(Topic ID: 218168)

Official "HARDTOPS" thread

By Skypilot

5 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

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 79 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 - 1308 votes by 788 Pinsiders)

Topic Gallery

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Screenshot 2024-03-04 at 09-25-09 Pinball Playfield Hardtop (resized).png
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Topic index (key posts)

5 key posts have been marked in this topic

Display key post list sorted by: Post date | Keypost summary | User name

Post #274 Upcoming Game List Posted by Outsidedge (5 years ago)

Post #870 Hardtop Hiatus Clarification Posted by Outsidedge (4 years ago)

Post #1086 New Website - 11/29/2019 Posted by Outsidedge (4 years ago)

Post #1142 Xenon Hardtop Available Posted by Outsidedge (4 years ago)

Post #1246 Pin*bot Hardtop Available Posted by Outsidedge (4 years ago)


Topic indices are generated from key posts and maintained by Pinside Editors. For more information, or to become an editor yourself read this post!

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#656 4 years ago

Can anyone here speak to how their game played before and after? I’m super eager for the HS Hardtop to be released, but my playfield isn’t totally trashed, either. So, doing what I do best: overthink things... despite the post immediately above

2 months later
#806 4 years ago
Quoted from Budwin:

I have that on my FP HardTop on a few of the inserts.
It is not that bad, but of course annoying.
I followed the written directions regarding clear cure time. (I think it was 100 hours on the instructions)
If doing another Hardtop, I think I would let the 2X cure for at least a week.

Curious of people's thoughts on progressively higher grit sanding followed by Novus to make the inserts naturally shiny, rather than relying on clear.

#815 4 years ago
Quoted from sawbill:

I agree with the above comments. Just polish the inserts and clear the shooter lane. That is what I did with my Taxi Hardtop.

Thanks all who chimed in! Now I just need to see High Speed Hardtops come up for sale and I’ll get to sanding

1 week later
#819 4 years ago

Semi-related question: My SearchFu is failing me. Any tips on how to refinish ball guides? Since I'll be tearing stuff apart, I'd like to make it as "new" as possible.

I'd be doing it by hand, since I don't have a bench buffer.

#821 4 years ago
Quoted from AUKraut:

By hand will take forever and still not look right. I'd at least get a rotary paint removal pad attachment for a drill, but a bench buffer is the right tool for this job.

Good to know, thanks! Suppose a trip to HF is in my near future.

Any advice on what type of wheel to use?

#824 4 years ago
Quoted from Pin-up:

High Speed was added to the order list on their website. Sweet! Just ordered mine.

w00t! Just ordered mine, as well.

Will wait for the shipping confirmation before I start depopulating the playfield, though. She's my only pin.

1 week later
#853 4 years ago
Quoted from Mk1Mod0:

So if I'm doing a game with rollovers (Future Spa, for example) the idea is to remove the rollovers, install the hard top and then put the rollovers back in even with the hard top? Makes sense.
Shawn

Check out Vid’s Comet Hardtop thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-hardtop-restoration-comet/page/3#post-5024390

Classic Vid, he does a great job addressing rollovers on a Hardtop there.

#854 4 years ago

Got a shipping notice from FedEx! My HS Hardtop should be here on Tuesday.

#859 4 years ago

Trying to reconcile info across various posts from Vid’s general resto posts and his Comet Hardtop one, specifically around inserts.

I’d guess that nearly every insert on my PF is raised, with the amount varying from a fingernail’s thickness to maybe twice that on a couple. I’m reading to sand them down to the PF, but also to reglue and/or replace any that are raised.

Thoughts on what the threshold is here for sanding vs reglueing? I’d suspect that the adhesive on the Hardtop would prevent any re-raising of inserts, but interested to know what other’s experience has been.

Thanks!

1 month later
#899 4 years ago
Quoted from Skypilot:

Wow!!!
Please do me a favor and chill!
I am lucky enough to be on the inside in this. Theres no plots. No collaborations. Shits down for a bit.... business as usual. They will be back up in due time. You guys need to relax and go play some pinball. Hardtop will be back up and working on the next title

Just thank God that Hardtops will never pool or chip People are losing their damned minds about that right now.

1 month later
#929 4 years ago
Quoted from GRUMPY:

F-14 F-14 F-14 F-14 F-14 F-14 F-14 PLEASE!!

