Hello again guys.

I am really puzzled with what to do with my playfield. It's in an very bad shape.

Someone repainted in the past, which I can live. Its art form of art.

But also due to this repaint job of the past and who knows how many more attempts it's in many places unleveled.

Plus many of the spot light covers are very badly used.

Finally there is a yellow kind layer in most of it (most likely a wrong type of varnish) which will not come off whatever I use.

I can't buy one because reproduction will come from Canada and I will have to pay a very high custom charge. It will cost more that a thousand dollar.

So I was thinking to use an overlay but there is nowhere to be found. Do you guys know if a Star Gazer overlay is available anywhere?
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Leave the playfield alone , looks cool

Fix all the mechanics , by looking it needs a complete overhaul

Or sell the game and put some money in your pocket. I take it.

The reason I am dealing with the playfield is because it's the only thing left to do wctually.

Here is my restoration thread

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/let-s-take-a-vote-

Belt sand, clearcoat, call it a "whitewood." It'll play like greased lightning and be the most fun game in your collection. Friend of mine did it to a Quicksilver like 15 years ago, when old Stern games were a dime a dozen.

Wow! $1,000.00 customs charge? Is there some kind of fight between Canada and Greece that we don't know about? Do you have any friend's in the USA that could ship it to you for maybe cheaper customs rates?

Did you get your back box fixed?

From what I a seeing, a Greatwich repro is the only way to go.

It's not Canada or USA fault. It's this stupid law that we got here for goods coming out of the European Union.
I have family in the US. Once they send me some gifts for my kids and I still had to pay customs.

Yes but this will remove all the art from the playfield and this is a star Gazer. It's not a regular Stern type pin.

Just get a play field protractor for it and call it a day.

https://www.playfield-protectors.com/Home/Details/tkNYxF4EVU-jQ0AqBnLcJg?catgoryid=22&name=Star%20Gazer%20%7C%201980%20%7C%20Playfield%20Protector

Spend the 1k to get a new pf. This game is a rare/high value title.

I think the he is saying that the playfield will be over $1,000 including the customs charge. The import Vat tax/duty from Canada to Greece is 24% of the items value.

Star Gazer is one of my favorite games of all time, so I don't say that lightly.

The art is beyond wrecked. Flaking, chipping, ugly repaints, bad varnish. Didn't you say it's so bad that it affects ball travel?

It would actually look & play better completely bare & smooth, in lieu of a new/restored playfield. Then if someone ever creates an overlay, you're ready to drop it in.

Yes. Playfield will be over 1000 including custom cost.

Two options I see here:

1) Install a PF protector (cost: $150 or less) and enjoy the game. Protector will remove any ball travel issues due to sunk inserts, etc. and provide a nice shine to the PF like a clear-coat would do.

2) Purchase a repro PF for $1K and do the full PF restore. You will no doubt recover your material costs in resale value should you ever want to sell the game, but a fair amount of work to do.

Since you are already restoring the game anyway, Option 2 probably makes sense. Short term you can go with the PF protector since it won't be easy or fast to get the repro PF anyway.

My 0.02...

There is a third option as well. Send the money for the playfield to you. You are in Canada. You will purchase it from greatwichjohn with this money, and you will send to me as a gift. This way I will no pay custom cost.
(The Greek way of thinking hehehe )

If Canada is like the US, a value will have to be declared. I am not sure but I think even a gift has to have a declared value.

I just put one of beehives protectors on my big game until I am ready to send it off for restore. They are very nice and fit perfect with NO modifications.

https://www.beehivepinball.com/product/pinball-playshield-protector

Sure but what if the someone declares 50 dollars for example.

Some people do that but if they get caught it’s a federal offense. When you sign that customs form you are make a representation to the value. If you lie, it’s illegal. People do it all the time. I think Greece charges a vat tax on gifts anyway.

It does but only after a certain value.

Don’t think twice. Investing $1000 in that machine is a no brainer.

Fourth option: Find a local artist (view their portfolio). Give them the best high-resolution photos of what you're looking for, and ask them to restore the playfield. Have them start in a small area, and if the work looks good, have them do the whole job. Best case: playfield restored, money put into the local economy. Worst case, badly restored play is still badly restored.

With a Greatwich repro play field the price is going to be hard to hide. On something that is used, it is a lot easier to downplay the value. Strip yours down and ship it and declare the value for $5.00. No one will hassle you on that one.

