My Flash ready for a spring clean

[Freiherr]

Some more photos.

The first one shows a nice clean power cord and shiny legs. I used Nu-Clean car polish and plastic scourer on both.

The next photo shows a cleaner inside and coin box. I removed the powdery deposit on the coinbox by using a plastic scourer and white vinegar, very easy to clean with a good result when compared to a photo I posted earlier. The original 'Double Shute" sticker was copied and edited to remove the age and enhance the colouring.

The third photo shows the under playfield and inside cabinet clean. I used a damp plastic scourer and damp chux to clean inside the box. The masonite base came up good as it was very dark with dust accumulated over 30 years. The cleaning process with damp scourer sponge removed all the dirt and I changed 4 buckets of water as it was almost black. The masonite was damp for about 30 minutes and dried OK.

The last photo shows example of original labels inside the box whch I am contacting to preserve and keep everything authentic. This particular label had masking tape over the word "cabinets" and you can see how the label is discoloured.

I hope to get my replacement ROM soon from the state so that I can awaken my Flash from a 30 year slumber and get to play a nicely shopped machine. Next on the agenda is the backglass touch up and preserve.

[Strangeways]

Could also be the intconnectors causing the issue. If you get impatient, try removing the driver board and re seating !

[Freiherr]

Could also be the intconnectors causing the issue. If you get impatient, try removing the driver board and re seating !

Yes that is a common Sys4 problem. The ROM still needs changing due to 2 bad pins but I will also look at the 40 pin connectors. Thanks for your advice.

[pinoffski]

This is one off the best Flash pinball's on this planet .....

Just my opinion .....

[Freiherr]

This is one off the best Flash pinball's on this planet .....

Just my opinion .....

Thanks mate, but like I said earlier, this Flash had a very easy life and is a perfect starter for a revive rather than a full restore. Many Flash were thrashed to death over time except for ones in private collection. I admire guys like Mitch (mildflame) who are bringing these machines literally back from the dead. Having said all that, I must say that these things are a labour of love and take a hell of a lot of time to bring back to pristine condition. When you see a "fully shopped" pinball for sale on the internet,  you can bet on spending additional countless hours on minor touch-ups that are eye-sores close up but not so bad from a distance. The end result of getting the machine close to mint is one of life's best rewards.

[Freiherr]

The cabinet of my Flash is in good nick but one eyesore close up is the left hand side of the backbox where I presume a painter in the arcade sneezed   and created the Milky Way effect on the planetary scene. I could have redone the backbox but decided to keep it original and patiently remove the galactic star constelations.
This could not be wiped off because the original paint would dull in the process. Covering the dots was also out of the question because at some angles you would see black dots over the black background so I decided to carefully scrape off the paint dots. I gently used the edge of a sharp razor making sure not to scratch or dent the timber. Took a good 3 hours but it is coming up good. A final wipe with Novus 1 has given the backbox a good original look.

[Freiherr]

After searching the web for a few days I finally found the wording for the Warning sticker. This was standard for all early SS Williams.
The font is not exact but near enough. The original sticker is shown (what's left of it).
It's only a small thing but I like to keep all labels and stickers if possible.

[DSB]

This machine looks great. What product do you plan to make the stickers out of. I have to make some myself and have been looking around for different products and whether to print them myself.

[Freiherr]

This machine looks great. What product do you plan to make the stickers out of. I have to make some myself and have been looking around for different products and whether to print them myself.

I have been using Kodak matt presentation paper on an inkjet printer set on high quality. Standard paper is no good as it looks too washed out and photo paper is too shiny. The printout was fixed to the cabinet with contact.

[goodolddays]

The cabinet of my Flash is in good nick but one eyesore close up is the left hand side of the backbox where I presume a painter in the arcade sneezed   and created the Milky Way effect on the planetary scene. I could have redone the backbox but decided to keep it original and patiently remove the galactic star constelations.
This could not be wiped off because the original paint would dull in the process. Covering the dots was also out of the question because at some angles you would see black dots over the black background so I decided to carefully scrape off the paint dots. I gently used the edge of a sharp razor making sure not to scratch or dent the timber. Took a good 3 hours but it is coming up good. A final wipe with Novus 1 has given the backbox a good original look.

Now THAT is dedication for sure ! But the results do look worth the amazing effort . 

[DSB]

I have been using Kodak matt presentation paper on an inkjet printer set on high quality. Standard paper is no good as it looks too washed out and photo paper is too shiny

Thanks! Another idea to consider.

[Freiherr]

I have been using Kodak matt presentation paper on an inkjet printer set on high quality. Standard paper is no good as it looks too washed out and photo paper is too shiny

Thanks! Another idea to consider.

What I forgot to mention also is that the presentation paper is 120 microns compared to 80 microns for standard paper. It is the same thickness as the original Williams label. The mistake that they made at Williams was that they had a glue backing which cracked over time and turned the label to dust. They used 4 heavy duty staples on each corner as well which would have been sufficient without any glue and the label would have survived. I have labels inside the box which have no glue and they are almost like new.

[Freiherr]

This is one off the best Flash pinball's on this planet .....

Just my opinion .....

Not quite. I have just seen this new listing from Kansas. This is the best I have ever seen and is truly best described as "mint". It will be interesting to see what it goes for.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1979-FLASH-Williams-Pinball-Machine-Home-Use-Only-Beautiful-Condition-/331035067112?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d133a42e8

[Freiherr]

This is one off the best Flash pinball's on this planet .....

Just my opinion .....

Not quite. I have just seen this new listing from Kansas. This is the best I have ever seen and is truly best described as "mint". It will be interesting to see what it goes for.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1979-FLASH-Williams-Pinball-Machine-Home-Use-Only-Beautiful-Condition-/331035067112?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d133a42e8

Actually on a closer look at the ebay photos tonight,  the Flash on offer looks like a restore. The cabinet stencil was wrong in parts, the inside of the backbox was redone the backglass is no doubt a reproduction just to name a few.

[Freiherr]

Could also be the intconnectors causing the issue. If you get impatient, try removing the driver board and re seating !

Interconnectors all look good and I tried a new ROM on IC17 and still no boot. The two red leds stay on when machine is powered up. I will check the header pins on the boards for any microscopic cracks. You never know what temperature and humidity changes have done over 35 years.