The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => Restorations => Topic started by: Strangeways on March 02, 2013, 10:37:47 PM
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This is a customer's machine that was brought to me for the full treatment. This is the second Fathom restoration in 12 months. After this is completed, I'll be starting a THIRD Fathom - My personal machine ! I think everyone knows how good this game is, both from the artwork and the gameplay. Highly collectible, and one of the most sought after titles. I think I'm very fortunate to be restoring three Fathoms, especially after searching for ONE game for almost 15 years !
The objective is to restore the game to NIB (Nearly In Box). Similar to the Eight Ball, which was a very involved machine. This game has a "head start" because the CPR playfield was already installed. I'll get to that a bit later on..
Condition Report
Playfield - 10/10 - CPR playfield. Looks VERY nice. But under the playfield has had no work done at all.
Cabinet - 5/10 - A shocker ! Repainted using the wrong colors, with the wrong finish. Looks like stencils were used. From a distance, it looks ok, but up close it is BAD. The cabinet is falling apart and will need repairs.
Electronics - 9/10 - All good. I believe Ken looked over the boards, so they will be fine, but we may look at an Altek MPU.
The Game is in working order, and it is complete. There are considerable challenges that will be covered during the restoration.
"Before" pictures
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20004.JPG)
Custom paint job
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20007.JPG)
High gloss finish with the wrong colors. Probably a bunnings repaint ?
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20010.JPG)
Under the playfield is simply a disaster zone. Seized mechanisms, GI return braid shorting out to assemblies - a real mess..
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20015.JPG)
Just look at the return spring !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20018.JPG)
A rusted and crusted credit knocker. Not many free games paid on this machine ?
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20029.JPG)
Here's my first challenge - the chrome metal glass panel has both tabs broken off. This might need some magic with the TIG welder and a rechrome ?
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20042.JPG)
Stripped cabinet
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20044.JPG)
Here you can see the colors that were WAY off and the finish - which is also WAY off.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20055.JPG)
A close-up. Now I've matched the colors AND the finish, which is a FLAT base. Hardly any gloss at all. This game will be repainted to exactly the factory spec.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20056.JPG)
The back panel is swollen and will be replaced. A messy job, but it has to be done. I WISH someone reproduced these cabinets #@#
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20059.JPG)
The bottom panel has fallen away !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20060.JPG)
After matching the paint, I can then strip the cabinet back to wood. Takes time, and it is a bit messy, but the time spent prepping and repairing the cabinet means the quality of finish will be good. This is where I spend a lot of time on these repaints.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20075.JPG)
The rear panel is cut and rebated to it's original cut. It fits like a glove. I will glue and clamp the cabinet. Then nails are used from each side, and then I will use long staples (similar to original build) to hold the brackets in place. I use brackets the entire length of the inside height of the cabinet. Here is the lower cabinet after clamping.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20077.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20079.JPG)
Once this process is complete, I'll continue the repairs and then prep for repaint.
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Looking forward to the progress of this resto
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Nice start Nino, I'm sure it'll come up every bit as good as your other restorations. I'm looking forward to the updates. *%*
I have a question though. The disconnected braid wire sitting in the bottom left hand corner of you cabinet, what does it connect to? The reason I ask is that my Flash Gordon has a loose braid wire in exactly the same place. The bottoms not falling out of mine but other than that, your picture could have been a photo of mine.
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Nice start Nino, I'm sure it'll come up every bit as good as your other restorations. I'm looking forward to the updates. *%*
I have a question though. The disconnected braid wire sitting in the bottom left hand corner of you cabinet, what does it connect to? The reason I ask is that my Flash Gordon has a loose braid wire in exactly the same place. The bottoms not falling out of mine but other than that, your picture could have been a photo of mine.
The ground braid on the rear right hand side is meant to connect to the ground braid in the head. You will find a screw on a horizontal section of the head. If the ground braid is not connected, you can experience strange issues, so make sure it is connected !
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Will do, thanks Nino.
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look forward to seeing this being restored
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Nino, Fathom is for sure a topic unto itself.
When I first got hooked back into pinball 3 years ago and reviewed the games from the Bally SS era on ipdb, I remember my first impression looking at Fathom. I thought to myself, nope, not for me, can't get used to the look of the cab with its design and all. At that stage I have never even played one once, let alone see one in the flesh.
