(Topic ID: 218168)

Official "HARDTOPS" thread

By Skypilot

5 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 3,332 posts
  • 505 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 days ago by PINTEC
  • Topic is favorited by 284 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

Topic poll

“If we produce a Hardtop for this game would yo purchase it?”

  • High Speed 174 votes
    13%
  • Firepower 128 votes
    10%
  • Silverball Mania 62 votes
    5%
  • Time Warp 30 votes
    2%
  • Mata Hari 55 votes
    4%
  • Blackout 94 votes
    7%
  • Tri-Zone 26 votes
    2%
  • Swords of Fury 74 votes
    6%
  • Space Station 78 votes
    6%
  • Fathom 70 votes
    5%
  • Pinbot 134 votes
    10%
  • Eight Ball Deluxe 124 votes
    9%
  • Strikes and Spares 56 votes
    4%
  • Kiss (Bally) 71 votes
    5%
  • Supersonic 51 votes
    4%
  • Grand Lizard 80 votes
    6%

(Multiple choice - 1307 votes by 787 Pinsiders)

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Topic index (key posts)

5 key posts have been marked in this topic (Show topic index)

There are 3,332 posts in this topic. You are on page 9 of 67.
#401 5 years ago
Quoted from GoldenOreos:

anyway Firepower 2 can happen? every one ive come across is blown out.

I second this!

#402 5 years ago
Quoted from Skypilot:

This was my first choice. Rust-Oleum 12-Ounce Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Spray Paint.[quoted image]

Is this fine to clear the shooter lane? Or is 2PAC necessary for that?

#403 5 years ago
Quoted from Spraynard:

Is this fine to clear the shooter lane? Or is 2PAC necessary for that?

2PAC is your BEST way to go. Other options will work, but may not hold up as well in the long run.

#404 5 years ago

2PAC for entire surface an multiple coats. You will probably not oulive the 2PAC on a HUO shooter lane if carefully waxed and balls changed and playfield allowed to cure.

Mine has turned out great and should be playable Sunday

My only complaint is if wax is applied without care it will get between hardtop and playfield. This can be remedied but results in unsightly results if not remedied and PITA. Use small ammounts of wax and use care on application. If games is left unkept dirt will eventually work its way between layers. While not better than original restored playfield I find it infinetly better than standard overlay.

#405 5 years ago

Would love to see one made for Solar Fire

#406 5 years ago
Quoted from Crazy4pin:

Would love to see one made for Solar Fire

me too!

#407 5 years ago

Firepower II would be great..

#408 5 years ago

Finished Space Shuttle Dec 2. I am very pleased with results. The game plays much faster than the old. It has brought this trade deal new life.
My son got a fairly good game in and it played fast. Would love to see this offered for a few other titles like Warlock, Defender and Time Fantasy.
These machines typically did not fair well. Defender has a plastic set. None of these games to my knowledge have special parts and should be a home run.
Panthera and a bunch of Gottlieb titles come to mind as well. Flight 2000 would be a good one but I guess it might be an odd size.

#409 5 years ago
Quoted from Skypilot:

Yes, this is the place to make requests. I will add it to the request list.

Was this added? There were like 10k of these made and they all have blown out playfields. I maybe a little biased.

#410 5 years ago

I see Mata Hari is now for sale on their site, hopefully soon High Speed...

#411 5 years ago

Oh my - Funhouse please. Repro playfields are too much!

#412 5 years ago

HOT DOGGIN PLEASE!!

#413 5 years ago

Any word on the Eight Ball Deluxe licensing?

#414 5 years ago

Any update on High Speed prior posts said before XMas - any update?

10
#415 5 years ago

FG hardtop came in mail yesterday - looks great! - Thanks Skypilot Also, thanks to vid1900, TheCapn, jaytrem, 64bsstp and others for posting excellent guidelines and tips that will make the install go smooth I hope!

20181210_172843 (resized).jpg20181210_172843 (resized).jpg
#416 5 years ago
Quoted from ReadyPO:

FG hardtop came in mail yesterday - looks great! - Thanks Skypilot Also, thanks to vid1900, TheCapn, jaytrem, 64bsstp and others for posting excellent guidelines and tips that will make the install go smooth I hope!
[quoted image]

I really want to do this to mine but have little time and am also fearful I'll screw it up! Looks awesome.

#417 5 years ago

I got mine a few week back too!! Just took the machine back to the shop so the install should be coming up soon!

401A53D7-6102-42D6-A17F-99D4AAEF938A (resized).jpeg401A53D7-6102-42D6-A17F-99D4AAEF938A (resized).jpeg
#418 5 years ago
Quoted from GoldenOreos:

anyway Firepower 2 can happen? every one ive come across is blown out.