Give the man his F-14! He deserves a free one for all he does helping out around here.

1 week later
#945 4 years ago
Quoted from wrd1972:

Can someone please give the process to sand the playfield in preparation for a hardtop? I currently have my BK main PF stripped and ready to sand. What sandpaper grits? Does all artwork need to be stripped? Should the bare PF be clearcoated?

I went through my process here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hardtop-on-a-high-speed

Also, linked within mine is Vid's install on a Comet.

As far as grits go, I did 220 on a palm sander, hooked up to a ShopVac to keep the dust down. Alot of people will clear, but I didn't have confidence that it wouldn't ghost after. So, as detailed in my thread above, I did wet sanding with 1000 grit, 3000 grit, then Novus 3, 2, 1 on all the inserts - going back with Naptha to remove any left over Novus residue (likely overkill).

You definitely want to poly the shooter lane and any portions of the wood that would be exposed (not covered by the Hardtop or where the Hardtop is clear).

Hope that helps!

#949 4 years ago
Quoted from Mathazar:

The sawdust capture bag on my orbital sander does a decent job of keeping most of the stuff from flying around, but after I finished I spent 15-20 minutes using my air compressor all over the underside to totally clean out the nooks and crannies.

With my ShopVac hooked up in place of the dust bag on my hand sander, there was no dust in the mechs at all. I still blew it out, just in case.

#954 4 years ago
Quoted from RC_like_the_cola:

I don't think it is part of the instructions, but I saw a youtube vid and the guy brushed a band of black around all inserts just in case of any alignment issues, you wouldn't see bare wood.

I did this for a small number (3, maybe) of inserts. Just used a Sharpie, actually.

Re-emphases the most important point: Take your time with the alignment process. You will have to make some compromises, but if you find you're having to "cheat" too much, pull the thing off and give it another go. I spent at least 10 minutes trying different positions before I came to a final decision.

#971 4 years ago
Quoted from wrd1972:

Okay I am seeing where some folks are clear-coating the PF prior to laying the hardtop, and some folks are not (TNT). So I am thinking to myself whats the benefit of the clear-coat?
Is it used to "fill-in" the top surface of the lighting inserts after sanding...kind of like "polishing" them out? Or is it used to promote better adhesion for the hardtop? Other?
Thoughts on clear-coating the sanded wood surface or not?

I think it's a bit of both, but I opted not to clear mine. I was concerned that the inserts would ghost or I end up with my own version of #cleargate going on under there. So, I wet sanded (1000, then 3000) followed by a Novus 3-2-1 pass on each insert - sometimes twice. Was definitely alot of work, but I'm happy with the result.

#976 4 years ago
Quoted from KSUWildcatFan:

Just curious, did you sand the entire PF or just the inserts?

On High Speed, there's so many inserts I just opted to sand the whole thing. I figured why not have a consistent surface for the Hardtop to stick to.

Here's an album of the whole process: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNVnePAk_W7FHlo44TbOGpDCI_wPIfd8x4aRgfONlWm84Le4MFvYyi3kHXT3UTQ?key=YzFNcGtfMHdzcVc3NXc3cHpZdjR0bWk0UVNPTm5R

#978 4 years ago
Quoted from KSUWildcatFan:

.
Thanks for the gallery! I love looking through these. Makes me feel just a little less horrified as I do mine.

No problem. Trying to give back to the community somehow.

Best of luck with your install!

4 weeks later
#1038 4 years ago
Quoted from ruralcollector:

Is there any downsides to using Rustoleum 2x Clear over 2PAC? I had planned to use Spraymax 2k but ran out of time with the cold weather and feel more comfortable spraying Rustoleum in my garage. Appreciate any advice

As an alternative, you can also polish the inserts and poly any exposed wood (e.g.: shooter lane). It’s more labor, but you’ll never risk a ghosted insert.

2 weeks later
#1056 4 years ago
Quoted from swpinball:

Just PM’d outside edge but i thought i would share this absolutely terrible touch up job using magic markers on a high speed i picked up several years ago. A hardtop makeover would be a great solution![quoted image]

It's William's failed experiment for a High Speed: Paint-by-Numbers Edition™.

I heard they had a Bob Ross pin in the works, but Pin2K ultimately killed it. "And we'll add some little happy pop bumpers over here..."

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