In Progress Firepower

[Andy_B]

After some encouragement from a group member I've decided to post my Firepower shop log.
This is my second Firepower restore - the first was a fifty quid wreck I bought from Pete Matthews nearly 20 years ago. I fitted one of the first repro playfields from CPR. Needless to say I payed more for this project than I sold the restored one for

I've already done a few bits- circuit boards through dishwasher- fixed speech issue and built and fitted Wolffpac displays.

 

[Andy_B]

I've already had some vinyl cab decals printed locally from the .svg artwork on www.firepowerpinball.com which only cost me £40.
I'm not sure whether to go for the stencils though for authenticity.
I have had previous nightmares with stencils though.....

 

[Andy_B]

Already received

 

[Dotteddown]

Beautiful looking pin look forward to seeing it progress

 

[Andy_B]

Tried to get a picture of the new red displays but they don't photograph very well.
It looks fine with the hooman eye

Unfortunately players 2 and 4 displays take a bit of wiggling for all the segments to light. Need the unobtainium crimp pins...
I'm going to bang the display wiring harnesses through the dishwasher, as they are quite grubby, and re-assess afterwards.

 

[Andy_B]

All the under pf mechs have been removed, stripped and tumbled, flippers currently being done.

I have also decided to renew all the stand up target faces so have ground the rivets out and completely stripped them down ready for the metal parts to go in the tumbler.

I have noticed, like many Williams pins from this era, that one of the switch contacts on every switch has been fitted the wrong way. Every. Single. One.

 

[ChrisFormela]

I've already had some vinyl cab decals printed locally from the .svg artwork on www.firepowerpinball.com which only cost me £40.
I'm not sure whether to go for the stencils though for authenticity.
I have had previous nightmares with stencils though.....

Looks like the primer wasn't sanded enough or de-greased prior the black layer. Stencils done on wrong type of vinyl could be partially responsible for this too.

 

[Andy_B]

They were Pinball Pimp stencils which I believe are good quality.
I think the issue was it was too cold when I did the spraying - it always seems to be winter when I get round to cabs

 

[ChrisFormela]

Yes. The stencils were fine then. Temperature would be definitely a problem. 20c is an absolute minimum. Obviously surface must be no colder than that too.
I would be also very careful with using can primers and paints. Had few nasty surprises when used spray can primer and then tried to apply proper 2k paint on top of it.

 

[AlanJ]

i’ve had “winter issues” with stenciling too. it takes weeks for the paint to dry properly rather than days. also need to heat the stencil gently with a hairdryer to remove it more easily when it’s cold, otherwise it can bring off the paint underneath.

 

[Andy_B]

It was probably less than 10 degrees when I made the attempt. Tried warming the surface of the cab with a heat gun and also warming the spray can but alas....
Unfortunatley I don't have a spray set up, I was using Plastikote Multi-Purpose Enamel rattle cans - and admittedly some random ToolStation primer.

 

[ChrisFormela]

It was probably less than 10 degrees when I made the attempt. Tried warming the surface of the cab with a heat gun and also warming the spray can but alas....
Unfortunatley I don't have a spray set up, I was using Plastikote Multi-Purpose Enamel rattle cans - and admittedly some random ToolStation primer.

Not really good then. I wouldn't touch the cab or playfield without compressor and gun. You can try mixed 2k spray cans (they need to be used in 2-3 days) but it's not really cost effective. Better invest in (at least) 100L compressor and gun.

 

[Jay Walker]

I have noticed, like many Williams pins from this era, that one of the switch contacts on every switch has been fitted the wrong way. Every. Single. One.

At the risk of sounding like a 'works, dunnit?' level owner/tech, that may be intentional, if every switch was assembled that way. Perhaps large contact, small contact is better for the switch matrix of a solid state game. One example I recall is Getaway; at first flipper button switches were showing occasional lack of continuity, where two large contacts were used. Changing to large and small (and abandoning the 'double action' caper) improved matters.

 

[Andy_B]

Not really good then. I wouldn't touch the cab or playfield without compressor and gun. You can try mixed 2k spray cans (they need to be used in 2-3 days) but it's not really cost effective. Better invest in (at least) 100L compressor and gun.

Probably gonna stick with decals then.

 

[Andy_B]

At the risk of sounding like a 'works, dunnit?' level owner/tech, that may be intentional, if every switch was assembled that way. Perhaps large contact, small contact is better for the switch matrix of a solid state game. One example I recall is Getaway; at first flipper button switches were showing occasional lack of continuity, where two large contacts were used. Changing to large and small (and abandoning the 'double action' caper) improved matters.

I sort of half agree that the machine has lasted 40 years in this state and has probably worked fine throughout that time.

I can't agree that it was a deliberate decision at Williams though.

The two main issues are

1) it annoys the crap out of me
2) What would I do with these?

 

[Andy_B]

Upper and lower pf stripped.

Stand up targets have been tumbled and come up nice. Trying to source 1/8" x 5/8" semi tubular rivets. Richard at Sapphire Products kindly sent me samples of 15 mm long rivets but they are that bit too small. I could go the 3mm bolt and nut but that would be a last resort.

The upper pf posts and fasteners have come up really well in the tumbler. No corrosion on any of the parts and any marks or blemishes have polished out, certainly in the visible pieces.
I use a 8/16 walnut media and Autosol. I recently concluded that one dollop (sorry can't remember the SI unit) of Autosol is sufficient for many tumbles (?). I used to add more Autosol for every tumble but found it tends to leave dusty crap in the media that sticks to the parts and sort of defeats the object. Media lasts longer too.
Same for the under pf mechs.

Pics of shiny things in plastic bins below.

 

[Andy_B]

Two surprise additions. Or should that be subtractions?

 

[Andy_B]

Not trying to be cryptic with that last post. The new pf has an extra hole presumably for another GI lamp.
Its under the flipper guide.

 

[Andy_B]

Holidays are over so back on it
Stand up targets re-built with new faces. The semi-tubular rivests have split slightly where they roll over. Not sure if that is my poor technique or they were a bit too long. The marks on the brackets are from when I Dremelled the old rivets out.

 

[Andy_B]

Cab and head have been re-decalled. Had an issue with one of the cab side panels.
The clear laminate top layer had lifted from the artwork. It only revealed itself as I came to finish fitting that particular decal, at the end of the roll. I thought it may have flattened out but alas...!
I argued the toss with the supplier but, despite me storing the decals exactly as they were supplied, it turned out to be my fault all along!!!
It only cost me a tenner for a replacement whcih I suppose is a drop in the ocean compared to the money I have already invested
What I didn't pick up on until I got my replacement was the poor quality of the black. Print heads are clearly visible. Might have been able to get a free replacement in that case.
Replacement was fine though.

 

[Andy_B]

New legs, leg protectors, bolts and levellers too.....

 

[kevlar]

Very nice!

 

[Dotteddown]

Love the cab on this the colours are so cool