But it was your first Fathom resto thread that started to get me hooked. The more I looked, the more I liked. And there's no question that this is one title that has a sizeable interest. Not just here ..... all you have to do is touch base with people in America and Europe as well, and you can sense that this game is in demand. I simply really like this game alot now, and it really does package great game play, stunning artwork on the playfield and backglass, and the cabinet has grown on me. Looking at the combination of cab, BG, and PF, and it really is a nick "package".
Now to this game. Most people that would go to the trouble of restencilling this game you would think would at least attempt the same pattern as the original. It took two seconds to see that this was not the case. The front especially, that pattern is so different to the original. Where are the stencils coming from? I would think that this is a very challening stencil to make. I have done a few stencils myself so far. Just looking at the stencil requirements for Fathom is certainly getting up there.
Really looking forward to this restore, especially how the cab respry will turn out (sorry, not trying to add any pressure, I know you will come through). But it is a bit of a daunting task.
What's the condition of the backglass? Sure is nice to see the original. Shame that CPR never got the repro even close to what it should have been, but I guess a repro is better than nothing if the original is shot.
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Steve....Looks to me that the stencils MAY have been hand made.. and in all honesty they did a pretty good job... it almost lines up.. almost -LOL.
The hatching inside the lettering... groan... the hatching. Steve - i know why they didnt do it, i havent counted the hatchings yet but will do next time im weeding out a set of stencils for this.
I can normally make a stencil file in about 6 - 8hrs all up.. i cant do all that in one hit, i dont work on computers ( I build stuff instead) and i find it hard to sit in one place staring at a screen making minute adjustments to lines for long periods of time.
HAUNTED HOUSE took me about 15 hrs to make.
FATHOM took me well over 25 hours.. its was a nightmare and mainly because of the hatchings.. there are hundreds of them all individually shaped and so each one gets made in its own right.
And then get this... you make one side and your intention is to mirror it for the other yes?..wrong.. FATHOM is done really cleverly and the letters are different in sizing to suit the cabinet. So one side has the letters expanding horizontally and the other decreasing.. this makes them look the same on the cabinet as one end is wider than the other - its an optical illusion.
This of course means that each side gets made individually.. even the mermaid tail is different in width... VERY clever stencil!
So why not make the same pattern???.. i know... i know alright!
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Yesss, love seeing your restoration work Strangeways ^^^
Some detail on repairing the base of that cabinet would be appreciated. I have a Bally FG that is in a similar state. Your advice on repair will be invaluable.
Thanks
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Nino, what are you doing to me? I outta cash and your restos are always on great titles. I have a house to finish and now want a fathom. Can't wait on the next instalment on this thread as I enjoy your work and really enjoy seeing great titles come alive ^^^
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Nino, what are you doing to me? I outta cash and your restos are always on great titles. I have a house to finish and now want a fathom. Can't wait on the next instalment on this thread as I enjoy your work and really enjoy seeing great titles come alive ^^^
Customer's machine, Rob ! These are nearly impossible to find these days
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I saw this game last week, and I can tell you it is a massive job, but the effort Strangeways has gone to already amazing, and I can see it's going to be another work of art.
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Headbox preparation
The head will be prepped and painted before the body. The body needs a lot of repairs. The head needed some minor repairs as the bottom panel was separated from the rear. I glued, clamped and nailed the head until it was completely stable. Then I can sand and mask.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20080.JPG)
Here's the headbox after primer / undercoat. I lightly sand out any imperfections.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20081.JPG)
Here's the basecoat in the original color. The color, and more importantly the finish, is exactly as per original. Slightly under a semi gloss.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20083.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20085.JPG)
Lower Cabinet repairs
The lower cabinet has been cleaned and sanded.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20087.JPG)
Now that the back panel has been replaced, I can install the leg plate brackets. Here's the new back panel installed
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20088.JPG)
I use hardwood panels as a bracket. First I measure and drill out the legbolt holes. Then I file the side flat so I can mount the leg plates.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20089.JPG)
Finally I use the same staples as used in the factory after gluing the brackets in place
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20090.JPG)
Now the cabinet is VERY stable and ready for repairs to the underside. Slow progress, as I have to wait for the glue to set etc.
