Stern Dracula restore; PART 2

[Mr Pinbologist]

Display repair: I had one dodgey display that needed a new glass. I ordered a couple of glasses that arrived on Friday (yesterday), so I got stuck into replacing the glass.

1st pic shows the display in question. 2nd pic, the new and old glass on the bench. I desoldered the old glass and fitted the new one then tested the display on my test jig. The display function lets me test all of the inputs to the display. It advances the digits 0 thru 9, and I have switches for the latch, strobe and blanking inputs so I can fully test the display.

Hard to believe that this is the same machine fantastic job
Where did you buy the new display glasses from and were they expensive ?
I have four that either need repairing or replacing.
Cheers

I bought the display glasses (i got two, but only needed one for this game) from Bumper Action and they were $80 each. i dont know if they can be bought cheaper anywhere else as i havent really looked... But their service is great i think.. ordered them Wednesday arvo and had them Friday morning!! so i tend not to worry too much about price if i can get parts that quick!!

[Mr Pinbologist]

And are you going to spill the beans on your test rig? Or is that a trade secret?

Trade secret... lol just kidding.

Theres nothing brilliant about it really, anyone with some electronic know how could knock something similar up quite easily. i built and added onto that over a period of about a month, adding on extra functions over that time. Unfortunately there are no schematics for it but it wouldnt take much for me to work out exactly what i did to build it and draw some up. The most tedious part of building it was wiring all of those LEDs and connectors.. 

[MartyJ]

Great result.  Great looking pin.

I do like your test bench.  I've found over my last couple of rebuilds / repairs having correct and quality tools makes life so much easier.

[Strangeways]

 

That's an absolutely "jaw dropping" restore, Mitch. One question ? Did you use ORIGINAL staples for the cards in the head ? (Just joking  )

Great job mate - and like the others - I'd LOVE to see a schematic of your test rig. That would come in very handy.

[Mr Pinbologist]

Ta very much everyone for your great comments! 

I just have to do something about the backglass, it looks ok unlit but has quite a few cracks in the ink. Some of it will touch up fine i think, but a lot of the damage is in the lit areas unfortunately. I might post some pics later on of the game before and after and maybe a few detail shots if anyone would like to see more. Also if i can make the backglass look "decent", i'll post some details and pics here at a later date.

As for the board test rig i'll have to sit down and draw out the schematics. I used mostly stuff i had in hand, the only thing i bought was the LEDs, and made my own circuit boards.  I might even do a thread later on detailing what went into building it! its kind of a work in progress as i still want to add more functions onto it as i need them.

[ajlaird]

As for the board test rig i'll have to sit down and draw out the schematics. I used mostly stuff i had in hand, the only thing i bought was the LEDs, and made my own circuit boards.  I might even do a thread later on detailing what went into building it! its kind of a work in progress as i still want to add more functions onto it as i need them.

Could work it out myself, I guess, but if someone has already done it I prefer to use their work.

[Mr Pinbologist]

just thought id add a few more pics..

1st and 2nd BEFORE and AFTER respectively..

[ddstoys]

Thats a fantastic Job all round love the legs and door
 

[Mr Pinbologist]

a few playfield detail shots with, and without the flash

[Mr Pinbologist]

these pics with the light and flash off show up just how bad the backglass really is.

this, for me is the biggest disappointment with the whole game.

[Strangeways]

Yes - it took the later pictures for me to see the backglass problems. But it does not spoil the rest of the game.

You have "lifted the bar" on this one, Mitch !

 

[jyebow]

Fantastic work Mitch. Great to see the Drac restored. Well done.
How do you reckon some silicon globe covers would go to soften the lamps behind the "cracks" in the backglass.
I bought some from autobahn as 2 of my backglasses have cracks in the paint & it stopped that "piercing" glow of the lamps filament through the missing colour on the backglass.
just a thought.
Hey I still can't get over the transformation of your Dracula, as you know I did see & play that pin before you bought it & the resto is unreal!
Congrats
Steve.

[Mr Pinbologist]

Well i've racked up a fair few games on this machine now and its working great apart from a few minor switch problems, ie some drop target switches not registering sometimes. Have tried cleaning the switches but still they play up a bit so i'll be replacing ALL of the drop target switches soon as the new ones arrive.

Also on its way is a can of Krylon Triple Thick for the backglass, so i can get a start on restoring this glass. I'll be taking progress pics of this work as well and posting some results on here if all goes well. i'll be taking my time with it, i may well only end up doing the "unlit" sections that are missing ink (there are several spots like that) and leaving it at that, and not bothering with the lit up sections.. i'll just have to wait and see...

[SPURR]

Mitch another plan of attack for the backglass, before any triple thick is sprayed on. Scrap of the red lettering on DRACULA and air brush it red I did this with my Gorgar and looks great. Any full coloured damaged sections on the BG air brush them first.

[joydivision]

Well i've racked up a fair few games on this machine now and its working great apart from a few minor switch problems, ie some drop target switches not registering sometimes. Have tried cleaning the switches but still they play up a bit so i'll be replacing ALL of the drop target switches soon as the new ones arrive.

Also on its way is a can of Krylon Triple Thick for the backglass, so i can get a start on restoring this glass. I'll be taking progress pics of this work as well and posting some results on here if all goes well. i'll be taking my time with it, i may well only end up doing the "unlit" sections that are missing ink (there are several spots like that) and leaving it at that, and not bothering with the lit up sections.. i'll just have to wait and see...

I had the exact same problems with the drop targets on a Dracula I had. Upper drop targets not registering (sometimes) and registering twice as well at times.

 I added .47mf ceramic capacitors to all the drop target switches and that fixed them 100%. This should work as the switches themselves when cleaned should be fine. So I have added caps to all switches an all my games and targets all register 100% every time.

Not sure if this is common knowelege for those who own or have played a Dracula , there is a trick (cheat) shot, where when you have specials of extra ball lit in the return lanes and you capture the ball, then shoot the ball right at the end of the flipper at the last split second before the ball rolls down the guts off the flipper , and the ball crosses over to the other return lane and up to collect extra ball or special, downside is every now and then it would roll down the guts!