Platy field restore artists do not work that cheap.

That will cost more than getting a new pf.

Bite the bullet. Make it new once again.

Professional restoration artists might not, but if you ask around the local art community you might get lucky. I have several friends who are professional artists (including some that are restoration artists locally), and considering the work situation at the moment they would take this commission for *much* less than $1000 (more like $500). And I'm assuming that in Greece artists aren't much higher paid than Baltimore, MD.

For $500.00 he will wind up with something that looks like a warmed over dumpster fire. For $500.00 more he can get nice looking Greatwich repro.

Plus the time it will take to find someone willing to do this.

I found an artist thar came to visit yesterday. He is really good but he hasn't done something like that before. So as he said he will do a research first and he will come back with a price. If the cost is like 500$ then I think I will go with a repro. There is no point to pay 500$ for what ever the result will be in this playfield.

Eventually. I'd love a Greatwich repro, how long is the wait at the moment?

Send a PM to Greatwich. It is his schedule.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/any-seawitch-fans-on-pinside/page/20#post-5828394

That playfield needs way more than just touch up by an artist. Inserts are probably loose and sunken and the wood is not level. Divots and gouges need to be repaired and leveled. Artists in my experience are not familiar with repairing these things.

Which brings us back to my two options...

Just a friendly heads up... I am on the third run of Quicksilver and will be doing Star Gazer immediately following. if you want to get on that list let me know. Trying to limit this run to 25 and its first come first serve.

Shawn

I just looked at your restoration thread on page 3. You have done a fantastic job with your cabinet and making your own stencils, too. It is fabulous. Why all this dance over this worn play field?

Get a Greatwich Star Gazer Repro. I can't speak for the market in Greece, but over here you would have no problem selling it for a fair price.

Yours is either a wall hanger or firewood.

Or a coffee table

Sorry I didn't get you. Are you making repros?

Well at the end of day it all comes to the cost.
I am not planning selling this to be honest. At least not for some years. Most probably it will go to my kids. If, hopefully, they deside to deal with the hobby.

I took everything out today and I clean it up as much as I could. So here is a better look of it

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I make wiring harnesses.

I understand. Everybody has a price point where the project has to stop. If you want keep the cost down and still play it, get a play field protector. $150.00 and you are done.

If you want it to look nice, you buy the repro play field.

If you want take a chance with a local artist, just remember if he is too much of a starving artist and has no money, he is liable to say anything to get the job. You might not like the results.

.

OTOH, You have turned this...

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into this magical "it's alive again" Star Gazer.

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So, maybe you can continue with the magic on your play field. And you can name this Star Gazer "Christine".

Show us.

Hehehe..
I am very good when it comes to cabinet jobs, painting, wood craft etc, but when it comes to artistic kind of things like the playfield I am loosing it.

However I would really like to build a custom Christine pin, after I build a He-Man pin ofcourse

Build a Star Gazer. Buy the the repro playfield

Try asking this guy for an estimate https://www.2niro-pinball.com

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I went to the link to check it out. He/they spent 200 hours restoring that Fathom play field. At $10.00 per hour that would a $2000.00 restore. I wonder what they did charge.

I know an elderly man who drives across town to buy peanut butter that is 10 cents less than at his local grocer - and he is proud when he tells me about these savings. He has completely compartentalized the cost of gas in his head. Ultimately his circuitry is deriving some happiness from this procedure.

Same in pinball, you can convince yourself that you are saving money by spending countless hours searching for artists, nickle and diming then, then doing it again with inserts and clear and paint costs and part costs and errors and mess and the end result will be - well something. When you add it all up it will ultimately cost more than a new playfield but might feel like you’re saving money. Then you may ultimatey look down at it and order the new one.

And as was mentioned above, what about your time? What is the cost of your time? Compare to ordering new playfield at perhaps and hour or two total.

Like a gambler that frequents Vegas who always returns to tell stories of his wins, there is value for some hobbiests to tell their friends about how much they saved to a restore. Often they neglect to mention the final tally.

You can afford something since you’re in this hobby. Whatever it is that you can afford per month, stash away until you have the amount you need for a new playfield. Thats my 10 cents on this topic. Good luck

And all things come to an end. Someday you will not be able to buy a Star Gazer play field.

You could gamble and wait for the ratification of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement to save €250.

challenge accepted!

Cool . You have the chops to do this.

You guys know I have stencils for this game correct?