Life has been hectic for me this past year, but I'm happy to say it appears to be settling back down - for the moment anyway

The point is, I'm ready to start some new pinball restoration projects. Rather than creating individual threads for each machine, I thought it would be cooler to document everything in one place. So, here are my next 3 projects:

Restoration_Projects_(resized).JPG

Hopefully I can tackle all of them in 2016

Medusa - time to start the tear down

Don't worry. She certainly needs some TLC, just take a look at the playfield:

Original_Playfield_#1_(resized).jpg
Original_Playfield_#2_(resized).jpg

The planking is pretty bad, making this playfield a poor restoration candidate. Thank goodness for CPR right

This is a gold edition PF. It's very nice, but it isn't perfect. Take a look at some of the inserts:

5x_Insert_(resized).JPG
Gorgon_Insert_(resized).JPG
80_Insert_(resized).JPG

I've seen this happen to several reproduction playfields (maybe I just have bad luck). For example, I purchased a beautiful TAF IPB repro a few years back; stashed it away for 6 months only to find the inserts had shifted. If left unrepaired these cracks in the clear coat could become a real problem, so this playfield will need some touch ups.

My assistant is working on removing all the plastics

Junior_Restoration_Queen_(resized).jpg

Not bad for her first tear down....

Topside_Tear_Down_(resized).jpg

Now I'll remove the playfield, but first I need to get some rest - I do sleep Tbgolfen, sometimes

Not much of an update, but I did managed to get the playfield removed today. I even came up with a new use for a sprinkler head

Sprinkler_Head_Playfield_Supports_(resized).png

I don't know, it might look better on my wall

I removed the playfield harness this evening after spending a few hours sketching everything up. On these older Bally machines I find it beneficial to draw a road map

Here are some examples:

Lighting_Sketch_#1_(resized).png
Lighting_Sketch_#2_(resized).png

Hooray, the filthy harness is gone....

PF_-_Coil_Mechs._(resized).png

All of the coil mechs are ready for tear down. That zipper flipper assembly is pretty slick, well done Bally.

PF_-_Coil_Mechs._#2_(resized).png

At this point I can set the playfield aside. I'll be replacing all the 555s with new 44 light sockets. I'm not 100%, but leaning towards all new switches as well. So, as it sits, the playfield is the prefect road map for all the ground braid wiring and lamp/switch layout

Road_Map_(resized).png

Working on the weekend sucks..... unless you can wash your nasty pinball harnesses at work

This thing is coated in crap.
Dirty_Harness_(resized).JPG

We have an industrial parts washer, so what the hell right? It cleans using a 180F water/soap solution.

Washer_(resized).JPG
Go_For_It_(resized).JPG

After a couple wash cycles, which are only 2 minutes a piece, here's a close up of the harness:

Caked_Up_Dirt_(resized).JPG

90% of the dirt is gone, but the coil leads are still pretty filthy.

Time to tumble with Simple Green and hot tap water:

Tumbling_(resized).png

After an hour here's what you'll get:

Sort_of_Clean_Harness_(resized).JPG

Better, but not what I'm settling for. Medusa is one dirt...........

Sometimes you can't beat a little elbow grease. At least I got to try something new today

I got the coin door disassembled this afternoon. It's in very good condition, when you consider the age of the machine.

Coin_door_#1_(resized).png
Coin_door_#2_(resized).png

I've had several people email me and ask, "What parts do you plate vs. power, and which items do you tumble?"

First of all, I'm not really keen on tumbling much of anything. Yes, you can make parts look great by tumbling them, but if the original zinc coating is compromised then it's only a matter of time before corrosion will return. Plating/painting/powering are my preferred solutions, as these are permanent fixes. So, here are the coin door parts I have power coated:

Powdered_parts_(resized).png

The rest of the parts will get re-plated (minus the hardware, which I sand blast and repaint):

Plated_parts_(resized).png

I don’t spend much time buffing parts anymore. The coin door will get plated, just not sure what direction I’m going with yet

I love creative people

Spray_Painted_Target_(resized).png

Painted target faces, too funny.

Anything is possible....

Coil assemblies are broken down and ready for cleaning:

Coil_Assembly_Parts_(resized).png

Time to drop these parts off for power coating:

Powered_Parts_(resized).png

$75 for everything on the bottom of the playfield. You should shop your power needs around.

