Bobby Orr's Power Play
Bally, 1978
Gilligan's Island
Bally, 1991
Space Jam
Sega, 1996Quoted from beelzeboob:Again, Vid stumps me. What's 2PAC? (And save the inevitable jokes, please. )
Quoted from Mr_Tantrum:Here's a photo, but not sure how he can help at this point.
Quoted from Mr_Tantrum:Here's another 2PAC.
Which part of my parenthetical request didn't you understand? I should give you a 2SMAC. 
Thanks for the info.
Hi Vid,
I really need your help. I have matched my colors so they are spot on. Last day I reduced two of the colors with Createx performance reducer and painted.
But to my surprise both colors turned out more yellow then they should! I have tested with Naptha and I took a drop from the bottle that was reduced and the none reduced to test again after I painted and that still looked good.
What has happen when I painted with the airbrush? I am only using opaque colors..
I asked my airbrush dealer and he said it could not be the reducer and he had no explanation.
Quoted from tezting:Hi Vid,
I really need your help. I have matched my colors so they are spot on. Last day I reduced two of the colors with Createx performance reducer and painted.
But to my surprise both colors turned out more yellow then they should! I have tested with Naptha and I took a drop from the bottle that was reduced and the none reduced to test again after I painted and that still looked good.
What has happen when I painted with the airbrush? I am only using opaque colors..
I asked my airbrush dealer and he said it could not be the reducer and he had no explanation.
Let's see a picture, I'm not sure I understand what happened exactly from the description.
Quoted from vid1900:Let's see a picture, I'm not sure I understand what happened exactly from the description.
The background is painted, I dont know if you can tell but it is yellowish.
The two colors on top of the painted surface is the same paint/mix as the surface. One reduced and one without reducer (They look the same). As you can tell the surface color is very different compared to how it should look (two drops).
How can the color transform this much when going thru a airbrush? (I am using the one you recommend that is cheap)
It looks like something got mixed into the paint, because you can see small bubbles like it outgassed somehow.
Try never to do spot repairs, because once you clear over them, or once they fade, they look like spot repairs.
Easy fix:
Sand the area with 600 grit.
Frisket off the ENTIRE field of color.
Repaint the entire area all at once.
Re-clear.
Quoted from vid1900:It looks like something got mixed into the paint, because you can see small bubbles like it outgassed somehow.
Try never to do spot repairs, because once you clear over them, or once they fade, they look like spot repairs.
Easy fix:
Sand the area with 600 grit.
Frisket off the ENTIRE field of color.
Repaint the entire area all at once.
Re-clear.
Sorry vid I apparently suck at explaining and I will try to explain once again.
So the grey color under the two samples is painted and cleared. The two samples on top is just some quick drops I made with a brush with the exact same paint and added naphtha over it to compare and show how the color should look. I will wipe them off and paint everything again as soon as the mystery is solved.
Does it make any sense now? 
Quoted from tezting:Sorry vid I apparently suck at explaining and I will try to explain once again.
So the grey color under the two samples is painted and cleared. The two samples on top is just some quick drops I made with a brush with the exact same paint and added naphtha over it to compare and show how the color should look. I will wipe them off and paint everything again as soon as the mystery is solved.
Does it make any sense now?
Yes, that makes sense.
So the two drops are the same paint that you painted under the clear? Same batch?
Quoted from vid1900:Yes, that makes sense.
So the two drops are the same paint that you painted under the clear? Same batch?
Yes 100% same bottle with mixed paint. Only thing I can think off is that something changed in the airbrush process or that it was not shaken/mixed enough when I painted the first time. But I shake for very long and have a added glass marble in the bottle.
Quoted from vid1900:The paint may have oxidized, or was left in sunlight somehow....?
I dried the paint in sun but not for very long and after the paint was dry to the touch. Could that do it ?
I'm retheming a well worn playfield with a vinyl overlay, as long as the inserts aren't cupped, is it best to leave them in while sanding off the original silk screen? My think is it might keep the inserts level. There's a chance I'll silkscreen directly onto the bare playfield instead of vinyl, so taking it to bare wood.
(Realize this is restoration, so warrants clarification, its a Jokerz which isn't popular or rare, and not salvageable, I bought it as a spare to my current machine because I couldn't even consider destroying my near perfect playfield. )
Quoted from VacFink:I'm retheming a well worn playfield with a vinyl overlay, as long as the inserts aren't cupped, is it best to leave them in while sanding off the original silk screen?
I try to leave them in place so there is minimal risk of cracking them.
