The colors are off compared to the original (too much purple in the CPR repro), but it sure beats a bubbled glass. I’m going to play with LEDs in the backbox, so hopefully I can make the artwork pop.

I bought the machine as a part of a package deal, essentially it cost me $3k for the Fathom (but that included CPR plastics and some other parts). I actually fond the game here on PinSide. I traded some stuff for the new BG and paid a small fortune for the playfield. I’m sure when it’s all said and done my wallet will be lighter

Got most of the top side stripped down today. Nothing too exciting here, but figured I document the progress - or lack thereof

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My only advice to first timers is to take a ton of pictures as you dismantle your machines. Bottom line, you can never take enough pictures during a teardown. I always try to take multiple pictures from various angles; you never know what details might come in handy during the rebuild phase of the project. For example, in the picture below you can see that not every plastic finned post on the playfield is the same height (these are the type of details you need to document during your teardown in order to avoid needless rework). Anyway, you get the gist.

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Ok, here's a before picture of the wood rails:

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I'm going to scrap these and fabricate new ones. The originals are usually cracked and damaged, so it only makes since to go with new ones. More on this later.

Now it's time to tackle this mess:

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That's all for today

Finally got all the coil assemblies off the playfield, so moving right along.

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Here's a tip, might be overkill for some though.....

In addition to pictures, I like to sketch everything I remove. I do this more for the older machines as their schematics are more cumbersome to read. Also, this provides an easy to follow guide when reassembling the playfield (much easier than digging through a 1000 pictures). As I encounter hacks and incorrectly wired items I make notes in my sketch book.

Here are some sample sketches:

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I love creative fixes. Looks like MacGyver routed this machine

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I guess this means I need to fabricate a replacement part (it isn't perfect, but it will do the trick). You gotta love 5-40 bolts Damn you Bally and your goofy bolts......

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Before I ship stuff off to be re-plated (or powder coated), I like to take pictures of all the parts in groups. This will make it easier to get everything back together 6 weeks from now.

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Finally got all of the coil assemblies taken apart. This stuff was super dirty

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I bag and tag all the parts (coils, screws, springs, plungers, etc.) and put them aside, separating them from the metal brackets.

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Here's a look at all the metal parts that will be reconditioned:

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I've decided to powder coat these parts, so the next step is to sand blasting everything (all 100+ pieces).

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All done and ready for powder application.

I love the look of the 80's Bally coin doors, but they are a really pain in the butt to restore. For starters, there are a ton of parts on these old coin doors; they are really quite elaborate compared to WPC and other contemporary machines. Plus, they always seem to be beat to sh@t and they are usually rusted up pretty good.

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Here's a closer look with all the coin mechs removed:

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So, back to the sand blaster we go......

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FYI - I use silica sand in my sand blaster. It's not as abrasive as some other medias and helps leave a fairly smooth surface. Of course once you remove the rust (and the zinc plating) you'll need to re-plate your metal parts to prevent them from corroding/oxidizing in the future. For 80's Bally coin doors,I like to nickle plate the interior parts and powder coat the base mounting plate and coin collection tray.

More on this topic later.....

I'll be a Curly's, picking up a Voltan (doing a pf swap for a friend) - should be fun

I remember your thread, thought your machine turned out quite nicely. I'm in no rush as this is my personal machine. I've got special plans for the cabinet that will make it a one off.

It's time to start cleaning some parts. For starters, I like to clean the coils and all the miscellaneous stuff (screws, springs, plungers, etc.) associated with the coil assemblies.

One think I've found with these older Bally machines is that the coil wrappers leave a very stick residue after they are removed.

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So, I like to use my ultrasonic to clean these guys. Today (I'm always trying new things) I made a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and H2O for my ultrasonic cleaning solution. FYI, I'm just using a small cheap HF ultrasonic unit. One day I'll upgrade, but this guy actually does a pretty good job.

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I use the heat setting and let the coils run through a 5 min cycle. Then I brush them with a soft bristle tooth brush to remove an remaining dirt. You don't want to leave your coils in there too long, especially with the heating elements turned on, or you'll be buying new ones after they swell and the sleeves don't fit back through them.

Once the parts are cleaned, I wash them off with clean water and use compressed air to dry them (looks brand new right). Notice that I like to leave a small piece of insulated wire attached to the coil lugs; I do this because sometimes the silver band on the diode is actually removed by the ultrasonic cleaner. Trust me you don't want to wire coils backwards in an 80s Bally machine or you'll be replacing some transistors on the driver board

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Springs and other small parts get nice and clean as well. I'll tumble this stuff later as well.

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Here are all the sling shot parts - cleaned and ready to be reinstalled. Now I just repeat this process until all the coil assemblies are done.

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You may have to change your cleaning solution a few times depending on how dirty your coils are

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Finally got the harness off of the playfield - hooray

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Now it's time to scrub some harnesses

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Fixing up pinball machines would get pretty boring if you weren't open to new ideas right? So, I was thinking about cleaning harnesses the other day an thought, "I wounder what would happen if I put a wire harness in my tumbler?" After all, my tumbler was made to handle wet applications.

So, here's a fun little experiment:

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I just put the entire harness in my 5 gallon HF tumbler with a 50/50 mixture of Mean Green and hot tap H2O

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Fast forward 1 hour (dirty water is a good sign):

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Then I just dumped the harness in my driveway and hosed it down along with my tumbler bowl.

