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In Progress Firepower Shop Log

Take 2 after leveling it with several grades of wet and dry and another 5 coats. Just needs a quick go over with some 2000 grit and a good polish

View attachment 9513
Can I ask which clear coat you used? Also, when you sanded between coats how long did you leave it? Something like 3 coats, leave to harden for 2 days, sand level, 3 more coats, harden for another 2 days, more coats, etc.?
 
It was the one newdos recommended good stuff. Yup that's about what I did but I only left it a day or 2. Also if u need to do any touch ups to the paint like I did lay down 2 coats of clear first then u can just wipe off any mistakes
 
It was the one newdos recommended good stuff. Yup that's about what I did but I only left it a day or 2. Also if u need to do any touch ups to the paint like I did lay down 2 coats of clear first then u can just wipe off any mistakes
Excellent! That's the stuff I bought some of. Good to see several people getting good results with it. I need to clear over the top of a full playfield decal, so no need for touch-ups, but need to lay this down as a base first and then again over the decal for protection. Hopefully I'll only have to do the lightest of knocking-back as the playfield will have been sanded perfectly smooth at the start. I've got a sample decal so will be experimenting first before doing the real thing!

By the way, how many cans did you use? Just wondering how many I'll need.

Current best deal on eBay is this. 6 cans for £24.99 (£21.00 + £3.99P&P).
i.ebayimg.com_00_s_NTIyWDUxNw_____KGrHqJ__roFBBvR5_LBBQR6qkHBTw__60_12.JPG
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111398305235
 
I used to many really first 2 cans one didn't have enough gas so was only about half and I couldn't get it to gloss (later realised I was going to fast and not close enough. So I've kinda discounted them 2 then I did 5-6 coats to a nice glass finish wasn't quite happy with a few areas so knocked it back then used another 2 5-6 coats
 
Hi, Rudi,

Sorry to sound a note of alarm, but from what I remember FirePower originally used six program chips - the green-label 'Flipper Rom' 1 & 2, a game Rom alongside them, and three Proms in the row above (vacant in the picture). The Cpu board had a jumper change to allow this, as shown by the orange sticker.

Of course, maybe nowadays the entire game-specific software can be fitted into one chip.
 
I'm insulted! ;)

If you watch the repair videos, you'll see that I had to remove the bipolar PROMs and install the combo ROM, because the buffers had failed and were putting random garbage onto the data bus. The buffers have been bypassed (as they are near enough unobtainable), and the CPU is not capable of directly driving the bipolar PROMs, hence a normal NMOS ROM had to be fitted to get around that problem.

 
I'm insulted! ;)

If you watch the repair videos, you'll see that I had to remove the bipolar PROMs and install the combo ROM, because the buffers had failed and were putting random garbage onto the data bus. The buffers have been bypassed (as they are near enough unobtainable), and the CPU is not capable of directly driving the bipolar PROMs, hence a normal NMOS ROM had to be fitted to get around that problem.

Go Luke Go.
 
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you'll see that I had to remove the bipolar PROMs and install the combo ROM, because the buffers had failed and were putting random garbage onto the data bus. The buffers have been bypassed (as they are near enough unobtainable), and the CPU is not capable of directly driving the bipolar PROMs, hence a normal NMOS ROM had to be fitted to get around that problem.

什麼他媽的 ?
 
Swearing in another language is still swearing.... Please stop before i have to ban your sorry asses for a week ;)
 
Take 2 after leveling it with several grades of wet and dry and another 5 coats. Just needs a quick go over with some 2000 grit and a good polish

View attachment 9513

Impressive you can get a result like that with clear coat in a can, but I'd be interested to see how these playfields fair up in 2-3 years time.

Personally I'm on the fence with the whole clear coat thing now anyway. I've done a few PF's with 2k car clear with all the proper spraying kit and while the the thick 'glass like' effect looks really cool I've also seen a few PF's which have cracked due to air balls or falls from ramps. They crack like glass/spider web and essentially ruin the playfield.

Starting to think the best solution is either leave it or clearing with a very thin layer only, like what the factories did on 90's Williams and DE/SEGA games.
 
I'd be interested to see how these playfields fair up in 2-3 years time
Me too. I'm a bit on the fence about 2k clear coat. Does look good but I'm beginning to think looks out of place on older pins, e.g., 30+ years. It's all a bit hypothetical for me as I'm unlikely to have a playfield worthy of investing in a professional 2k finish ;)
Starting to think the best solution is either leave it or clearing with a very thin layer only
It's a tricky one this. A good example is my GOLD BALL project. It's worn enough that continued use will only accelerate the damage. The artwork complexity is borderline such that I think the level of damage is within my skills to repair it but that will take a long time and keep a machine out of action that I've not played to even know if I like it! I think I've come up with a good temporary compromise which is to make a total-coverage polycarbonate playfield protector. This should protect the playfield keeping it's current "nostalic patina" intact yet allow the machine to be presented and played in a nearly new condition. I'm also very interested to see how it will fair after 2-3 years...
 
This is rattle cans not 2k people! No where near as thick I only cleared it to hide some planking and to seal every insert which I had to level ect


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