The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => Restorations => Topic started by: MartyJ on October 10, 2009, 05:54:58 PM
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Time to start my Funhouse restoration. This will be a long one and will be done the right way.
The machine purchased in 'as is' condition...straight off container. Overall I've got a good base to start with. All parts are present and not broken. Playfield plastics are all there and not broken, just dirty. Ramps look good, Rudi etc.
Playfield was not mylared at factory (or op route). Has a lot of ball swirl and ground in dirt. Bit of wear near outhole and blue pop bumper but not much else. Clock inserts have risen. The plan is this playfield will be a bit of a learning experiment for me...I will ME and TC the playfield to see if it removes the ball swirl and I will clear it and attempt to airbrush the touch ups...More for practice than anything. I am planning on getting a IPB playfield asap.
Cabinet - overall very solid. No major dings or damage (water etc). Will decal asap.
Boards - CPU has been replaced at some stage (diff serial numbers) but NO battery damage that I can see anywhere. Driver board has had repairs done near G.I plug but otherwise OK. Playfield connectors removed and I booted game to see where I'm at. Game booted, but died when coin door switches used. Disconnected connector at CPU board, booted again...died...Test TP's on driver/power board and no 5v....Display was garbled too but these issues can be sorted at a later stage.
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Playfield removed, cabinet emptied and moved downstairs for decal removal.
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Look forward to this Marty...
Nice base to start with.. ^^^
You have a fair bit of work in front of ya but once completed i am sure it will be entirely satisfying !
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Will be watching with interest ! Good base to start a resto.
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Look forward to this Marty...
Nice base to start with.. ^^^
You have a fair bit of work in front of ya but once completed i am sure it will be entirely satisfying !
Thanks Marco! I enjoy doing this, just tinkering away, chasing parts etc...All good. Just need to watch the budget on this one and try not to blow out like my BH! Problem is there is lots of repo parts available for a FH...So I need to be good and reuse / recycle as much as I can, but without affecting the end product.
The playfield swap will be a bit daunting....But hey, gotta do it at least once!
Will be watching with interest ! Good base to start a resto.
Thanks Nino....I would imaging yours isn't far behind. You would finish your a lot quicker than mine I think!...
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Thanks Nino....I would imaging yours isn't far behind. You would finish your a lot quicker than mine I think!...
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Actually - mine is a while off. I'll wait until yours in finished !
I plan on a complete restoration - decals, clearcoated playfield and like you - I will need to watch my budget ! I think removing the mylar will be daunting for me. Anyway - keep your updates coming !
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Looks like fun - I will be interested to see how the original playfield comes up; it might end up pretty good.
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OK, about 8.5 hours into the playfield today. Have stripped it completely topside. All labelled, photographed etc.
I've gone over with the M.E and novus. The playfield is not too bad...The ball swirl is most noticeable on the clock and its worst on the white there. I havn't gone over it too many times for fear of wearing through.
The top half has very little wear at all.
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Basically at this stage, I'll be concentrating on cleaning every screw, post, nut for the short term. Rudi will need to be rebuilt (as they all do).
I will also rebuild all 4 flipper assemblies, slings, kickers etc...Ramps - steps on is VGC the other has broken at entrance so I'll probably see if either RTBB or PSP has one.
I don't think its been ever stripped. Everything seems 100% original and thankfully no hacks that I can see on playfield loom.
I'll tackle the boards in between as well.
When dismantling - the only problem I struck was the divertor assembly. The allen key nut had rusted and when I tried to undo just stripped the inside. I had to cut it with the dremmel but they are available so I can replace.
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Marty you're a man possessed! Mate know holding back here I see and no wasting time either. Look slike you have your work cut out but from past history ie BH I can already see the end result in my head. Look forward to the nest installment.
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Hehe, thanks Rob. When I picked it up Damien joked saying I'd probably have it fully stripped Friday night....I was a little behind scheduel...
Removing a playfield is 10 min of work. Stripping - took a while on this one. Lots of bolt through posts and labelling and photographing takes a while.
Now comes the slow parts - cleaning all the parts!
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hey mate, have you considered buying one of the new fh repros coming from ipb?
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hey mate, have you considered buying one of the new fh repros coming from ipb?
Yep, definately. I'm still planning to clear this one, more just for practice for myself and my spraypainter...Didn't want to ruin a playfield that couldn't be replaced. I will try to get this one as good as I can in the meantime.
Little bit more progress tonight. Old battery holder removed from CPU...All caps removed from driver board.
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Best of luck and enjoy the process Marty - you'll be loving this game when it's done, one of the fav's in my collection. If you need anything post or PM, I have some spares of some odds and sods (plastics mainly). I did an IPB playfield swap and am sure glad I did - speeds up the ball travel over the standard mylared field quite a bit, and the game plays so much better.
And you might want to consider Pinnies4me Funhouse Ramp Anti-jump Condom (C) TM Patent (not) Pending -
http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=103.0
I will also rebuild all 4 flipper assemblies,
Looks like you got the special special proto - my poor game only has three flippers.. .. .. !!!
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I was waiting for someone to pickup on that..
Check your machine....I think you'll find a 4th flipper assembly somewhere under the playfield...(but without a flipper bat attached to it)!
