Complete Road Show Restoration

Ant-H · Nov 7, 2024

As Road Show seems to be such a popular game for shop logs, I thought I’d add another one to the list

The playfield on this particular game was is really nice original condition with no wear at all to the fish by the scoop.

So the plan is to strip and shop and rebuild the playfield with new plastics, Titans and few extra lighting mods.
I’ll also service Red and Ted as there seems to be an issue with their mouths as well as the fitment of the big wire form that touch’s Teds head.

I’ll go through the boards as well as it has a couple of usual burnt connectors. Plus it looks like it had or has started to have battery leakage so I’ll remove them. I’ll also tidy up the wiring as well.

The owner did say that it was the cabinet that needed attention the most, but at first glance it looked pretty good. The decals have the usual fading and there is no major damage to the sides, apart from what looks like a black pin that’s been added to the right hand side.

However when I looked a bit closer, I could see what he meant. It’s has sticky chrome trim around the back box which I’ll remove. It also had plastic trim covering all the corners, which usually means they are covering something

Once removed I could see that they were covering past work.

Once it’s stripped down I’ll be able to hopefully see why the filler had been added on the corners but my guess is the front of the cabinet probably has structural issues.

So the plan is fully fix and restore the cabinet, install some silk screen decals and some powder coated armour

David_Vi · Nov 7, 2024

I'm ready and drugged up for the best shop log ever

roadshow16 · Nov 7, 2024

Big Phil · Nov 7, 2024

Love an Ant shop log!

mplayfield · Nov 7, 2024

Looking forward to it, great game

setchuk · Nov 7, 2024

Watching.. while im still finishing up mine.. your playfield is looking super nice already!!

Next step for mine... not sure what Im going to do with it yet!

Just been looking through some of your other shop logs... WOW !

Ant-H · Nov 8, 2024

setchuk said:
Watching.. while im still finishing up mine.. your playfield is looking super nice already!!

Next step for mine... not sure what Im going to do with it yet!

Just been looking through some of your other shop logs... WOW !

Thanks mate. If your playfield is in good condition with not much wear, by simply stripping it down and giving it a good clean and polish will make it great.

If I’m working with an original playfield, after cleaning and polishing, I find fitting new plastics, cleaning/replacing ****ty star posts and installing Titan and Comets throughout can make it it look just as good as a new playfield, which is the plan for this one

setchuk · Nov 9, 2024

Ant-H said:
Thanks mate. If your playfield is in good condition with not much wear, by simply stripping it down and giving it a good clean and polish will make it great.

If I’m working with an original playfield, after cleaning and polishing, I find fitting new plastics, cleaning/replacing ****ty star posts and installing Titan and Comets throughout can make it it look just as good as a new playfield, which is the plan for this one

Think I’m going to bite the bullet and do a minimal tear down.. ok dumb question #1 what the hell are titan & comets

Highlnder00 · Nov 9, 2024

setchuk said:
Think I’m going to bite the bullet and do a minimal tear down.. ok dumb question #1 what the hell are titan & comets

Titan is a brand of silicone rubbers and Comet Is a brand of LED bulbs

Ant-H · Nov 11, 2024

First job to start is the strip down so I can see exactly what needs doing.
Underside of the playfield looks pretty good.

Though I did notice a great little “fix” to one of the mechs

I have no idea why it’s there so will have to look into that.
The inside of the cabinet looks good with no nasty stains or major damage.

To remove the back box hinges I needed to remove the art blades as they were stuck over the hinge bolts.

Once the cabinet harness was removed I could start taking a closer look at what needs sorting.

I also found evidence that at some point in the games life, the glass had been smashed as there were loads of broken glass in the bottom.

Removing the art blades revelled a long split in the side of the cabinet.

I also pulled out that black pin that was pushed in the right side. It was literally a drawing pin and I have no clue as to why it was there.

Putting the cabinet on its back I could remove the plastic angle trim and as expected it was covering some damage and previous restoration/filler work.

