(Topic ID: 231017)
Linked Games
Earthshaker
Williams, 1989-
Fathom
Bally, 1981
-
Judge Dredd
Bally, 1993
-
Paragon
Bally, 1979
-
Seawitch
Stern Electronics, 1980
-
Taxi
Williams, 1988
Topic Gallery
Ashland, OH
After a couple hours of adjusting, playing, readjusting, playing more, etc. I decided it was time to put the playfield glass in place.
One last overhead playfield pic without the barrier.
All glassed up and ready to play. Live nearby or driving thru and want to put a few games on? Send me a PM and I'll have a couple beers ready. Probably still a few bugs to work out but that is part of the fun, right?
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Thanks to everyone for all the positive comments and helpful suggestions along the way. I'll reserve the next post for pictures to be taken in the daylight/sunlight when the weather is more pleasant. After that its time to move on to Chapter 3. . .
Quoted from TractorDoc:Cliffys
I happen to know the guy that beta-tested those things...
I see flipper hop on the right side (shudder!) Can you angle that guy up a little?
-mof
I really enjoyed watching this Fathom project unfold and this game come to life... and I loved every bit of it!
Just amazing how it came out. Simply stunning. She's a beaut!!!! Really enjoyed your final close up pics with that shiny ball on pristine playfield next to clean new componenets and inserts....dreamy....
Thanks again for sharing your experiences with these restorations Doc!!!!!
Happy New Year
Quoted from ChipScott:I really enjoyed watching this Fathom project unfold and this game come to life... and I loved every bit of it!
Just amazing how it came out. Simply stunning. She's a beaut!!!! Really enjoyed your final close up pics with that shiny ball on pristine playfield next to clean new componenets and inserts....dreamy....
Thanks again for sharing your experiences with these restorations Doc!!!!!
Happy New Year
^^^^
| | | |
What he said.
Quoted from TractorDoc:After a couple hours of adjusting, playing, readjusting, playing more, etc. I decided it was time to put the playfield glass in place.
Holy Crapballs!!! 
Quoted from mof:I see flipper hop on the right side (shudder!)
Don't worry Mof, I think its the angle of the picture -- I had to go play the game for awhile today just to be sure and the ball rolls cleanly from the guide to the flipper. 
Quoted from pintechev:Beautiful - congratulations!
Thank You!
Quoted from pincoin:Simply amazing work! Keep us updated on future projects.
Thank You and I will! 
Quoted from ChipScott:I really enjoyed watching this Fathom project unfold and this game come to life... and I loved every bit of it!
Just amazing how it came out. Simply stunning. She's a beaut!!!! Really enjoyed your final close up pics with that shiny ball on pristine playfield next to clean new componenets and inserts....dreamy....
Thanks again for sharing your experiences with these restorations Doc!!!!!
Happy New Year
Happy to share and Thank You for the comments, glad to hear you like it!
Quoted from xsvtoys:What he said.
What I said (above)! 
Quoted from Quint:Holy Crapballs!!!
Hopefully Crapballs are a good thing. . . Thanks if they are!
Quoted from Billy16:Nice work, I don't think that could have turned out any better!
Thanks! I'm very satisfied with the result myself. . . and it does not always work out that way!
Spent a little time on the next chapter this afternoon -- I'll have a post or two (as well as a thread title change) coming to tell you about it!
Duisburg
Quoted from TractorDoc:Spent a little time on the next chapter this afternoon -- I'll have a post or two (as well as a thread title change) coming to tell you about it!
B49FE8AD-4221-4FA6-B005-2644D22F4ED0.gifNow that Fathom is in the final stages it is time to start thinking about what is next.
Rather than jumping into another major project I thought it would be nice to improve on a game that is already working and playable. Something that will not take too long. . . maybe even something I'd feel comfortable selling once my work is done.
A Judge Dredd that came into my possession several months ago could be the perfect candidate. No exciting pickup story on this one. . . in fact someone knowing I was a "pinball guy" called me about the game and even delivered it! The price was more than reasonable and I had to agreed to buy the game from looking at a couple fuzzy cell phone pics. I was pleased enough when it showed up and have played quite a few games since its arrival.
A few pictures of our new project.
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Sometimes the excitement of owning and playing a new game allows me to overlook -- or not notice -- some less than ideal functions/conditions/etc.
It was when I decided to turn off the shop lights to play a few games on Dredd that I realized things were a bit dark! 
So I've decided to try and help the Judge out a bit. I'll take on correcting the GI and likely strip down the playfield for a good shop, fixing whatever else needs it while I'm at it.
So begins Chapter 3: Judge Dreadful -- 20 Years for Lack of Illumination!
Taking a peek into the upper cabinet. . . some cooked connectors look to be present. J-120 is a different connector type than the others, suggesting it was replaced (and has reburnt at the left side!).