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I can vouch for the New playfields they look and play excellently ^^^
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Looks like we won't be seeing Marty on here as often as usually is. What do you reckon Marty?
BTW you might find this funny after reading your response about taking heaps of photos when taking the playfield apart. I shopped my swep1 last week and used my new video camera to record the steps. Well the first 3 or 4 things I did I recorded, paused, recorded again and so on. Great videos of what I did. Didn't noticed midway through the tear down I hit pause and then record accidentally. So when I thought I was recoding, I was actually pausing and vise versa. So when reviewing I had lots of videos of me putting the camera down and videoing a screw driver on the table etc etc. I can tell ya, when I put the playfield together, I sure as hell never forget where I put that f@#king screw driver!!! %.%
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Hey Marty I am keen to see this one progress as well.
Please keep posting plenty of pics and info.
If the playfield isn’t as bad as you first thought , and you are on a budget, could Gavin not do something for you rather than fork out big banana’s for a new repro playfield?
Just a thought.
FH is a REALLY fun game with some awesome loop shots and some difficult shots as well…..unfortunately it can get overlooked when amongst a batch of DMD games as it doesn’t ‘look’ as fun………but there is ‘something’ about it that is just way cool......it took me a while to get into it but I play it a lot these days.
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Hey Marty I am keen to see this one progress as well.
Please keep posting plenty of pics and info.
If the playfield isn’t as bad as you first thought , and you are on a budget, could Gavin not do something for you rather than fork out big banana’s for a new repro playfield?
Just a thought.
FH is a REALLY fun game with some awesome loop shots and some difficult shots as well…..unfortunately it can get overlooked when amongst a batch of DMD games as it doesn’t ‘look’ as fun………but there is ‘something’ about it that is just way cool......it took me a while to get into it but I play it a lot these days.
Overall the playfield is not a write off. If IPB weren't making playfields I'd be getting this one fixed for sure and keeping it.
Funhouse is a great game....Really looking forward to getting it up and running in my lineup. I think FH will only go up in value and there is not the volume of them for sale like with other titles, even though there were 10,000+ made.
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My FH field looked like it had awesome potential - til it got buffed to try and clean it up some. Then, the finish started going to crap very quickly. At that point, the IPB repros were sold out, and I would've spent over 1k to acquire one, which I did not have to spend on pins.
So, the original worn field is in the game with everything polished up real nice - including original ramps that have the blasted 'hop' problem when the ball is shot onto them.
My functionally restored TAF and FH are 2 of my favorite games. I paid $300 USD each from an operator who had them in storage after coming off route 10+ years ago. I found them just in time, he was going to use them to fill a large hole on some property he had, then pile dirt on top of them. No, I'm not kidding! They were pretty nasty, but cleaned up very nicely!
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Thanks John....I'm concerned with the magic eraser and even though its MUCH better than were I began I will definately start removing paint if I go any further.
My plan is to finish removing the majority of the underside components then talk to my spraypainter. The plan is (from reading HEP resto's) to get the playfield cleared to seal it all up and then I'll address the two main areas which need touching up (the blue). Once the touch ups are done, another thin coat of clear, block, clear, block and polish.
Again this is more for practice than anything else. I'm ordering (hopefully) a new playfield and just waiting for confirmation. Yep its a few $$ but the machine is more than worthy.
Re the ramp problem - I think Nick found a cheap solution for that with a homebrew McGuiver fix....And I think James mentioned the newer flaps were stronger and stopped the issue?...
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Re the ramp problem - I think Nick found a cheap solution for that with a homebrew McGuiver fix....And I think James mentioned the newer flaps were stronger and stopped the issue?...
Pinnies4me Funhouse Ramp Anti-jump Condom (C) TM Patent (not) Pending -
http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=103.0
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Re the ramp problem - I think Nick found a cheap solution for that with a homebrew McGuiver fix....And I think James mentioned the newer flaps were stronger and stopped the issue?...
Pinnies4me Funhouse Ramp Anti-jump Condom (C) TM Patent (not) Pending -
http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=103.0
So Nick,
Let me understand this correctly - the balloon full of ‘stuff’ is not held down / held in place by anything other than the ramp flap screwing back down over it – correct.
Also – probably a stupid question – but do you have to remove the ENTIRE ramp and everything hanging off / around it for this?
I am still getting a little ‘bounce every now and then and wouldn’t mind trying this.
PS_ please don’t let this hijack the thread, once Nick answers me it can go straight back on track
Cheers
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I can't recall how much you would need to remove - obviously the front tiny screws through the flap, not sure how much more to get the ramp able to be lifted enough to work under it. You then fill your balloon with the epoxy (slow dry) and screw the ramp back down exactly as it would be if fully fitted in place. This will squeeze the balloon and create the exact mold to fill the gap under the flap. Next night loosen the screws, trim the excess balloon each side and then screw back down.
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No exciting photos for anyone unfortunately. New battery holder in CPU...All looks 100% factory. Tested the CPU to boot in HS2 last night. Booted 5/5 times so nothing else to touch on it.
5 new caps into driver board. New G.I header pins installed on PCB. Just waiting on BR's and that should hopefully finish the driver board with very little cost!.
