Working on this TFTC for a fellow Pinsider. Going to give it a full tear down cleaning, repair broken parts, replace burnt connectors and pins, flipper rebuild, clean inside of cabinet, install LED lighting and some mods as well.

Figured I document the process as I go. Yesterday I got the playfield out of the cabinet, vacuumed the cab and playfield, cleaned the harnesses, removed the light boards and all bulbs and began identifying parts to order.

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Hey Steve! How've you been? I haven't noticed you online here and was wondering where you've been. I'd love to play a Dredd and Pinball Magic, so let's get together one evening or weekend. Would like to have you and your wife over also. Let's plan it.

I'm looking forward to the after pics!

I just ran it on light cycle without soap or heat dry. Worked great and didn't remove my Sharpie writing on the connectors.

Spent some time and finished cleaning and sanding the inside of the cabinet and looks much better now. Also have underneath the playfield cleaned, including all the inserts. Going to populate the LEDs if I already have enough and finalize the parts list for under the playfield. Tonight it will go on the rotisserie, where it will stay for a bit while I switch over to a higher priority Tales from the Crypt.

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A Tale of Two Crypts:

Yup, there are now two TFTCs to be shopped and modded. This new one looks super...great cabinet, full door handle, great playfield. Along with my DESW, this is one of the cleanest re-imports I've seen. Beautiful.

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Ok, I've gotten the parts list for each pin. Took a few hours of combing over each game, made easier since there are two for comparing plus I have mine as well. But still, reviewing each part on the top and bottom of the playfields and then looking up the part numbers and reviewing the diagrams takes time.

Did that all on notebook paper and then transferred to Excel - now to place the orders. Pinball Life has most everything needed, but not all.

So one of the Tales is a keeper for Mike and will be completed first and then other one will be finished and sold.

Here's the parts list for each game excluding the most of the custom mods that I'll be doing myself. I have a bit of spare color and white LEDs that I'll use for the sale game, which is why those bulbs aren't listed.

For Sale game Quantity
LEDs - No ghosting
White #555 5
White #44 25

Standard #89 flashers 15
Rubber kit 1
Lock
Mirror Blades

Coils
090-5032-00 2
090-5044-00 1
23-800 2
25-1240 / 090-5034-00 1

Coil sleeves
260-0004-00 5
545-5076-00 8
266-5000-00 3

Springs
266-5020-00 7
266-5025-00 3
266-5009-00 2

Switches
180-5064-01 1
180-5063-00 1
180-5090-00 1

Misc parts for VUKs and launchers
545-5227-00 2
535-5111-00 1
251-5004-00 1
535-5203-03 4
270-5010-00 6
515-5000-02 3
500-5081-00 1

Crypt decal 1
Extra Ball button 1
Start button 1
Flipper rebuild kit 1
updated ROMs 1
Translite bottom trim 1
Balls 6

Connectors
6 pin connector and pins 2
3 pin connector and pins 1
3 pin M/F connectors 1
10 pin connector and pins 1
12 pin power connector and pins 1

Parts for the keeper game:

Keeper Quantity
LEDs - No ghosting
White #555 15
White #44 50
Red #555 5
Red #44 5
Green #555 3
Green #44 6
Blue #555 2
Blue #44 6
Orange #555 3
Orange #44 11
Color changing #44 5

Standard #89 flashers 25
Rubber kit 1
Clear flipper buttons 2
Flipper fingers pair
Lock
Neon green star posts 6
Clear slingshot Super Bands 2
Cliffy for scoop 1
#44 bulb sockets 2
Stone hobby walls
Mirror Blades pair

Coils
090-5032-00 2
090-5044-00 1
23-800 3

Coil sleeves
260-0004-00 5
545-5076-00 8

Springs
266-5020-00 5
266-5025-00 3
266-5009-00 5
266-5000-00 5

Switches
180-5064-01 1
180-5063-00 1
180-5090-00 2

Misc parts for VUKs and launchers
545-5227-00 1
251-5004-00 1
535-5203-03 4
270-5010-00 9
515-5000-02 3
FM1608 NVRAM 1
Small bottles of Novus 1 & 2 2
Updated ROM chips 1

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Pics of the 2nd game (keeper). Excellent looking cabinet and will clean up really great and will look fantastic with the LEDs and mods.

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Yup, someone is going to get a sweet TFTC when the one is available for sale. Have some great mods planned for each game plus lots of new parts, so going to be nice.

That's interesting. The manual shows that two 1.5" rings should be there, but all all 3 games here have only one. Thanks for the tip.

Tonight I removed all the under playfield bulbs and cleaned all the inserts and parts underneath. I also removed the lamp boards so I could clean them and those inserts. Pretty darn filthy with coil dust, but the playfield wood is very clean.

Last pic shows the inserts cleaned.

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Very fun right ramp and trick shot if the ball doesn't make it all the way up.

Today I stripped the playfield and gave the playfield its initial cleaning to get all the surface dirt off.

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Just waiting for the Comet order to arrive, hopefully tomorrow although tracking says it left Charleston, WV with no delivery date listed.

Once I get the LEDs I can get the topside back together and finished and then work on the mods. Also waiting for the VUK rebuild parts, but just ordered those and rest of parts today that I couldn't get on Pinball Life.

Both are going to be fantastic looking!

Here's some before and afters of metal parts that were tumbled and the habit trails and ramps cleaned and polished. Final pic shows new drop target decals, green star posts replacing the metal posts, new rubber, clear sling rubbers which looks terrific when color changing LEDs are under the sling plastics.

Will post pics of the cleaned metal ball guides once installed. Thought I had a pic of them cleaned but do not.

Just waiting for the LEDs to get the everything re-installed and all new plastics will be installed as well. Updated ROMs will be here in a fews days and just got the NVRAM to install so batteries aren't needed.