Old inserts are thin and brittle.
Even if they are cupped, it might be best to leave them if they are solidly glued in.
Quoted from vid1900:I try to leave them in place so there is minimal risk of cracking them.
Old inserts are thin and brittle.
Even if they are cupped, it might be best to leave them if they are solidly glued in.
Thanks Vid, appreciate it.
Vid, what about all the "nastiness" that sometimes creeps in between the inserts and the play field? Theres usually white gunk which I assume is glue + old wax of some sort, but it leaves an unsightly white ring. Most of the Firepower decals will have a black outline which would hide this, but is there anything else to be done about that crud?
Quoted from La_Porta:Vid, what about all the "nastiness" that sometimes creeps in between the inserts and the play field? Theres usually white gunk which I assume is glue + old wax of some sort, but it leaves an unsightly white ring. Most of the Firepower decals will have a black outline which would hide this, but is there anything else to be done about that crud?
Yeah, it's old wax.
I use a soft toothbrush and some Naphtha to scrub it out.
Then I repaint the black and level out the crevice with clear.
I looked through the clearing sections, but didn't see what is best for use to mask off what you don't want cleared. I saw ear plugs for lamp holes... how about how to mask of single drop target holes? I'm clearing EBD with the drop targets in place. Just use masking tape? Easiest way to protect the hole between the target and the edge of the hole itself?
Thanks.
Printing water slide decal question. I think most of the posts here relate to black only. Are there setbacks to printing other colors and/or large areas on water slides and using them? other than the cost of printer ink? Haven't done much of this, but it seems with the photoshop editor you could repair a large portion of worn playfield with water slides, rather than painting.
Thoughts?
Quoted from kilmarnock1350:I'm clearing EBD with the drop targets in place.
Take the 4 screws out of the bottom of the drop mechs, and pull them back.
Then use some blue tape on the bottom of the playfield.
Quoted from kilmarnock1350:Are there setbacks to printing other colors and/or large areas on water slides and using them?
It takes a color laser printer that you can calibrate the color on.
Ink jets fade too fast.
Frisket and airbrush is probably faster, but it depends on many factors.
Quoted from vid1900:It takes a color laser printer that you can calibrate the color on.
Ink jets fade too fast.
Frisket and airbrush is probably faster, but it depends on many factors.
BTW, laser printing is my business and the other thing you should be aware of is that no 4 color CMYK process laser system will generate certain colors. The color gamut for these devices is limited, and while some will do better than others, bright colors are extremely difficult to hit (e.g. bright oranges, greens, etc.) If you ever doubt this, take a look at a Pantone Color Bridge. I would use the Coated bridge, where you will see the solid ink (press) color on the left and the processed color (C,M,Y,K) on the right. While many of the colors are similar, there are certain color shades that are completely different (e.g. bright oranges are turned to burnt orange).
While a six color inject has a broader spectrum of colors it can produce, you are faced with fading issues if you use lower quality inks without UV resistance. Bottom line is that there is no substitute for pigment (i.e. paint) when producing certain colors. If you are happy with close in most cases or willing to accept the color variations that a pantone CMYK produces from the solid ink color, then by all means go for it. However, you will need a Pantone certified device (e.g. production color laser system with a Fiery front end or comparable) to ensure your colors are accurate to the pantone standard and consistent across your artwork. Also, don't forget the 5th color - your paper. You want to use a bright white paper, and possibly with a coated finish (albeit, coated papers do not always produce the effect you might think they would).
Finally, if you are going to use a print-for-pay to produce your artwork, I would have them calibrate their equipment first. Any professional shop should have the necessary equipment to do this, but often times they wait too long between color calibrations. While the images may still look good to the eye, their accuracy to the standard may be off. If this is the case, then next time you go to have the same thing printed on the same machine, the colors may look different. One more thing, not all color equipment produces color exactly the same. Stick with printing all of your artwork on the same output engine or at least on the same model of equipment.
Putting wiring harness back down, what is a good staple gun for the GI sockets? Those hard to get to spots are TIGHT for my staple gun... suggestions?
Quoted from kilmarnock1350:Putting wiring harness back down, what is a good staple gun for the GI sockets? Those hard to get to spots are TIGHT for my staple gun... suggestions?
ebay.com link: Unicatch USC71 16L US2238AL Long Nose Upholstery Stapler 22 Gauge 3 8 Crown
Quoted from vid1900:ebay.com link » Unicatch Usc71 16l Us2238al Long Nose Upholstery Stapler 22 Gauge 3 8 Crown
Vid
what staples to get?