Next I scrapped out all the filler that had been added to all the corners. You can see that the gaps were to big which usually means the overall structure has issues.

By using a flat headed screw driver I could see the problem. The front panel had come away from the sides.

The underside also looks like it’s been in contact with water at some point.

Next job is to strip the decals so I can get the cabinet structurally sound again

mplayfield · Nov 11, 2024

Wow and it looked okay at the start.

cmrl9 · Nov 11, 2024

Looks like a lot of hidden work

cmrl9 · Nov 11, 2024

Which I'm sure your fix

Ant-H · Nov 12, 2024

mplayfield said:
Wow and it looked okay at the start.

They always do

Ant-H · Nov 12, 2024

cmrl9 said:
Looks like a lot of hidden work

Yeah there’s nearly always previous fixes that you can sometimes see straight away but other previous fixes you don’t see until start stripping it down.

Some issues aren’t that bad, others I’m like ****

.

I remember that was the case on the chrome TAF I restored. The PF was really scrapping the side when it was lifted. It was only after I removed the playfield and stripped the side armour I could see one side was bowed like a banana

Ant-H · Nov 15, 2024

Before I could start fixing the overall structure of the cabinet, the decals needed to be removed. For me, I like to use a heat gun to remove them first,

I then use a Stanley blades and some meths to scrap the glue from the cabinet. This leave a good service ready to sand.

The game plan for the cabint is to re-glue all the joints, screw and pin them to give it some mechanical fixing and finally rebuild all edges with resin, that way the structure should be good for years to come

As the cabinet is basically coming apart, I decided to remove the nails that were used as they weren’t really doing there job and more.

That way I could then really pull the loose panels apart so that I could glue them up well.

I noticed as well that the lower front had also spilt basically running the whole width of the coin door panel of the cabinet

The prepare all the edges for the resin, I cut away approximately 5mm from each side so that the resin could really sink in and bond with the wood.

Once all the prep work done I could start gluing and pinning it back together.
I added a load of wood glue first and clamped the entire cabinet up on all sides.

I then pinned any edges that were not to bad and count sunk screws along worst edges.

I’ll leave the cabinet like this for 12 hours before removing the clamps. I can then start to rebuild all the edges and corners with resin. Whilst that’s drying I’ll start on the back box as well

Tucks · Nov 15, 2024

If there was ever a game worth restoring, Roadshow is it. One of the finest pins ever made.

I know removing decals, new plastics etc etc is what makes a top restoration, it does feel like 'Triggers Broom'.

Looking forward to seeing this. Bravo!!

Ant-H · Nov 20, 2024

After taking the clamps off, the cabinet is now rock solid.
Before I start with the regular wood filler, I rebuild all the area with major damage as well all the edges with resin.

I generally over fill then sand back flush with the wood. Then the whole cabinet gets its first coat of filler and rough sand with 60 and 80 grit followed by a second round of filler.

I find it easier to fill and sand the rear of the cabinet by removing wooden glides. Plus they are usually battered and I’m not keen on filling these as there’s a good chance the filler will crack or chip as they take the damage.
So I’ll make some new ones.

Inside the cabinet gets the same treatment.

Whilst the filler/resin was drying I jumped onto the back box.
First job was to strip it down and remove the plastic chrome trim around the edges.

Once removed I could see a couple of damaged areas which it was covering.

Like with the cabinet, I need to remove the faded decals to get a good look at what needs fixing in terms of the overall structure.

Apart from a couple of corners, overall it was pretty good.

The worst areas was the split that was under the chrome trim and the back panel, which looks like it’s been in a damp area in the past as the mdf as started to swell.

First job was to glue and pin the piece of wood back along the bottom.

To get a smooth finish on the back and to avoid cracking in the filler between the sides and back, I cut a good 5mm along the back edges and filled with resin.
This was then sanded flush. As resin is really hard, it leaves nice sharp edges.

Everything then gets a first coat of filler before being sanded back.

