A cut paste from my facebook post to get things rolling on this little restore.

Hypnotizing nights watching the printers buzz away got me thinking about my Black Knight.
Who is this Black Knight?
Who does he serve?
What castle has he sworn to defend?
The factory plastic on the left depicts a castle in the distance with what appears to be a moon casting its eerie glow on the lands around it, could this be the castle the Knight has sworn his allegiance to?
Without a castle there would be no reason for a Knight and his steed.
The Black Knight needs stone walls to call a home and he needs a reason to stand and defend.
The Black Knight now has his castle!
The halls are lit and the torches flicker in the wind as you challenge the black knight!

Prior to me starting the playfield swap and cabinet work i started with the castle work. The castle essentially replaces most of the upper playfield plastics. the castle front has back lit windows that are tied into the GI. The front walls also have flickering torches that are tied into constant 12v power so when the knight taunts you in attract mode everything goes black on the playfield as it should but just the torches just remain on for a neat effect.

IMG_9197 (resized).JPG

Under the new castle front there is also 3 led lights that shine towards the upper playfield thus making it better lit so it not nearly as dark as factory.

InkedIMG_0856 (resized).jpg

IMG_9294 (resized).JPG

IMG_9293 (resized).JPG

IMG_9296 (resized).JPG

IMG_9297 (resized).JPG

IMG_9298 (resized).JPG

IMG_9299 (resized).JPG

IMG_9300 (resized).JPG

Time to pull the playfield and start the swap.

IMG_0849 (resized).JPG

Removal of the upper from the lower was a walk in the park.

IMG_0912 (resized).JPG

About 15 min later it was down to this.

IMG_0909 (resized).JPG

Later today the part cleaning for the upper playfield will start in the sonic cleaner and the cabinet brought up from the basement so i can start to modify it.

I would like to try to lower the playfield a bit in that cabinet. The reason for that is I think it would better the view of the castle thus being a bit lower. It will also allow me to do some slight modifications to the castle to make a few items a bit taller. I need to review what might hit the coin mechs on the door and what might interfere with the buttons on the sides.

I picked up some art blades I am going to possibly install and the more I can show them off the better it will be with the playfield lowered.

Later today will also be the day to drag out the wood planer and make some new side rails and get them all stained up with onyx stain.

Changed up the cabinet art colours. Thinking this way is the way to go, it takes after the playfield more.

69A9ADAC-DE5C-4EFB-A83A-1A00E6C89679 (resized).jpeg

Got a bit more done on the weekend.

IMG_0926 (resized).JPG

IMG_0930 (resized).JPG

IMG_0931 (resized).JPG

time to catch up.....

The lower playfield was all finished up top and bottom.

IMG_1096 (resized).JPG

IMG_1097 (resized).JPG

IMG_1135 (resized).JPG

Then moved onto the cabinet for a little work. Lower cabinet was sanded down and blemished filled. Used a few coats of black primer with sanding between coats, followed by 4 coats of satin black.
IMG_1023 (resized).JPGIMG_1034 (resized).JPGIMG_1100 (resized).JPGIMG_1101 (resized).JPGIMG_1106 (resized).JPGIMG_1107 (resized).JPG

Wanted to still do something a little different with the cabinet and head sides so i went back to the PC and changed a few things to be stainless. The paint templates were then cut to suit the colour areas I wanted behind the shield.

Cut the templates from abs like i usually do, I like the factory soft look you get around the edges when using a stencil like they did back in the day. I use a light coat of repositioning spry on the stencil back that keeps it in place so i don't need to add weights or tape to keep it in position. Prior to installing the stainless the sides will all get a sanding to make the paint look old and worn out a little.

Lots of thin light coats of paint. it was about 6 coats total for each colour.

IMG_1116 (resized).JPGIMG_1118 (resized).JPGIMG_1119 (resized).JPGIMG_1120 (resized).JPGIMG_1122 (resized).JPGIMG_1125 (resized).JPG

The sides were sanded down to give it a worn look. The stainless was then test fit followed up by securing it with some neat coffin head nails.

IMG_1128 (resized).JPG

IMG_1126 (resized).JPG

IMG_1137 (resized).JPG

The inside needed a little attention so I got a set of blades from tilt and modified them for the old cabinet.

IMG_1145 (resized).JPG

IMG_1146 (resized).JPG

IMG_1147 (resized).JPG

IMG_1150 (resized).JPG

IMG_1154 (resized).JPG

IMG_1155 (resized).JPG

All cabinet wiring was reinstalled and then the playfield was put in. Never had a chance to paint the front of the cabinet or head just yet due to the time crunch I had to get it ready for YEGPIN but as long as it plays is whats important.

IMG_1160 (resized).JPGIMG_1161 (resized).JPGIMG_1162 (resized).JPGIMG_1164 (resized).JPGIMG_1165 (resized).JPGIMG_1167 (resized).JPGIMG_1168 (resized).JPG

In the background lots was going on in the basement as i was hanging out in the garage. The playfield now has a castle so why not one for the cabinet? It only makes it fair right?

All torches flicker like the castle on the playfield and the windows glow orange. The topper plugs into the service port inside the machine and uses a basic 120v to 12v step down transformer.

IMG_1098 (resized).JPG

IMG_1123 (resized).JPG

IMG_1124 (resized).JPG

IMG_1141 (resized).JPG

IMG_1142 (resized).JPG

IMG_1143 (resized).JPG

IMG_1177 (resized).JPG

IMG_1179 (resized).JPG

Got her to the show for others to enjoy. Now that its back at home in the garage i can finish up on the head and cabinet front before i bring it back into the basement.

IMG_1174 (resized).JPG

IMG_1175 (resized).JPG

All from scratch in solidworks.

I was trying to see how much harder it would play like that. I never liked it so I ended up removing them after a few games and re adjusted the flippers. Good eye catching that.