Prismatic Metallic Gold

http://www.prismaticpowders.com/colors/PMS-6374/GOLD-METALLIC/?gclid=CN_awuilsM0CFc8lgQodKXgDiA

For Father's Day my wife let me work in the garage all day. Oh, and she bought me some beer - best wife ever

Beer_-_the_answer_to_all_problems_in_life_(resized).png

I got the cabinet and backbox stripped down:

Fire_Wood_(resized).png

The cabinet is pretty rough and would need a new bottom and back, but it's salvageable. Hey, what are these pellets?

Pellets?_(resized).png
Cab_Damage_(resized).png

Oh who am I kidding, I'm going to start with a new cabinet

My wallet feels lighter and these parts haven't even been shipped out for plating work.

Plating_Work_(resized).png

Don’t worry I’ll start slowing down now that the tear down is complete. Yes, I will need some translucent targets for the 7 target drop bank assembly

The artwork will be custom, similar to Fathom. I may use Jeff’s stencils as a starting point – not sure yet. I know the color scheme will be red and gold, mimicking the back glass. It should really pop with all the mirrored brass.

I did find some big roach eggs under the transformer

Thanks for the kind words.

That may happen, but if it does...... the beer helps

Prior to plating, it's always prudent to re-shape any bent/beat-up parts.

Before:
Bent_(resized).JPG

After:
Unbent_(resized).JPG

Nothing a vise and hammer can't fix It seems like the coin door parts are always in need of a pounding.

The ball guides were originally plated, so they'll get re-chromed. I'll remove all the riveted parts and up-size the mounting holes in order to accommodate the larger 1/8" rivets commonly used on contemporary machines.

Ball_Guide_(resized).JPG

Hi Bob,

I got the target faces yesterday. You're the man

Thanks again.

It's time to build a new cabinet, but first we'll need to disassembly the original

Teardown_(resized).JPG

Here's the top section:

Cabinet_top_(resized).JPG

Who says factory original is better than new? I guess Bally re-purposed a different cabinet for this Medusa

2_shooter_holes_(resized).JPG

Here's a better look from the back of the front panel (Oops, lets move the cutout for the shooter rod down a few inches):

Shooter_hole_relocated_(resized).JPG

This cabinet was beat - dry rotten, water damaged, and filled with roach droppings. Yuck.....

But, this will make for a great template moving forward. Now we'll know exactly how to tackle the corner joints, mortises, and dados

Sides_(resized).JPG
Floor_(resized).JPG

Now the fun can begin...

For the cabinet I decided to go with 3/4" five ply poplar. One 4'x8' sheet is more than enough material to build all of the cabinet walls and interior supports.

4x8_sheet_of_plywood_(resized).JPG

Everyone loves Festool sanders, but here's an even cooler tool - TS 75 EQ Plunge Cut Track Circular Saw:

Track_Saw_(resized).JPG

Track saws are great and Festool's TS 75 is the best one I've ever used. This guy comes in handy

After getting the 4'x8' sheet cut into 2 sections, now it's time to break out the table saw:

Table_Saw_(resized).JPG

This Rigid setup is great and the price is right at $499. My buddy Mike W. and I will make all the rough cuts at this point. We'll layout each piece, leaving roughly a 1/2" of spare material on all sides. This way we can cut all four side down to ensure good square corner.

Here's a good detail to mention - the face of the machine is beveled at the top (where the playfield glass slides in and out):

Beveled_Face_(resized).JPG

Nothing an angle finder can't cure

Angle_Finder_(resized).JPG

So, the top front face of the cabinet will need to be cut with a 94 degree angle.

4_degree_angle_cut_(resized).JPG

Nothing to it. Good tools make all the difference

Here's where a track saw really comes in handy:

Cabinet_Sides_(resized).JPG

Stack the new left and right side pieces on top of each other and trace out the desired top cabinet angle. Then layout the track saw and cut both boards at the same time:

Cutting_the_sides_(resized).JPG

Now trim the front square and presto - we have to matching sides

The real fun will be all the routing work. Festool has a great setup for that as well.

Picked up a few more pins today, so the restoration queue is growing. Not sure I'll be able to tackle all of these in 2016, but you never know

New_Pins_(resized).JPG

I know I know, when am I going to patch those holes in the wall...... Man you guys sound like my wife

That's it.... Now you have to air brush all my cabinets

Oh, and change my AC filters......

