woah!
very impressive, now that's what i call a proper shop job, right down to the bare bones
very impressive, now that's what i call a proper shop job, right down to the bare bones
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In Progress Fish Tales Shop Log
- Thread starter ronsplooter
- Start date
OP
OP
Got the cab ready to go over to my Dads tonight. First thing was to remove all the lamp holders and pcb from the backboard and then get the playfield out and put to one side......
Then it was just a case or removing the rest of the stuff from the cab. I've not totally stripped it out but enough to make it easy to work with when re-decaling. I've left the lockdown bar receiver in for the time being so I can keep the glass in the cab but that will be coming out before I move it (along with the plastic channel). The only other thing I need to take out is the start button but I can't figure out how to do it :redface: Any ideas? Does it come apart in some way as the plastic screw washer thing won't come off the end because the gubbins that holds the microswitch is in the way.
Need to get the cab and head over to my Dads asap to make space for something incoming next week :rockon:
Then it was just a case or removing the rest of the stuff from the cab. I've not totally stripped it out but enough to make it easy to work with when re-decaling. I've left the lockdown bar receiver in for the time being so I can keep the glass in the cab but that will be coming out before I move it (along with the plastic channel). The only other thing I need to take out is the start button but I can't figure out how to do it :redface: Any ideas? Does it come apart in some way as the plastic screw washer thing won't come off the end because the gubbins that holds the microswitch is in the way.
Need to get the cab and head over to my Dads asap to make space for something incoming next week :rockon:
From the inside, the start button centre part, the bit that holds the bulb and switch, should pull out. I will take a picture of my spare switch to demonstrate later.
Great work Chris, you really are going that extra mile that would scare me at the moment but I do intend to learn it at some point.
EDITED: Removed a twist action.
Great work Chris, you really are going that extra mile that would scare me at the moment but I do intend to learn it at some point.
EDITED: Removed a twist action.
OP
OP
Managed to start work on the cabinet at the weekend. Got the old decals off and am now onto the dull bit of scraping all the left over glue off prior to sanding. Here's some pics......
OP
OP
I've had the decals for a while. I got them from Mel at 1stoppinball....got a great deal :thumb:
Can't wait to see finished job mate ...cool! 
Fish Tales sure does look great when re-decalled, Its such a big differance from the badly faded cab to a nice bright brand new one.
Keep up the good work, looking good so far.
Keep up the good work, looking good so far.
OP
OP
It's been a long time but this thread is ready to rise from it's grave This game has been sat in pieces in my Dads's garage for the last 3 years so it's finally time to get it done. The cab got shipped off to @replicas a few weeks ago to be re-decaled as I finally faced facts that I was never going to do it myself. I also bought a better playfield off Daz so the first task is to remove it from it's light box, give it a clean and then start transferring the wiring loom over from the existing playfield.
I've got boxes full of FT bits all over my Dads house to I think I've need to dig them all out and remind myself what I've got
This game has been sat in pieces in my Dads's garage for the last 3 years so it's finally time to get it done. The cab got shipped off to @replicas a few weeks ago to be re-decaled as I finally faced facts that I was never going to do it myself. I also bought a better playfield off Daz so the first task is to remove it from it's light box, give it a clean and then start transferring the wiring loom over from the existing playfield.I've got boxes full of FT bits all over my Dads house to I think I've need to dig them all out and remind myself what I've got
We'll be doing this at the same time then mate. Compare notes! I'm on the reserve list for a cpr repro after you pipped me to the post on Daz's pf
Yes I missed that as we'll !
Was going to have it for a wall hanger !
Nice to see you started it back up again Chris !!
Was going to have it for a wall hanger !
Nice to see you started it back up again Chris !!
OP
OP
Both playfields are now back at my house so I can work on them more easily I stripped the lights and frame off the playfield from Daz and removed the black card he used to block light coming through the various holes. This has left some bits of card stuck to the back of the playfield so I'm going to run over the back of it with my sander to get it looking nice.
I've also started stripping things off the back of my old playfield and am slowly building up a load of stuff for the tumbler I haven't worked on a 90's game for ages as my last few restores have been early 80's solid state stuff and FT seems a load simpler to work on than those games. The design of the games obviously improved over the years
I stripped the lights and frame off the playfield from Daz and removed the black card he used to block light coming through the various holes. This has left some bits of card stuck to the back of the playfield so I'm going to run over the back of it with my sander to get it looking nice.I've also started stripping things off the back of my old playfield and am slowly building up a load of stuff for the tumbler
I haven't worked on a 90's game for ages as my last few restores have been early 80's solid state stuff and FT seems a load simpler to work on than those games. The design of the games obviously improved over the years
OP
OP
Wiring loom is now removed from the old playfield and ready for cleaning which left all of the loom hanger and a couple of small pcbs. A bit more unscrewing and all I'm left with on the old playfield is the t-nuts
OP
OP
Managed to get outside with the sander today in between all the rain First pic is with the bottom half of the playfield sanded but the top still to do....
