Creature From the Black Lagoon of decay

[Retropin]

The KBS isn't thin enough and so any trapped air wont rise up through the coat and leave a smooth surface. My guess is that you used a roller?

[oldskool1969]

  thats some good advice for anyone using this product!

[robm]

The KBS isn't thin enough and so any trapped air wont rise up through the coat and leave a smooth surface. My guess is that you used a roller?

Yep. Although for the 2nd coat i used a fine brush thingy call a shur line from bunnings. Not sure if this is better? Would you suggest brushing over rolling?

I have basic spray gear i use for painting the cabs, just not sure i have the confidence with clear and spraying! If i did, what size tip would you recommend?

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[Strangeways]

The KBS isn't thin enough and so any trapped air wont rise up through the coat and leave a smooth surface. My guess is that you used a roller?

Yep. Although for the 2nd coat i used a fine brush thingy call a shur line from bunnings. Not sure if this is better? Would you suggest brushing over rolling?

I have basic spray gear i use for painting the cabs, just not sure i have the confidence with clear and spraying! If i did, what size tip would you recommend?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Rob, just my 

Your workmanship is at a professional level. There are some aspects of High End Restos that you need to consider passing on to professionals. I arrived at this conclusion 4-5 years ago, that no matter if you are a home professional or in the industry, there are simply some things that no matter how hard to try, you can't achieve a playfield that will match the hard work around it.

I don't even blink at the idea of sending a playfield to HRP for restoration. No one in the industry is even in the same galaxy. I'm no expert, but that playfield needs have areas sanded back as the factory clear appears to have burn marks from the globes over time. You don't just clear over it. Your climate is unsuitable unless you have a booth.

The expense of having a playfield cleared is in stripping and re populating. You have done the hard work. There is this stigmata that playfield restorations cost millions of dollars. Trust me, you would be shocked at the price VS finished results.

I've been painting cabinets for 15 years, and I'm still learning, but playfield restoration on these playfields is something I've attempted in small doses, but I've always been concerned about 5 - 10 years from now. Will it hold up ?

Home restorers can use what they like when they like, but your games are right up there with the best. If you need a playfield box, I'll give you one. Shipping is dead easy.

[robm]

The KBS isn't thin enough and so any trapped air wont rise up through the coat and leave a smooth surface. My guess is that you used a roller?

Yep. Although for the 2nd coat i used a fine brush thingy call a shur line from bunnings. Not sure if this is better? Would you suggest brushing over rolling?

I have basic spray gear i use for painting the cabs, just not sure i have the confidence with clear and spraying! If i did, what size tip would you recommend?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Rob, just my 

Your workmanship is at a professional level. There are some aspects of High End Restos that you need to consider passing on to professionals. I arrived at this conclusion 4-5 years ago, that no matter if you are a home professional or in the industry, there are simply some things that no matter how hard to try, you can't achieve a playfield that will match the hard work around it.

I don't even blink at the idea of sending a playfield to HRP for restoration. No one in the industry is even in the same galaxy. I'm no expert, but that playfield needs have areas sanded back as the factory clear appears to have burn marks from the globes over time. You don't just clear over it. Your climate is unsuitable unless you have a booth.

The expense of having a playfield cleared is in stripping and re populating. You have done the hard work. There is this stigmata that playfield restorations cost millions of dollars. Trust me, you would be shocked at the price VS finished results.

I've been painting cabinets for 15 years, and I'm still learning, but playfield restoration on these playfields is something I've attempted in small doses, but I've always been concerned about 5 - 10 years from now. Will it hold up ?

Home restorers can use what they like when they like, but your games are right up there with the best. If you need a playfield box, I'll give you one. Shipping is dead easy.

Thanks Nino, appreciate the feedback.  Its probably the stubborn part of me that just wants to be able to do everything myself, to not only learn some new skills, but also for personal satisfaction in something that i have done myself.

Agree wholeheartedly about your comments that the price of clearing, while it costs something, is not overly cost prohibitive.  And that the stripping is the time consuming part. I guess the positive out of all this, is it gives me plenty of time to muck around with all the mechanisms, ramps and wiring harness to really tidy them up.  Box for playfield is all sorted - was actually quite fun building that out of some thin ply with our 6 year old son!