These okay or are there cheaper? 
http://www.amazon.com/Air-Locker-7110-Upholstery-Bostitch/dp/B003X1PQ4I/ref=pd_sim_469_1
What's a good way to clean the black dust that's under the playfield? It's on the coils, wires & wood? Thanks
Quoted from mack505:Would you ever spot clear with an air brush? And if so, would you thin the clear, and if so, with what would you thin it?
Yes, there will be times when you would spot-clear with an airbrush (like fixing someone's melted decal fnckup).
The 2PAC clear comes "ready to spray" right out of the can, so no thinning necessary.
Quoted from scampcamp:What's a good way to clean the black dust that's under the playfield? It's on the coils, wires & wood? Thanks
Take the playfield OUTSIDE and spray it with your air compressor.
Do not blow all that lead dust into your garage or basement! Do not blow all that lead dust into your garden!
Grab any loose inserts ahead of time, or they will go flying into the grass.
If you are going to be restoring the playfield, then put the whole harness in the dishwasher and run the pots and pan cycle.
Coils and everything (just no relays or the like).
You can loosely zip tie and cut the original ties if you need the deepest cleaning.
Be sure you clean out the little trap at the bottom of the washer afterwards. If your wife finds a few little screws in there, she will know something is up.....
Quoted from vid1900:Take the playfield OUTSIDE and spray it with your air compressor.
Do not blow all that lead dust into your garage or basement! Do not blow all that lead dust into your garden!
Grab any loose inserts ahead of time, or they will go flying into the grass.
If you are going to be restoring the playfield, then put the whole harness in the dishwasher and run the pots and pan cycle.
Coils and everything (just no relays or the like).
You can loosely zip tie and cut the original ties if you need the deepest cleaning.
Be sure you clean out the little trap at the bottom of the washer afterwards. If your wife finds a few little screws in there, she will know something is up.....
Do you run with Dishwasher soap or just water?
Vid - Please guide me before I do something I regret. I just brought home this WMS Indiana Jones and it has some marks near both slings. Not sure what you would classify them as - but Novus 1/2/3 really didn't do any work on them.
I've seen similar "wear" on EMs that were pictured in this thread and some people decided to use magic erasers on them with good results. From what I understand, this takes away the clear (and paint) if you are aggressive with it. The only prep work that I would be able to do after my cleaning would be waxing (clear is out of the question right now).
What should I try to do? More elbow grease with Novus 2/3? Magic Eraser? Leave it alone (painful to do but if it's the right thing ... I'll point my ADD to something else), etc
Sorry for the potato iPhone pictures
Quoted from MiamiRedSkin:I just brought home this WMS Indiana Jones and it has some marks near both slings. Not sure what you would classify them as - but Novus 1/2/3 really didn't do any work on them.
Pretty normal "ball swirl" marks there.
Usually there is a piece of Mylar in front of each sling that keeps that from happening; but someone must have removed the protection from your game before you took ownership.
You probably won't be able to remove the cracks completely, so don't expect 100%.
Try a Magic Eraser with Iso alcohol. Scrub a little circle. If you don't see instant improvement - stop.
Wax the playfield, put in fresh balls 2x a year, and install some new Mylar protectors:
Quoted from vid1900:Pretty normal "ball swirl" marks there.
Usually there is a piece of Mylar in front of each sling that keeps that from happening; but someone must have removed the protection from your game before you took ownership.
You probably won't be able to remove the cracks completely, so don't expect 100%.
Try a Magic Eraser with Iso alcohol. Scrub a little circle. If you don't see instant improvement - stop.
Wax the playfield, put in fresh balls 2x a year, and install some new Mylar protectors:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=304
Thanks for the tip! Will do as advised. There were two brand new sling mylar pieces in the cabinet - Either they were removed or never installed. I appreciate it Vid!
Vid, what's your recommended sanding block and sand papers that fit the block for between clear coats?
I live in Alaska, pretty much everything I need I shop online as getting anything local is next to impossible and time/fuel consuming.
Thanks again in advance.
About to clear my first playfield! Boom!
I buy the 50 or 100 sheet packs of 9x11" sandpaper, generally the Norton brand, but 3M is great too.
So with the sanding block on my wet/dry air sander, I can get 3 strips from a single sheet.
On my electric palm sander, I get 4 pads from a single sheet.
On my hand block (it's a drywall sander block), I can get 2 strips from a sheet - with a strip left over for detail work.
