Seawitch
Stern Electronics, 1980
Star Gazer
Stern Electronics, 1980The keylines around the inserts are looking good. Trying to get the black to block the light from under the lens is difficult. Which is why I put a layer of black around each one to make it darker. Wondering if he can pull back the white, and double the black on the inserts?
Over all this is looking fantastic!! Future projects should be faster, unless you've already grown sick of seeing playfields 
Just like to say Steve who does all the CPR playfields & my restorations/new playfields. He had put on the mist & first coat on playfield #1 & everything looks ok for his end of production. Heard that when he picked up #2.
The white is not needed in the light lense text or symbols, below the black ink. Pulling back the white a lot to be hidden around the black rings for insert edges shouldn't be a problem.
The storm has pretty well shut down our city today.
Update: 6 of 40 printed for Star Gazer. 2 of 40 out for finish clear coats, these 4 go next.. Still waiting on cnc start up for Seawitch playfields. Everything is looking very nice for over all production. Is it perfect, compared to years & tens of thousands of CPR playfields screen printed NO! I was hoping the uv inkjet production would be perfect but its not. It looks extremely nice for over all inking of playfields. But you still see some lightness on the edge of ink & the light lenses. I paid the printer to pull it back some more the white, but it doesn't totally eliminate the problem.
I now see the real cost for producing limited runs of 40 playfields. I can tell you that all the guys that have prepaid playfields that it is a super deal. After slowly seeing all the contractor, material, & shipping costs. The playfields will be produced at a serious loss for me. Start ups are always a slow learning curve on doing new production.
So I will post pictures of the finished clear coated playfields when they return. These first 2 will be put back into the lot for prepaid guys since they aren't that much different. What I'm going to do is post pictures of each numbered playfield, & rate each one. Starting from the earliest guys they will a chance to pick from the group ready to ship. So you get a chance to pick, if you don't like it you go to the top of the next pick group. Almost like a draft system.
All Star Gazer playfields should ship out before the 2 year mark. What a slow learning curve for me, & I hope to get all the Seawitch playfields out just after this.
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Looks great John! Question. Is there supposed to be white layed down under the slings or is that done later?
Quoted from greatwichjohn:I now see the real cost for producing limited runs of 40 playfields. I can tell you that all the guys that have prepaid playfields that it is a super deal. After slowly seeing all the contractor, material, & shipping costs. The playfields will be produced at a serious loss for me.
Is there any reason you can't charge a fair price to new customers who didn't fund your project? Your loyal followers paid $500, knowing full well we were getting a great deal in exchange for helping you fund a big undertaking. Now that it's nearing completion, is there any reason you can't charge $750/$850 for your PFs for those that are getting in now?
I see no harm in recouping your $$$ on those that didn't help fund your project. Isn't that standard and reasonable?
-mof
John Greatwich is helping us save pinball !
Three Cheers!
(just got my Nine Ball and Seawitch BGs from him today -- can't wait to open the box and post pics...)
-mof
Lookin' good John. I'm really psyched to get my PF swapped.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info
Quoted from schudel5:Looks great John! Question. Is there supposed to be white layed down under the slings or is that done later?
Good call on your part! I totally missed that during the first six going through production. There should be white for slings & 5 other areas middle to top of playfield. So I will take the sample used playfield over to the printer with the next batch to be done. So first 6 will be easily identified out of the 40.
Quoted from mof:Is there any reason you can't charge a fair price to new customers who didn't fund your project? Your loyal followers paid $500, knowing full well we were getting a great deal in exchange for helping you fund a big undertaking. Now that it's nearing completion, is there any reason you can't charge $750/$850 for your PFs for those that are getting in now?
I see no harm in recouping your $$$ on those that didn't help fund your project. Isn't that standard and reasonable?
-mof
Star Gazer is closed, very close to 40 preorders. Same with Seawitch, which will likely close before March.