Removal of J121. The plastic is literally falling off the metal pins. Looks like we have found a potential source for our lack of light as this connector is associated with the GI if I'm reading the schematics correctly.
Time to source up some new pins and connectors!
Quoted from TractorDoc:Looks like we have found a potential source for our lack of light as this connector is associated with the GI if I'm reading the schematics correctly.
You are correct. Looks familiar.
519859E6-D8E4-4701-AF39-AB7EBE3B77B1 (resized).jpeg2F21667C-0813-4A1F-BD64-9030F3AC09C3 (resized).jpegA delivery from Great Plains Electronics (Thanks G-P-E !) shoulld help with getting the lights back on.
Connector Pin set to length / connectors keyed / manual for reference.
Time to plug in the desoldering gun. . . . tomorrow probably.
Power Driver Board is out, this is my first look at the backside of this type/generation of board so I do not know if all the jumpers are "normal." The area I will be working on is at the lower right.
The desoldering gun made quick work of heating/pushing out the header pins of J121. The plastic bits crumbled off before I started.
For good measure I also removed the header pins at J120.
New header pins soldered back in. Not my prettiest work, but I never claimed to be a professional.
The front side looks a bit better. I replaced J117 as well -- it also had a toasty connector.
I carefully put the board back in place and plugged in all the connectors. With high hopes I turned on the game and this is what I saw.
If you are thinking it looks a lot like our original dark picture you are right. Our efforts did not correct the problem. . . or did they? 
Stay tuned to find out.
Before I started pulling connectors (and my hair) I decided to raise the playfield and test the voltages on the GI circuit -- all checked normal.
The next logical thing to do was to pull a plastic and inspect the bulbs. This is what was found:
I couldnt pull all the plastics, but removing the opposite slingshot and left side playfield plastic found more burned bulbs. I'm thinking our wiring/power supply is good. . . now we just have burned out bulbs. Every. Single. One. 
A couple LEDs dropped under the easily moved slingshot plastics and. . .
Let there be light! 
Now we play a few more games before starting disassembly for our shop job. New cabinet buttons and flipper rebuild kits have been ordered. . . I should have enough bulbs and silicone rings on hand from my recent Comet and Titan orders to round things out.
Curious to see how dirty it is under all those ramps. I'm thinking very.
The pieces coming off the playfield are starting to pile up.
Leaning towards warm white LEDs to compliment the yellows/reds/oranges on the playfield. No matter which/what type of bulb things are starting to look much brighter.
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I even had help in case I dropped something down in the cabinet!
Next up -- time to do something about those bulbs under the inserts.
Budapest
Quoted from TractorDoc:The pieces coming off the playfield are starting to pile up.
[quoted image]
Leaning towards warm white LEDs to compliment the yellows/reds/oranges on the playfield. No matter which/what type of bulb things are starting to look much brighter.
[quoted image][quoted image]
I even had help in case I dropped something down in the cabinet!
[quoted image]
Next up -- time to do something about those bulbs under the inserts.
Great thread, following! Let me know if you need any help (photo, part info).
I am in the same situation, working on JD. I heard that this pin is very dark, and seems it is true: I count only 15 GI lamp socket on lamp harness, and this contains the 4 sockets at slingshots.
Wellesley, ON
Quoted from Jenniebear:Do you have a price in mind? I have been looking for a Judge Dredd
No numbers in mind yet -- will have to give some thought to a price. . . or maybe even trade potential.
Quoted from Davi:Great thread, following! Let me know if you need any help (photo, part info).
I am in the same situation, working on JD. I heard that this pin is very dark, and seems it is true: I count only 15 GI lamp socket on lamp harness, and this contains the 4 sockets at slingshots.
Thanks Davi -- my efforts to clean up and refurbish will likely be far inferior to yours. I couldn't help but notice Judge Dredd is at the top of Comet Pinball's home page and it looks to be utilizing spotlights. I've never used them before but JD might be a good candidate.?
Quoted from Mitch:Wow love following your threads. That fathom looks amazing! Looking forward to the judge dredd.
Thanks Mitch. I hope not to disappoint!
Spent about an hour playing Paragon several days ago. I'd say the honeymoon is over but I'm not ready to push it out the door yet!
Not much progress today. Sitting here at the office on my day "off" while I wait for a call back from tech support for the practice computer software. Time that could be better spent removing and polishing ball guides! 
Quoted from TractorDoc:Power Driver Board is out, this is my first look at the backside of this type/generation of board so I do not know if all the jumpers are "normal." The area I will be working on is at the lower right.
[quoted image]
The desoldering gun made quick work of heating/pushing out the header pins of J121. The plastic bits crumbled off before I started.
