(Topic ID: 6075)

Restoring a Space Shuttle

By dirtrider

12 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 25 posts
  • 14 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 4 years ago by halffast
  • Topic is favorited by 3 Pinsiders

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sandedandwaxed2.jpg
spaceshuttle-pf1.jpg
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#1 12 years ago

So I get this thrashed SS last month, no cab art whatsoever, but mechanically and electronically sound. I play a few games, then start dismantling the pin and building a rotisserie. I start buying paints and begin to touch up the funky parts. THEN I learn CPR has Space Shuttle playfields coming out, and put in a request for one. Am I going nuts, or is this a common symptom of pin addiction? Is it even worth it to install a new play field and buy stencils to make this pin look good again? As a non-artist, is it possible for a layman to retouch a playfield and spray can Varathane it and make it look passable? Has anyone else done this with any amount of success, or will it result in the rest my hair turning gray? Opinions, tips, and suggestions are greatly appreciated! Most importantly, will clearcoating cover up a lot of the ball swirls and fine cracking?

CIMG6261.JPGCIMG6261.JPG CIMG6260.JPGCIMG6260.JPG CIMG6259.JPGCIMG6259.JPG CIMG6252.JPGCIMG6252.JPG

#2 12 years ago

Talk to Mystic. He just restored a SS that was in much worse shape than yours and did a beautiful job. Personally I don't think yours is that bad. You could probably pay someone to paint and clearcoat it for much less than the CPR playfield if you don't want to mess with it. If you do go the CPR route, let me know. I'd be interested in buying the old one.

#3 12 years ago

Oh heck ya.

Saw your other thread and responded, but had not seen these pics.

Unless it's your holy grail machine, I wouldn't do a playfield swap on that. Especially if you are putting it into a machine with a trashed cabinet. Frankly, the cabinet resoration would probably be a much bigger PITA than the playfield swap, and you'll never be happy with a clean shiny playfield in a dirty trashed cabinet anyway.

That rollover area is way up top, nobody will really see that close what you do there. The rest of the playfield looks decent to me and should clear up pretty nice.

I guess as further proof - put me second in line behind GFLM if you decide to sell it. It's about 20x better shape than mine. Good luck.

Funny, I'm in the exact same boat as you.

Picked up a SS about a month ago. Playfield down to wood all thru center. In my case, it has one of the finest cabinets I've since from similar aged machines, and the backglass is pretty good. Plays great too, considering the playfield wear.

And now I'm facing the CPR dilemma too. I contacted them, they told me I'd most likely have an opportunity at the end.

I have no artistic skills. I can do basic touchups, but the level of detail in the center of my SS playfield is way beyond my ability to make it look even remotely decent. It really depends on the level of wear I think. I've retouched and varathaned playfields before, and I think they look good.

But I'll be honest - if I had a SS playfield that I was capable of touching up, I'd be happy enough with that and I wouldn't even consider the CPR. As it stands, I'm still not sure what I will do. I don't know that I'm "into" SS enough to warrant the effort.

Anyway, there's nothing that says you can't give it a shot. Use water based paint from the hobby store and have at it. If you don't like the way it looks, take a clean rag with some alcohol and wipe it off. No harm, no foul.

And yes, clearing a playfield will go a very long way towards disguising those little cracks and swirls.

Post edited by SealClubber : Added the comments from the other double post.

#4 12 years ago

Your PF doesn't look too bad. I have contemplated a swap before, but buddy you better REALLY love this game to go that far IMO.

#5 12 years ago

I had some trouble posting the pics. Mystic responded to the post before they came up, now I don't know where his response is except for the 'back' button. I've double-posted! What do I win?

#6 12 years ago

A swap just looks like hell to me. I am fine with stripping the top, But the underside just seems like it would fight every step of being dismantled. You field isn't too bad. I would touch up the missing artwork (maybe print out the lettering on decal paper? It's available at hobby lobby and the like) and just clean and clearcoat!

#7 12 years ago

ou better REALLY love this game to go that far

Unless it's your holy grail machine

It's neither of these. So I probably won't recoup the playfield cost when re-selling? Here's the side-art. The P.O. painted in anticipation of stenciling.

CIMG6262.JPGCIMG6262.JPG

#8 12 years ago
Quoted from Anim8ormatt:

maybe print out the lettering on decal paper

Do I just take a pic of a good one then print on an ink-jet to make a decal?

#9 12 years ago
Quoted from examiner:

I don't know that I'm "into" SS enough to warrant the effort.

I feel the same, examiner. Your opinion is appreciated. I'm leaning towards touchup and clear coating it myself.

Thanks Seal, for 'clubbing' my post into shape!