Yes please! Mine is much better than most, but I would still hardtop it if it was an option.

#419 5 years ago
Quoted from wamonkey:

Any update on High Speed prior posts said before XMas - any update?

I'm excited for this too

#420 5 years ago
Quoted from wamonkey:

Any update on High Speed prior posts said before XMas - any update?

High speed is still coming. I don’t know who put a Christmas deadline in here but it wasn’t outsidedge. I have a striped down game waiting to prototype. When I receive it I will post my progress.

#421 5 years ago
Quoted from Skypilot:

I don’t know who put a Christmas deadline in here but it wasn’t outsidedge.


https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/outside-edge-announces-next-5-hardtop-titles-#post-4655636

We will soon be launching (before Christmas) High Speed and Mata Hari!

#423 5 years ago

I thought I saw it somewhere - but I understand why you do not want to be held to a date on any title. But, hey, we are all impatient pinball machine owners right?

You are making a great product - can't blame us for wanting it. But, as you said pinball would never keep the lights on. So - it comes when it comes.

Thanks for just making such a great product -

#424 5 years ago

Is EBD Going to be coming soon or at can someone comform this ?

14
#425 5 years ago

Following Vids advice Space Shuttle came out nice even with old ramps.

81E74C48-2119-44B9-8416-AD4D91573259 (resized).jpeg81E74C48-2119-44B9-8416-AD4D91573259 (resized).jpeg
#426 5 years ago

I’m also interested in a Firepower II hardtop.

#427 5 years ago

Where did you find those custom rule cards from for your space shuttle?

#428 5 years ago
Quoted from firefighter:

Where did you find those custom rule cards from for your space shuttle?

Found Rule Card on Left on Internet - made the other custom rule card

#429 5 years ago

I was checking the alignment of FG hardtop and noticed that one of the arrows has 3M adhesive over it. The rest do not. Is this normal? Should I proceed with install? Will this insert look weird?
B1E6C3C9-CEA1-4F0D-B5EE-FC3578E42381 (resized).jpegB1E6C3C9-CEA1-4F0D-B5EE-FC3578E42381 (resized).jpeg Skypilot

#430 5 years ago

Looking at the photos posted by Andyzola87 and ReadyPO above, that particular arrow insert also looks like its not transparent on theirs either. I'm hoping that it is just the 3m sticker that wasn't cut properly, and there isn't actually 3m adhesive over the insert....

#431 5 years ago

Hoping to see a Williams Flash hard top since there were close to 20K of these out there at one point.

#432 5 years ago

It begins! Come on High Speed!

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#433 5 years ago
Quoted from darcangeloel:

It begins! Come on High Speed!
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Welcome to the party. Keep those fingers crossed.

#434 5 years ago

Supersonic was originally in the poll. Is that forthcoming? Or should I go ahead and restore the one I have the old fashioned way?

#435 5 years ago
Quoted from Pin-up:

Hoping to see a Williams Flash hard top since there were close to 20K of these out there at one point.

I’d be in for one too

#436 5 years ago

I would buy an F-14 Tomcat if you made it.
14,500 produced, I would think that would be a great candidate.

#437 5 years ago

Interesting product.

Robert

#438 5 years ago

So....what would you do? I've got a Black Knight - 100% functional, perfect backglass, decent cabinet (8/10) and a good looking playfield. While the playfield is good looking visually, it's developed cupping in the vast majority of the inserts and it's driving me crazy with the balls getting their trajectory altered each time it rolls over an insert, even at moderate speed. I've got lots of choices, but none are for the faint of heart:

1 - Pop out the inserts using a heat gun and pressure, heat and press flat, sand/polish, reinstall, and apply decals if required. Risks - could break, warp or crack the insert during the process. Replacement BK inserts are next to impossible to find.
2 - Apply a hard top. This idea is really attractive, but my existing playfield is pretty good looking cosmetically already and it would probably be sacrilegious to destroy an original playfield just to fix the inserts.
3 - Try and find a basket case sub-$400 doner BK with a trashed playfield, put a hardtop on it, and use that playfield in my machine. Then maybe I could find a buyer for my original playfield to help offset the cost of the doner BK and hardtop.
4 - Clearcoat the inserts and playfield so it's level but the labor cost on that would exceed a hardtop replacement.

#1 I would attempt myself. #2, #3 and #4 I would farm out to a local pinball repair shop as that's beyond my skill level.

Here's what my current playfield looks like. What would you do?