There is other things going on with me, & possibly Heighway Pinball. Along with others for Pinball Glass Production in 2015, as a supplier. So likely these Star Gazer & Seawitch playfield runs are it for 2015. I will see what happens in 2016, but this might be it for some time.
Here are pictures of the donor playfield, which will get restored soon with the color span.
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013.JPGThis one was heavily worn & someone touched it up. From the middle to the bottom. After it is restored it will look nice. The ultimate in recycling old playfields back to being nice.
Quoted from Pdxmonkey:Woah what's up with the different art on the donor?
Those production ones look sweet!
Quoted from Talon2000:Just a reminder of how good they will look when you get them completed.
The blue looks much darker in your pic than in John's pics of the printed playfields. Is this a function of lighting and the presence of the clear coating?
Quoted from RoyF:The blue looks much darker in your pic than in John's pics of the printed playfields. Is this a function of lighting and the presence of the clear coating?
This picture was taken at TPF. Low ambient lighting and no flash was used in order to showcase his LED lit posts.
Quoted from dothedoo:This picture was taken at TPF. Low ambient lighting and no flash was used in order to showcase his LED lit posts.
Where do we get LED posts from?
-mof
Quoted from mof:Where do we get LED posts from?
I got some from Tony @ GLM around 5-6 years ago and they still work great.
http://www.greatlakesmodular.com/index.html?http://www.greatlakesmodular.com/products/
I made my own star post leds. Basic design as the ones you see every. I just milled my own. I use a 24v wall wart plugged into the Service outlet so they are on whenever the game is plugged in, and not on. You can also use certain ones with a Coil ground to flash while on, I decided not to. But could. The ones from Coin taker can do either or, not both I believe. The ones from Great Lake can do both.
I've just made a new batch of them for other projects. Fun if you have the time, but very time consuming to build.
Yes the photos John has posted don't have the clear on them. When you put the clear the colors POP!
Seawitch Production Update: They are getting confident doing playfields so this one needs to be gone over (no template test). I see they forgot the lane switches, & a few dimple holes. I will clean this first one over the weekend, & check the lense holes, etc. These should be cut before I go to Texas March 17. They will get fast tracked along, as they come back from the cnc.
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006.JPGSeawitch: I need to order some more lenses in from Marco Speciaties. I probably have most but are a little light on a few. The ones I need are in stock, but I have to verify what is left. I will get the cut depth raised 1/32" for lenses. The right rollover was cut wrong - too small 1" lense.
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003.JPGYou posted earlier on Seawitch you might have to substitute a color or white lens. Where did you end up on the substituion?
Thanks!
Yes the arrows are a problem. There is no yellow ones, & there is no way Marco Specialties is going to order 10,000 of them. That is the minimum Foremost Plastics wants run, & I don't think they have done them in 30+ years. So I will see what I have or what is available. Each person will decide what ones they want. I had opaque white arrows which are hard to see in the pictures. Blue & Orange trans starburst. White, Red, & Purple opaque. I will see what else is available from Marco Specialties for 1 1/2" arrow. Looks like they might have green trans starburst. So if you are on the list let me know your choice.
Star Gazer playfields are going in batches for printing. 1 - 6 of 40 already printed. 1 & 2 finishing clear coats. 7 - 14 going to printer next dry day. 15 - 22 end of this week. All should be printed by early March.
Seawitch playfield production will be very quick. All should be finished before June, & hopefully most already gone by early May. As the Star Gazer playfields are mostly done in the next few weeks & sent for printing.
***Seawitch playfield pre-order deadline is February 15*** Star Gazer has already closed.
Do those old style opaque inserts have any "jewel" facets on the bottom? If not it seems like they could just be laser cut out of an appropriate material.
Quoted from ecurtz:Do those old style opaque inserts have any "jewel" facets on the bottom? If not it seems like they could just be laser cut out of an appropriate material.
Might be hard to glue them in place.
Inserts have sides that extend down to give more surface area for the glue.
Thin inserts might not stay in place, thick inserts may not allow enough light through.
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I guess you could use a 3/8" sheet of white opaque material and then route out the pocket in the inserts with a CNC table.