[turbo27]

Hey, Rob, reckon you could add a picture of your playfield box, ive possibility got 2 playfields in the queue that might warrant a HRP treatment.
Cheers 

[robm]

Hey, Rob, reckon you could add a picture of your playfield box, ive possibility got 2 playfields in the queue that might warrant a HRP treatment.
Cheers 

I don't have a pic sorry mate, and its already sent. I basically used 3mm ply for top and bottom - cut oversize by 20mm or so, in order to wrap the playfields, and some 16mm mdf for the sides, cut it about 70mm high, then just screwed the bottom to the sides, wrapped the playfields up, put them in the box, then screwed the top down to the sides.

[Retropin]

The KBS isn't thin enough and so any trapped air wont rise up through the coat and leave a smooth surface. My guess is that you used a roller?

Yep. Although for the 2nd coat i used a fine brush thingy call a shur line from bunnings. Not sure if this is better? Would you suggest brushing over rolling?

I have basic spray gear i use for painting the cabs, just not sure i have the confidence with clear and spraying! If i did, what size tip would you recommend?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Believe me.. KBS is much easier to use through a spray gun. Tip I have in my gun is 1.8mm.
Humidity wont be such an issue with KBS as it is slow curing ( same as a polyurethane). Humidity is an issue with clear coats because the clear starts to set with air borne moisture trapped inside it.. not so with KBS.
I thin mine down 50/50 and will do 4 or 5 passes with the gun. It is self leveling and so will roll towards a lower edge etc. Use a spirit level to make sure the PF is dead straight.
NEVER.. I mean NEVER!!! Use a roller.. the amount of air that rollers push into a substance is huge. Those little foam rollers that are used for a smooth coat can work but it is risky.
Ive seen results with a paint brush and its mirror like.. but if the KBS isn't thin enough then it cannot self level and will trap air etc.
Go have another crack at it.. bottom line is that I don't think you can have it too thin, only too thick

[Strangeways]

The KBS isn't thin enough and so any trapped air wont rise up through the coat and leave a smooth surface. My guess is that you used a roller?

Yep. Although for the 2nd coat i used a fine brush thingy call a shur line from bunnings. Not sure if this is better? Would you suggest brushing over rolling?

I have basic spray gear i use for painting the cabs, just not sure i have the confidence with clear and spraying! If i did, what size tip would you recommend?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Rob, just my 

Your workmanship is at a professional level. There are some aspects of High End Restos that you need to consider passing on to professionals. I arrived at this conclusion 4-5 years ago, that no matter if you are a home professional or in the industry, there are simply some things that no matter how hard to try, you can't achieve a playfield that will match the hard work around it.

I don't even blink at the idea of sending a playfield to HRP for restoration. No one in the industry is even in the same galaxy. I'm no expert, but that playfield needs have areas sanded back as the factory clear appears to have burn marks from the globes over time. You don't just clear over it. Your climate is unsuitable unless you have a booth.

The expense of having a playfield cleared is in stripping and re populating. You have done the hard work. There is this stigmata that playfield restorations cost millions of dollars. Trust me, you would be shocked at the price VS finished results.

I've been painting cabinets for 15 years, and I'm still learning, but playfield restoration on these playfields is something I've attempted in small doses, but I've always been concerned about 5 - 10 years from now. Will it hold up ?

Home restorers can use what they like when they like, but your games are right up there with the best. If you need a playfield box, I'll give you one. Shipping is dead easy.

Thanks Nino, appreciate the feedback.  Its probably the stubborn part of me that just wants to be able to do everything myself, to not only learn some new skills, but also for personal satisfaction in something that i have done myself.

Agree wholeheartedly about your comments that the price of clearing, while it costs something, is not overly cost prohibitive.  And that the stripping is the time consuming part. I guess the positive out of all this, is it gives me plenty of time to muck around with all the mechanisms, ramps and wiring harness to really tidy them up.  Box for playfield is all sorted - was actually quite fun building that out of some thin ply with our 6 year old son!

