The Aussie Pinball Arcade

Aussie Pinball Forums => Restorations => Topic started by: swampy76 on February 05, 2010, 07:46:49 PM

Title: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 05, 2010, 07:46:49 PM
It begins. A mate and I are starting a weekend cabinet re-decal job.......

Front end has been pulled apart, and tomorrow we will get stuck into it. Question. Do people generally pull playfields our completely to do this job? I've seen the youtube video of the guys in NZ and they take the PF out but leave it connected. best course of action?

Any other hot tips or 'gotchas' are welcome. And EB, are you able to pop over or has your leave been rejected??    :lol

Photos to follow......
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: MartyJ on February 05, 2010, 07:58:55 PM
Each time I've done one I have fully removed the playfield, all boards and looms.  Although it sounds like a lot of work, its not.
The process I usually follow is this:


I would usually spend a minimum of 20 hours to do the job.  With new decals they show every bump, nick and imperfection so its worth the time to spend as much as possible on the preparation.
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Extra Ball on February 05, 2010, 08:23:05 PM
Dave I just tossed the idea around, and it didnt look promising lol
Dont forget the plastics! Hope the redecaling goes well, am sure it will with Julien on hand.
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Strangeways on February 05, 2010, 08:58:31 PM

Great rundown on your method, Marty  ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Caveoftreasures on February 05, 2010, 11:22:01 PM
yes, well said Marty. definately agree with full removal.
just take ya time. good to mark the plugs which go back on the main boards so u dont blow things up if you put a plug back on the wrong place.

heaps of photos and even a decent video of everything before you pull it apart helps heaps.

p.s- dont use goo-off or some other stuff on the cabinet, cause later it will leach back out of the wood and the new decals will start falling off.
heat gun and straight edge hand tool plus lots n lots of sanding. I just pay someone. thats easier for me. lol  ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: johnwartjr on February 06, 2010, 02:12:20 AM
This is not somewhere that you want to cut corners as you can imagine. Another 10 hours of work is better than years of regret.

I'm not saying it's not possible to do the job in a weekend, but I doubt I could!
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Extra Ball on February 06, 2010, 10:09:08 AM
This guy does a sweet job, and he doesnt stuff around.

Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 07, 2010, 10:40:23 AM
UPDATE:

Got well and truly stuck into it yesterday. The PF is out, the backbox is out and has been redecaled after a sand back and tidy up.

I spent about two hours removing the old cabinet art with the heat gun (a time consuming process).

Cabinet is back to the bare timber and is ready for sanding/prepping.

Photos:
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 07, 2010, 10:46:20 AM
More photos:
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: ajlaird on February 07, 2010, 10:51:38 AM
Looking forward to the final result! Where did you source the decals?
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 07, 2010, 11:42:15 AM
Looking forward to the final result! Where did you source the decals?

Decals are from IPB in the states. Good quality screen printed ones. And I believe they are the only company who have the official licence to reproduce them? Anyone want to correct me?
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Extra Ball on February 07, 2010, 12:07:36 PM
very nice, looking fwd to seeing end result
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Caveoftreasures on February 09, 2010, 11:49:46 PM
Looking forward to the final result! Where did you source the decals?

Decals are from IPB in the states. Good quality screen printed ones. And I believe they are the only company who have the official licence to reproduce them? Anyone want to correct me?


I bought a licence to reproduce them. I got mine from a kellogs corn flakes box as well. lol  ^^^

p.s- cabinet art looks good. keep the photos coming.  ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: MrMaloo on February 10, 2010, 05:45:21 PM
Looking like it's coming up nice swampy . Be great to see the final product . Amazing just how faded the sides were when you look at where the side rails used to be .
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:12:04 PM
UPDATE:

Well after a few hours in shed this evening we’ve smashed out a heap of progress. The new cab art is on!!!!

We sanded back the sides and repaired the timber where required. We also painted the inside of the cab sides in flat black (makes a huge difference doing these little ‘one percenters’. After that the new art went on. It was actually pretty easy to do (with two people). Took our time to avoid air bubbles. We then trimmed the sides and used a black marker to tidy up. We then cut the holes for the bolts and flipper buttons.

After that new side rails went in followed by new black glass trim. We finished up by reconnecting all of the PF wiring and then dropping the PF back in.

Check out the pics in the next post. Looks awesome!! A couple more hours of reassembly before I can admire the finished product. Thanks to Jules for the help.

Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:13:01 PM
PICS:
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:14:48 PM
More
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:16:57 PM
More
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:18:51 PM
And more:
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:21:03 PM
And more
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 10, 2010, 11:22:19 PM
Last one.
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: ajlaird on February 10, 2010, 11:23:19 PM
Really does give it a lift - awesome job!
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: MrMaloo on February 11, 2010, 12:08:03 AM
Well done mate . Looks spectacular ..  #*#

Oh and nice modelling job of the harness Jules !!  %.%
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Pinball on February 11, 2010, 12:39:51 AM
What a difference a new set of decals makes - very nice
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Caveoftreasures on February 11, 2010, 09:38:00 AM
congratulations on a fine job. looks beautiful.
I am currently getting my fishtales done as well, but i paid a bloke cause i am too busy with work.
FISHTALES looks absolutely amazing once redecalled.

thanks for the photos. what machine are u doing next ?  !@#
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: johnwartjr on February 11, 2010, 09:41:20 AM
Looks great.

Half an hour with some 80 grit on a sander would make the bottom of the cab look as spectacular as the rest of it!

Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: MartyJ on February 11, 2010, 10:10:01 AM
Good work.  Looks very good.  Is the HS2 next?!
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Wotto on February 11, 2010, 11:05:01 AM
Nice to see another badly faded FT restored with these incredibly colourful replacement decals.
Congrats on this job – it’s a large task that you just undertook , but now you can see it is WELL worth the effort ^^^

I also had the Mrs make some black pinball covers for all my games after they were re-decalled to stop any UV light getting to them.
Now you need to get that game chock full of LED’s  *)*
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: madness on February 11, 2010, 05:21:16 PM
Nice, Very Niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, @@*

Now i got 2 here that need doing.When you and Julien coming to do em :lol :lol :lol
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Jules on February 11, 2010, 09:23:59 PM
Well, I'm very happy with it, great fun to do as well. ^&^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Strangeways on February 11, 2010, 10:12:17 PM

Decals really make this game look 100% better - Best part is that you guys look like you enjoyed yourself doing it  ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 11, 2010, 10:46:08 PM

Decals really make this game look 100% better - Best part is that you guys look like you enjoyed yourself doing it  ^^^

Yeah it was enjoyable, plus it's a good excuse for a few cold ones (just not when you're applying the new art......)  We will hopefully have the finished product tomorrow night, complete a new set of legs.  &&

I will post more pics after she's all back together.
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Extra Ball on February 12, 2010, 08:30:24 AM
Maybe you guys could team-up and do my FT sometime  &&
Looks awesome, yas have done a terrific job!
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 13, 2010, 03:29:41 PM
Righto guys here she is.....the finished product. We knocked over the last of the reconstruction last night.

And what can I say? She looks a million dollars now. I can't believe how much improvement it gives the machine. Happy to just go out to the shed and look at it these days!!!!!

Thanks again to Jules, IPB, Mad amusements and markc.

Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 13, 2010, 03:31:16 PM
More
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 13, 2010, 03:33:26 PM
And more
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: swampy76 on February 13, 2010, 03:36:03 PM
Before and after. What a difference!!!!   :D
 
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: MartyJ on February 13, 2010, 05:09:24 PM
Great work well done.  The HS2 should be even easier for you now!
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Caveoftreasures on February 13, 2010, 05:29:34 PM
when u watch the Official Williams Fishtales pinball promo video, the 4 x machines all lined up at the wharf all have factory silver legs, BUT when you watch the other part of the pinball promo video, the actual machine they are doing the playfield talk about has factory black painted/powder coated legs.  !@#

I have seen both versions and i feel the silver looks better in real life.

the factory fishing rod handle (ball shooter) is supposed to be factory black, but the way u have left your silver looks good as well.

a job well done.  ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Extra Ball on February 13, 2010, 06:05:00 PM
sweet!
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: Strangeways on February 14, 2010, 10:44:42 AM

Awesome - Made a "world" of difference

 ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan on April 06, 2010, 06:07:28 PM
Looks Awesome, makes me wanna do my FT.  See Wayne has the decals might have to invest and get it done.   ^^^
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: bigdaddy on April 06, 2010, 09:21:46 PM
Noice! Who want sto go fish'n when you have one of these. #*#
Title: Re: FT cabinet art replacement
Post by: markc on April 06, 2010, 09:40:38 PM


well done mate

the decals make a big difference
great job



markc