Heres a few pics of cabinet before hand
Pretty faded as you can see!!!
Pinball info
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Complete Fish Tales shop log
- Thread starter newdos
- Start date
Heres a few pics of cabinet before hand
Pretty faded as you can see!!!
OP
OP
First job was to remove head and stip it bare ready to re-decal it
Wonder if someone can help with my polishing? Here is a poor shot of the vent grille which I have polished up on the grinder. Problem is I get black marks left on the metal work as I'm polishing anything. The wheel is also looking black as is the end of the compound as you can see. Why is this? and what am I doing wrong??? Too much compound, too little etc?
Wonder if someone can help with my polishing? Here is a poor shot of the vent grille which I have polished up on the grinder. Problem is I get black marks left on the metal work as I'm polishing anything. The wheel is also looking black as is the end of the compound as you can see. Why is this? and what am I doing wrong??? Too much compound, too little etc?
OP
OP
OK head is bare and time to remove decals - Question the decal on these just seems to be painted rather than an actual decal - see pics - is this the case or are they just mega thin ?
It doesn't seem to have left much glue behind. I cleaned the side with white spirit and no glue has come off at all, so guess ready to start sanding ?
That's it for today!!!
It doesn't seem to have left much glue behind. I cleaned the side with white spirit and no glue has come off at all, so guess ready to start sanding ?
That's it for today!!!
I'd have sanded it from the start 
MOST IMPORTANT RULE - cab needs to end up with a glass-like finish... and corners need to be knife sharp.....
MOST IMPORTANT RULE - cab needs to end up with a glass-like finish... and corners need to be knife sharp.....
OP
OP
Is it just painted then Paul ?
OP
OP
and if so is the main cab as well?
No it's decal or there wouldn't be that white glue left
OP
OP
but its not glue rudi when I washed it afterwards with white spirit, nothing came off at all ??? unlike the RFM I did last month when tons came off
OP
OP
think what you are seeing there is melted paint !!!
It's def decals prob just bad repros I had no glue residue when I took the shadows head decals off
OP
OP
ok so cab will be the same then? is it just easier to sand off then use heatgun then?
Sand it anyhow - will give you a better finish...
Fish Tales head is screened (painted).
Cabinet is decals.
Sanding from the start on both is your best way.
Cabinet is decals.
Sanding from the start on both is your best way.
OP
OP
thought it was very odd - so no glue residue on head but there will be on the cab ?
Cheers Darren
Cheers Darren
OP
OP
Anyone any ideas about the polishing issue in the earlier pic ?
If you don't already go and buy yourself a good quality random orbital sander, with the way you are going you will get your money out of it with all the redecaling work you will be doing in the future.
Are you using a paste ? a wax. ? Or something like Autosol on your polishing wheel ?
OP
OP
3 different coloured bars to go with the three different grades of wheel grey,roughest, brown - medium and green for final polish - mainly just the green to be honest
Use a cloth wheel with autosol if you are getting black on the metal then you need to use more compound.
To be fair for what you need it's way easier with a soft cloth wheel and autosol, will come up nice and shiny.
To be fair for what you need it's way easier with a soft cloth wheel and autosol, will come up nice and shiny.
Well I didn't know that seems odd to do it like that
OP
OP
C
cheers Darren will get some autosol and try it
It's good stuff I polish all my metal using it apart from what goes in the tumbler
You're not mixing your compounds on the same wheel, right? Black on the sisal wheel for rough cut, green on colour stitch cotton wheel for first polish, then white on the loose fold cotton wheel for finishing polish. Remember to clean the work with Vienna Lime in between each grade.
