Will do when have time ,your TAF looks great

Curious, What pitch is your guys TAF at?

The one I recently bought is set at 7.2. It plays nice but once in awhile a hard shot to the ramp will cause the ball to fall off the ramp and go into the swamp. Probably gonna adjust it to a 6.9-7 deg pitch. But was wondering what you guys had yours at for this game.

I set all of my games at the factory rec>> typically 6.5.

I like them tough and more lateral movement (i.e. 6.5 rather than steeper) equals more slong action and more outlanes.

restoring one.....

2013-02-17_18-34-19_750.jpg 1330310604270.jpg

I think we could all use a little more slong action.

Very clean and nice on the inside. Mine is a filthy mess in there, will do some serious scrubbing one of these days.

I'm thinking of replacing TAF backbox with LEDs. Should I just go with white or does anyone have suggestions regarding specific colors to use in the backbox? Thanks!

I used frosted cool whites.
But I am interested as well to hear what others have done that is unique.

a couple purple ones look good in the backbox.

Hey, I don't have Morison on my back glass. Perhaps you have a pre production model.

Yea. I knew it, but could not resist.

Full shopping last year, tumbled & regrained the metal bits + treasure cove pf treatment. A few choice mods and customization: purple pops with black skirts (looks like a proper graveyard), clear ramp, bookcase decals, color-matched post rubbers. Not shown are the purple flipper rubbers I threw on afterward. Finished her off with a new set of chromium steel pinballs. Plays fantastic.

IMG_5051.jpg IMG_5038.jpg

I like the purple pops. Nice touch.

I would love to see all green also.

Purple is the death color ... green works too - just change the pops and LEDs and you can have a field day. Most of the work was pulling the pops to change the skirts, then re-wiring the sockets.

BEAUTIFUL!!! Thanks for sharing...I'm off to order some purple bumper caps!

Purple pop bumpers look really good, actually. Wish I'd thought of that before buying a new set of bumper covers...

Did some playfield touchups a day or two ago. Used acrylics and an automotive clearcoat pen to level out the mansion wear and power circle divits. This is total amateur hour but it's held up nicely so far.

TAF_Mansion_Touchup.jpg

Hard to see... Link to higher rez shot:

http://thesnort.com/pictures/2013/pics/TAF%20Mansion%20Touchup.jpg

Has anyone disassembled/rebuilt their Thing motor? If so share some pics.

I bought my TAF in 2007. Played the crap out of it but didn't like how busted up the cabinet corners were.

Just did a total restoration on it. The playfield swap is really easy in my opinion so think about it if you want to try it. The only advice you need (like any playfield swap) is to make sure the playfield with the pivot is super smooth through the full range of motion before you put 100 lbs on it and it wont swing. I use door shims to get it completely even before i tighten it down.

I would disagree with the gentleman who said the layout is not the best. I love the layout, the shot through the graveyard to the UR flipper to the ramp or train is magic. Bear kick through graveyard to side ramp is brilliant.

Here is a link to help anyone thinking about a restore on this game. Let me know if it doesn't work

http://s983.photobucket.com/user/kjlaughlin/library/TAF%20Restore

Nice photos and great work KJL.
What did you use to get the bottom of the cabinet so clean. You mentioned tips from HEP.
Did you use that expensive sanding vacuum or some cleaning products?

Awesome pics! Thanks for sharing. How many weeks/months from start to finish?
And I agree about the layout; loved this game in my 20's, loving it now in my collection.

Very nice! Was your playfield a NOS or reproduction? I want to do a pf swap on mine but the prices are crazy right now since its been so long since the last run of them. Also worried about quality / drilled holes not being in the right spots, etc.

Looks great KJL. Mine will be getting the full treatment at some point. I am in the parts gathering stage currently. I found an original/restorable pf that needs a bit of work to make her shine.

For anyone waiting on IPB, a heads up that I spoke with them yesterday about pfs when I was calling to ask about cab decals.
Their current cab decals are silkscreened supposedly. I am still shopping around for the best option since what I have seen lately come out of IPB is not up to par.

In regards to the 'upcoming' run of TAF pfs, they are not even back from routering at this point. IPB is apparently in the process of reworking the CV pfs (sanding them down 100% and having them re-silkscreened) since the direct print method they originally used turned out so bad. This means that TAF pfs are likely a LONG ways out.

As some back story >>I originally inquired about TAF in Jan 2012 and was told a few months and I was also told 'they were going to the silkscreener in a few weeks'. It has not been 16 months and I am told 'they are coming back from the router in a few weeks'. I believe the current statement which means they still need to get inserts, have them placed/glued in, planed down the pfs, send them out for silk screen, and then get them back to do a likely poor clearcoat job. In other words, do not hold you breath if you are waiting on IPB to do pfs.

