What pin projects have you been or are going to work on?

[cad-kid]

It's been a little quiet here so here's a fun topic.What pin/gameroom projects have you been working on and/or what will you be tackling this winter?

[cad-kid]

After taking off spring, summer, & most of this fall from any pinball/game room work, things are really stacking up

This winter will be all EM work. 2 wedge heads (Volley & Team One) that just need a going over (almost done with those). Next up is a full shop job on a EM Joker Poker. Then there's a Bally Wizard! Waiting it's turn. Finally buried in the back is a major project "Suspense". Oh there's one more - a 1960 United Big Bonus shuffle 3/4 of the score reels are gummed up (fun)

[DeaconBlooze]

I agree, too quiet around here!

First of all, we're trying to get our house in shape. We've been trying to get organized, and I hope we can finish a lot of that up over this next weekend.

I've had plans to build a golf simulator area in my garage for a number of years, I'll finally be getting that started towards the end of this month.

As far as pin projects... I just ordered some parts to dig into my STTNG. My plan is first to get it playing somewhat decent, then I'll probably tear it down and give it a decent cleaning.

I have a project Sinbad that I planned to tear into. I could probably be persuaded to part with that one...

Lastly, I've had plans to build a mini virtual cabinet. That one took a back seat after I found out I have a pretty severe allergy to MDF, but I want to finish it out, and then never look at MDF again..

Lots to do. I doubt I'll get to everything, but I can be pretty productive when I get some chunks of time on the weekends.

[cad-kid]

Cool! Sounds like you have some interesting projects in the works.

Just wondering, what are the current issues with your STTNG? I have enjoyed playing that pin but have never taken the opportunity to purchase one (I have worked on one though).

[Ran]

I've been a bit MIA since I was traveling back to back for two weeks.
And now I'm balls deep in a full top to bottom, head to toe shop job on a TOM I picked up about a month ago.
Originally my intentions were to pick up a newer game that didn't need anything. So much for that idea.
But when I'm done this TOM should look/play like a champ.

[Hilton]

I am currently a bit overwhelmed with TOO many projects.

Full tear down on Viper Night Drivin to get it ready to go out on location
Baywatch is likely next with a full tear down and shop out so it can be my backup and ready to go out if another game goes down hard.

TX > still having odd short/ GI light issue that came up at MGC last year and I have not looked at.
Robowar needs a full tear down and has display issue where they do not turn on at all times
NightMoves is still completely non-working and can't figure out why
Whirlwind has not worked since I bought it and I have a pile of parts to get it working
Atlantis was bought as non-working and sits in that same condition

Oh yeah, also have Centaur, Tx, and Night moves pfs that are clearcoated and waiting to be swapped in...

hmm probably a few other things I am not thinking of right now.

I also started digging into the kitchen job a little more but life has been too busy with other crap.

[u2sean]

Currently working on a really filthy Taxi. Mylar in the middle could really stand to come off (buckles / lifting / dirt) and I tried one little section successfully. My biggest hesitation is that if I remove it, I really don't want to put mylar back on, and just don't want to take the time to touchup/clear it. If I just removed the mylar, I think the inserts could just start wearing right off without anything protecting them. Any opinions on this would be welcomed!

[Hilton]

IF you can get the mylar off without losing a bunch of art then I would just clean it up and reinstall a new sheet of mylar.

I am not sure but think that era of game is bad for art pulling right off with the mylar?

[DeaconBlooze]

Just wondering, what are the current issues with your STTNG?

It doesn't have a flipper mech or one of the cannons in the game right now. It gets into test, but likely has a couple of bad transistors, and I've found some bad coils that need to be replaced. After I get through that, I expect other issues to be present, this game is notoriously finicky.

Re:taxi

I had done a lot of research on mylar pulls when I considered trying it out on my PinBot. Ultimately, I decided it just wasn't worth it. The mylar on that game is in pretty good shape overall, and is only slightly yellowing. System 11 games do tend to pull up artwork, I'd almost count on it happening to at least some degree. Is the mylar peeling up or bubbling up at all?

I had also considered giving it a try on Brian's F14 if we could secure a solid backup pf. At this point, I'm just less interested in getting into those kinds of major overhauls.

