Hi Pinsiders,
I'm starting this thread to document the restoration and eventual retheme on my recently acquired 1972 Williams "Swinger."
Edit: In an attempt to make this thread a more useful document, I'm adding a Table of Contents here.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction (Page 1)
Backbox Cleaning
- Plywood Delamination
- Score Reels (Page 1)
- Score Reel Stuck in Bracket (Page 1)
- Score Reel Circuit Board Super Lube Discussion (Page 1)
- Score Reel Switch Adjustment (Page 1)
- Match Unit (Page 1)
- Replay Unit (Page 2)
- Ball Count Unit (Page 2)
- Realigning Circuit Board on Stepper Unit (Page 2)
Cabinet Cleaning
- Bottom Board Mold Remediation (Page 2)
- Bottom Board Relay Label Recreation (Page 2)
- Power Cord Replacement (Page 9)
- Bottom Board Red Label (Fuse Holder, Play Counter, Kick-off, etc.) Recreation (Page 10)
- Chime Unit Rebuild (Page 11)
Playfield Cleaning
- Playfield Disassembly (Page 2)
- Playfield Disassembly: Flipper Mech (Page 2)
- Playfield Disassembly: Pop Bumper and Ball Arch (Page 3)
- Playfield Disassembly: Apron (Page 3)
- Playfield Disassembly: Ball Trough (Page 3)
- Playfield Cleaning (Page 3)
- Metal Polishing (Page 3)
- Playfield Cleaning: Magic Eraser Results (Page 3)
- Playfield Cleaning: Posts (Page 4)
- Playfield Reassembly: Posts (Page 4)
- Playfield Reassembly: Stand-up Targets (Page 4)
- Playfield Reassembly: Switch Straightening (Page 4)
- Playfield Cleaning: Waxing (Page 5)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Plastics (Page 5)
- Playfield Reassembly: Rubbers (Page 5)
- Playfield Reassembly: Switch Adjustment (Page 5)
- Playfield Cleaning: Ball Arch (Page 5)
- Playfield Reassembly: Bulb Replacement (Page 6)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Lock-down Bar Receiver (Page 6)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Ball Trough (Page 6)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Apron (Page 6)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Ball Arch (Page 6)
- Playfield Reassembly: Pop Bumper (Page 6)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Advance Unit (Page 7)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: GirLovesWaffles' Fiberglass Eraser Results on Spider Arm (Page 7)
- Playfield Cleaning: Pop Bumper Caps (Page 7)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Advance Unit Spider Arm Correction (Page 7)
- Playfield Reassembly: Pop Bumpers (Page 7)
- Playfield Reassembly: Soldering Advice Followed (Page 8 )
- Playfield Reassembly: Pop Bumper Reassembly List (Page 8 )
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Shooter Rod (Page 8 )
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Flipper Mechs (Page 8 )
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Switch Stack Plastic Tubes (Page 9)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Flipper pawl and EOS switch adjustment (Page 9)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Installing flipper spring washer and view of old/new sleeves (Page 9)
- Playfield Cleaning/Reassembly: Questioning E-clip on flipper pawl and view of populated playfield (Page 9)
- Final Assembly: Installing new legs, wrong style (Page 9)
- Final Assembly: View new legs, wrong style (Page 9)
- Final Assembly: Pecos' Everything you didn't care to know about WMS brass two-piece flippers (Page 9)
- Final Assembly: Looking for and finding missing parts and viewing power cord connections (Page 9)
- Final Assembly: Questioning how to wire up new power cord (Page 9)
- Final Assembly: Explanation of "hot", "neutral" and "ground" power leads (Page 10)
- Final Assembly: Power leads "Ribbed", "Smooth" and "Middle" explanation (Page 10)
- Final Assembly: Making new fuse board labels (Page 10)
- Final Assembly: Ball count unit switch adjustment and replacing the lost center post (Page 10)
- Final Assembly: Wire nuts unintended disassembly and cleaning workspace (Page 10)
- Final Assembly: Making "Total Play" / "Kick-off Switch" labels and view of reassembled Swinger (Page 10)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part One: Broken Parts and Broken Hearts(Page 11)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part Two: Possible fixes and missing 'Tub" (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part Three: A replacement, new parts and repair (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part Four: Fried coil, more repair and reassembly (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part Five: Sheaths too long, cleaning, and reassembly (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part Six: Reinstalling chime bars and another problem (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: The chime unit fiasco, Part Seven: Holes, old rubber, and final installation (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: Extra screws? Up-Post coil swap, final problems, and the flappin' flipper coil (Page 11)
- Final Assembly: Pop bumper lights fixed (Page 11)
Trouble-Shooting
- Switched on, problems found (Page 10)
- Video: "how things are [not] functioning currently" and schematic lessons (Page 10)
- Differing approaches to Trouble-Shooting Post-Cleaning (Page 10)
- Schematic-reading Basics (Page 10)
- Schematic-reading Repair (Page 11)
- Helpful BingoPodcast restoration titles (Page 11)
- Final Repair and Schematic Discussion (Page 12)
Restoration Success
- Video: My son playing a "hot" swingin' Swinger (Page 11)
Swinger Outline
- Stats/History
- Layout
- Scoring
- Strategy
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Just a quick introduction to me, I'm far more an artist (www.ElephantEater.com) than I am a tech, so this project terrifies me. However, I've already received a lot of help from a few friendly Pinsiders. So as you'll soon see, I've made some baby-steps toward completing this project.
I'm documenting this process because:
A) I hope this might serve as a helpful document to other luddites
B) My dad, who I blame for my love of the silver ball, lives 10 states away and I'd like to share my process with both my parents.
C) I love me a restoration thread!
I've documented a couple of minor cosmetic restores in the past...
My Whirlwind Topper Restore: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/topper-restorationmy-first
My Jubilee Pop-Bumper Cap Restore: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/restoration-jubilee-pop-bumper-caps-my-first-airbrush-experience
...but I've never tackled a project of this scale, so we'll see how it goes.
I've had my eyes open for a "Swinger" for some time now. It seemed like the perfect fit for my first attempt at a re-theme for a few reasons:
A) It's a fun game with lots to do (moving target in center of playfield, up-post between flippers, kick-back in the left outlane, ball return gate in the right outlane, etc)
B) While it's a fun game, the art package is a lack-luster phone-in by Christian Marche, so I won't feel bad sanding it down to put my own art in it's place.
C) Re-theming an EM seems like a more managable project, as I'll be able to mainly focus on the fun stuff: ART (not sound, modifying displays, coding rules, and other technical things that frighten artists)
So here's what Swinger looked like in 1972:
And here's the state of the machine as I received it:
It turns on. General illumination is there.
However, the swinging target doesn't seem to be moving (even though it WAS moving when I powered it up at the former owners place). I also cannot start a game. In addition to the above predicaments, there's some creative use of rubbers.
Aside from being dirty, I didn't think it was in horrible shape for being stored in a barn. The former owner told me it was days away from being hurled into a landfill. It has a bit of an odor...sort of a slight mildew-y smell, but undetectable when the glass is on and the coin door is closed. I'm hoping once I start to sand things down and repaint, some of that will go away. In the meantime, I've been airing it out and shoving deodorizing boxes in the cabinet.
I'm not sure how much good it's doing, but it makes me feel a little better knowing I gave it the ole' college try.
...more posts soon-ish.
Ryan Claytor
Elephant Eater Comics
www.ElephantEater.com