Well, I guess it is time to let people know that I’ve been working on this project.

This started out last spring when John asked me to fix the artwork. I worked on the file to go from a raster based image to a colour separated vector image. I then worked on the colours to ensure I knew what they were supposed to be. To do that, I turned to my friend Bob Timm who knows that art better than anyone. I am confident the colours are right.

Just as I finished up the art, John let me know he was not going to be able to go forward with printing the playfields. I figured it was worth seeing things through, so I bought out all John’s materiel and paid off all his creditors. The final step is to complete the production and send off playfields to the customers (creditors) that had already paid John.

So, here is the first of the new Seawitch playfields, fresh back from the print shop.

Greg Walker
Fantastic Pinball Inc.

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This is a comparison to the original in a single photo.

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I’ve asked John to verify the Seawitch customer list that was provided online. He stated that some of these people may have already received their playfields. I will try to update this list until all accounts have been settled.

Updated Unofficial Seawitch List
Prepaid List + Date Paid
1. TWeaver April 23 or 24, 2013
2. Dazza88 December 13, 2013
3. jrobinso99 April 4, 2014 … Playfield Received 18 Oct, 2021
4. Evets August 3, 2014
5. Raptor December 13, 2014 (per email exchange with Raptor and John G)
6. PACMAN February 1, 2015
7. solidstate February 3, 2015
8. j_m_ February 9, 2015

Updated Unofficial Seawitch List
Prepaid List + Date Paid
3. jrobinso99 April 4, 2014 - Playfield Received
4. Evets August 3, 2014 - Playfield received
5. Raptor December 13, 2014 - Playfield Received
6. PACMAN February 1, 2015 - Playfield Received
8. j_m_ February 9, 2015 - Playfield Received

1. TWeaver April 23 or 24, 2013
2. Dazza88 December 13, 2013 (contacted)
7. solidstate February 3, 2015

I hope you are happy with this playfield. It has been an adventure getting them made. I suspect several people are waiting for your review of the playfield itself as they decide if they want to buy one of the few remaining playfields that I have in stock.

If anybody knows TWeaver and/or Solidstate, they may also be waiting for playfields. John was unsure about his records vs the online list and this has been a challenge.

For those waiting to buy, I stopped clearcoating playfields prior to sale so that I can let people choose their clearcoat option. This means there is a slight delay between ordering and shipping because the playfield will be cleared after the order is made. However, the delay is short because printed playfields are in stock and ready to go.

Fantastic!

I have not seen the other guys playfield and can’t speak about that, but I can tell you that the Fantastic playfield uses the colours that Bob Timm said are the correct colours. If you look on any two screens, the colours will look different, so I mailed the colours to Bob and got his endorsement prior to printing.

I'm really glad you all like this new playfield. As stated, you are going to find something in every playfield you look at. This is why some folks try grading and discounting the products. It just seems a shame to sand it down and start over because of a spec or bubble. Noting the cost to produce these, rejecting a playfield for a fisheye under the apron is throwing away about $900. Discounting the product means selling at a loss and putting the project upsidedown.

I am hoping to keep doing this, as long as you all like what I am making. Thanks for your support.

Fantastic!

Yep. In stock.

Fantastic!

Going faster than expected. I have two Seawitch left out of this batch. When they are gone I'll start again, but I am really busy with other new titles.
If you want a Seawitch Playfield that is true to the original with the colors that were certified correct by Bob Timm, with a clearcoat job that would cost you as much as the playfield elsewhere, then move quick.

For those lucky few who are holding the Seawitch metallic playfields, You have treasure. Hold them close!

Fantastic!

In the first batch of Seawitch playfields, the guy doing the clearcoat did what he did for all his automotive clearcoat, which is to add a small amount of aluminum powder that acts as a catalyst or accelerant to the reaction of the two part clear. The result was that the ink took on a slightly metallic look that was, in many opinions, nicer than the original. I only sold a few of these. I wish I had kept one for myself. I'd love to see one of these in a machine. They were special.

Fantastic!

Yeah, posting info and updates resulted in CPR releasing the same title on the same day. I am able to sell all the playfields I make without a big public presence.

I’d love to see some photos of my playfields with their new owners. Bonus points if the playfields are installed.

Fantastic!

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One Seawitch playfield available from the latest batch. First come first serve.

Fantastic!

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So... What is going on with the latest on Stargazer is that I had to cut more wood. I finished all the stock that I had bought from John and I had to cut more. Some of that wood is cut, and in fact there were adjustments and improvements made to the CNC cut file based on customer feedback.

The next step in the process is to install the inserts. I installed inserts until I ran out, and then I ordered more. That is a long and slow process, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. IF all goes well, I will have enough inserts for a batch of 50 more SG playfields.

From the stock of inserts that I bought from John, I had enough to populate 6 SG playfields. I did that, and brought them to a company with a drum sander. Sadly, the company was a bit too aggressive with the sanding and the result is some areas of burn through on the top layer of plywood. To account for that, I am clearcoating the playfields prior to printing. This results in a perfectly flat whitewood and is very good for printing. I will have these 6 playfields printed in a few weeks, and they will go back to clearcoat.

Meanwhile, I also cut the first Big Game playfield. This is the prototype and, sadly, was one of the playfields that was oversanded. That one too is being clearcoated prior to printing, and will be printed the same time as the batch of SG.

When the inserts arrive, I will populate more playfields and will carry on with production. While I was waiting for parts, I did a few small run projects including the League Of Legends playfield, which can be seen in other posts. I also did a few backglasses. The League of Legends was a good test platform for the new CNC equipment, and the results on that playfield are quite encouraging.

I know I haven't posted much about what I'm up to. The truth is that it is hard to trust people. As you may have seen, CPR released their Seawitch playfield on the same day that I released mine. That was not a coincidence. Not only do they read these posts, but they also get reports from mutual friends. As a result, I have to talk less about my activities. I know that sucks for the news hungry crowd, but I have to protect the business investment. I have not been able to sell a single Seawitch playfield since they flooded the market with inferior product. I would probably do better with a slick web page, but I have not been able to produce that on my own, and quotes to have it built for me have been cost prohibitive.

Well, that's the news. Photos added for your entertainment.

Fantastic!

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