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I've prepped the lower cabinet and finished the base coat. This is the exact finish of the original. Don't know why Bally went down the path of almost a flat finish, but this is the factory finish for this game ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20101.JPG)
Did a little bit more than just the areas seen at the playfield level.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20102.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20104.JPG)
Cabinet is put aside for a couple of days to fully cure.
Headbox
Masked and ready for the BLUE stencil
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20092.JPG)
Even coverage - Not too heavy..
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20094.JPG)
Some minimal paint lift which will be addressed later
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20095.JPG)
Here we go with the lime / green stencil in place. This is a very intricate stencil to match with the blue. It takes a while to register and align with the blue, and you really don't know how close you are until you remove it after painting.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20105.JPG)
Even coat of lime / green
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20106.JPG)
With the lime stencil removed
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20107.JPG)
Close up - What a fantastic job Gavin did with these stencils *%*
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20109.JPG)
Headbox completed !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20111.JPG)
<.>
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What a beautiful job Nino,
I would be super happy as a client, knowing you were restoring a machine for me.... You certainly have a reputation for quality and doing things right first time.
Agree - stencils look fantastic!!!
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Nice job :D
I had planned to restore my own Fathom, using a Halifax playfield that I had clearcoated and a new set of playfield plastics, but time is against me so I've decided to sell them on. Does anyone know of a good place to advertise them please? [I'm in the UK #@#]
Cheers all,
Doug.
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Cabinet Stencil - Green
The cabinet is going to be a lot harder, and as Gav found out, most of the other sellers of these stencils have got it wrong. For the cabinet, the stencils need to GREEN before BLUE - which is the reverse of the head. So first I wipe down the cabinet and then apply the GREEN stencil.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20115.JPG)
Light coats - my touch up gun gives a wide but even coverage.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20117.JPG)
Remove the stencil and we have the green done
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20119.JPG)
Here's a good picture of the finish - what I dislike are the repaints of games with good color match, but very poor matching of the original finish. This title is a satin finish - almost a flat finish. It is EXACTLY the finish of the original factory finish.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20122.JPG)
Cabinet Stencil - BLUE
This is how I lined up the BLUE stencil - I had the registration crosses - I asked Gav SPECIFICALLY for them for this game - and he gave me THREE ! So it was REALLY EASY to line up. Start from the top, line up the crossed and slowly hang the stencil and smooth it out as I peel the backing down ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20124.JPG)
Half way done - I'll fix the bubbles as I go along (not done in this pic)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20126.JPG)
Peel off the transfer tape - slowly.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20143.JPG)
and there we go - ready to paint !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20144.JPG)
Always paint out of the sun ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20146.JPG)
BLUE paint done ! Now to remove the stencil !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20148.JPG)
Here is the finished side
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20149.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20150.JPG)
Detail ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20151.JPG)
In the sun ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20154.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20157.JPG)
BLING !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20161.JPG)
WITHOUT Gav's stencils - this could not be done. The other one that is available is WRONG. This is EXACT to the original artwork, and i know Gav put a lot of time into the stencil. This is good for me as I have another FATHOM to repaint - MINE !
^^^
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Another stunning job Nino. The artwork on this machine is awesome so it's good to see it done right.
I often wonder looking at your restoration pics outside, do you ever have neighbours asking what your up to?
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VERY nice Nino.. Very nice indeed ^^^ ^^^
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Looks excellent. Top work as usual. ^^^
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Great looking result there Nino ^^^
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The more I see and hear of this title and the great resto you are doing, makes me want one soooooo bad as it is an era of pinball my collection is sadly missing.
AWESOME work so far Nino.
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Great looking machine, beautiful work nino
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Hey Nino, no question the challenge of reproducing the same pattern is right up there with Fathom. So many intricate patterns for sure.
Don't shoot me for bringing this up, and I'm hoping I am wrong, but there are differences between original and the results. The 3 images below are from the original paintwork of a Fathom, and the circled areas are examples of where alignment is different. On the left hand and right hand sides of the cabinet, the first thing that drew my attention to this was the different alignment of the bolt heads with the patterns. Maybe there are slightly different patterns out there for the Fathoms produced?