=
I usually avoid any sanders that require me to buy special hook-n-loop sandpaper, odd shape "brand locked" sandpaper, peel and stick sandpaper, or other oddities that I won't be able to find at midnight on a Sunday.
Does anyone have experience or opinion on using sanding sponges for precision sanding jobs, such as a epoxy-and-bondo filled hole where you want to sand down without risking surrounding paint? Would a sponge give you more flexibility to target a particular spot while providing more consistency than using a finger w/ sandpaper?
Quoted from westofrome:Does anyone have experience or opinion on using sanding sponges for precision sanding jobs, such as a epoxy-and-bondo filled hole where you want to sand down without risking surrounding paint? Would a sponge give you more flexibility to target a particular spot while providing more consistency than using a finger w/ sandpaper?
Sanding sponges are more for odd shaped pieces, because the soft sponge allows it to conform to the shape.
Playfields are generally flat, except the shooterlane.
Except for sanding the lip around a saucer, I don't do too much finger sanding. Like a sponge, your finger will follow irregular curves rather than flattening/feathering the work.
Mask off areas you don't want sanded with Blue Painter's Tape.
Small scraps of wood padded with an old rag, make for good detail sanding pads.
Quoted from vid1900:Sanding sponges are more for odd shaped pieces, because the soft sponge allows it to conform to the shape.
Playfields are generally flat, except the shooterlane.
Except for sanding the lip around a saucer, I don't do too much finger sanding. Like a sponge, your finger will follow irregular curves rather than flattening/feathering the work.
Mask off areas you don't want sanded with Blue Painter's Tape.
Small scraps of wood padded with an old rag, make for good detail sanding pads.
Makes sense. I'm trying to avoid tape on an early SS playfield, and I don't have the ability to clear (was going to cover touchup with mylar). So I thought a sponge might be better than finger, at least. The answer is probably leave it alone, I guess.
Quoted from vid1900:If your playfield is too fragile even for blue tape, then cut a sanding mask from a sheet of polyester from a report cover.
ah ha! good plan, I believe that would be handy when I just want to fill some inserts but not clear the entire playfield. Was trying to think of what to use like the old metal eraser shields from my drafting days.. like with pencil and paper you young punks.. get off my lawn!
Quoted from vid1900:Those paper organizers from the office make a perfect sandpaper storage system.
Tips like this one is why this guy rocks!
Quoted from vid1900:Be sure you clean out the little trap at the bottom of the washer afterwards. If your wife finds a few little screws in there, she will know something is up.....
Possibly the most important tip in this whole thread?
To preface, I've read this entire thread. So far pretty much all of the info has been in regards to a complete restoration where the playfield is removed and depopulated and the whole thing will be clear coated.
My question is, can some of these techniques be used on a fully intact and working machine? I have some photos below of the worst areas on my TZ playfield. The macro lens makes these defects look like the grand canyon, but during normal play most of them go unnoticed. To the naked eye the rest of the playfield is in very good shape. These are the main areas I'm concerned with.
So, right now I have no plans on removing the playfield and clearing the entire thing because the game works perfectly and plays great. Do I attempt some restoration so the areas don't get any worse, or do I just leave them alone?
P.S. A huge "thank you" to all the contributors of this thread especially Vid! Even if I don't go forward with any action, the thread has been a great learning tool.
Camera_1_(resized).JPG
Door_Camera_1_(resized).JPG
Camera_2_(resized).JPG
The_Power_2_(resized).JPG
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The_Power_1_(resized).JPG
Quoted from No_Skill:So, right now I have no plans on removing the playfield and clearing the entire thing because the game works perfectly and plays great. Do I attempt some restoration so the areas don't get any worse, or do I just leave them alone?
That's called "insert wear".
You can scrub the wax out of the cracks with a soft toothbrush and Naphtha.
Then use a detail brush and opaque black paint to fill the cracks (leave the lamps in test mode so you can see any cracks you missed).
Top off the black painted cracks with some 2PAC to protect it.
Quoted from vid1900:That's called "insert wear".
You can scrub the wax out of the cracks with a soft toothbrush and Naphtha.
Then use a detail brush and opaque black paint to fill the cracks (leave the lamps in test mode so you can see any cracks you missed).
Top off the black painted cracks with some 2PAC to protect it.
You're saying spot clearing with 2PAC? Seems there's always a chorus against spot clearing.
With 2PAC you're looking at masking, booth, respirator, airbrush?
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Sana'a
Pensacola, FL
Wellington