Also, what size are your wheels, what are you spinning them on (hand drill or bench grinder) and at what speed? Your green compound definitely shouldn't be turning black! And do you occasionally clean the wheels? You can get a special metal comb but I find a stiff wire brush works just a well. Run the wheel and hold the steel brush against it to get rid of the dirt and expose some clean sisal/cotton
And AUTOSOL is fab too. I always use it after buffing to give that winning shine and keep it shiny for longer. Here's my power supply mounting plate after wheel polishing and a quick dab of AUTOSOL. A near mirror finish
Also, what size are your wheels, what are you spinning them on (hand drill or bench grinder) and at what speed? Your green compound definitely shouldn't be turning black! And do you occasionally clean the wheels? You can get a special metal comb but I find a stiff wire brush works just a well. Run the wheel and hold the steel brush against it to get rid of the dirt and expose some clean sisal/cotton
And AUTOSOL is fab too. I always use it after buffing to give that winning shine and keep it shiny for longer. Here's my power supply mounting plate after wheel polishing and a quick dab of AUTOSOL. A near mirror finish
OP
OP
wow!!! that looks good. I'm using a 6" bench grinder keeping the bars for each wheel and not mixing them. Yes I clean the wheels now and then with a wire brush, just everything looks black!!! So you can use the autosol on a cloth wheel ?
OP
OP
do you think I could be putting too much compound on and the heat of buffing is melting it into a black gunk or is the black the muck it is taking off the metal ?
Autosol for a cloth wheel - paste or liquid ?
Autosol for a cloth wheel - paste or liquid ?
OP
OP
3 different coloured bars to go with the three different grades of wheel grey,roughest, brown - medium and green for final polish - mainly just the green to be honestYou're not mixing your compounds on the same wheel, right? Black on the sisal wheel for rough cut, green on colour stitch cotton wheel for first polish, then white on the loose fold cotton wheel for finishing polish. Remember to clean the work with Vienna Lime in between each grade.
Also, what size are your wheels, what are you spinning them on (hand drill or bench grinder) and at what speed? Your green compound definitely shouldn't be turning black! And do you occasionally clean the wheels? You can get a special metal comb but I find a stiff wire brush works just a well. Run the wheel and hold the steel brush against it to get rid of the dirt and expose some clean sisal/cotton
And AUTOSOL is fab too. I always use it after buffing to give that winning shine and keep it shiny for longer. Here's my power supply mounting plate after wheel polishing and a quick dab of AUTOSOL. A near mirror finish
View attachment 7194
do you think I could be putting too much compound on and the heat of buffing is melting it into a black gunk or is the black the muck it is taking off the metal ?
Autosol for a cloth wheel - paste or liquid ?
What speed is your wheel running at? I use an electric hand drill at 2,500rpm with 4" wheels. Your bench grinder probably runs at about 2,800rpm so those 6" mops are gonna be whizzing pretty fast. Maybe too much compound (only need to run it on the mop for a second or two) and maybe pressing the work too hard. Try lighter, less compound but applied a little more often.
Also, the piece should be clean before you start. Buffing ain't the thing for removing heavy oxidation or dirt. For that hit it with progressive grades of wet and dry paper. This is also the only way to remove heavy scratches. Start with 600 grit, then 1200, 2000 and finally 2500. At this point it should look pretty smooth and shiny. Then use the buffing wheels to get that mirror shine.
That's how I did the metal plate shown above. Couple of pics on my PARAGON shop log. Click the link in my signature below:
Also, the piece should be clean before you start. Buffing ain't the thing for removing heavy oxidation or dirt. For that hit it with progressive grades of wet and dry paper. This is also the only way to remove heavy scratches. Start with 600 grit, then 1200, 2000 and finally 2500. At this point it should look pretty smooth and shiny. Then use the buffing wheels to get that mirror shine.
That's how I did the metal plate shown above. Couple of pics on my PARAGON shop log. Click the link in my signature below:
OP
OP
OK bit more of an update. Head is now sanded and painted, as you can see from the pic and the cab is fully stripped and decals removed. Just need to get the glue off and then ready for a good sanding. What grades of paper to you guys use ie starting and ending ?
Cheers Kev
Cheers Kev
that bloke has never had a girlfriend