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Playfield is back together after all the parts cleaned, metal tumbled, wrong coils replaced, VUK rebuilt, new coil sleeves/srpings, Creature Feature hold paint touch up, LEDs installed, shooter lane wall mod installed and all new plastics in place.

Tonight will installed the flipper bats, superbands, flipper fingers and place the apron back in place, then begin work on the mods. At the very least the 12v blue and white LED strips will be installed under the backbox to provide terrific lighting of the top playfield and ramps.

When totally finished this week, then we do it all over again for the next TFTC in line. This 2nd TFTC will be for sale when completed and am aiming to have ready by Allentown for delivery.

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Last night I playtested after installing the flippers and had to fix a few switch errors, so that took a little time. Center drop target switch isn't registering - bad switch likely - so taking a switch from the other TFTC tonight and hopefully that's that.

12v LED strips will definitely be installed tonight and hopefully the Crypt Keeper mod on the left ramp.

The Living Dead zombie is in place behind the right ramp now and I love the way he's looming behind the ramp. Great way to fill in that dead space with a visually interesting mod.

Color changing LEDs are now under the slings and you can see the different colors in a few pics.

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Installed the LED strips under the backbox. Can choose from LEDs off/all blue/all white/white and blue.

I prefer the look of the white & blue and you can see the different colors below.

First pic - no LEDs
2nd - blue
3rd - white
4th - white and blue

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I'll take pics tomorrow, but here's a few from my TFTC with different views. If you don't wish to even see the LEDs, you just install them behind the wood strip under the backbox instead of on it. But that does block a bit of light. Mine are blue only, non selectable colors. But I have UV light strips down the sides, so I didn't want any white LEDs up top because the UV makes the green on the playfield glow awesomely.

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The dishwasher method worked well and it did get all that dust and dirt off the cables pretty well.

Normally I use automotive LED accessories because those have been the lengths and colors I've needed. Thought about using the bulk LEDs because I used those for my bar shelving and liquor bottle displays, but then that just adds some more work over using something ready for me to modify and install.

The first Tales is 99% complete. Just need to swap out the VUK switch (borrowing the switch from the other TFTC). Current switch works perfect with one ball in the VUK, but during multiballs, if you hit a few balls into there the wire on the switch gets caught up.

My wife is making the grave & gravestone for above the creature feature light and we will put it on tonight. I also have something planned for the right ramp entrance.

Some updated pics:

Ran into a problem with the center drop target switch not registering. Faulty switch, so took the drop target mech out of the other TFTC. Needed to take it out of the other game to clean and install new target decals anyway. Plus this was a lot faster than swapping a switch. So this goes on the list of fixes for the next TFTC and I can move along on this one. Although I wish I saw sooner that the left target plastic is thicker than the others. No big deal, will just swap it out tonight with a spare target plastic I have.

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Next was installed a lamp socket with blue LED inside Keeper's head to light up his baby blues.

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The Keeper is installed in his final resting spot. Unfortunately the flickering flame bulb arrived dead, so need to get a new one for the candle lamp. You can also see the bat head over the left ramp entrance. Eyes glow red when the ramp is lit for a cool effect. Also makes sense to the game since the first "mode" on that ramp is Bats.

Took this pic at the same time the flasher by his head went off. Holy blinding!

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I ran into a hiccup when I found there was no service outlet. This machine is a re-import from Greece and the outlet was not installed when converting to 120v. So instead of just simply plugging in the candle lamp to the service outlet like on my machine, I needed to hardwire it.

Figured this could help anyone who was missing a service outlet or wanted to know where to tap into 110v for a mod.

There's an unused two pin connector (black & white wires) on the left of the cabinet. It runs into the power switch/volume/service outlet box. I don't have a pic of the connector, but I put my multi into the female connector holes and it was about 118v. I snipped off the connector, snipped the lamp plug and used quick connects.

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I also added additional stone walls like the one used for the shooter lane. Thought I had taken pics, but I guess not. Will post those pics tonight too.

Replaced the VUK switch with a brand new switch and then tested and didn't have any missed ball detections even when they were flying in one after another.

This TFTC is now complete. I play tested last night and tonight and had to adjust the sleeve in the left flipper coil. Noticed it seemed weak and the end of the coil just wasn't quite seated right. Also the first switch wire in the right orbit was too high and a ball could get stuck on it coming back down.

Everything looks great, now time to bust ass on the other TFTC and have ready for sale by Allentown.

Printed and cut the instruction cards. I think this color scheme works looks best...have tried others and always go to this set.

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Some pics of the shooter lane walls and other touches (prior to placing the instruction cards).

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Plus mirror blades will be installed on this one and the 2nd one. They will POP with the mirrors installed.

Have a new mod for the 2nd one where the zombie is on this one and mine. Electric chair guy - but not the Marv one. I don't think Marv fits the artwork, although it looks great, I think this one might look even better.

Can also see this scoop hole had minimal wear that I touched up with matching paint. No need for a Cliffy because unless really needed, I feel it prevents some balls from going in the scoop. Game is challenging enough without having rejected shots.

Next game has much more wear on the hole. Bought a bondo kit to see about filling in the wear and then covering with a Cliffy. But on the other hand, making the scoop shot is so much easier with the worn area to guide an errant ball.

Sometimes you have to decide gameplay versus aesthetics that only you will notice. You think a friend playing a fun game of pinball notices something like that? No...but we do.

Mike picked up his keeper TFTC over the weekend and now work has stepped up on the next TFTC. I sold some gym equipment and now have much more organized space in the workshop area. Yesterday I tore down the playfield, began tumbling first batch of metal, removed flippers & parts, began replacing coils.

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