#10 12 years ago

That's not a lot of touch-up there, if you're showing all of it. I'd do that and clearcoat it. I've never done Varathane before, but I have used auto clear. It's kinda expensive to get into auto clearing, so you might not want to attempt this if you only ever see yourself doing one playfield. There are places who will shoot if for you at a price.

#11 12 years ago
Quoted from dirtrider:

So I probably won't recoup the playfield cost when re-selling?

I guess it depends on how deep you are in it now and how good you are at the restenciling process on the cabinet. Remember a buyer of a machine with a repro playfield is probably going to also expect repro plastics, ramps and the shuttle (assuming they get released this fall) and a nice cabinet. Doing the playfield without doing all that other stuff wouldn't be wise in my opinion. So figure another $500+ for that.

I could probably bring my machine up to a very nice level for a total investment (machine, new playfield, plastics, ramp, shuttle) of around $1500 + countless hours of my time. I'm not confident enough in a post-restore market value to do that right now to be honest.

#12 12 years ago

http://pinballrestore.tumblr.com/

also a great resource: http://www.edcheung.com/album/album05/pinball/playfield.htm

I didn't use repro ramps or shuttle, just fixed/painted/etc the existing. Did buy new plastics though. Touchup, Varathane.. hit me up if you want any tips, most of what I did is in that blog on the link above though. 1st pic is before, bottom two after. I also had two fully populated playfields to work with and switch out the best parts of both (side rails, etc.)

Luckily the cabinet I got was in pretty great shape so I don't have much advice for you on that (other than the coin door and the missing backglass). And hey if you need any spare bits.. I have tons of extra parts/plastics/etc for this machine.

side note: card in my door saying the post office has my board... pick up tomorrow..

spaceshuttle-pf1.jpgspaceshuttle-pf1.jpg sandedandwaxed2.jpgsandedandwaxed2.jpg final9.jpgfinal9.jpg

#13 12 years ago

Wow, the pin's looking great! Do you have any plasma numeric displays? One of mine is going south. When you painted your pf, did you worry about the under-plastic areas that turn yellow over the years?

#14 12 years ago

Hopefully 100% tonight after I pick up the board.. we shall see. If so, you'll see a nice video uploaded later. If not, you'll see a disgruntled thread.

I actually have 3 plasma displays but none of them worked when I got it so they're sitting in a box right now as one was missing so I just shotgun replaced them with Pinscores. Not sure if it was the display board or the displays or what but send me a PM.

As for the under-plastic areas, I just cleaned them up like the rest (magic eraser, novus, etc.) but didn't do any touchups or anything.

#15 12 years ago

What color blue did you use to touch up the cab? The previous owner refuses to answer my question about the kind and code of paint he used for the side.

#16 12 years ago

I had about 6 different blues, put them all on a wooden paint stirrer and let them dry.. realized none of them matched.. lightened.. darkened.. added some colors (little purple I think).. mixed.. repeat.. it took a while. Sorry, I didn't use one exact color.

Seems a little silly he won't answer your question though.

This guy on RGP used Olympic Victory Blue..

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.pinball/browse_thread/thread/8f9b44f57593f41c

#17 12 years ago

I have one with a near mint backglass and cabinet that i don't even play anymore. I think a fellow pinsider has dibs on it though. I wish it would disappear...

3 weeks later
#18 12 years ago

ooh! I dig the blue LED's in the GI.
I just got tracking that my CPR playfield is on it's way

#19 12 years ago

The blue in the GI looks awesome on this pin. I stole the idea from a pic I found on another website, I also stole the idea of putting red/white/blue in the 3x5 white bonus inserts instead of all white. It's a bit harder to read the numbers for the ramp bonus as they flash up but during attract mode it looks great.

#20 12 years ago

That blue would look good next to Xenon.

10 months later
#21 11 years ago

Just picked up a Space Shuttle tonight, going to borrow the blue LED in the GI idea. The pin just popped up and I could not help it.

#22 11 years ago

Oldie but goodie nice work restoring this machine it looks beautiful.

#23 11 years ago

Im just finishing mine right now. The clearcoat might be the hard part. The first trys are usually the screw ups.

7 months later
#24 10 years ago

Anyone know what the paint color match for the SS cabinet is? I have one and I am trying to touch it up.. Thanks...

6 years later
#25 4 years ago

Outside edge now makes a playfield cover for this. I'm in the machine at the right price, cab is good, backglass is roaches. The electronics are all working, but not pretty. Debating on just selling as is or doing a partial restoration, playfield backglass, clean up electronics, but don't know if the value of the game would be worth the time put in. I am thinking on the top end of retail for a very very nice one would be about $1800? Any thoughts? Thanks

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