Hi Bob,

You’re right; Festool equipment certainly isn’t cheap However, keep in mind that Festool produces professional grade equipment designed for longevity and superior results. If you are a collector looking to restore one for two pinball machines then I’d recommend going with more budget conscious tools. However, if your hobby is restoring pinball machines, or you enjoy wood working projects, then you can’t go wrong with Festool.

If you are serious about looking into a Festool system, then I’d highly recommend you find a local dealer and checkout the hardware in person. In addition, there are tons of videos on YouTube where people demonstrate Festool equipment in action. For example, McCune has a video demonstrating an AFM decal sanding prep job – very cool.

Over the next few weeks/months, depending on how crazy my work schedule gets, I’ll be building 3 new cabinets: Centaur, Medusa and EBD. During that time I’ll do my best to document the entire process and provide equipment write-ups along the way. This will include track saws, sanders, routers, spraying equipment, etc. - everything you'd need to build a cabinet from scratch. Hopefully this will be detailed and provide some worthwhile info worth archiving here on PinSide

Finished up all of the cutting work for the 80s Bally cabinets today

Again, I'm using 3/4" poplar for the cabinets and back boxs:

Poplar_material_(resized).JPG

These are 5 ply 4'x8' sheets from HD ($50/sheet). I'll need four 4'x8' sheets to build three complete cabinets and back boxes. In addition, I'll be using 1/2"x4'x8' sheets for the cabinet floors and rear back box panels.

Per request, here's some more info on the Festool System utilized for this project:

First, it's important to note that each Festool device is designed to work with a "Festool Dust Extractor."

CT_36_Dust_Extractor_(resized).JPG

You'll have several options here, but personally I'd recommend either the CT 36 or CT 48. The only difference, besides the price of course, is the size/capacity of the extractor. Both the CT 36 and 48 are great, so you can't go wrong either way. One of the things I love the most about Festool equipment is the cleanliness. I can sand or cut wood without breathing in a ton of dust.

Again, the track saw we're using is a TS 75. Don't waste your time with the TCS 55, go with the Cadillac - trust me. The TS 75 has an impressive maximum 2-3/4” straight plunge depth and can cut up to 2-1/8" at 45 degrees, which comes in handy You can purchase tracks ranging form 32" up to 118" in length.

The track saw can be used in a variety of ways. For starters, it's great for making basic rough cuts:

You just place the track where you want to make a cut and used two Festool track clamps to secure the track in place:

Locking_Clamps_(resized).JPG

For precision cuts, I use the MFT-3 multifuntional table system:

MFT-3_Table_(resized).JPG

The only draw back here is the size of the cutting table itself. However, Festool does make a kit that will allow you to join two tables together - yes they like your money

The MFT-3 table is simple, but incredibly versatile. The extruded aluminum frame gives you the ability to attach a fence at any angle, making it possible to cut just about anything in any way imaginable:

Fence_(resized).JPG

The MFT-3 table also provides you the ability to attach your track to the table. The track then pivots at one end, so you can rotate it 90 degrees perpendicular to the table. This way you can easily move parts in and out of the cutting area, then lower the cutting track back into place.

MFT-3_Table_#2_(resized).JPG

Once you square up your fence and tack you'll be making perfect cuts every time:

Perfect_Square_Cut_(resized).JPG

On a side note, don't cut your table in half Adjust the plunge depth for your saw accordingly:

Blade_Depth_Adjustment_(resized).JPG
Blade_Depth_Adjustment_#2_(resized).JPG

Did I mention that the track height is adjustable in relation to the MFT-3 table's surface? Yup, you can stack wood parts, square them up and cut them both at the same time.

Double_Cutting_(resized).JPG

Here's a cool gizmo:

Slide_Stop_(resized).JPG

This adjustable stop slides back and forth in the fence, giving you the ability to set the length for repetitive cuts. With the stop we were able to cut all of the back box sides for 3 cabinets in less than 5 minutes. More importantly, the cuts were repeatable and on the money.

Here's the EBD cabinet, ready for routing now

Cabinet_(resized).JPG

One, two, three cabinets.... No big deal, but trying to reproduce cabinets for the general public in this fashion really doesn't make since. I'd have to CNC everything or the cabinets would cost a fortune. Even then I'd probably have to charge more than what most people would be willing to spend. It's a nice idea, but I really don't want my hobby to turn into a secondary job. If I did then I'd make more CFTBL LCD MODs

Taking a break from wood working this weekend

I decided to work on EBD and get it up and running.