Next - steps ramp stripped and cleaned. Metal hardware tumbled for 24hrs going back on tonight. I will aim to do an assembly a night so will do ball gate tonight as well. All coils will be tested and re-sleeved at this time.
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Cab work started today. Had confirmation on decals so its ready to go.
Last time on the HS2 I used the belt sander. Used heaps of belts and made a few divots in wood when using it.
This time I went heat gun and scraper. Much easier and quicker too.
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Decal removal completed.
Light sanding to go to remove glue residue before repairs then priming.
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Good stuff Marty ! Love the throne in the corner - that's where you think of all your great ideas ?
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Good stuff Marty ! Love the throne in the corner - that's where you think of all your great ideas ?
Just emergencies!
I think the previous owner (who built it) spent a lot of time in his workshop....Given the labels on the walls (ie salsa, grappa etc) LOTS of time!
I didn't want to start removing decals until I knew licenced ones were available. Overall the cab is in good shape. Most of the work will be on the coin door section. The wood has gone very grainy (drink spillage most likely) so I'll need to flatten it out.
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Jumping around a bit - steps ramp completed. Overall the ramp is about 95%. Small crack at flap - but I've got some Cliffy protectors on the way.
Also - I didn't like the way the original wires were all out to see - so I've heat shrinked them. Pain in the arse to do, but looks a bit more tidy.
The plastic cover in the top l/h/s corner has yellowed to. Not sure what to do with it?
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The plastic cover in the top l/h/s corner has yellowed to. Not sure what to do with it?
Just took a look at a spare I had to offer it to you - that's quite yellowed too, as is the one on my game - maybe that's par for the course?
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Thanks anyway Nick.
The other one on the main ramp is also yellow. I've got it soaking in a bleech to see if it helps!
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Thanks anyway Nick.
The other one on the main ramp is also yellow. I've got it soaking in a bleech to see if it helps!
Let me know if the bleach fails Marty - I do have a spare of that you can have that is nice and clear.
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Been going between jobs - mostly working on the cabinet..About 8 hours into it in total.
Most of the little dings, scratches etc have been filled. Just futher sanding prior to primer.
Backbox brackets have been sanded and painted. Speaker panel cleaned.
Boards completed.
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Looking good Marty - Keep the updates coming !
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Thanks Nino. Lots of work going into the cab this time. Much easier the 2nd time (after HS2) and I'm still learning more from reading HEP resto's too.
Off to the auto-paint store next week to buy primer & get the Funhouse blue matched. I've got some codes from the US for the paint but not sure if it is the same down here? Either way if its close I'll let you know and the numbers etc.
Hopefully should have the majority of repairs & sanding done by end of tomorrow.
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Cool Marty - If it is pantone - then it is "universal" - should be the same ? Just check with the paint people.
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Spent most of the day sanding, filling, sanding. Just need to give one side final sand and finish work on rear of cab.
I've replaced the chocks/rails (not sure of correct term) as the old ones were particle board and swollen.
The rear WMS serial number sticker is shot. I'm going to try and sort something out with those as I still want them on.
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Love your work mate its coming along nicely ^^^
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Cab has had first coat of primer. Will be sanded this arvo and some more filling on a couple of spots.
Nice and still / warm this morning so came off the gun reasonably well.
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Second coat down. Rubbed back in between and a couple of light fills.
The sides and front are as good as I'm going to get them...The back is not 100% but its never looked at.
So much easier this time around. Previously it was done by hand sanding, pressure pack cans etc...
This time, big compressor, orbital sander (air), blower, acrylic primer, prepsol....
Next is head box. Those decals do not want to come off with heat, so they will have to be sanded. ^.^
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Looking very "straight", Marty ^^^
Just comparing notes - in between coats, I usually use 600 grit wet/Dry, and I usually dampen the sandpaper and leave the cab out in the sun to dry. It gives me a REALLY smooth cabinet for the second and third undercoat. After the last undercoat - I leave the cab for a week.
but - I usually "hand" sand the cab just to get a "feel" for the job.
I'm interested in your methods.
What grit are you using on your sander ?
what type of primer are you using ?
The results are outstanding !
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Looking very "straight", Marty ^^^
Just comparing notes - in between coats, I usually use 600 grit wet/Dry, and I usually dampen the sandpaper and leave the cab out in the sun to dry. It gives me a REALLY smooth cabinet for the second and third undercoat. After the last undercoat - I leave the cab for a week.
but - I usually "hand" sand the cab just to get a "feel" for the job.
I'm interested in your methods.
What grit are you using on your sander ?
what type of primer are you using ?
The results are outstanding !
The vast majority of other sanding was done by hand (float) pre-primer...Primer was K & H acryilc primer (1 part primer, 1 part thinner) sprayed on with gun.
Was sanded in between with 220 grit on the air orbital sander. It works a treat. Very lightly used and it pretty much sucks out the dust so no clogs. The whole cabinet was done in two disks. Wipe down afterwards and very smooth.
I was surprised how well it came off the gun. No joggers or peel. My spraypainter advised that the acrylic will shrink a tad, but with decals going on shouldn't be a drama. I found a really good auto paint place in Thomastown and I picked up 4ltrs of thinner, 1ltr prepsol, 2 mixing cups, 5 filters and a big bundle of mixing sticks for $40.00.