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab292/Steve2010A/F11_zps5f8463f1.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab292/Steve2010A/F2_zps72fecfa8.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab292/Steve2010A/F3_zps4c7009e9.jpg)
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Hey Nino, no question the challenge of reproducing the same pattern is right up there with Fathom. So many intricate patterns for sure.
Don't shoot me for bringing this up, and I'm hoping I am wrong, but there are differences between original and the results. The 3 images below are from the original paintwork of a Fathom, and the circled areas are examples of where alignment is different. On the left hand and right hand sides of the cabinet, the first thing that drew my attention to this was the different alignment of the bolt heads with the patterns. Maybe there are slightly different patterns out there for the Fathoms produced?
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab292/Steve2010A/F11_zps5f8463f1.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab292/Steve2010A/F2_zps72fecfa8.jpg)
(http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab292/Steve2010A/F3_zps4c7009e9.jpg)
First of all you need to define "original".
All four Fathom's I've owned or I've restored have all been different. As you are aware, Bally changed their color from GREEN or YELLOW on some production models. This stencil is easily the most difficult and challenging stencil produced for any Bally - Maybe Xenon would compare.
Shay or PinballPal's stencils are wrong. They are completely incorrect. There are many differences that they didn't address. One drastic difference is that the color application for the Cabinet and head are swapped around during production. This was not reflected in their stencils and that's why I wanted Gav to do them properly.
Here's a picture of one of My three Fathoms in storage that the art was used for - which is DIFFERENT from yours (gap is narrow, and much less GREEN);
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/gameso%20020.JPG)
Your photo of the front of the cabinet is not square. There will always be variations when the source art is not square.
Here's part of the many hours of artwork that was redrawn by Gavin, based on my original photos - that were not 100% square ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Graphic1.JPG)
At this point, I'd like to bring up some important differences in cabinet repainting - and this is evident in the numerous titles I have in storage.
- Cabinet dimensions are seldom exactly the same. Bally used several different suppliers to build cabinets. some are longer by 20mm. some are higher. All are the same width.
- Cabinet painting was done by holding a brass stencil over the cabinet and spraying with a paint gun. This was done by several different suppliers, on different cabinet dimensions, using different paint from different suppliers. This process took several minutes - not several DAYS.
All three of my Fathoms and the THIS Fathom were all different. Colors, finish and registration. I asked Gavin to complete this project based on an mean average of the positioning of the stencils based on my ability to provide the photos as square as possible, There were mistakes - but according to which of the four DIFFERENT cabinets / colors / finish ?
This is the ONLY stencil available at this point in time that is faithful to the original - but the problem is that no two Fathoms I've seen are EXACTLY the same. The hours Gavin has put into this solution are massive. There's not one aspect I would change, and my own personal machine will be repainted exactly the same.
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I think you will find that as you attach the siderails, it will become evident that the pattern (as seen along the bottom edge of the siderail) is not sitting right comparing old and new.
For example, on your Fathom near the right hand side flipper button, there is a painted section whose top edge is traversing across the flipper button hole. On the original paintwork, the top edge of this same section is well below the bottom edge of the siderail edge. It's out actually by quite a bit. And I think you will find the same for some parts along the bottom edge of the left hand side siderail (example of this is the painted section near the rear set of two bolts - the top of this section will sit below of the bottom edge of the siderail, whereas on the original this top edge was mostly concealed by the siderail).
As for the front, even though the image I provided was not square, it does show a large gap between the two painted sections (in the circled area). On yours, the image you provided of the original paintwork also shows a very similar gap. On the now painted Fathom, they are virtually touching. Again, quite a bit out.
Again, I will certainly recognise that Fathom would be one of the most challenging stencil sets to come up with. I looked at the pattern again last night, and it would give me a headache just even contemplating tackling it. Hats off for sure to Gavin for his efforts, and as always Nino, you do amazing and very thorough work to be commended. No disrespect at all. But, if my comments are correct, then in my opinion there is still improvement that can be and should be made to the stencil.
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I'm very pleased with the stencils. They are easy to work with, and the results are better than original.
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That cab looks minty fresh, very nice *%*
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A question from left field but can playfield artwork vary as well? I have two si playfields and believe I have found variations on areas I know have not been touched up etc. And I haven't gone through it with a fine tooth comb either.