I noticed that F4 (the 5amp fuse on the power module board) was blown. Took a look under the playfeild and found this:

Broken_Fuse_Holder_(resized).JPG

Luckily I had a space fuse holder. The EBD playfield fuse was being held in place via a flipper spring, which was wrapped around the remaining prong. The problem was that it was shorting out on the adjacent coil assembly bracket. I swapped out the fuse holder as well as the power board.

swapped_out_A2_power_board_(resized).JPG

At this point I was able to get the game to boot up. However, after performing the coil test I found this:

Bad_Cool_(resized).JPG
Bad_coil_reading_(resized).JPG

The right sling shot coil was fried. I un-soldered the wires and ohmed it out. The solendoid should read something more like this:

Good_coil_(resized).JPG
Correct_coil_reading_(resized).JPG

I swapped the coil and again replaced the 5amp fuse. Presto..... EBD is now up and running

Up_and_running_(resized).JPG

At least I can now play the game while I'm building a new cabinet and back box.

Agreed

You know a project is progressing when it leads to other projects

Here's a cool pocket screw tool (you can pick one up at Lowes for around $100):

Pocket_Screw_Tool_#1_(resized).JPG
Pocket_Screw_Tool_#2_(resized).JPG

A little glue and some pocket screws go a long way.....

Fence_#1_(resized).JPG

Ok, so what the hell are we building? Yup, you guessed it.... A fence for our router table

Fence_#2_(resized).JPG

Cabinet panels are big and clunky, making them difficult to handle when routing the corners. Therefore, we're building a large fence to ensure we can control the panels when making the cross grain cuts.

I'll be using the following locking miter router bit for the cabinet corner cuts :

Router_Bit_#1_(resized).JPG
Router_Bit_#2_(resized).JPG

Once glued, this should give me the solid corners I want

More Festool toys, this time we're going to play with the OF 1400 router, which is attached to the CMS VL router table:

Router_(resized).JPG
Router_table_(resized).JPG

Festool has two different options for router tables - standalone or an MFT3 table extension system. In this case we're using the MFT3 extension system.

So, how do you set up a router? Well, first you have to get the height of the bit setup correctly. Here's a nifty tool for that:

Bit_Height_Tool_(resized).JPG

The three magnets make it easy to attach to the router bit.

Router_Bit_(resized).JPG

The longer scale lines represent the center lines for the wood you're routing. The horizontal line is used to set the height of your bit while the vertical line is used to set the depth of your fence.

So, now we'll need to notch out a hole in our fence in order to accommodate the router bit.

Fence_router_bit_location_(resized).JPG

Finally, we've added a vacuum box to the rear of our fence in order to help with dust collection. The slide piece on top will be use to guide panels through the router.

Dust_collection_box_(resized).JPG

Now it's just a matter of squaring up the fence to the router table and experimenting with the bit height and fence depth in order to make the fine adjustments needed to have perfect corners. Unfortunately, this is a pain in the ass, but it's necessary to produce the quality cuts needed to have a square cabinet.

Here's a look at Festool's router guide fence system (very similar to the track saw setup used earlier in the thread):

Guide_system_(resized).JPG

It works great for cuts made with the grain:

Cutting_(resized).JPG

Here's a look at the custom guide system we fabricated to handle cross grain cuts:

Cross_Grain_Cut_Guide_System_(resized).JPG

Now, when we stand up panels perpendicular to the table, we'll have a solid means for guiding them through the router

Here are some test pieces used to setup the router:

Corner_Joint_#1_(resized).JPG
Corner_Joint_#2_(resized).JPG

Put them together and you have a cabinet

Box_(resized).JPG

Picked up all the power coated parts for Medusa today. I went with a metallic gold, should look nice with the cabinet trim and art.