Out of interest - on the decals on the headbox (part removed) I used prepsol on a rag to test clean and came up OK too. Maybe something to further test later on.
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Thanks Marty. I'm a bit "old school" and I have not done a repaint since the Jacks Open.
I need to get "up to speed" as I want to do a "few" cabinets soon !
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Have a look at ebay item no 140350783743
- the link is below
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140350783743&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com.au%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp4712.m38.l1313%26_nkw%3D140350783743%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1
I have just purchased 1 x of these to do 3 x full empty cabinets inside n out, that I have just purchased for a special project.
I am told that the beedblaster will strip a full pinball cabinet incl headbox etc,back to bare new wood, inside n out, from top to bottom in apx 20 minutes tops. It Also gets in all the places (corners) where most sanders will not.Beads come in all shapes n sizes n types.plastic or manmade etc.
As soon as i get mine going, i will post a video of the new toy working its magic.
Most tool shops etc in most areas have the same type machines for the same prices.just add a cheap air compressor.
Hope it helps some members save time n effort. ^^^
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I've done media blasting a few times before, but never thought to use it on wood. Interesting!
Cabinet is coming along very nicely!
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Have a look at ebay item no 140350783743
- the link is below
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140350783743&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com.au%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp4712.m38.l1313%26_nkw%3D140350783743%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1
I have just purchased 1 x of these to do 3 x full empty cabinets inside n out, that I have just purchased for a special project.
I am told that the beedblaster will strip a full pinball cabinet incl headbox etc,back to bare new wood, inside n out, from top to bottom in apx 20 minutes tops. It Also gets in all the places (corners) where most sanders will not.Beads come in all shapes n sizes n types.plastic or manmade etc.
As soon as i get mine going, i will post a video of the new toy working its magic.
Most tool shops etc in most areas have the same type machines for the same prices.just add a cheap air compressor.
Hope it helps some members save time n effort. ^^^
I look forward to the video - how exactly does this work ?
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Interested to see how the media blasting works on wood. Never would have thought of that.
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Interested to see how the media blasting works on wood. Never would have thought of that.
Hmm, not sure but I'll wait to see with interest. My main concern would be if the 'media' leaves small divots in the wood. It only took me about 6 hours to fully strip decals and paint from my cabinet.
I think perhaps a paint only cabinet would work well (with soda as medium) but not sure whether the decal would present a problem.
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The bead blaster works just like a sand blaster but uses various types of materials to blast or sand so to speak.
I saw a guy using one at a furniture (wood) factory to strip back various furniture pieces and i thought, yes, i like that. It will save me many hours.
I will post my video, pictures over the next fortnight.should work a treat.was cheap too !
I never saw any golf ball divets either.just stripped it back perfectly flat.
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After reading Nino's and Johnwartjr's tips on cleaning metal, I soaked all playfield metals in a tub today with some degreaser!.
They are now very clean, still need to regrain them but well on the way now!..
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Coming along nicely Marty....now I will step up the hunt for one of these *%*
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Here's a regraining tip I learned today!
I have typically used varying grits of sandpaper in the past to regrain. A friend suggested I try scotch-brite pads. So, I tried them, worked OK but not as good as the sandpaper. I found out that there are different types of scotch-brite style pads. The one that is recommended is red or maroon in color, and made by 3M and sold for metal refinishing.
I got a couple red 3m sanding 'pads' (not like the sponges), and they worked great! Much better than the green ones!
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Here's a regraining tip I learned today!
I have typically used varying grits of sandpaper in the past to regrain. A friend suggested I try scotch-brite pads. So, I tried them, worked OK but not as good as the sandpaper. I found out that there are different types of scotch-brite style pads. The one that is recommended is red or maroon in color, and made by 3M and sold for metal refinishing.
I got a couple red 3m sanding 'pads' (not like the sponges), and they worked great! Much better than the green ones!
+1 John...My spray painter gave me a pile of the 3M pads - grey and red ones. They work exceptionally well. Cheapest place to get them is from the Auto body repair shops.
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I use Green Scotchbrite pads - not as good as 360 or 180 Grit wet/dry - But I'm keen on these "pads" - So are they available at Supercheap auto or autobarn ?
^^^
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You'll be paying about 110% markup on them if you go to Autobarns or Supercheap.
Try 17 Inglewood Drv Thomastown. They sell them in the large size pads...
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Decals ordered today from IPB. :D
Their products are always great so cannot wait to see them in the flesh.
My delrin kit for Rudi arrived yesterday too. Kit was from Pinbits (great people to deal with too!).
I didn't know about Delrin until I read about it on HEP restos and did a bit of research. This is my backup set incase the nylon breaks (which it probably will) but the Delrins are the closest thing to unbreakable that is available.
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Headbox has been left with my paint contact to get matched. Will be ready next week. Thankfully the top of the backbox was in really good shape and the paint was (I think) as close to factory as you would get.
Metal work (regraining) most of the day. I stripped the wireform ramps this morning and put them into the dishwasher. I've done this before and didn't get very good results. Today - the dishwasher was having a clean (you know the finish bottles you put in it to clean it on full cycle) - so I thought what the heck I'd throw the ramps in too.
Came out very nice! Was thinking I'd have to get them rechromed but good as new.