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awesome job on the cabinet respray and restore
this is skill and artwork beauty all rolled into one machine.
the fathom playfield colours are OUTSTANDING and match perfectly with the job
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Time for a major Update !
Power Supply was fully functional, but looked like it need a bit of a refresh with the rest of the internals of the cabinet. As part of the restoration, I clean all the wiring and even the cable guides, so it makes sense to do the boards and mounting hardware. This will be stripped and cleaned before re installation.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20163.JPG)
The old door needs work. The owner decided on a new door skin, which I purchased from RTBB. In order to match the condition of the new doorskin, I opted to replate the internals. As I've mentioned before, I do my own Zinc plating "in house", and I really enjoy doing it ! It is time consuming, but I have not lost a part yet !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20177.JPG)
Along with other parts that I've organized, these are the parts I will replate in one session
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20174.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20181.JPG)
New doorskin !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20164.JPG)
replated parts !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20166.JPG)
re assembled door internals ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20189.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20190.JPG)
Completed front door is installed
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20187.JPG)
Power Supply mounting assembly is refitted after restoration.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20192.JPG)
Lots more to come as I play "catch up" !
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I like those little inserts in the coin door and the finish on that zinc replating looks great.
What do you do to clean the boards?
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Huge difference between the old and the new there Nino. It looks to be coming up great. It's always nice when you open the cabinet up and everything is nice, clean and shiny. Lots of rust on the lock down bar asssembly would have made it feel gritty and rough to use, I bet its nice and smooth now.
I've been enjoying the updates on this machine, I'd love a Fathom at some stage.
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I like those little inserts in the coin door and the finish on that zinc replating looks great.
What do you do to clean the boards?
The inserts look great and they are part of the CPR Plastics Set.
Cleaning the boards is very simple. Spray with nifti (directly on the board) and then use an old paint brush to clean the dust and dirt. Rinse with water. Finally spray with isoprophyl alcohol and then compressed air. You can also leave the board out in the sun for a couple of hours !
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Ok, that sounds really simple, but the result appears very effective. I'm starting to see Isoprophyl alcohol having universal applications for pinball restoration. It was great at helping ,me get rid of residue mylar glue.
Fathom is a game I never knew about until I started visiting this site, but would love to own one now simply based on the playfield artwork alone. I'm guessing it's fun to play too?
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That looks great, nice work ^^^
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Ok, that sounds really simple, but the result appears very effective. I'm starting to see Isoprophyl alcohol having universal applications for pinball restoration. It was great at helping ,me get rid of residue mylar glue.
Fathom is a game I never knew about until I started visiting this site, but would love to own one now simply based on the playfield artwork alone. I'm guessing it's fun to play too?
Fathom is one of the best playing machines from any era. it is in my "Top 5 of all time". It was subject to being a "cookie cutter" SS for many years, as they are rare and have a stunning artwork package. I think Bally released a few great games between 1979-82 - Centaur, Fathom, Medusa, Eight Ball Deluxe and Viking.
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watched a lot of your work over the years,bumped into you in Geelong@ Dan's. You have always done a great job + shown others your tips on how to do.Your old man must be proud of your work. Hope one day to buy one of your machines. Keep on showing us these restores. cheers
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I am really surprised that a white under coat is not used in-between colors to stop colors bleeding into each other.
Do you add a flattering base to correct the finish?
What type of paint do you use?
I am really impressed how nice the restoration has turned out.
I will be checking out more of your threads here for sure.
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I am really surprised that a white under coat is not used in-between colors to stop colors bleeding into each other.
A mate of mine did this to a Gtb Card Whiz and a Stern Wildfyre he painted, except he used GREY undercoat *!@ *!@ *!@
When he told me he was going to do this i said DONT DO IT!! but he did it anyway.. @.@ well.. because he used grey, it dulled the red he used.. it looks maroon rather than red, he put the paint on so thick it still bled in places, and just as i thought would happen when i looked at his wildfyre closeup it had patches of grey around the stencilled paint *!@ Card Whiz turned much better in this regard but the paint is still very thick on the cab, it bled in a few places but i ended up polishing most of it out and touching it up for him. It was about the dumbest thing i'd seen anyone do to a pin!!