Powder_Coated_Parts_(resized).png
Powder_Coated_Parts_#2_(resized).JPG

Here are a few close up pictures to illustrate the finish:

Drop_Target_Bank_(resized).JPG
Coin_door__(resized).JPG

I decided to have a clear top coat applied, help make the metallic flakes pop

It worked on these machines

Fathom_(resized).png
Centaur_(resized).png

FYI - the powder only adds 2 mils per coat.
The key is using heat tape when needed, like on the coil stops:

coil_stops_(resized).JPG

Here's where we left an area for the grounding wire on the bottom of the transformer panel:

transformer_panel_(resized).JPG

I'll have to re-tap all the mounting holes and there will be some tweaking required, but the drops will work correctly once complete. If anything, I'd be more concerned with the zipper flipper mechanism, but that can always get brass plated with the rest of the part

Thanks for the kind words.

You already got a Medusa

I'll document what's required throughout the rebuild, but it shouldn't be too bad

No doubt I'll have a few parts reworked; it's hard to get 100+ pieces perfect the first time around. Typically I'm not a big fan of powder for trim pieces (rails, coin door, etc), but it's a nice custom touch for the coil assemblies

The Festool router table is nice, but here's an even better setup for precision work:

Incra_Positioner_(resized).JPG

The INCRA LS Positioner makes fine adjustments that the Festool fence can't. So, after some modifications, here's what our custom fence system looks like:

Incra_Positioner_2_(resized).JPG
Modified_Fence_Adjustment_System_(resized).JPG
Modified_Fence_Adjustment_System_2_(resized).JPG

Now we can easily adjust the fence depth, making 1/1000" adjustments

We also added some feather boards to our fence system to help control our material when cutting. Here's a look at the cross grain setup:

Feather_Board_System_-_Cross_Grain_Cuts_(resized).JPG

I'm using a wood clamp to help secure the board squarely to the fence, attaching it to the track guide that runs along the top of the fence. Also, I'm using a backer board when cutting, this will ensure the router bit doesn't create any "blowout" while cutting.

Here's a good picture to illustrate a clean cross cut, notice that the exiting section of the board isn't blown out (hence the need for the backer board in the previous picture):

No_Blowout_(resized).JPG

With the cross cuts completed, we can now setup our fence for conventional cutting work:

Feather_Board_System_-_With_Grain_Cuts_(resized).JPG
With_Grain_Cutting_(resized).JPG

Looks like our cuts turned out OK

Example_of_Corner_(resized).JPG

That's all for today.

It's not that complicated, probably just not explaining it very well. Hopefully it’s at least interesting to read

Good tools make all the difference, no doubt about that. If you're only restoring one or two machines, then it really doesn't make since to purchase all this stuff; it would be far cheaper to purchase a few reproduction cabinets. Personally, I'd rather buy the tools than the pinball machines. I like my machines in a millions pieces

I happen to like a certain guy's Frontier restoration just as much

I found this on my door step today.

Box of Parts (resized).JPG

Let's see what Ron has shipped me

Parts (resized).JPG

After 30 minutes of unwrapping, here's the first batch of Medusa parts:

Plated Parts 1 (resized).JPG
Plated Parts 2 (resized).JPG
Plated Parts 3 (resized).JPG

Well done Ron.

It's time for some more routing work

Let's get started with the back box. Here's a look at the bottom panel:

Backbox Bottom (resized).JPG

No need for an elaborate jig, just clamp your wood directly to the back box.

Bottom Panel Setup (resized).JPG

We're going to use a 1.75HP Porter Cable router with a following bit to cut out our new bottom panel. Set the router bit's depth, so the follower bearing rides along the surface of the cutout in the original back box as shown below:

Router Depth Setup (resized).JPG

Now, dill a pilot hole and start routing.

Nothing to it

Use brad point drill bits to create pilot holes for the mounting bolt & tee nut locations:

Through Hole Dimples (resized).JPG

It's drill press time.

Drill Press (resized).JPG

If your drill has a depth stop setting, use it. I like to set the depth, so only the brad point pushes through:

First Side Drilling (resized).JPG

Then I flip the board over and drill from the other side to complete the hole:

Second Side Drilling (resized).JPG

This ensures you don't have a blowout where the drill bit exits, like this:

Drill Press Blowout (resized).JPG

You could use a backer board, but I prefer the method described above. Anyway, here's the finished panel:

Finished Bottom (resized).JPG

Here's a look at the top back box panel, same routing process as described above:

Backbox Top (resized).JPG
Top Panel Setup (resized).JPG
Routing Work 2 (resized).JPG
Finished Top (resized).JPG

That was easy

The right side back box panel is a little more interesting. First, we need to drill out a hole for the lock. Then we'll route out an area for the lock's mounting plate as shown below:

Backbox Right Side (resized).JPG

Here's where the Festool MFT table comes in handy

Side Panel Setup (resized).JPG

With our work piece secured to the table and some scrap wood guides in place, we can now use a 1/4" router bit to cut out the area.