Finally got around to finishing the Thing box mod I've been meaning to do before reassembling the stairs ramp. I think it turned out pretty well, hope the added weight doesn't end up getting in the way of the hand.

Process:
http://thesnort.com/pictures/2013/pics/Thing%20Box%20Mod%20Addams%20Family%20resized.jpg

Thing06.jpeg Thing07.jpeg Thing09.jpeg

I agree. Only TSPP has more shots all in all. All the cross shots are what make Lawlor games so fun and interesting. I have a TZ, FH and RS as well.

TAF to me has been the greatest single thing I own or could own in this world. I absolutely love every second I have had on it since it came out in 1992. I could go on forever about this machine.

F14 was my first pin, as I didn't want to spend more than $500 at first (hehe), bought one for $1,000, and played the hell out of it for two days. TAF came up at a premium 2 hours away, 4 days later, and a day after that there I am stopped at an fast food joint on the way back facing directly out to the TAF loaded in my vehicle. Man that was a good burger.

Mine is restored, and I have done lots of custom lighting. I'll take some photos.

Ready to have your mind blown...? My one change (I know, awful right...) would be.... to make the train shot not be a target, but an inner loop to come back out to the upper right flipper, somewhat like in TS. Imagine the speed of that!

...but it's still pretty good without that

That looks sweet!

Ready for photos.

Haha! Same kind of story here. Flew to Vegas to pick up my TAF and drive it back home. I rented a Ford Escape and before I left vegas I stopped at that In-N-Out at Tropicana and I15. Sat near a window and was able to look over every minute or so and see the blue bolts on the cab artwork and think, "That's my TAF in there. It's coming home with me!" In-N-Out is always a great burger, but that time, it tasted just a little bit sweeter.

Here are a few pics of my full restored TAF

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One more of PF restore

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Very nice PF there... Can't wait to slap a new one in mine...

Thanks ,that was my old one restored

TAF was my first pin. Bought mine in December 2001 without knowing the first thing about maintaining them. Drove 10 hours round trip to bring it home. It will never leave. I love the machine.

Yes for sure I love my and owned it for 10 years now and still play it all the time

I just bought my TAF a few months ago. No mods (yet) but very nice overall. A few mediocre touch-ups on the playfield (in the mansion area) that were done by someone before me but it's clear coated and diamond plated. Definitely one of my favorite machines!

What are some of your favorite mods? Not really looking to spend a ton of money on mods but I'm up for some cool stuff.

LEDs, Color Addams Family DMD, Bear kick ramp bear rug, Uncle Lester, Bookcase LED spotlight, upper playfield LED lighting kit, under cabinet LED lighting, scoop lights, bookcase decals, target armor, invisiglass, mirror blades, back plate decals, clear ramp assembly, UFO LED lighting for pop bumpers, LED flipper buttons, all chrome trim & coin door...

I'm still missing several of the above mentioned mods, but that would be my complete list.

This?
http://www.littleshopofgames.com/Decal/TA.html

Awesome, now I have a to-do list.

I just installed a ColorDMD in mine last night. Hot damn, do I love that product. I saw it in action at Pin A Go Go this year and I decided to buy a TAF just so I could run that display. It really makes that game pop. I also added a few LEDs to make up for faded inserts and will be doing bookcase decal and swamp light next.

Yes indeed.

I'll post a picture of mine when I get home from the office. All of the extra lighting I added in the upper playfield really makes the playing experience more enjoyable. For me, anyways...

The one and only complaint that I have about TAF is that the upper playfield is too dark. Lacking a lot of GI up there. The lighting I installed was cheap, and easy to install.

As I said, I'll post it once I get home.

ColorDMD is one of the best mods you can do for TAF from an aesthetic standpoint. It really does add a lot to the game and makes the animations easier to appreciate!

I'd add in fuse protectors for the magnets if you haven't already done those for sure.

Oh and a foldable pingulp holder for the side

Oops, my bad. DEFINITELY fuse protectors. I guess I didn't consider that a mod as much as a must-have.

And I have a pingulp on order right now, so I fully endorse this post. lol

How are you guys doing the scoop lights?
Where are you tying them into?
What type of bulb?
Where are you aiming them through?

I haven't installed the scoop lights yet, but they're next on my list. Below is a link to the fella I've bought many LED mods from. He's in England but the items arrive quicker than many local packages. He provides detailed instructions and most of his mods are plug n' play or, at the very lest, dead easy to install.

ebay.com link: Addams Family Pinball Swamp Hole Kickout Light Mod NEW

Cheers,
Greg