(Topic ID: 201505)

How to repair bad plywood?

By uncivil_engineer

6 years ago


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  • 23 posts
  • 8 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Tehachapin
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#1 6 years ago

I've got a pretty nice Whirlwind except for the head. It looks like it was in the elements for a while, and the wood on one side has started to delaminates.

I think trying if I tried bondo over this, I would be asking for trouble. My only other idea would be to use a skill saw to make shallow cuts just below the damaged area, sand it down, and patch in a thin piece of ply wood. Then cover the joints with bondo.

Any other suggestions?

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#2 6 years ago

I think trying to fit a piece of plywood as a filler would be asking for trouble. Try Bondo Fiberglass Resin. Hard as hell, best for corners. Hard to sand too, so try to get it right before it sets and wipe away any excess

#3 6 years ago

I don't do restores, but I have done a lot of woodworking.

If that was me, I think I'd break the joints and replace the side. The art is gone, what's to save?

My 2¢.
faz

#4 6 years ago
Quoted from pinball_faz:

I don't do restores, but I have done a lot of woodworking.
If that was me, I think I'd break the joints and replace the side. The art is gone, what's to save?
My 2¢.
faz

I thought about that, but the bottom joint is midered. I don't have the equipment to redo that joint.

#6 6 years ago

The rest of that head looks perfectly fine, I question what the hell happened, it looks very similar to my wedgehead coindoor.
I'd bet what happened was it was stored sidedown in an unheated storage space that was susceptible to ambient moisture. It accumulates where the wood meets the concrete and everything else stays great. So the wood swells and gets blown out and delaminates.

Also I agree with Pinball_faz, replace the side completely, find some local wood shop or something. It would be the best way... bondo on that would just probably worsen over time.

#7 6 years ago

I suspect it was kept outside on a porch. The lower cabinet on that side had badly peeling paint. The other side looks ok.

#8 6 years ago

tell me you got that machine dirt cheap, please.

#9 6 years ago

Actually other than the peeling paint on the head and one side, it is in pretty good shape. The playfield looks better than most Whirlwinds I've seen.

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#10 6 years ago

Fibreglass resin, or JB Weld quickset - the latter is nicely sandable and sets a lot quicker than Fibreglass resin.

#11 6 years ago
Quoted from jwilson:

Fibreglass resin, or JB Weld quickset - the latter is nicely sandable and sets a lot quicker than Fibreglass resin.

hmmm... an interesting idea. can you setup a dam around the area to make some nice square corners?

#12 6 years ago

Yes, that's exactly what you do. I use painter's tape.

#13 6 years ago
Quoted from jwilson:

Yes, that's exactly what you do. I use painter's tape.

100%

#14 6 years ago
Quoted from uncivil_engineer:

hmmm... an interesting idea. can you setup a dam around the area to make some nice square corners?

Do you know yet if you are flipping or keeping it?

#15 6 years ago

Too bad you werent a bit closer to me, we could fix that fairly easy. I can check the head of my FT...if that side isnt bug damaged I can pull that piece and send it to you, of course the art would need to be addressed. Im not 100% the FT and WW cabs are the same, but I think they are.
I will look at my back box later today and see if its salvageable.

#16 6 years ago
Quoted from SuperDaveOsbourn:

Do you know yet if you are flipping or keeping it?

I will keep it for a while. I do like to play it, and if anything I need a test bed for system 11 boards.

Quoted from cosmokramer:

Too bad you werent a bit closer to me, we could fix that fairly easy. I can check the head of my FT...if that side isnt bug damaged I can pull that piece and send it to you, of course the art would need to be addressed. Im not 100% the FT and WW cabs are the same, but I think they are.
I will look at my back box later today and see if its salvageable.

Thanks, if the dimensions are the same, I could swap it in and just paint it blue for now. A full set of cabinet decals may be in the future for this game. I seem to recall from when I looked at that FTs game, the head was one area the bugs hadn't gotten to yet, but I've slept since then, and I may be wrong.

#17 6 years ago

Initial inspection of the FT looks pretty good. If your not in too much of a hurry I can probably get it seperated this weekend and let you know for sure.

#18 6 years ago

Ok, let me know how it goes.

#19 6 years ago

Sorry buddy...i can cut you a new one, but I dont know how long it will be before I get my templates made for the head...im working on the cab now.

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#20 6 years ago

Dang bugs got the head good.

#21 6 years ago

I would either make a new side, or plane off a quarter of an inch and glue an overlay on.

I have a lot of wood working tools, and live in your hood

#22 6 years ago

I'm thinking the overlay might work best. I've got a bunch of 1/4" ply that would work. I just have to get around to pulling the head off.

#23 6 years ago

I have a Delta table top planer to get the existing side down.

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