Since there is no jewling, it should be a simple procedure.
I thinks it's cool John's letting us decide which color arrow for our playfield. kind a makes it personalized.
It's going to be what is available for the arrow. 23 pairs of white opaque starburst arrows. So far 1 white, & orange request. I haven't seen a source of clear.
fantastic work john!
ps
I received my star gazer back glass this past week. you do an amazing job of packaging something as fragile as a back glass to have it ship a couple hundred miles and arrive in one piece!
John, I got a couple of yellow 1.5 triangle inserts out of a parts playfield. When the time comes, can I send the to you for installation in my playfield?
What about someone like shapeways 3D printing, they can do coin inserts, plastic gears, coin chute inserts etc. I'm sure if they had a sample they could do something even if it was slightly lighter/darker on the yellow, might be worth a enquiry.
Instead of 3D printing......
Before I found a friend with an old playfield that had yellow inserts this weekend, I planned to try and mold them. I have 4 inserts coming from Marco, that I ordered to use in making a mold to build up to 4 at a time. Would have taken some trial and error, but I think it is possible. Google or Youtube silicone molds. There are relatively expensive kits available, but people are taking tubes of 100% silicone, mixing with corn starch and dawn dish washing detergent with water and doing it on the cheap. Use clear acrylic with an opaque yellow dye as the cast material. Shrinkage was my biggest concern and may force using the expensive kit that employs a catalyst to set the silicone versus moisture from the atmosphere.
I believe it could be done with a single sided mold. The upper surface of the insert isn't important as long as it is higher (taller) than the originals used to create the mold. John will have to sand the playfield and inserts after he glues them in the playfield.
The inserts I ordered are starburst, but I am not sure that will show much on an opaque insert. The used ones I have had ridges and they were hard to see when lit with an LED flashlight. Inserts without some form of stiffeners will sink over time.
I believe this is how all the mod outfits are making the shooter rods. I will probably try making a mold at some point using a tube of silicone just to experience it.
Post edited by 85Txaggie: Clarification
The CPR contractor has built a new spray booth. So there is a backlog of playfields waiting for finish clear coats for CPR & myself. Might be sometime next week for the first two to return for pictures.
One guy is going to send in used yellow stern insert arrows for his playfield.
Just talked with the printer, no printing this week of the next 7 playfields to get white (missing) under plastics. Still waiting for the first 2 or 6 to come back from finish clear coats.
Seawitch lenses (top up order) I will get Marco Specialties to hold until I get my shipping crate returned in early April. Playfields can be started with out them. Still waiting on cutting & final approval of first test.
Hi John,
When the time comes I have 2 yellow arrow inserts that I can send you for mine.
When should I send the to you?
Thanks,
Dave (Doc)
Quoted from greatwichjohn:It's going to be what is available for the arrow. 23 pairs of white opaque starburst arrows. So far 1 white, & orange request. I haven't seen a source of clear.
Quoted from DRDAVE:Hi John,
When the time comes I have 2 yellow arrow inserts that I can send you for mine.
When should I send the to you?
Thanks,
Dave (Doc)
I also have an extra playfield that I plan on removing the yellow arrow inserts. Just say when and I will ship them to you also.
I would send them in asap by postal service only. Value @ $1. They will stay in your envelope until needed.
Quoted from greatwichjohn:I would send them in asap by postal service only. Value @ $1. They will stay in your envelope until needed.
Providing I don't brake them I will get them in the mail this weekend.
Quoted from ibuypinballs:Providing I don't brake them I will get them in the mail this weekend.
Try to wiggle them out using just your fingers, back and forth from both sides of the playfield. They should pop right out without any damage.
http://www.greatpinball.com/contact.html
Please send your arrows by postal service only! Value @ $1 total - used pinball parts.
Probably a few guys will be on the hunt for these used yellow arrows.
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Princeton, TX
Halifax, NS
Can hardly wait to do the swap.
Sana'a
Adelaide