Now this guy was a house painter by trade and thought he knew everything about painting, he's really good with a paintbrush but put a can of spraypaint in his hand.. it was like giving a can of paint to a chimpanzee %.% %.% he had bought Gav's stencils for Wildfyre and totally ruined the job because he tried spraying enamel over acrylic (something else i told him NOT to do) the paint bled under @.@ Of course the stencils were ruined and couldn't be reused, he ended up making cardboard ones.
Nino sorry for the hijack, but i just HAD to share this story after reading Jim Jam's post. Thought the story might give you all a laugh!!
Fathom is looking STUNNING btw
Top notch as usual @@* @@* @@*
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watched a lot of your work over the years,bumped into you in Geelong@ Dan's. You have always done a great job + shown others your tips on how to do.Your old man must be proud of your work. Hope one day to buy one of your machines. Keep on showing us these restores. cheers
Dad passed on a lot of his knowledge. Most of my techniques were originally his in terms of a machine's operation. The cabinet repainting was his knowledge, as I had to learn from experience. It was not easy, but I'm confident I've learnt as much as I can. I've been very busy over the last 6 months, but I'll be finding more time to document restoration work.
I am really surprised that a white under coat is not used in-between colors to stop colors bleeding into each other.
Do you add a flattering base to correct the finish?
What type of paint do you use?
I am really impressed how nice the restoration has turned out.
I will be checking out more of your threads here for sure.
I've never used a white undercoat. I use Protech automotive acrylics which I've found give the best results. Not cheap paint, but if used correctly the results are almost "factory".
Regarding the finish - I take the cabinet I'm repainting to a professional paint shop to have not only the color matched, but the finish. The "tinting" and the "finish" is done at the same time and is checked before I buy the paint. I guess in this case, the paint guy started with a flat base - I'm not sure - but all three colors are a perfect match and finish to the factory finish. It is not cheap, but I'm a purist.
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Fathom is one of the best playing machines from any era. it is in my "Top 5 of all time". It was subject to being a "cookie cutter" SS for many years, as they are rare and have a stunning artwork package. I think Bally released a few great games between 1979-82 - Centaur, Fathom, Medusa, Eight Ball Deluxe and Viking.
Getting slightly off topic but what are the other 4 in your All Time list... &&
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Fathom is one of the best playing machines from any era. it is in my "Top 5 of all time". It was subject to being a "cookie cutter" SS for many years, as they are rare and have a stunning artwork package. I think Bally released a few great games between 1979-82 - Centaur, Fathom, Medusa, Eight Ball Deluxe and Viking.
Getting slightly off topic but what are the other 4 in your All Time list... &&
1. Paragon
2. Fathom
3. Spirit of 76
4. Medusa
5. Cirqus Voltaire
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Really top work Nino. It's always worth putting in effort on the front end of the cab - it really adds (and conversely if overlooked, takes away) to the overall presentation of the machine.
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A lot of work has been done on this game that i need to update. I've stepped away from the cabinet and started the underside of the playfield. It was decided to not only rebuild all the assemblies, but also to replate them as necessary. I do this "in house" as platers have a nasty habit of losing small parts. First thing to do is document everything in photos. here's what I need to address ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20203.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20209.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20212.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20226.JPG)
I start to strip the mechs and begin dissassembly, degreasing, cleaning and removing the old zinc plating.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20235.JPG)
Interesting spring !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20238.JPG)
Here's the results of my "backyarder" or "in house" plating !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20249.JPG)
Here's the center DT assy replated and re assembled. One of the "in-line" DT assy is next to it for reference.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20253.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20255.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20256.JPG)
It is a lot of work, but the underside of the playfield was not at the standard of the CPR installed playfield. It was really sloppy !
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excellent work Nino, would be interested to see your plating setup just out of curiosity.
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Parts have arrived to effectively finish off the machine. It has been a long haul, but I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel !
The machine had some very weird wiring issues with the game. The chaser lights on the playfield around the top left hand bend and along the top were not right at all. This was difficult to diagnose and in the end, I had to pull out my personal Fathom to compare. Even then, I was left scratching my head. There were a lot of differences, so eventually the second populated playfield was the only way to determine the problems I followed the wires to the Aux Lamp driver and then re routed them to the correct locations. Effectively the GI returns were not wired correctly for that part of the playfield, but i worked it out in the end. I ended up replacing sections of the GI return and the feature lamp returns. Interesting problem.