Routing Work 3 (resized).JPG

Here's a look at the finished cutting work:

Finished Backbox Lock Area (resized).JPG

Can you guess how the coin door panel was fabricated?

Coindoor Setup (resized).JPG
Finsihed Coindoor Cutout 1 (resized).JPG

Ok, that's enough fun for one day

Who doesn't love little wooden triangle shaped corner support braces? If you're not a fan of wooden triangles, then this post isn't for you

Before we can assemble the back boxes we'll need to make some corner braces. These guys were cut out of square poplar material using a band saw:

Corner Brace Material (resized).JPG

The only problem is that they have some ugly blade marks that need to be address.

Bandsaw Blade Marks (resized).JPG

So, it's time for another handy dandy jig

Sanding Jig (resized).JPG

This jig gets clamped down to the work table using some Festool clamps.

Festool Clamps (resized).JPG

Now it's time to start sanding, 100 grit should do the trick.

Sanding Corner Braces (resized).JPG

Here's a good comparison after a little elbow grease is applied, Was it worth the extra work?

Before and After Sanding (resized).JPG

Now I can cut the braces to size using a miter saw.

Cutting Corner Braces (resized).JPG

Here's a comparison showing the difference between the factory and reproduction units:

Brace Comparison (resized).JPG

The new ones should painted up nicely

Alright it's time to start assembling the back boxes. First, I'll sand the inside face of every panel; the exterior faces will get sanded later in the process. Now's the time to get as much finishing work done on the interior as possible, just easier this way.

Sanding Back Box Interior (resized).JPG

Here's a look at the back panel:

Finish Back Box Panel (resized).JPG

The vent holes were routed out using the same technique previously documented. Now I can sand out the vent holes, removing any remaining wood furs. Then I'll lightly file the edges of the vent holes.

File Back Box Vent Holes (resized).JPG

Time to start gluing.

Glue (resized).JPG

Once the corner joints are glued, we'll use two ratchet straps to hole the back box together. Here's a look at one of the corners after everything has been squared up:

Corner Joint (resized).JPG

Not a bad joint indeed

We decided to rabbit out the sides of the back box in order to accommodate the back panel. After inserting the back panel, it is glued and stapled in place for a nice secure fit.

Installing Back Panel (resized).JPG
Back Box (resized).JPG

Now the excess glue can be scraped away. It's better to do this now before it sets up, much less work now.

Removing Excess Glue (resized).JPG

After a little compound miter work the back box instruction panel can be glued and mounted in place.

Back Box Instruction Panel (resized).JPG

Well, that's enough for one day. I hope you guys enjoyed today's wood working adventure

I love wood triangle corner braces too

Checkout what I got in the mail today

PF1 (resized).jpg
PF6 (resized).jpg
PF5 (resized).jpg
PF4 (resized).jpg
PF2 (resized).jpg
PF3 (resized).jpg

After Hurricane Matthew flooded one side of my house......

Flooding (resized).JPG

Hurricane Mike came through!

Before:

Shrubs (resized).JPG

After:

No more bushes (resized).JPG
Digging (resized).JPG

Digging up 50 well established viburnums is brutal. Anyway, pinball projects are on hold until I can get my home issues resolved

On the bright side, at least my family made it through the storm safely

Oh, and I figured out how the water came in, so it's just a matter of time and money. My life is starting to fell like that old Tom Hanks movie, "The Money Pit."

The home appears to be below grade in general. The dirt on the north side was actually above the sill plate, which looks to be all the way down to the slab. Crazy, just issue after issue with this home.

I'll be taking a break from pinball until my home endeavors are resolved. It appears I should change my name to Tom Hanks as I bought the "Money Pit." Checkout my rotten walls:

Wall Rot1 (resized).jpg
Wall Rot2 (resized).jpg

It will all get worked out, but unfortunately pinball will be on the back burner for the foreseeable future.