The vents for the cab / backbox have been painted as well. Previously I've just grained them but they were beyond that so matt black.
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Paint arrived today. Is quite a close match.
Hopefully someone may be able to answer this - but is the top section of a FH decal (ie on top of the backbox)?
As I was sanding it - was exactly the same as a decal with white backing / glue and all?
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This article should answer your question, indirectly
http://www.flippers.be/pinball_cabinets.html (http://www.flippers.be/pinball_cabinets.html)
Depending on which vendor made your cabinet for WMS, it may have been screen printed on wood with a white vinyl covering.
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Thanks John, I think you're right about that!
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Headbox primed. Will sand (with 400grit this time) once its fully cured.
Ready for colour now :D
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Tomorrow should be colour spray if all goes to plan.
I've done a test spray on the piece which is at the very rear of the playfield (blue - same as cab). ALthough I've got nothing to compare it to (all other colours gone to dust now!), I'm quite happy with the colour.
The finish (for acrylic) came out very nice. I would love to clear it too but need to stay original.
Hard to get the photo to show the correct colour - is in dark room with bright flood light....Will take further pics tomorrow.
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I've seen many variations of blue on Funhouse, White Water, Whirlwind etc - that looks close enough to me. Will look gorgeous when done. I've even seen a few where the lower and upper cabinets were close, but didn't match perfectly.
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I've seen many variations of blue on Funhouse, White Water, Whirlwind etc - that looks close enough to me. Will look gorgeous when done. I've even seen a few where the lower and upper cabinets were close, but didn't match perfectly.
Thanks John, appreciate the support!. At least it will all be the same. My decals from IPB havn't arrived as yet so I really don't know if it will be close or not - but again doesn't really matter as its only the back of the machine that gets seen. Probably a bit overboard doing what I've done, but I see it as practice too.
My Black Hole I had my spray painter do which turned out really nice...If I can get anywhere near that I will be happy.
I need to get some more thinners tomorrow before I start...Temp is hot tomorrow so spraying outside is not an option, so basement it is...Lucky I've got a good P3 mask!
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Looking great Marty! You sure don't do your restos by half!!
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I've seen many variations of blue on Funhouse, White Water, Whirlwind etc - that looks close enough to me. Will look gorgeous when done. I've even seen a few where the lower and upper cabinets were close, but didn't match perfectly.
Thanks John, appreciate the support!. At least it will all be the same. My decals from IPB havn't arrived as yet so I really don't know if it will be close or not - but again doesn't really matter as its only the back of the machine that gets seen. Probably a bit overboard doing what I've done, but I see it as practice too.
My Black Hole I had my spray painter do which turned out really nice...If I can get anywhere near that I will be happy.
I need to get some more thinners tomorrow before I start...Temp is hot tomorrow so spraying outside is not an option, so basement it is...Lucky I've got a good P3 mask!
A mask thats just wasting good thinners *!@ @@*
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Paint done. :D
Due to the very hot weather / sun I sprayed it in my makeshift booth - boxed in room under the house...Was about 22c under there...Not the easiest conditions to spray a cabinet it - especially for a novice like me but the job is done and I'm 95% happy with it. I came out looking like a smurf - covered in blue paint...I was wearing a tyvek suit too (forgot the hood)...
These shots are it straight of the gun under the house - the white spots are just the dust particles in the flash...Will add some better photos later but will leave it overnight to set properly..
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Nice job - this thing is going to be spectacular when it is finished.
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Beautiful work marty, hopefully my backbox will come up looking that good when i'm done.
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Great Work Marty - You make it look "easy" !
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Looking good Marty you should have added a photo of you looking like a smurf lol *)*
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Looking good Marty you should have added a photo of you looking like a smurf lol *)*
Errrr NO! Blue hair, blue dust all over my face and blue hands....Wasn't fun.
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Looking good Marty you should have added a photo of you looking like a smurf lol *)*
Errrr NO! Blue hair, blue dust all over my face and blue hands....Wasn't fun.
LMFAO You would have looked hot no doupt just like a little smurfette <.>
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Couple more pics. I wasn't 100% happy with the finish on top of the headbox (like I'll see it all the time too...!) but I rubbed it back and gave it another hit of 4 coats this morning before it got hot. Much better result and I finished off the inside of the cab - complete with factory overspray on the floor (woops)...
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I also took the sprayed piece from the rear of the playfield and compared it to another Funhouse this morning. - Very happy with the colour match. $#$
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Still waiting for the Smurf self portrait.... :)
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+1 %.%
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Sorry guys, I hid the camera til I had cleaned up...Even the missus thought it was funny...
Anyway O.T
My Sys11 rails arrived today from Team Bop! (bestofpinball.de) My heart sank when I saw the box as it looked like an elephant had sat on it. Thankfully they had taped the rails to a length of timber and it prevented any damage...I was grateful as many commercial guys wont sell rails to overseas customers. ^^^
I never really thought about the Sys11 rails on a FH until I saw a HEP resto and compared to the flyer and I agree that they look 100% better. ITs not original, I accept that but I think it improves the overall appearance.
Flippers are done.
Decals should be here in a few days then the cabinet will be finished. I am planning to start the CC on my playfield maybe this weekend...But I'm still waiting for word on the release of the IPB FH playfields...