Here's the back section of the playfield. Impossible to work on without removing this VERY heavy playfield.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20286.JPG)
Fixed ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20287.JPG)
Rewiring the left section at the beginning of the chaser light effect ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20288.JPG)
Some power supply issues solved !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20292.JPG)
This rear glass channel was broken. Both tabs were broken off. I had MartyJ skillfully TIG weld the ends back on and then I had it chrome plated. Looks better than the picture !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20294.JPG)
Now I see this ALL THE TIME with playfield swaps. Literally, the playfields are swapped over without checking the assemblies etc..
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20319.JPG)
As I dig deeper.. I find more issues. Wood screws were there should be metal screws and visa versa !
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20300.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20302.JPG)
Here is a repaired ball shooter assembly part found on early 80's Ballys. Next to is is the last known NOS part to replace it.. #@#
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20305.JPG)
A rebuilt drop target assembly. These are crucial to the game. If these don't work properly, then the game become inoperable.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20320.JPG)
The apron is repainted and a decal installed from PinballRescue.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20308.JPG)
The game plays well but needs a few minor adjustments. Almost there !
Just waiting on some new clear lane guides and we are almost ready.
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Looks great Nino.
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top work!
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Looks great Nino! Awesome machine and the owner should be very happy!
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It's looking very nice Nino, can't wait to fire this up !!!
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very nice, detailed, work..
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cool machine, would love one of these one day
good video showing game play
https://vimeo.com/26483679
a resource for dedicated Fathom owners
http://www.pinball.yoo-design.com/index.html
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cool machine, would love one of these one day
good video showing game play
https://vimeo.com/26483679
a resource for dedicated Fathom owners
http://www.pinball.yoo-design.com/index.html
It IS the best SS Bally machine. Certainly the best artwork and game play is super if the game is working 100%. It really is a toss of the coin between Paragon and Fathom for me. I'd say it is the best SS from the 80's from any manufacturer.
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It IS the best SS Bally machine. Certainly the best artwork and game play is super if the game is working 100%. It really is a toss of the coin between Paragon and Fathom for me. I'd say it is the best SS from the 80's from any manufacturer.
Glad you said 80's, because it is touch and go between Fathom and Flash for SS %$%
Seriously though, I will happily stand in line for one of your Fathom restoration efforts ..... awesome work!
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Looking very nice Nino. Yup, that PF is one heavy one .... I pulled mine out a few weeks ago to overhaul, and she ain't light! Not really much of any space on this one to cram in anything else.
Looking forward to the next update.
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Finally at the "end of the road" with this restoration. The lamp shrouds from Jady have been installed and work great @@*
The spinner decal was the last piece of the puzzle and also a new playfield glass was installed. The original backglass had to left "as is" as someone had used gaffer tape to hold down the flaking lower section. I had some minor issues with drop target alignment, so I had to drill new holes and re-adjust their position. But all good now.
Here's some final shots before it was loaded into it's owners' Van
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20326.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20330.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20329.JPG)
Here's the NEW Shrouds which work perfectly.
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20332.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20337.JPG)
Final pictures of completed restoration ;
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20339.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20340.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20341.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20343.JPG)
(Door Sticker needs to be installed !)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20347.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20349.JPG)
(http://www.aussiepinball.com/strangeways/restores/Fathom2/Fathom%20356.JPG)
A BIG "Thank You" to Gavin for these stencils. They were a bit of a battle due to their complexity. Also a BIG "Thank You" to Greg from RTBB who supplied most of the parts on this restoration.
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Wow, how nice is that! It would have pride of place in any collection, great stuff Nino.
@@*
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Exceptional Nino! Well done. The new owner will be very pleased.
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wow what a beautiful machine and beautiful work Nino ^^^
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got a semi chubby. Think I may have to buy one one day *%* any one selling??
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That looks amazing! Great job once again Nino. @@*
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got a semi chubby. Think I may have to buy one one day *%* any one selling??
Very difficult pinball to track down. But it is one of those games that is worth the asking price and it is an awesome player and graphics package. They can be difficult to service due to the amount of hardware under the playfield. I think there has been one or two for sale on AP in the last 12 months.
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Excellent result again there Nino ^^^
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Awesome work Nino. ^^^
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Very nice *%*