I know EXACTLY what you mean regarding being Stubborn - I'm exactly the same. But what convinced me to leave clearcoating to the professionals is that I know the work "I" do will last 10 years. The only unknown is the clearcoat. I used a varnish on the "Aces High" - 5 years ago. I can't bring myself to sell it as I want to see how the varnish holds up. It is fine, but I just don't want that call in the future "The clear is flaking" or something similar. I found that working with Tim and Stu, I have absolute confidence in guaranteeing THEIR work on APR playfields is 100%. Even my other clearcoat guy is an absolute perfectionist. I put in countless hours of touch up work and have complete confidence that my work is protected for YEARS.

On the flip-side, APR does electronic repairs for Tim and Stu for their High End Restorations. We lever off each others strengths.

Don't for a minute think you HAVE to do every aspect of a restoration - no one does that "at this level". 

[robm]

Been pottering around a bit the last few evenings, just cleaning and painting stuff.

Did a dummy fit of the lockdown bar receiver -hmmm a bit rusty!



Being a new cabinet, there are no old holes to locate the lockdown bar and other bits, so its a good idea to measure these up properly!

Cleaning the wiring harnesses



No pics of installing the head decals, or hardware into the headbox, but got the new rails on (leaving protective wrapping on until its finished), then put the head on. Finally starting to look like a pinball machine!



Coin door painted and installed - I was a bit nervous drilling holes for the door, since i had previously forgotten to drill them before painting, but it all lined up OK



I think i quite like the all black look for this machine, the lockdown bar receiver was sanded and painted chrome.



Made the wiring all neat by putting it in split tubing



Transformer painted and cleaned



So actually powered the machine up, and all boots and works - going to look at installing a Pin2DMD display in green to suit the machine

I installed the offset speaker, as per the original design to suit the hologram, i'm thinking of leaving the hologram hardware out  (since the holo is cactus) to make the machine look a lot neater inside.

[Strangeways]

I seriously think Nifti would have gone out of business if it was not for the Pinball hobby !

I love the look of the black internal cabinet. Great finish as always !

[robm]

Had all the screws, posts etc in the tumbler, then polished them all. Also got polishing all the other metal bits. Some before and after pics.











Started by cleaning with 600 wet/dry paper, then polished with a buffing wheel on my drill press. Its not perfect, but a lot better than the starting point of these parts!

[Boots]

Cleaned up nicely.

These buff mops work nice and make light work of cleaning up all stainless steel guides, lockdowns, siderails

https://www.klingspor.de/en-au/products/anwendung/schleifmop
https://www.maxxicon.com/images/product_images/popup_images/59_0.jpg

I have it mounted on my 6" bench grinder, I use a 120 grit for a final finish and it looks very similar to original, slightly smoother

[robm]

Started transferring hardware and installing new stickers on new ramp set. My situation is a little unique, in that the ramps on this CFTBL were OK, just aged, whereas another CFTBL (an original possum pin!) i have in the resto queue had its ramps completely melted due to high temperatures.  So the new ramps will go on this resto, and the old ramps will go onto the possum pin. However, i needed to remove the possum pin ramps to swap the hardware (light boards, switches etc), as it would be double handling otherwise.

Just a recap of how festy the ramps on the possum pin are/were...





Bowl before



New bowl with new stickers, polished hardware



Also note lack of mechanical switch on the bowl - i had read elsewhere how some had replaced this with a magnetic reed switch - it happens that NBA FB has a few of these reed switches that i had lying around from my NBA FB to MM conversion, so grabbed one and installed it with double sided tape to the side of the bowl - much less intrusive, and hopefully means i can get an extra spin or two out of the bowl!

Also put the light pcbs in the main swirl ramp - this is a mongrel job, mainly fiddly and repeating installations since i put purple LEDs in it, and only thought to test these after i put the pcb in....of course about 30% weren't working, so had to remove and fiddle with the wire legs of the LEDs to ensure good contact.

[robm]

Sneak preview of the amazing job done by Savage Restorations in Brisbane. Hopefully i will have the playfield back in a week or two. I asked him to fix my stuff ups and clear coat. So its not a full playfield restoration but is more than adequate for my needs!





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