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Prototype and sample FH machines had the S11 style siderails.
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Bored with cleaning parts, so did a bit more on the playfield tonight. Treading into new territory for me here.
Clock inserts removed and old screen print removed. They are getting an overnight soak in nifty to get a good clean. Tomorrow night they will be glued and levelled. There is a two part locktite superglue I was looking to use? - unless anyone has suggestions? Also keen to hear tips on putting them back in (ie have the playfield upside down or correct side up when levelling them?
The plan is - inserts to go back in without decals on them. Playfield to be cleared by me this weekend (2k). Once 1st clear setup, light sand, touchups, decals, clear. Then repeat.
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Tomorrow night they will be glued and levelled. There is a two part locktite superglue I was looking to use? - unless anyone has suggestions? Also keen to hear tips on putting them back in (ie have the playfield upside down or correct side up when levelling them?
I have recently done this on my Gorgar and first used pretty fine wet and dry to level the inserts as they were quite bowed - one could easily see light through the gap when help against a flat surface. This sanding caused the inserts to loose a bit of height so they then sunk below the PF top surface level. To overcome this I put a tiny splob of silastic on a matchstick and then placed the matchstick on the insert ensuring the matchstick was really flat, close and aligned to the top surface of the insert. Use two matchstick for the bigger inserts and set aside to dry, insert on top of the matchstick. When you go to glue the insert in the overhang of the matchsticks provides a support on the top of the PF. When the insert to PF glue is dry you peel the matchstick off and are presented with an insert true and flat to the PF surface. Sorry it's a poor description, but not that hard. I will post a pic on my Gorgar resto thread.
The glue I used was superglue gel - was in hardware stores. Pretty cheap and a green cap from memory. I used it sparringly and ended up with a bit of a gap around the insert, it's enough to fill with wax when polishing. I read somewhere that this can be filled with normal superglue, but I haven't tried this yet.
Hope this helps.
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Marty, why not spray the full inside of the cabinet on the base and go for the fully finished look instead of the factory, not sprayed look. !@#
When i look inside all my pins, i hate that "minimum" approach the factory used. Or are u going for that factory look to keep it close to original?
The overall spray job u did looks absolutely amazing.The colour came up a treat.
Do u reckon u could post a "list" in point form of what u did. like a cheat sheet.
ie-
1. stripped cabinet.
2. sanded cabinet with xyz grit paper or orbital.
3.sprayed cabinet with XYX product.
4. sanded etc etc and so on.
The hardest part is to know what brand product to use/purchase.I cant wait to see the finished product.Unreal ^^^
What do ya think about the cheat sheet. I have got 3 projects i want to do. Lots of work. ^&^
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I've seen a few done like that (ie full spray down to the floor) and it was more a paint saving exercise than anything (same as factory I guess). I needed to save a bit for a mate. I probably went overboard spraying the sides to the level I did - even though they are covered by decals. Each time I do one I improve on my process - and learn things to do better the next time. Would I spray to the floor on next job- not sure. Once I've rebuilt my pins I hope not to have the bonnet up too much. &&
The decals are done and dusted, just waiting on some extra long leg bolts then I'll post some pics.
My process is as follows (or will be for next one):
1. Strip cabinet fully and remove old decals. I prefer the heat gun method, belt sander if all else fails. Ensure to bring it back to wood to remove glue.
2. Sand with 120grit (float sander), followed by 220grit (float sander).
3. Fill (builders bog) on dings. Key out any delaminated areas and repair same. Sand 220grit (float sander). The corners are the bits which need to be 100% to get a nice finish.
4. Fine fill repaired areas if needed. Sand 220grit on orbital.
5. Inspect under flood light along length of cab to look for missed areas requiring fill.
6. Prime with autobody acrylic (if using acrylic paints) primer / filler. Helps to fill grain. I used K&H (cheap brand, but worked fine).
7. Leave to cure fully for a few days - weather dependant. Acrylic tends to shrink.
8. Sand with 400grit on orbital.
9. Remove dust. Prepsol. Tack Rag.
10. Paint cab. I used Dulux acrylic which was paint matched to original.
11. Once paint cured (couple of days min) I inspected finish. Red scotchbright pad on areas where decal being applied to knockoff any high spots and to take any shine away to ensure good decal adhesion. Remove dust, tack rag then install decals.
All up I would estimate at least 25 hours into the cabinet decal / paint job. Crazy amount of work but the end product turned out OK so no complaints from me.
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Tomorrow night they will be glued and levelled. There is a two part locktite superglue I was looking to use? - unless anyone has suggestions? Also keen to hear tips on putting them back in (ie have the playfield upside down or correct side up when levelling them?
I have recently done this on my Gorgar and first used pretty fine wet and dry to level the inserts as they were quite bowed - one could easily see light through the gap when help against a flat surface. This sanding caused the inserts to loose a bit of height so they then sunk below the PF top surface level. To overcome this I put a tiny splob of silastic on a matchstick and then placed the matchstick on the insert ensuring the matchstick was really flat, close and aligned to the top surface of the insert. Use two matchstick for the bigger inserts and set aside to dry, insert on top of the matchstick. When you go to glue the insert in the overhang of the matchsticks provides a support on the top of the PF. When the insert to PF glue is dry you peel the matchstick off and are presented with an insert true and flat to the PF surface. Sorry it's a poor description, but not that hard. I will post a pic on my Gorgar resto thread.