Both the cabinet and back box will get a few more rounds of filling and sanding then I can move onto painting them

Ant-H · Dec 2, 2024

Both back box and the cabinet were sanded to a point where I couldn’t feel or see anymore imperfections, so were ready for primer.
The primer will then highlight areas which need more attention.
I like doing this method as I’ve learnt in the past with an arcade cabinet, where I thought the cabinet, after filling and sanding was perfect, so applied the decals straight to it only to see every imperfection show through and by then it was to late

Before I started painting I first needed to make and install new rear wooden sliders. These get glued and pinned in place.

The second job that need doing was to sand the underside, which on this particular game was quite dirty and stained. Looks like something had spilt down it at some point when it was previously tombstoned in the past.

I go over the entire base with 60, 80, 120 and 240 grit sandpaper to remove the dirt.

I’ll seal it to help protect the wood once the decals have been applied. So with this in mind, I mask it up as otherwise it will get covered with over spray.

Everything gets a good hoover and wipe down with a tack clothe, then the primer gets applied.

Whilst I had the primer out I thought I’d do the transformer as well. This one was quite rusty so that needs removing first.

I generally use a wire wheel in a drill to clean it up.

This then gets the same treatment as the cabinet and back box.

I could see as soon as I applied the primer to the cabinet, it highlighted loads of areas that needed more attention. So I’ll circle everything that needs doing and start the filling again

Kenny Taylor · Dec 2, 2024

Your bloody good at this!

Ant-H · Dec 3, 2024

Kenny Taylor said:
You’re bloody good at this

I’ve learnt from my mistakes over the years when I restored some arcade machines. And trust me, I made loads.

Ant-H · Dec 10, 2024

Once the primer was dry, I went round both the cabinet and back box and circled any areas which I had missed on the initial rounds of filling.

These areas then then filled again with a fine filler, and sanded back. I then use an extra thick high build primer to make sure everything’s covered.

Both parts got sanded smooth with 600 grit and wiped down with panel wipe to remove any grease from them surfaces.

I then gave everything 2-3 coats of satin black. I usually start with the inside of the cabinet and build up the layers slowly otherwise you get runs, which I’m not really worried about on the sides but you don’t want them of surfaces that aren’t covered by decals like the back or the inside of the cabinet.

I also try to paint as much as possible whilst I have all the paint mixed so I generally paint 2 cabs at time of if I can.

Depending on the weather/temperature I leave everything to dry/harden for 2 to 3 days. Once fully dry I move onto the screen printing.

I used to do this after I had installed the decals but now do it before just in case there’s a problem or I’m not happy with the printing, as it’s easier to sand, re-paint and do it again without having to mask up newly installed decals.

This time of the year, the ink can take ages to dry, so I use a heater similar to what mobile car paint technicians use.
That way its dry in a few hours so I can crack on with the decals

Bobbdobalina · Dec 10, 2024

Stop making it look so easy!! I’m actually dreading my attempt

Ant-H · Dec 12, 2024

Bobbdobalina said:
Stop making it look so easy!! I’m actually dreading my attempt

It’s not hard really. Just keep a consistent pressure on the screen when dragging the spreader across with the ink

Ant-H · Dec 12, 2024

The decals for this project are silk screened and came from Planetary Pinball.

The print and overall quality were great though I have a feeling they have been rolled up for a long time as unfortunately some areas had puckered and peeled away from the backing.

This can be an issue sometimes as it can leave slight creases in the decal when applied.
I always start with the Coin door decal first then move onto the sides of the cabinet.

To remove any dust particles in the paint and to get a really smooth finish, I wet sand the areas to be decalled.

I then line the decal up and weigh one end down. Though I really should invest in something else to do this as I always seem to use transformers

I then crack out the vinyl solution and apply it using the wet method.

When it’s stuck down, all side get sanded to remove the excess and to put a nice bevel on the edges. The other side then gets the same treatment.

The cabinet decals went on nicely and once applied you could really see that they were really good quality.