Nope. Sometimes I wonder why we even have insurance

The home renovations are moving forward. The progress is slow, but at least we're moving in the right direction. With that said, I have been tinkering with the cabinets at by buddy Mike W's house

So, here's a progress update:

Cabinet parts:
Cabinet Parts (resized).JPG

It's time to dry fit a cabinet with all the internal cross members installed. However, we first need to setup our work table:
Paulk Workbench (resized).JPG

This is the Ron Paulk work bench. If you're interested in building one, here are the details:
http://www.paulkhomes.com/order-plans.html

This is a fantastic work bench that incorporates the Festool MFT hole pattern design. It's light weight and it's easily dissembled when floor space is needed.

Here's a look at the internal cabinet transformer and coin door brackets:
Transformer Brackets (resized).JPG

I don't have a Festool Domino yet (someday), so we went with good old biscuit joints:
Biscuit Points (resized).JPG
Biscuits (resized).JPG

Once these are glued in they'll make a great joint

In order to hold everything together, we're using some Woodpeckers clamping squares and Bessey strap clamps with Harbor Freight ratchet straps:

Clamping Squares (resized).JPG
Bessey Strap Corners (resized).JPG

Here's a look at the dry fitted cabinet:
Dry Fit (resized).JPG

After squaring up the corners, we can now work on the top of the cabinet:
Squaring Corners (resized).JPG

Here's a look at the pieces used to build the back box support panel:
Cabinet Parts Comparison (resized).JPG

I think the new parts look better

Now I can test out a new toy. This is a Grex 23 gauge pin nailer and it's awesome:
Grex Pin Nailer (resized).JPG

If you aren't familiar with pin nails, here's what they look like:
Pin Nails (resized).JPG

They are tiny right? This means they leave virtually unnoticeable holes in your work, that will be filled by paint later:
Pin Nail Hole (resized).JPG

Plus, it's easy to remove pin nailed parts, which is good since we are just dry fitting the cabinet.

The top bracket was oversized; this way we could route the edges to make them match the cabinet using a trim bit:
Top Bracket Overhang (resized).JPG
Top Bracket Overhang #2 (resized).JPG

Here's what a trim bit looks like:
Trim Router Bit (resized).JPG

It uses a bearing that rides on the surface you are trying to match.

To do this we'll be using a Festool OF 1400 router:
Festool Router (resized).JPG
Router in Action (resized).JPG

After running the router around the top panel, it now lines up perfectly with the cabinet sides
Trimmed Top Bracket (resized).JPG

Now it's time to install the support bracket that the rear glass channel attaches to. That's why we had to install the top panel in the previous post. This enabled us to determine it's exact location.

To do this we'll have to mortise a slot in each side of the cabinet. Here are some nifty Incra rulers that make measurements a breeze:
Incra Corner Ruler (resized).JPG
Incra Ruler (resized).JPG

I love this right angle ruler

Now that the cut lines are laid out, I'll pin nail a scrap piece of wood to the cabinet wall for the router to ride along and cut my mortise:
Rear Channel Mortise (resized).JPG

After doing this on both sides of the cabinet, here's a look at the rear glass channel support installed:
Rear Glass Channel Support (resized).JPG

Here's a close up look at the mortise and tenon joints used:
Rear Glass Channel Tenon (resized).JPG

Now it's time to cut the the glass channel slots. Again, we'll use the Festool OF 1400 router to accomplish this task.

First, we need to determine the right depth and cut location, so some testing is required:
Router Test (resized).JPG

Now you see why the Paulk work bench table is so nice to work with

Router testing:
Router Test #2 (resized).JPG
Glass Channel Test Fit (resized).JPG

After a couple attempts, we've got the router setup where we want it. The outside edge of the plastic glass channel tracks should be flush with the edge of the exterior cabinet walls as shown above.

Now we can cut our slots:

Before:
Side Rail Glass Channel Slots (resized).JPG

After:
Side Rail Glass Channel Slots #2 (resized).JPG

Ok, that's all for now. We just need to install some tee nut and we'll be able to glue a cabinet up

I've thought about it in the past, but I'd hate to turn a hobby into a job (like the CFTBL MOD). Plus, I'm not sure how cost-effective it would really be to make/sell custom cabinets. With that said, I may change my mind next week

Yeah, I hear you on the bondo.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm just lucky to have some talented friends that I can collaborate with.

Nice work Grant. Those parts look great.