The glue I used was superglue gel - was in hardware stores. Pretty cheap and a green cap from memory. I used it sparringly and ended up with a bit of a gap around the insert, it's enough to fill with wax when polishing. I read somewhere that this can be filled with normal superglue, but I haven't tried this yet.
Hope this helps.
I'll be finishing my inserts hopefully during the week. I like your method and I'll give it a go.
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More progress. Headbox is on and cabinet wiring completed. New power cord etc.
After checking all plugs 100% I powered up to ensure no resets like last time. Caps and BR work seems to have been good.
Solid 5v and CPU booted well. Defaulted to English and display is working 100%. Wrapped about that as is a big cost to replace. #*#
Coin door bolts were finished off this morning, just waiting to fully cure before installation. New door to go in and should look good.
I've got to order some 25mm double sided tape from the panel shop as the Sys11 rails are much wider and I want to ensure good adhesion. Photos to come on Tuesday!!
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Couple of pics of cabinet progress.
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Speechless !!
Well done Marty - Looks fantastic !
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That looks amazing marty, well done.
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Nice ^^^
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I can't help but notice the lamp board is still under the removed inserts - did you remove these while the lamp board was still installed? If so, I'm impressed!
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Hehe. Nope just screwed it back in. My two little furry helpers might get it confused with one of their toys if it hangs down and swings...
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Excellent Marty, want to do mine. &&
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Excellent Marty, want to do mine. &&
Thanks Dave,
Yours was pretty good, not sure how much it needs doing!
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Looking REAL nice mate.
Great attention to detail.
I may have a little surprise for you when you are done #@#
Working on something right now &&
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Looking REAL nice mate.
Great attention to detail.
I may have a little surprise for you when you are done #@#
Working on something right now &&
()
Cool. Looking forward to "it"....!
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Side rails on. Personally I prefer the Sys 11 rails as per the game flyer rather than the thinner WPC rails. Either way they're on now and staying!
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Outstanding !
^^^ ^^^
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Progress.
Big thanks to RTBB for getting the extra long bolts in for me. Anyone who uses the HD leg brackets these are a must!
Cabinet is now on legs and sitting how it should.
Playfield is coming back together nicely. Most underside components are bolted back on, every coil rebuilt, cleaned etc. Rudi back in, 100% rebuilt with a spare delrin set in case he breaks (will happen).
I had kept the playfield resto thread separate. I will see how this playfield sets up and if no clear issues then I'll use it... &&
No topside components to be bolted on for at least another 6 days. Playfield won't see a ball for at least 30 days ^.^
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Doesn't that look nice ^^^
Oh everytime I read your thred Marty it just makes me want my Funhouse to arrive!
Also how creepy do Rudy's eyes look sitting there without the head :lol
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He does look very freaky indeed!
I cannot wait to play it. I'm hitting well over 50 hours into this already, so I'm guessing maybe another 16 or so and it should be ready to play....It has the home ROM so Rudi should come alive a bit more too!
How long til yours arrives? Is it coming in as is or ready to roll? I know of at least one other which will get a resto thread on here within 12 months at least!
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Mine doesn't arrive until March....I have placed an order for 5 games, Funhouse being one of them.
So have given Michael 4 months to get all 5 games up and running sweet *)*
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Oh Man - that is making me want to get a new playfield so badly *)*
Looking really nice mate.
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Everytime I look at one of these resto threads I want to rush out and buy the machine...... If only money was no object.... !!! !!!
Funhouse added to my want list now.......
Good work..............
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Oh Man - that is making me want to get a new playfield so badly *)*
Looking really nice mate.
Marco's has the new playfields listed already. I believe IPB will have them ready for those on the list soon!
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Oh Man - that is making me want to get a new playfield so badly *)*
Looking really nice mate.
Marco's has the new playfields listed already. I believe IPB will have them ready for those on the list soon!
What is a new playfield worth to buy?
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Oh Man - that is making me want to get a new playfield so badly *)*
Looking really nice mate.
Marco's has the new playfields listed already. I believe IPB will have them ready for those on the list soon!
What is a new playfield worth to buy?
You dont want to know tony @.@
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Not cheap. Marco's has them for $995.00US+delivery. IPB prices not sure yet. Maybe check with MarkC to see if he's bringing any back.
With the dollar still being high its better than when its at $.68c.....
I was expecting around the $1000AUD landed or thereabouts.
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For a $1000 Marty id be using your one for sure looks like a new one to me ^^^
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For a $1000 Marty id be using your one for sure looks like a new one to me ^^^
Not sure yet...If it sets ok and there is no issues around inserts etc then most likely I will. Don't really have the spare cash ATM but you know, pins always come first!
I'd still like a WH20 and even a roughy would do - I'll give clear coating the playfield another run!
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New targets installed (old ones were shot).
Bumper plastics just sitting there for looks ATM...Rudi was freaking me out, so his face had to go back on...!
Wifey has decided she wants blue flipper rubbers. I don't mind them and I can't say the red suits the game.
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PM me your address, I've got a neat surprise for your FH!
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PM sent!