[quoted image]
For good measure I also removed the header pins at J120.
[quoted image]
New header pins soldered back in. Not my prettiest work, but I never claimed to be a professional.
[quoted image]
The front side looks a bit better. I replaced J117 as well -- it also had a toasty connector.
[quoted image]
I carefully put the board back in place and plugged in all the connectors. With high hopes I turned on the game and this is what I saw.
[quoted image]
If you are thinking it looks a lot like our original dark picture you are right. Our efforts did not correct the problem. . . or did they? Stay tuned to find out.
The jumpers are a way to beef up the small traces that contract/ expand due to heating up and cooling. Also helps reduce game resets.
Forgot the camera today, so all I have is a cell phone pic of the playfield missing the metal ball guides.
Just a few more things to remove before proceeding with a thorough clean and wax. I was not planning on removing every last piece from the playfield, but I am looking at the subway on the bottom side and it is filthy. . . more than likely it and the devastated Earth plastics will be coming off for sanitizing.
I am liking the removable boards that hold the bulbs. . . makes replacement much easier. Cleaning the inserts from the underside has made a noticeable difference in light/visibility too -- details to come!
I may have stated a fib earlier when declaring I had enough supplies to get thru sprucing up the Judge without new parts orders. 
I had not accounted for the mini flipper rubber so an additional order was placed at Titan.
I needed a few more location specific flashers so an order was placed at Comet.
Finally, I decided to replace the flipper coils if I was going to give them a rebuild after I noticed the upper left coil was a bit crispy.
An order was called in to PBR for coils. Now I should have enough parts to finish the job. At least I think I do.
Cleaning continues.
Removing the individual lamp boards is easy enough -- those are not bulbs with smoke tinted lenses!
Looking at the area this board was removed from under the playfield. Will cleaning the inserts make a difference?
You bet! Gives new meaning to "Blackout!"
Disassembly continues with playfield parts top and bottom. All the plastic bits are removed including the subway. I shudder at the thought of a new, clean ball rolling thru it as is.
Bulb replacement with LEDs is progressing. Don't "Judge" the finished product by this pic. . . just trying to give an idea of increased visibility.
I keep reminding myself this game is not a restoration. . . just a good sprucing up. Trying not to get sucked in too much more, but I'm thinking I'll take the drop target mech apart to clean it later this week.
I just got a Judge this weekend. Been poking at it a bit and holy moly is it filthy. I think mine is as bad as yours looks. It's almost as if it hasn't had a good cleaning since it was built. I'm probably going to play mine a bit and figure out all the small issues, and then start tearing it down in a few weeks. I want to get a color DMD and upgraded sound installed, so once the parts come in for those projects is when I'll tackle that. Definitely looking forward to seeing your finished rebuild.
Quoted from TractorDoc:I may have stated a fib earlier when declaring I had enough supplies to get thru sprucing up the Judge without new parts orders.
I had not accounted for the mini flipper rubber so an additional order was placed at Titan.
I needed a few more location specific flashers so an order was placed at Comet.
Finally, I decided to replace the flipper coils if I was going to give them a rebuild after I noticed the upper left coil was a bit crispy.
[quoted image]
An order was called in to PBR for coils. Now I should have enough parts to finish the job. At least I think I do.
Cleaning continues.
Removing the individual lamp boards is easy enough -- those are not bulbs with smoke tinted lenses!
[quoted image]
Looking at the area this board was removed from under the playfield. Will cleaning the inserts make a difference?
[quoted image]
You bet! Gives new meaning to "Blackout!"
[quoted image]
Disassembly continues with playfield parts top and bottom. All the plastic bits are removed including the subway. I shudder at the thought of a new, clean ball rolling thru it as is.
[quoted image]
Bulb replacement with LEDs is progressing. Don't "Judge" the finished product by this pic. . . just trying to give an idea of increased visibility.
[quoted image]
I keep reminding myself this game is not a restoration. . . just a good sprucing up. Trying not to get sucked in too much more, but I'm thinking I'll take the drop target mech apart to clean it later this week.
Not often do you see a WPC flipper melt down.
Quoted from TractorDoc:Power Driver Board is out, this is my first look at the backside of this type/generation of board so I do not know if all the jumpers are "normal." The area I will be working on is at the lower right.
Those jumpers look just like the picture recently in "The worst hacks" thread
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/worst-hackrepair-you-ever-saw/page/49#post-5427830
Quoted from TractorDoc:No numbers in mind yet -- will have to give some thought to a price. . . or maybe even trade potential.
Thanks Davi -- my efforts to clean up and refurbish will likely be far inferior to yours. I couldn't help but notice Judge Dredd is at the top of Comet Pinball's home page and it looks to be utilizing spotlights. I've never used them before but JD might be a good candidate.?