When it came to the back box decals, these took a bit more planning and checking to get right. Unfortunately there was hardly any blue bleed on the sides and if I wasn’t carful, would have a white line on the sides

After checking, measuring and checking again I went for it and applied the decals and luckily I got centred so the white wasnt be visible.

Getting back to the main cabinet, when I cut around the metal leg protectors to remove the decals underneath, depending on how sticky the decals are, it can peel away the paint.
And in this case it pulled the paint.

I know it won’t be seen when the leg protectors are installed but I know it’s there

,
So it gets masked up and re-painted so it’s spot on.

Next job is probably my favourite part of a restoration. Installing the new earth braiding, as well as all the newly plated or powder coated metal work back in the cabinet

neil1637 · Dec 12, 2024

Fabulous work. Next level stuff.

Ant-H · Jan 8, 2025

I’ve been busy with other projects over the last month, but have not got a bit further with this RS.

First job was to install new earth braiding throughout the cabinet.

I’m going with an orange look/contrast as requested by this games owner so all the plastic clips etc were dyed orange.

The game already had a full PinSound kit installed so the sub went in next along with some new mirror blades courtesy of @Silverpaolo
The owner wanted a super mint finish to the cabinet so I added protective strips to both the front edge or the cabinet as well as the back.

In terms of armour, most Road Shows I’ve seen have either standard, chromed or either blue or yellow powder coating.
For this game, the owner wanted something different so decided on orange.
The one that was chosen was Prismatic Illusion Orange, which at first I was unsure about, however when everything was done, it looks really nice and has a great sparkle to it.

With everything back from the powder coaters, I could crack on with getting it all back in the cabinet.
First to be rebuilt was the lock bar mech.

The spring and adjustment screws were really oxidised and dirty so I gave them a good polish to clean them up.

Everything was then reassembled and fitted to the cabinet.

Next I rebuilt the main power Box, shaker motor plus the transformer and got them installed along with the leg brackets, protectors and all the other cabinet metal work.

Next job is to rebuild the back box, restore the lamp board as well at the coin door

Silverpaolo · Jan 8, 2025

Stunning mate cheers for the shout out

mplayfield · Jan 8, 2025

Ant-H said:
I’ve been busy with other projects over the last month, but have not got a bit further with this RS.

First job was to install new earth braiding throughout the cabinet.
View attachment 269108 View attachment 269109 View attachment 269137
I’m going with an orange look/contrast as requested by this games owner so all the plastic clips etc were dyed orange.
View attachment 269110
The game already had a full PinSound kit installed so the sub went in next along with some new mirror blades courtesy of @Silverpaolo
The owner wanted a super mint finish to the cabinet so I added protective strips to both the front edge or the cabinet as well as the back.
View attachment 269111 View attachment 269112
In terms of armour, most Road Shows I’ve seen have either standard, chromed or either blue or yellow powder coating.
For this game, the owner wanted something different so decided on orange.
The one that was chosen was Prismatic Illusion Orange, which at first I was unsure about, however when everything was done, it looks really nice and has a great sparkle to it.
View attachment 269116 View attachment 269117 View attachment 269127 View attachment 269128
View attachment 269129
With everything back from the powder coaters, I could crack on with getting it all back in the cabinet.
First to be rebuilt was the lock bar mech.
View attachment 269124The spring and adjustment screws were really oxidised and dirty so I gave them a good polish to clean them up.
View attachment 269121 View attachment 269120 View attachment 269122 View attachment 269123
Everything was then reassembled and fitted to the cabinet.
View attachment 269125
Next I rebuilt the main power Box, shaker motor plus the transformer and got them installed along with the leg brackets, protectors and all the other cabinet metal work.
View attachment 269130 View attachment 269134
View attachment 269118 View attachment 269119
View attachment 269132 View attachment 269131 View attachment 269136 View attachment 269133 View attachment 269126
View attachment 269135
Next job is to rebuild the back box, restore the lamp board as well at the coin door