FLEX Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Well I have been gathering parts for a TAF now for about 5-6 years and I believe I have most of the machine bits sorted to start. It has been around a year since I finished an IJ and I have found it seems to take around 6 to 12 months for the motivation to kick in to start another restore. In this case I needed more then usual because of the work needed, but its come around so im getting stuck right in. This was always a grail pin for me, not up there with IJ but certainly top 5. I must admit though that I think my family is more excited about this machine coming to life then any others I have done. The weird thing is I never really watched the movies when they first come out. I only watched them properly (saw parts back in the day, but never took much notice) more recently with the family, and was completely blown away by just how great they were!! These parts have come from all over the world really, local, US, Romania, Bulgaria, UK, lol ! I originally had a p/f to be restored, but when CPR did a repro I grabbed one of those real quick! Since starting out the less common parts have become a lot easier to get (if you want to buy them new), like the bookcase assembly, Thing hand assembly etc, so it was really starting to come together. If anyone has a suitable complete cab lying around (doesn’t need any hardware) I might be interested as I will have to make one from scratch otherwise. Also, desperately looking for a mansion light board (the big one). Going to have to improvise with this I think.. Anyway, here are a few pic’s of progress so far.. Cabinet parts etc Playfield parts Boards, wiring harness for cab (I think), and metal backbox plate New parts needed So the first thing I did to start getting my head around it was pull out the old p/f and lay all the parts out on it. This would also confirm what parts I had missing (to some extent) Then it was time to send all the metal bits off to get redone. I normally get stuff electroplated, but the thought of sending so many small parts away, and the very long turn around times (talking 4 to 8 weeks) with the company I normally use, was cringy. I have a powdercoater around the corner so decided this might be worth a shot. The TAF theme seemed to kind of suit black anyway, so I had all the parts done in satin black. There was around 30 parts. A week later I had them all back finished, and it cost a grand total of $150 for the lot !! Happy is an understatement, and I will be doing this again next game ! One thing I learned = Obviously you need to put screws in any threaded hole so they dont fill up, but the lesson was to keep the ends of each screw flush with the back of the hole (dont screw them through). This will stop the buildup of coating on the end of the screw, which makes it harder to get them back out afterwards..<_< Now its time to start assembly for real ! All boards have been sent to Ken, serviced with game roms installed, and returned back to me, Thanks Ken!! I will keep posting updates as things come along.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators furballx Posted March 18, 2019 Administrators Share Posted March 18, 2019 You can never put up enough pictures of a build like this.......just saying...... :) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peely Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 fantastic work, will watch with interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cejay Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Wow, projects don't come much bigger than this. I'm sure it will look amazing and looking forward to the updates :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newy16216 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Liking the idea of the black mechs , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottt Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Im pretty sure Timbo does new cabinets and backbox fully decaled and earth braided etc etc if you wanted it to be; or plain. Im excited to see the progress, great stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 I have an Addams in the same 'graveyard'......Hoping this thread motivates me to get it started. I think I like the black, will wait to see it on the playfield. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 Bookcase assembled from scratch with new ir boards wired up. Yes, it would have made sense to have different coloured wires for the top and bottom..:lol Anyway, have plenty of pic's and colour coded things with cable ties.. Also had the turntable facing the wrong way lol, guess this is what happens when you have never seen one before ! :) Question - Can anyone advise if there is suppose to be a saddle or clamp supporting the bookcase cable's (the IR board ones)? Seems odd to not have these supported with anything but the solder connection's. I have some corro tube to go over them but still.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn70 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Massive task. Great admiration for ya & top job so far. Will watch this for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 Sunday night progress.. Ordered the wrong sling switches. Thought they were all the same, so only looked up the first sling part number I found and ordered 4 of. Of course this was the only one that was different to the rest, so had to turn 3 of them around. :realmad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 New hand for the Thing mech I got second hand, serviced the wiring loom as well before installing. Hooked it up to my 12v power supply to check the switch setting, everything worked well and I just had to adjust the shaft trigger thing slightly but looks good! Done a heap of fiddling around with other mech's and stuff, but this was the main accomplishment. Q: The back of the Thing steel ball box doesn't have mounting screws, it looks like it slots into something, does anyone know how this works? