear body on the left. image (resized).jpg

Next the stand offs are shaved down on the base
The foreground is shaved compared to the original in the background.
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This is a crucial step so the new configuration sits at the same wafer level. image (resized).jpg

Ready to place and prewire.

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OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
Maverick is off to the groomers again. [quoted image]
Ask him if he wants to go to the groomers and he says
[quoted image]

Is your cat named "Iceman" or "Goose"?

Hi Chris, are there any pins that you have ever wanted to work your magic on but have not had the opportunity?

Quoted from Mr_Tantrum:
Is your cat named "Iceman" or "Goose"?

No. We let the youngest son name the pets so he will have a little more interest in it.
He picked Maverick this time off the movie Surfs Up I believe.
Last one he named Ratchet because he played a game called Ratchet and Clank at the time.
Crazy how the autistic mind works sometimes.

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By High_End_Pins

5 years ago

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