And this is with the whole back side of the playfield done......
The first bits and pieces are starting to come out of the tumbler....
Finally here's some pics of the old and new playfields side by side. I'll be selling the old playfield so if anyone wants it shoot me a PM.....
First pic is with the bottom half of the playfield sanded but the top still to do.... And this is with the whole back side of the playfield done......
The first bits and pieces are starting to come out of the tumbler....
Finally here's some pics of the old and new playfields side by side. I'll be selling the old playfield so if anyone wants it shoot me a PM.....
OP
OP
Finished cleaning the wiring loom today The best way to do this is to either stick it in the dishwasher (I don't have one) or chuck it in an empty bath and give it a good scrub with something like Cillit Bang. The problem for me is that I don't have a good way of drying the loom after doing this as you either want to hang it up in a nice warm airing cupboard or blast it with compressed air, neither of which I have access to. That means I have to go with the more laborious version of sitting on the floor in my lounge and cleaning the loom with baby wipes This job is a ball ache and doesn't get the thing as clean as doing it properly but it does get all the major gunk off and means handling the loom from now on doesn't result in me getting covered in black crap
The best way to do this is to either stick it in the dishwasher (I don't have one) or chuck it in an empty bath and give it a good scrub with something like Cillit Bang. The problem for me is that I don't have a good way of drying the loom after doing this as you either want to hang it up in a nice warm airing cupboard or blast it with compressed air, neither of which I have access to. That means I have to go with the more laborious version of sitting on the floor in my lounge and cleaning the loom with baby wipes This job is a ball ache and doesn't get the thing as clean as doing it properly but it does get all the major gunk off and means handling the loom from now on doesn't result in me getting covered in black crap
OP
OP
I dug out most of the boxes of parts from my Dad's garage the other night to continue with this FT and because all of this stuff was packed away about 4 years ago I completely forgot what I had and how I'd done things back then First is all of the parts off the game which I've bagged up individually depending on which mech or part of the playfield they come from. These days I strip the entire top of the playfield into one lot and the bottom into another as it just saves time but back in the day I hadn't taken many games apart so must have been worried about mixing up the different screws 
Next up was a load of new parts I bought back in the day including plastics, the boat ramp and a cool Scooby Doo figure that looks just like the monster fish
Lastly is the thing I'm most happy that I managed to get my hands on as you just don't see them come up for sale. It's a complete fish topper with lamp board and all wiring that will plug and play into my game once it's been cleaned up
First is all of the parts off the game which I've bagged up individually depending on which mech or part of the playfield they come from. These days I strip the entire top of the playfield into one lot and the bottom into another as it just saves time but back in the day I hadn't taken many games apart so must have been worried about mixing up the different screws Next up was a load of new parts I bought back in the day including plastics, the boat ramp and a cool Scooby Doo figure that looks just like the monster fish
Lastly is the thing I'm most happy that I managed to get my hands on as you just don't see them come up for sale. It's a complete fish topper with lamp board and all wiring that will plug and play into my game once it's been cleaned up
What sort of shape is your old boat ramp plastic in mate? I'm always looking to improve on mine
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I was planning on using it to practice some flame polishing but I'll dig it out and have a look. I'll clean it up, attempt some flame polishing and if I don't torch it then I'll stick a pic up. I have a suspicion it's knackered and that's why I bought the new one but I can't really remember tbh
Cool man
OP
OP
I bought myself a small gas powered soldering iron that I'm going to remove the tip from and use like a blow torch but I suspect any gas torch would work
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The Scooby Doo monster fish is ace! I added him to mine behind the boat, tied in a lamp beneath him with the MF insert. I have a little vid somewhere.I dug out most of the boxes of parts from my Dad's garage the other night to continue with this FT and because all of this stuff was packed away about 4 years ago I completely forgot what I had and how I'd done things back then
View attachment 28289
Next up was a load of new parts I bought back in the day including plastics, the boat ramp and a cool Scooby Doo figure that looks just like the monster fish
View attachment 28290
Lastly is the thing I'm most happy that I managed to get my hands on as you just don't see them come up for sale. It's a complete fish topper with lamp board and all wiring that will plug and play into my game once it's been cleaned up
View attachment 28291
View attachment 28292
Miss Fish Tales :-( Want another one
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I bought that one after seeing yours
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OP
It's time to continue the longest shop log ever I started this thread back in 2012 The cab that @replicas did for me is finally home after being at my Dads since I picked it up.....she is a thing of beauty 
Fully re-decalled, screen printed, new side rails, earth braid etc etc Now I just need to remind myself where I got to when I last parked this one 
I started this thread back in 2012 The cab that @replicas did for me is finally home after being at my Dads since I picked it up.....she is a thing of beauty Fully re-decalled, screen printed, new side rails, earth braid etc etc
Now I just need to remind myself where I got to when I last parked this one 