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo27 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Yep, 2 tech screws on front edge. There is a channel piece that screws in from behind playfield. Thing box the holds in the channel. Can picture and send this afternoon Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razor Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 What’s your plan for the wiring harnesses, have you bought second hand or are you wiring the machine from scratch? Either way freakin awesome project Sent from my iPhone using Aussie Arcade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo27 Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Had to remove it anyway [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted March 26, 2019 Author Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) What’s your plan for the wiring harnesses, have you bought second hand or are you wiring the machine from scratch? Either way freakin awesome project Sent from my iPhone using Aussie Arcade I have a TAF p/f wiring loom which I think is all there. It was cut out off the original machine though, so I will have to marry it up to a different headbox loom I got for it. Had to remove it anyway [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Awesome pic's Turbo, thanks heaps !!! :041::041: I recognise that part (in a box here somewhere..), and now I know were it goes !! While you are at it could you give me the dimensions of the back panel? Can you also confirm if it has any cutouts or things in it other then just being a straight piece of timber? Edited March 26, 2019 by FLEX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted March 27, 2019 Author Share Posted March 27, 2019 Well, all underside hardware and machinery seems to be done! Now to pull out this birds nest, clean it, and start the dreaded harness install long haul.. Hopefully its all there, and the cable's haven't been chopped off short.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 First to tackle the G.I and insert lighting harness. Replaced all the light sockets, having to reference the manual along the way due to lamp holders being cut off etc.. Probably took around 4-5 hours for this one loom.. Done now though, so moving on to the switch loom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted April 15, 2019 Author Share Posted April 15, 2019 next up the switch harness, another 4-5 hours or so.. Just the solenoid/flasher harness to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share Posted April 16, 2019 Finished the wiring harnesses, YAAAAAYYY !!! :041::041: Found a couple of issues along the way, one of the interesting ones was that I initially couldn't find two of the the left upper flipper cables. Eventually I found them cut right back and tucked inside the harness, one of which had been cut and stripped back (shown in the pic with repair already made), the other just cut off. It makes you wonder what the history of the machine was, like did someone just cut the cables instead of fixing the flipper at some stage hmmm.. :huh: Anyway, found the matching cables in another harness I have and did the repair, also added a triple fuse holder for the magnet's. Had to stop to go watch GOT :D . Just need to double check I havnt missed anything and then install the cable brackets and tidy it all up with cable ties. Big relief though !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted April 18, 2019 Author Share Posted April 18, 2019 Well, aside from a molex connector, and to fabricate a new mansion light board, all the wiring is now connected to the p/f !! It doesn't seem like something to celebrate, but I have found that this part of any machine restoration is the most tedious and daunting, and to get past it brings a whole new boost of motivation to crack on with the job. I wasn't sure how best to retain the Thing hand cable though (I actually added another tie). It seemed odd that from pictures of other machines it just seemed to hang loose? Anyway see how it goes! There also seems to be another EMI brake PCB at the top of the p/f tucked under the wiring harness, but there is no record of this in the manual, or cables that i haven't connected yet. Can anyone give me a clue about this? A couple of pic's off the net of what looks like an EMI board; The space empty on mine, but no spare wires either :unsure; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Pretty sure @Dedrok is doing an addams atm also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEX Posted April 18, 2019 Author Share Posted April 18, 2019 Also have to marry a loom from another machine up this this lot.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedrok Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 The one at home is in bits, should be near another one later tonight. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedrok Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 At a quick glance in the manual, it’s in the “parts not shown” list at bottom of under playfield parts. Also in the schematic. Looking at pics from the net, it goes directly to things [emoji1671]hand ? Or at least the motor. I’ll head over and pop the hood I a minute. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedrok Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 So there’s the one for the vault bookcase motor which looks like you have. Then there’s the Thing motor one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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