Thanks Mitch. I hope not to disappoint!
Spent about an hour playing Paragon several days ago. I'd say the honeymoon is over but I'm not ready to push it out the door yet!
Not much progress today. Sitting here at the office on my day "off" while I wait for a call back from tech support for the practice computer software. Time that could be better spent removing and polishing ball guides!
Your method is much more economical and effective than mine, no doubt. My method is time consuming, slow, expensive... Sometimes I feel this pointless, but at the end of the day I have to feel satisfaction
20190818_161037 (resized).jpg20200106_172701 (resized).jpgQuoted from Davi:My method is time consuming, slow, expensive...
Someday I hope to achieve your level of skill and talent! I cannot imagine the effort involved in working around the insert edge details. . . sometimes I struggle with standard black rings!
Here is my simple update. . . my Titan order arrived so I installed new rings on my freshly cleaned flippers.
Yep, I decided to give the light blue a try.
I have my bulb selections finalized so today I continued with some cleaning. I neglected to take good pics of all areas of filth on the playfield, but a shot of the back corner gives an idea.
Playfield cleaned with the first coat of Blitz Wax applied.
Not quite the mirror finish a clearcoat would provide, but still some reflectivity from the original surface. I did not bother to completely level the playfield, so the Titan ring keeps the ball from rolling away.
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I also pulled the drop target unit.
I'm having some thoughts on the drop targets. Crazy thoughts. . . just like Fathom.
Dredd's drop targets are black. Black may go with the sinister theme, but it only adds to the darkness on the playfield. The GI is minimal at best as is, so I'm wondering if utilizing more of the clear/frosted targets from @Zitt and Pinball-mods.com would help. I would make a new set of decals to apply and partially cover the targets for contrast.
The targets offered in clear appear to be the "hooded" version (if I'm reading part numbers correctly). The JD target uses one hooded target in the middle, but the other four are flat / hoodless.
I imagine the center hooded target allows the ball to roll down into the scoop/subway smoothly. The opening for the targets looks like it would allow all hooded targets; unless hooded targets might grab on the rubber rings behind them, thus no hoods.
I think I'm going to try it.
Worst case scenario the targets will look wrong and I'll replace them with the black ones. Less worst case is I need non hooded targets -- the hoods could be ground down.
Best case scenario the targets will look great and add allow more light to the playfield. Only time will tell!
Quoted from TractorDoc:I also pulled the drop target unit.
[quoted image]
I'm having some thoughts on the drop targets. Crazy thoughts. . . just like Fathom.
Dredd's drop targets are black. Black may go with the sinister theme, but it only adds to the darkness on the playfield. The GI is minimal at best as is, so I'm wondering if utilizing more of the clear/frosted targets from @Zitt and Pinball-mods.com would help. I would make a new set of decals to apply and partially cover the targets for contrast.
The targets offered in clear appear to be the "hooded" version (if I'm reading part numbers correctly). The JD target uses one hooded target in the middle, but the other four are flat / hoodless.
[quoted image]
I imagine the center hooded target allows the ball to roll down into the scoop/subway smoothly. The opening for the targets looks like it would allow all hooded targets; unless hooded targets might grab on the rubber rings behind them, thus no hoods.
[quoted image]I think I'm going to try it.
Worst case scenario the targets will look wrong and I'll replace them with the black ones. Less worst case is I need non hooded targets -- the hoods could be ground down.
Best case scenario the targets will look great and add allow more light to the playfield. Only time will tell!
Yes, there's a mode where only the center target drops and the goal is to shoot it into the "subway." The drop targets themselves should be/are originally black. They also make J-U-D-G-E stickers online that are available to put on the front face of the drop targets, which are relatively inexpensive and look quite nice.
Following!!
A couple flipper coil curiosities.
According to the manual, both bottom coils should be the blue FL-11629. Looks like the right side had been replaced with a FL-11630, the original of which has a red Williams logo wrapper and is used on the upper mini flipper. Maybe that is why I have such a difficult time making the left ramp shot (or it could just be my aim )
I pulled the upper left flipper unit which also uses the blue FL-11629 coil. The toasty coil fell apart as it was freed from the stop. If you look close at the center of the wrapper you can just make out the original "W" Williams logo.
Still working on cleaning. The Novuses greatly improved the cleanliness of the subway. I'm much more comfortable with balls rolling thru it now!
1 week later
I've been a bit distracted as of late.
I hinted at it a bit earlier in the thread, but late last year there was an engine issue with dad's '53 Ford Pickup. The head gaskets on the old flathead had given out and now its time for a rebuild. The truck is finally in a place where I can wrench on it properly and some work has begun.
The Judge is patiently waiting -- don't worry as progress on the game will continue as the next post will show.
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