IMG_6074.JPGIMG_6074.JPGIMG_6063.JPGIMG_6063.JPGIMG_6064.JPGIMG_6064.JPGIMG_6065.JPGIMG_6065.JPGIMG_6066.JPGIMG_6066.JPGIMG_6067.JPGIMG_6067.JPGIMG_6068.JPGIMG_6068.JPGIMG_6069.JPGIMG_6069.JPGIMG_6070.JPGIMG_6070.JPGIMG_6071.JPGIMG_6071.JPG
#440 5 years ago

Actually, I had not considered a protector. Reasonably priced, doesn't look to terribly difficult to install. I wonder how much it will actually reduce the cupping in my case. I'll definitely research this option...thank you for the link, @grbgemen.

#441 5 years ago
Quoted from Mathazar:

Actually, I had not considered a protector. Reasonably priced, doesn't look to terribly difficult to install. I wonder how much it will actually reduce the cupping in my case. I'll definitely research this option...thank you for the link, grbgemen.

The inserts will remain cupped but you won’t notice them because the lexan that lays over top of them is flat. I used one on a paragon with cupped inserts and it worked perfectly. It’s the easiest solution for cupped inserts. I love hard tops, but IMO they should be saved for completely blown out playfields.

#442 5 years ago

1. Your playfield looks too nice for a hardtop.

2. If I can successfully install a hardtop odds are you can too.

Fun project, but need to find a real crappy playfield. I didn't have to think twice about doing my Comet.

#443 5 years ago

I agree with grbgemen. Go with a playfield protector. My playfield looks much like yours, and I have a PF protector. It works great.

#444 5 years ago

@mathazar,

I wouldn't install a hardtop as it's too nice. If you are seriously interested in resolving, I would send out to a playfield restorer (like HSA, etc) to get it restored.

#445 5 years ago

Thanx everyone...did some reading on it (including this entire thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lexan-playfield-protector-install-and-review) and I'm convinced. I not only bought one just now for my BK but also my Eight Ball Deluxe. My EBD also has a very nice looking playfield - no insert cupping, but there are rough spots on both inlanes close to the flippers whereby if you trap the ball with the flipper and then release the flipper, the ball stays stuck in the inlane and you have to nudge the cabinet to get it to roll down. The playfield protector should get rid of that annoyance, too!

The company is on holiday break and won't resume shipping until 10JAN, so it may not be until February that I see them. The sale they're running is 20% off your order if ordered by 31DEC....for me, it came out to about $40 which is equal to the shipping cost, so "free" shipping.

Thanx again for the guidance!

#446 5 years ago
Quoted from Mathazar:

1 - Pop out the inserts using a heat gun and pressure, heat and press flat, sand/polish, reinstall, and apply decals if required. Risks - could break, warp or crack the insert during the process. Replacement BK inserts are next to impossible to find.

Marco sells many sizes and shapes of inserts. Have you checked there?

-1
#447 5 years ago
Quoted from Mathazar:

Thanx everyone...did some reading on it (including this entire thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lexan-playfield-protector-install-and-review) and I'm convinced. I not only bought one just now for my BK but also my Eight Ball Deluxe. My EBD also has a very nice looking playfield - no insert cupping, but there are rough spots on both inlanes close to the flippers whereby if you trap the ball with the flipper and then release the flipper, the ball stays stuck in the inlane and you have to nudge the cabinet to get it to roll down. The playfield protector should get rid of that annoyance, too!
The company is on holiday break and won't resume shipping until 10JAN, so it may not be until February that I see them. The sale they're running is 20% off your order if ordered by 31DEC....for me, it came out to about $40 which is equal to the shipping cost, so "free" shipping.
Thanx again for the guidance!

This thread is not about that product. Ask advice in the thread you lonked to.

Edit: You can start a new thread and create a poll to go with it. That would maximize your advice from others.

#448 5 years ago
Quoted from PinballManiac40:

This thread is not about that product. Ask advice in the thread you lonked to.
Edit: You can start a new thread and create a poll to go with it. That would maximize your advice from others.

My initial question involved whether or not I should go hardtop which I felt was appropriate for this thread. Now that I've decided to go playfield protector, I'm over in that thread now.

#449 5 years ago
Quoted from PinballManiac40:

Marco sells many sizes and shapes of inserts. Have you checked there?

Yes...found many BK2K inserts but no BK.

#450 5 years ago
Quoted from Mathazar:

Yes...found many BK2K inserts but no BK.

Did you shop by physical size? Marco has multiple insert generic sizes and colors not attached to specific games.

https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=inserts

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