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Look at the shine on that playfield !!
$#$
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The blue flipper rubbers look the part. Nice piece of detailing.
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Playfield back in the cabinet and all hole through components done.
Ramps & plastics to go then its all done!
The clear seems to have set up nicely and no signs of separation etc..but I'll have to keep an eye on it for a little while. Its certainly rock hard now.
All G.I 100% straight off the bat as well as all switches 100% #*#. Thats a first for me!
Couple of pics..
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Very nice mate - looks professional for your first attempt !
$#$
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Very very nice marty
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Well marty that looks sweet i dont usually condone violence but if you spend a grand to replace that im going to have to hit you.. Well done mate thats brilliant and a million times better than it was ^^^
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Looking great Marty !
Nice work.. ^^^
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Thanks guys!
Will post some pics of it complete soon...I spoke to soon and I'm missing 20v so no flashers!...
Easy fix.
I agree Daniel - The playfield has come up all right, so as long as it doesn't turn to sh*t I'll keep it. I will use the money I've saved towards a new project.
Overall - This has been probably one of my cheapest rebuilds! (apart from a few hundred RTBB orders!)
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Looking good - nice to have a 'cheap' restoration this time!
So what's in the queue?
And do you still play the Black Hole much?
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Looking good - nice to have a 'cheap' restoration this time!
So what's in the queue?
And do you still play the Black Hole much?
Hehe, the old spend-ometer was kept under check this time....
All the games get a good work out...Probably not as much when I've got a project underway but they will now once I've done cleaning my pinball parts from the pool room, the lounge room, the dining room and the kitchen table....Oh and the computer room too!
Black Hole seems to be the hardest out of all, so it keeps the challenge up.
Next...Not sure...Probably before xmas isn't the best time to buy so I'm keen for a WH20 (or maybe Flintstones) depending on price....I'll be keeping my eyes open everywhere!
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Completed.
Some before and after shots.
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More
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The above shot gives a good side by side comparison for the Sys11 rails on this game. If I was to do another, I'd be spending the $$ to import another set without question.
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Fin.
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Marty,
That is farkin awesome............ What a difference ........... GREAT JOB MATEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#*# #*# #*# #*# #*# #*#
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I love it Marty - TOP JOB !
$#$ $#$
Does it give you confidence to do another Clearcoat ?
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I love it Marty - TOP JOB !
$#$ $#$
Does it give you confidence to do another Clearcoat ?
Definately. A couple of issues which arose at the start and !!!. But with some words of wisdom from my spraypainter (and initial advice from Savage on AA) it was nothing too dramatic.
I'm keen to grab another playfield as practice but like everything its all in the prep.
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So now that it is finished, when are you allowed to play it (clearcoat curing time)?
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So now that it is finished, when are you allowed to play it (clearcoat curing time)?
Its been 8 days now since last coat went down. According to the spec sheets for the clear I've used, its hardened and should be cured. You can tell when its not as was still slightly soft and I suspect from factory (like on HS2) small groves in the clear were from the factory guys tightening stuff down on fresh clear.
IPB & CPR recommend at least 30 days until a ball hits it to be safe. I will give it around another week then it should be safe. Being 2k - its a chemical reaction which hardens it and doesn't have chemicals to evaporate (like acryllic) to finalise the process.
I don't know what the pro's use - perhaps a 2k with a slow hardener - which gives it more time to flatten out?
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Looks real nice. Enjoy it.
I still need to send you something, I have your address, I'll get it out soon.
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great job mate, looks fantastic ^^^
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Well, today was the first day of solid game play after the clear has had time to cure.
Man, what an awesome game to play. Its pretty much gone to the top of my list and its a keeper. Great design and very challenging game play. It plays super super fast on the clear too!
So far so good. Everything around the inserts seems to be fine and no issues.
I can now fully understand why so many people love this game and why its not such an easy pin to find for sale.
Now the hunt begins for my next project.....
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That reminds me, we were planning on some NE suburbs mini-meets for 2010, weren't we?
Once the EBD is 100% I can host one.
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That's just beautiful mate, beautiful!!
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THanks mate. BIG thankyou for Nick supplying me with a single playfield plastic which was broken on mine! Made a perfect addition.
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You got your work cut out for you on this one.
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THanks mate. BIG thankyou for Nick supplying me with a single playfield plastic which was broken on mine! Made a perfect addition.
My pleasure mate. That plastic came from a bunch of plastics a collector in the US sent me after he sold his FH, so only fair I move them out to others who need 'em.
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This was a great read!! I'm stripping my Funhouse at the moment, great to see such a perfect end product. Really great job man!
el_timbo
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Thanks El_Timbo!
You should post some pics! - Everyone loves those threads!
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well done mate
looks a little diff from when we unloaded out of the container ....
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well done mate
looks a little diff from when we unloaded out of the container ....
Thanks Mark! It was a good solid machine to start with - which makes it easier.
Now I just need another pin to restore to keep me busy for next few months.
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well done mate
looks a little diff from when we unloaded out of the container ....
Thanks Mark! It was a good solid machine to start with - which makes it easier.
Now I just need another pin to restore to keep me busy for next few months.
the other one came up nice too and is in its new home already too
another pin ....
check out the one we have arriving in the next week , will do a list this week