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Now it's time for a good ol' dose of Florida sunshine You can use compressed air to speed things up if you'd like; I often do that for the connectors. To be honest, I'm not sure it really matters. I've cleaned harnesses numerous ways and each method has yielded comparable results. What I liked specifically about this approach is that it wasn't very labor intensive (work smarter not harder right). Anyway, here's a closeup of the finished product:

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As you can see there isn't any dirt, so the tumbler did the trick.

Considering the age of the machine I'll probably replace all of the connectors. FYI - I've cleaned harnesses in washing machines, dish washers, hot water/chemical baths, by hand with a toothbrush, you name it.... In my experience I've never had any corrosion issues with any of the methods list above. I do typically use compressed air to dry the harness connectors, but I've also just left them sitting in the sun for a few hours as well.

Yes, it definitely beats manual labor. Now I have more time to do all the yard work my wife has planned

Being color blind would certainly make it more challenging. I guess I’d look into a labeling system.

Nope, everything ohms out A-OK

I've done several machines this way and I've never stripped the coating off of the coil windings. I did forget to remove the sleeves once and the heat caused them to swell and stick inside the coils; luckily it was only 5 solenoids though

Thanks Evan. I’m enjoying restoring the older stuff at the moment, just a nice change of pace. I think each era of pinball offers its own challenges.

Likewise, I’m watching your FH resto

Keep up the good work. I love seeing more people restore machines, especially younger guys like you.

Ok, so today lets take a look at the transformer and it's associated mounting plate.

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Not too bad, just a little dirty.

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I know I've documented this in other threads, but for the sake of being thorough I'll touch on it again. I always clean up the transformer when restoring a machine (in this case it's a pretty easy task). It really does make a big difference aesthetically and provides a nice finished look for the cabinet.

For starters, I use compressed air to remove any lose dust and dirt. Then I clean the wires with what ever degreaser I have on hand, been using Simple Green a lot on this project. I use a tooth brush to scrub wire ties, connectors, etc. Take your time and keep the cleaner off of everything but the wiring and it's associated connectors. You don't want to get the actual windings/housing wet. Then I use a clean water soaked rag to remove the degreaser from the wiring. Finally, I use compressed air to dry the wires and their connectors.

At this point the wires are clean and it's time to address the metal housing. I use a coarse Scotch-Brite pad to clean the actual transformer block. This roughs the surface up and enables new paint to adhere. Again, I use compressed air to remove any dirt. So, here's what the transform should look like at this point:

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Then I tape off all of the wires using 3M blue painters tape. Now I'm ready to paint the transformer.

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I use Rustoleum 2x Painters Touch - Gloss Black. Several thin coats and presto your transformer looks brand new

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Sorry, I already removed the label and pretty much destroyed it the process.

Your approach sounds more involved, but it’s probably better than mine

I’ve found Rustoleum’s products to be pretty good; it’s surprising what you can get out of a rattle can in terms of quality. The paint seems to hold up extremely well considering the operating temperature and it gives the transformer a “fresh” look without spending a ton of time or much $$$. I do like the sound of your approach though, certainly a better quality clear top coat.

Here’s a pic of the transformer I installed in a Centaur:

http://s437400854.onlinehome.us/?page_id=180

Those guys do look pretty nice, might have to give that a try the next time around

Cleaning printed circuit boards...

Yes, I know... It's everybody's favorite topic to discuss around the diner table with the wife and kids Seriously, I know this has been cover numerous times before, but just trying to be thorough and document everything pertaining to this particular project.

Let's look at the power module board for this demonstration:

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I spray my boards down with Krud Kutter and use a soft bristle tooth brush to scrub them clean.

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Then I rinse the boards off with hot water and dry them using compressed air.

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In general, I don't really worry about the components on the boards getting wet (except for the capacitors). However, due to the age of this machine I've decided to go ahead and replace all of the caps on both the Squawk & Talk and Solenoid Driver boards, so no worries this time around.

This boards is a little toasty, but functional. I'll replace the fuses, re-flow the solder on all of the connectors, and test each component to ensure they are within spec.

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Got the cabinet completely stripped down today:

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The cabinet is in pretty rough shape (looks much worse in person). There's some significant water damage to the Masonite floor board near the coin door; the floor panel is actually detaching from the face of the cabinet here. Bottom line, this cabinet would actually cost more to repair than it would to just build a new one, so that's what we'll do

Time to build a new cabinet and backbox. I dropped my beater off with my buddy Lee, so should have a new cab and BB in about 2 weeks.

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I wish it were only $200 for a new cabinet. I need your connections

I agree with you though, don't get why some guys pay a premium to repair/restore trashed cabinets. With all the money guys dump (myself included) into restorations why not start with a pristine cabinet and backbox?

Hey, you learn something new everyday. Thanks for sharing. It makes since, same concept as the solenoid coils on the playfield - a magnet is a magnet right.

However, I don't think my wife will be letting me cook pinball parts in her oven

Got my first batch of powdered parts back today. I decided to go with a 2 stage metallic blue (w/ clear top coat) for all the coil and drop target assemblies.

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Here's a close up; it's had to see the pearl in the photos:

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I never said I was a purest