The cabinets are currently on hold, re-landscaping the yard at the moment. I'll probably use 18 gauge brads to nail them up. Honestly, I don't think it matters, just need something to hold the cabinets together while the glue sets up.

Have you ever seen nickel plated jigs?

Mounting Brackets (resized).JPG

Now you have

After measuring out and penciling in the mounting hole locations for the playfield support brackets, we taped the plated parts to the cabinet walls. Using the brackets as hole aliment jigs ensures that they will correctly line up with the holes during assembly after all the painting work is complete.

Mounting Holes (resized).JPG

Make sure you use a backer board to prevent blow out and drill for the outside face of the cabinet. I then counter sunk the holes on the inside of the cabinet to eliminate any chipping that might occur when hammering the bolts though later.

Holes (resized).JPG

Now you can use the drilled cabinet side as a template for the other cabinet side, just square everything up

Transposed Hole Pattern (resized).JPG

After a little sanding, all the pencil lines are removed for the interior cabinet walls.

Sanding Cleanup (resized).JPG

Now we can finish building the top of the cabinet. First, place the rear glass channel mounting board into the mortised slots in the cabinet walls and apply some wood glue on top of the board. Then put the top panel in place, ensuring all sides are flush and square with the adjacent panel surfaces and clamp the two pieces together as shown below:

Top Glue Up (resized).JPG

To answer Gryphun's previous question, I'm using 1.25" 18 gauge brads to nail everything together on the cabinet top assembly. I'll probably use 1.75" or 2" brads for the 3/4" plywood parts.

I really like the Grex GC1850 2" brad nailer. For starters, it's chordless. Plus, it's light weight (2-3lbs), which is great when you're doing molding work above your head or working off a ladder.

Brad Nailer (resized).JPG

Here's at look at the top panel and rear glass channel all nailed up:

Top Panel (resized).JPG

Now we can run this piece across the disk sander; this ensures the transition between the two parts is perfectly smooth, so the top will look like one solid piece after the paint work.

Belt Sander (resized).JPG
Sanding Work (resized).JPG

Using the belt sander, Mike W. and I were able to quickly sand all the faces of the back box support stand:

Sanding Work 2 (resized).JPG

Now it's time to glue and nail these parts together

Top Setup (resized).JPG

Now we can sand these parts (same as above), to make everything smooth and flush.

Anyway, that's enough fun for one day

Time to glue this baby up!

Cabinet Parts (resized).JPG

Here's a must have accessory, if you don't have it already - the Glu-Bot:

Glubot (resized).JPG

Sorry, I didn't take any pictures to document the assembly order, didn't want the glue to setup without getting it put together

Glue Up (resized).JPG

In general, I'd recommend getting the bottom and sides done first. The front and back snap in easily.

Now it's time to install all of the support braces. We cut the 4 corner supports slightly larger, this way the leg brackets would fit flush in the corners (no air gaps)

Corner Brace (resized).JPG

Here's a nifty tip - sand about an 1/8" off the back of each triangle support block; this will help them fit flush when installed:

Bracing Blocks (resized).JPG
Sanded Bracing Blocks (resized).JPG

Here are a few pics of the cabinet after glue up:

Cabinet #1 (resized).JPG
Inside Cabinet (resized).JPG
Cabinet #2 (resized).JPG

I used 1.25" 23 gauge pin nails on the exterior corners, just to hold the cabinet together while the glue setup. I used 1" 18 gauge brads to attached all the triangle support braces.

I stole this idea from Stern.

Before:
Corner Joint (resized).JPG

After:
Sanded Corner (resized).JPG

This was done using a hand file and sanding block. The corner relief will keep the lock bar from digging into the front and sides of the cabinet. No since in scratching up a beautiful paint job. Now I can shake and tilt this baby with no fear of chipping the custom paint job!

Just picked up a new Apollo spray system

5-stage Turbine (resized).JPG
Spraygun (resized).JPG

We still have a few more cabinet cuts to make (corner bevels, etc.), but then it will be time to prime/paint this beauty. I'll try and shoot some videos of the painting process in action. In addition, I'll share my thoughts on the turbine system once I've had a chance to use it. With that said, I've never read a bad review on an Apollo system; they are considered one of the best atomizing turbine systems around by most woodworkers.

That's what I said

I don't think you can go wrong with either Apollo or Fuji.