I started with 80, and ended up with 240 
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Complete Fish Tales shop log
- Thread starter newdos
- Start date
Sounds about right.
I start with 100/120 and work up to 360.
I start with 100/120 and work up to 360.
OP
OP
Today I have installed all the electronics in the back box to keep em safe and the head is now ready for the decals.
Also gave one side of the cab an initial rub down starting with 80 grit working up to 180 grit, and already before even filling its taken on a glass 'touch' !!
Also gave one side of the cab an initial rub down starting with 80 grit working up to 180 grit, and already before even filling its taken on a glass 'touch' !!
X
xenon325i
Looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I contemplated re-decaling my FT but those decals are so expensive and mine is not faded too badly. GI connector looks good for a FT!
OP
OP
keep watching!!! yeah the GI connector and the board is perfect!!!
OP
OP
OK so first decal on the head - gotta say very pleased with the result and the quality of these decals compared to the RFM ones I had!! Its weird how the cut white edge shows up so much in the photo, you can hardly notice it when looking with the naked eye. Wonder if the flash is picking it out ? I have gone around the edge with a paint pen as well. Here is the before first so you can see the difference!!!
And after!!!
More to follow later!!!
Cheers Kev
And after!!!
More to follow later!!!
Cheers Kev
Nice work Kev.
Kev
Kev
OP
OP
Thanks Kevlar!
OP
OP
Ok so now the other side of the head is finished and the cab is nearly ready to start to decal just needs a few more coats of paint and good to go.
One lesson I have learned today with the new random orbital sander - never start the sander then put it onto a surface as it is so good it will dig in and leave a curved groove. I found this on the front panel so I had to start again right back from 80 grit up to 240 to flatten it out!!! every day is a learning curve ( or is that a winding road as Sheryl crow once said!!)
Cheers Kev
Just the before, to remind you again
And after the same side this time!
I should polish before I take a pic!!!
and progress on the cab so far
One lesson I have learned today with the new random orbital sander - never start the sander then put it onto a surface as it is so good it will dig in and leave a curved groove. I found this on the front panel so I had to start again right back from 80 grit up to 240 to flatten it out!!! every day is a learning curve ( or is that a winding road as Sheryl crow once said!!)
Cheers Kev
Just the before, to remind you again
And after the same side this time!
I should polish before I take a pic!!!
and progress on the cab so far
OP
OP
Few pics of the head now complete and re-assembled.
and the inside
And finally for today I have stuck the coin door decal on the cab. A before and after pic - bit of a difference !!!!
And after!!!!
and the inside
And finally for today I have stuck the coin door decal on the cab. A before and after pic - bit of a difference !!!!
And after!!!!
Get the bottom of that cabinet sanded.
OP
OP
the bottom!!!!!
OP
OP
And today finally the decal job is finished - not looking too bad even if I say so myself !!
Here is the usual before and after to remind you!! First Before :-
And after !!!
You may notice on the front an old leg mark - I filled that and sanded the shi!* out of it till I couldn't feel a thing with my palm and yet is still faintly shows up when the light catches it. Just goes to show how smooth these cabs need to be before applying the decals. At least the leg will still hide it !!!
That's it for today folks time to watch the FA cup with a nice cold beer!!
Cheers Kev
Here is the usual before and after to remind you!! First Before :-
And after !!!
You may notice on the front an old leg mark - I filled that and sanded the shi!* out of it till I couldn't feel a thing with my palm and yet is still faintly shows up when the light catches it. Just goes to show how smooth these cabs need to be before applying the decals. At least the leg will still hide it !!!
That's it for today folks time to watch the FA cup with a nice cold beer!!
Cheers Kev
Awesome work
Nice work Kev.
I never realised ft had them mermaids on the head. Looks 100 times better now
OP
OP
thanks for the kind comments guys - one thing about the FT a re-decal job certainly does transform it !!!
Your a lean mean redecaling machine 
OP
OP
Thanks Gaz but not that lean lol!!!!!
Cheers Kev
Cheers Kev
OP
OP
So starting to look like a pinball machine again!!! need to paint the coindoor and inside of cab again but have run out of paint!!!
Now its nearly time to start on this lot next!!!
Now its nearly time to start on this lot next!!!
OP
OP
Playfield teardown has begun - boy is it a mucky one with nearly all of the rubbers perished!!!
I just put a few pics on for the comparisons later as I have took tons of every nut and bolt as they come off
The start!!
apron off
Muck becoming evident!!!!
Oh yes that's says it all!!!!
perished rubbers
Antone know what should be under that scre on the plastic on the right - a post perhaps ?
Wondered why bumps weren't very good !!
more muck!!
last shot for tonight of progress so far - M for muck!!!!
I just put a few pics on for the comparisons later as I have took tons of every nut and bolt as they come off
The start!!
apron off
Muck becoming evident!!!!
Oh yes that's says it all!!!!
perished rubbers
Antone know what should be under that scre on the plastic on the right - a post perhaps ?
Wondered why bumps weren't very good !!
more muck!!
last shot for tonight of progress so far - M for muck!!!!
Attachments
OP
OP
Continuing tonights teardown
finally a pretty much stripped playfield
then 5 mins first clean with some foam cleaner and already looking a lot sweeter but a way to go yet !!
This lots ready for the tumbler!! surprise dhow many bits there is to the FT seems quite a lot!!!
The mini playfield is all cracked is this just the clearcoat that's cracked ie is this planking - can this be sanded flat and just re clearcoated ?? I have another mini PF for it anyway so this one would be good to experiment on and then put it up for grabs for someone else ?
That's it for tonight folks!!!!
Cheers Kev
finally a pretty much stripped playfield
then 5 mins first clean with some foam cleaner and already looking a lot sweeter but a way to go yet !!
This lots ready for the tumbler!! surprise dhow many bits there is to the FT seems quite a lot!!!
The mini playfield is all cracked is this just the clearcoat that's cracked ie is this planking - can this be sanded flat and just re clearcoated ?? I have another mini PF for it anyway so this one would be good to experiment on and then put it up for grabs for someone else ?
That's it for tonight folks!!!!
Cheers Kev
A
abaxas
Do the lines go in the same direction as the grain of the top layer of ply?
If you've got some Naptha (or lighter fuel) wipe it over the cracks on the mini pf. If they disappear while the lighter fuel is wet then it's in the clear coat, if not then it's likely gone through to the wood.
OP
OP
So Mr ronsplooter we are talking some solvent that dissolves clearcoat to determine what it is - yes ?
Anything else other than lighter fuel as I don't have any ?
Anything else other than lighter fuel as I don't have any ?
I don't think so although I'm not 100% sure. I think it's more that it makes the pf wet (but will dry quickly without doing any damage) and cracks in the clear coat blend in when wet. If the crack has gone through the clear then you'll still see it.
I only know to use Naptha (which is a US thing) or lighter fuel because that is basically what Naptha is. There's a very interesting article on repairing pf planking right here:
http://pinballrehab.com/1-articles/...205-repairing-clear-coated-playfield-planking
Good article I no henrik at pinball dreams fixes playfields with planking as I have talked to him before about it
Shame there's planking on the mini field as the main one is in great shape.
OP
OP
So not that bad though sax as I have another one so I would like to attempt to repair this and re clear coat it so where do I start?
Kev did you find the answer to what goes under that screw on the right plastic ? Are you on about what goes under the plastic ?