[ralphwiggum]

Yeah the inserts suck on that game.... I just did one not too long ago where someone re-mylared over the upper playfield where it was already worn. That had to be pulled and addressed..... I left the main playfield mylar on, relaminated some of the bubble inserts, and wet sanded, polished and buffed the mylar, it came out pretty nice.

https://plus.google.com/photos/11467798 ... 5?hl=en_US

If you are going to pull the mylar, I wouldn't put new mylar down unless you wax the machine real well first so that if you pull it again, you are pulling the wax and not the paint on the inserts. It will stay down fine with wax underneath it. If you want something that isn't as high strength as mylar, clear shelf paper works REALLY well and doesn't have the adhesive bond that mylar does (and it wont come up either).


As far as my projects, I am plugging in the ball bowler tonight for the first time, and it is going to go really well, or catch on fire . I am hoping for the former and not the latter. 60 pins all had to reworked by hand (jones plugs cut).... I labeled all of them before transport and the fabric around the connectors was so old (1959), that when I got it home to set it up 40 of the labels were sitting in the bottom of the cabinet. Gotta love metering out ends on something like this. I have done plenty of EMs, but this bowler is a different animal.... 6 players, 10 frames plus bonus frame unit for 10th frame, 10 pins, plus resets and count for each pin.....Tons of wiring going on.


In the queue for the next 6 months.... finish up Chris's Earthshaker, finish up R911, Finish up TSPP, Finish up POTO, completely redo CFTBL, decide whether I want to tear apart Pharoah and airbrush and clear it (it is a beautiful game, I would love to see justice served on it), get back my FT from Dave and redo some of it, and then I should be set.

6 months with three boys? I think I meant to say 6 years.....

[ralphwiggum]

Just wondering, what are the current issues with your STTNG?

It doesn't have a flipper mech or one of the cannons in the game right now. It gets into test, but likely has a couple of bad transistors, and I've found some bad coils that need to be replaced. After I get through that, I expect other issues to be present, this game is notoriously finicky.

Re:taxi

I had done a lot of research on mylar pulls when I considered trying it out on my PinBot. Ultimately, I decided it just wasn't worth it. The mylar on that game is in pretty good shape overall, and is only slightly yellowing. System 11 games do tend to pull up artwork, I'd almost count on it happening to at least some degree. Is the mylar peeling up or bubbling up at all?

I had also considered giving it a try on Brian's F14 if we could secure a solid backup pf. At this point, I'm just less interested in getting into those kinds of major overhauls.

You are a wise man..... I have pulled mylar on about 30 machines now from that era and you always just have to be prepared for the worst. You win some you lose some for sure. this Earthshaker I am finishing for Chris right now had about 30 inserts come up. after doing it for awhile, you can pretty much tell what is going to come up before pulling it. If the insert is bubbled, that typically means it has heated up over the years, which means that most likely the artwork is going to come up on that insert because it is already loose from the heat.

[BigDaddyBanjo]

I will have a pretty solid back up PF for an F-14 in the spring spring as I am swapping out the one in Broddes machine for one that I picked up this summer. Have Brian get in touch if he wants to take a look at it for a backup candidate. It has a few issues (lifted inserts and some touch up needed), but wouldn't be a terrible back up option. FWIW the mylar on both of the F-14 projects I have done came off pretty well with some freeze spray. Cleaning off the glue is a bugger though.

Other than the F-14 which is a major overhaul, all of my machines technically work, but all have minor issues or need shopping. Plan to spend the next 4 months working through them one by one. Terry is going to make a fortune on me this winter!

[u2sean]

Good insight - thanks guys. This was pretty much what I was thinking. Yeah I could get new insert stickers and stuff, but I just don't see it being worth it at the end of the day. I'm going to just remove the mylar that's already pulled up (very nicely actually) as well as the crap that's over the Marilyn insert since it's already bubbled up and has completely pulled away from the playfield. Polish and call it a day.

[Methos]

Too many projects to list.

Finishing up on Elvis - almost a full teardown as someone used greae on the Elvis motor and everything got dirty and black.

Up next is TAF, followed by pf swaps for Quicksilver, Xenon, Pinball Magic, Centaur, and Seawitch once I get it.

Also have a Stargate/Flinstones I have to get up and running.

[Eric_S]

I have a Williams Palooka that I've been dragging my feet on the repair and shop out (just haven't felt like working on EMs).

I need to shop out Whitewater.

Gorgar is probably my next bigger project.

And I always have the Jungle Lord project in the waiting (heck, it has only been seven years since I picked it up)