What's new
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!

What's the Deal with Repro CFTBL Holograms?

Steve

Steve

Registered
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
774
Location
Maldon,Essex
After a few years out in the pinball wilderness I'm now retired and currently restoring a CFTBL for a friend. One issue with the machine is the hologram , and I thought the usual problem was they turn blue but this one is completely blank? I seem to remember someone started making reproduction holograms a few years back but can't seem to find any info.
Just wondering what my options are as the owner didn't even know about this feature and I would like to get it up and working.
 
good luck with the creech Steve, great to see you back in the hobby,
 
Original Holograms go blank over time, there are a few options out there.

the repro holograms are sold out.. With new LCD screen mods being made to fill the hole.
Ask on Pinside @Steve, or maybe @stumblor has an older hologram from his refurb?
 
Good to see you are back in the game Steve.
I am a nostalgic person and like the hologram but the video replacement did look good from the videos.
 
Yep lots of options these days which is great. Me and @strongs_uk went over them a little while back:

https://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/pinballsp-holomodsp-for-cftbl-preorder.44803/

My pick is Henriks, which was available at the time but sounds like Dave has more recent info on that? I'm personally not keen on any of the LCD mods, imo it messes with the feel of the game. Others will disagree though, as is natural in pinball. :)

Since we did this list there is also an even cheaper solution that @replicas is looking into. Details here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/creature-from-the-black-lagoon-hologram-replacement-

It basically involves a picture etched into a bit of acrylic. We're looking at spicing that up a bit with a couple of LED arrays projecting a water effect across the window, using a similar effect to what I'm doing with a new chase board I'm putting together. Still a few months away on that one.
 
Steve said:
After a few years out in the pinball wilderness I'm now retired and currently restoring a CFTBL for a friend. One issue with the machine is the hologram , and I thought the usual problem was they turn blue but this one is completely blank? I seem to remember someone started making reproduction holograms a few years back but can't seem to find any info.
Just wondering what my options are as the owner didn't even know about this feature and I would like to get it up and working.
Click to expand...

Good to see you about again Steve - And congratulations on your retirement. I remember the restores you used to do were A1 top notch!!!
 
I have a Henrik repro and love it. Yes it's second place to an original hologram, but very very good all the same.

I missed out on the last MikeD's LCD mod by 5 minutes and was gutted at the time. But as time has passed I'm glad I did, as I got to play a game that had it a few years later. IMO it becomes more of a distraction than anything else as there is too much going on and it really doesn;t add anything. The same can be said for Pinball SPs. If I bought one I would just set it to play the factory holo animation, pretty boring eh lol.

By the way, to those who are interested in Pinball SP's, I got a PM on Pinside by a guy who warned me to be careful of him. Apparently he has made other mods and then left people in the sh*t as they were not 100% working. I would wait for people to receive the mod and play testing before handing over any money.
 
Thanks for the info guys, and the warm welcome! Great to see so many familiar faces still here.

Seems like there are a few options but the owner is hard up and doesn't want to spend on the machine. (He gave £200 for it 5 years ago and its been in his garden shed ever since). It's frustrating as I like to go overboard on my pin restorations but he has zero budget.
 
And creech is a great game to go overboard on!

Gut feel would be just to leave it then, even the acrylic solution is minimun 45 quid delivered and even then you would need to find some way to edge light to get the proper effect.
 
Also can I just say I paid more than 200 for my one and the ar5e was falling out of it.
 
Dave Bishop said:
Original Holograms go blank over time, there are a few options out there.

the repro holograms are sold out.. With new LCD screen mods being made to fill the hole.
Ask on Pinside @Steve, or maybe @stumblor has an older hologram from his refurb?
Click to expand...

From research I’ve done recently since buying my Creech it isn’t a given that these holograms just go black over time. It is likely to do with how the games are looked after and where they are kept. Things like heat and humidty could play a big part in it. People (operators bitd) using certain chemicals to clean the holograms too. I recently acquired a NOS hologram that has been stored well and shows absolutely no sign of deterioration. There are holograms in museums that well outdate these games that haven’t deteriorated.
 
I studied holography during my physics a-level. I must of had an interested teacher to entertain 16 year old playing alone with lasers. I loved the process of measuring the diffracted paths and placing the mirrors, timing the exposure and then fixing the film. Watching the laser bounce off mirrors in near dark was magic.
We did a few site visits to a place near you Steve, I wonder if they are still there... They had a concrete slab floating on mercury to balance out any earth moment.
 
Toxteth O'Grady said:
I have been after an original no’s hologram for ages.... where did you find one @strongs_uk ? First dibs if you ever want to sell it please.
Click to expand...

A friend in the US sold it to me. I’ve since installed it in my game.

BTW heres a nice trick for all of you Creech owners. Swap out the stock hologram lamp for a green #89 flasher with lens (no modification required to your stock lamp holder) Your hologram will have never looked so good.
View attachment trim.D2D06A22-AD77-4948-B30E-9155EC3FEC52.MOV
 
Calimori said:
I studied holography during my physics a-level. I must of had an interested teacher to entertain 16 year old playing alone with lasers. I loved the process of measuring the diffracted paths and placing the mirrors, timing the exposure and then fixing the film. Watching the laser bounce off mirrors in near dark was magic.
We did a few site visits to a place near you Steve, I wonder if they are still there... They had a concrete slab floating on mercury to balance out any earth moment.
Click to expand...

Mate - ever thought about getting into the Creech hologram repro business?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holography#Hobbyist_use

Sounds like while complicated, it might be doable for a hobbyist!
 
I’m guessing those that ‘pre-ordered’ the PinballSP LCD solution haven’t received it yet? I’ve not checked on progress for some time but I assume the pandemic has pushed production back.
 
Kenny Taylor said:
I did wonder whether fitting a green bulb would work. I’m sure my lamp was upgraded to halogen. Which would work best, #89 flasher or the halogen bulb?
Click to expand...

Definately the LED. Make sure to get one with a lens. I got mine from Onestoppinball.
The other good thing with the green LED is that any light ‘bleed’ is green so it adds an eerie green effect. Those halogen lights get super hot and have much more power draw on your boards.
 
stumblor said:
Like we needed any extra projects, but...

Click to expand...
This is exactly what I was doing with the same sort of kit. Amazing how that turns into the home kit above but you can see the parts. We wouldn't want plates glass in the game, there is flexible film too.
 
Calimori said:
This is exactly what I was doing with the same sort of kit. Amazing how that turns into the home kit above but you can see the parts. We wouldn't want plates glass in the game, there is flexible film too.
Click to expand...

You have to try this out!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom