williams swinger pinball machine

[David Walz]

I have sourced a photograph of the playfield when it was new. The difference is obvious that time has degraded the colors.

[David Walz]

On this 1972 Williams Pinball machine I have spend a whole lot of time trying to figure out how the paint works. The colors are degraded over time and I am trying to match them up. 

I have a lot of paint and I have been experimenting with colors, kinda like Frankenstein paint monster.

[David Walz]

My issue is that the paint is degraded, up close photos shows the condition. The playfield has ball damage that needs attention.

[David Walz]

I started by making a blueprint of the playfield, using several methods I got the layout. I sanded down the playfield, and started to draw the layout. I have been painting the playfield, and it's painstaking. Having to prep a area, spray sealer, dry, spray the paint, dry, and then remove the prep work. The gun needs to be cleaned every time I change the paint.

[David Walz]

I have been painting each color on the playfield, taking a lot of time just to accomplish each one.

[David Walz]

Continued.....

[David Walz]

Continued.

[David Walz]

I have a playfield plan of attack: I am going to get the paint completed 100% correct. I then will seal the board with a automotive clear coat. Once I am 100% satisfied with the clear coat I proceed with the black lines. After that is finished, I will apply another clear coat. When that is accomplished then I will work on the water slide decals.

I am following: Vid's Guide to Ultimate Playfield Restoration. It just makes sense when working on the playfield.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration

[David Walz]

Looking at the pieces of wood from the playfield, it looks like the paint is worn out.

[David Walz]

I am going to color match those wood pieces.

[David Walz]

I have been studying this playfield paint colors for awhile, the locations that are most important are the paint under a post to determine what was the paint and this NOS playfield photograph. I think the colors match up, however if someone thinks otherwise oh well.

Interesting find, the photo of the NOS playfield is from 2006, and I happened to see a small photo of it. I contacted the person who took the photo and asked him if they had a larger photo, to my surprise the sent me a larger photo, I cut it in three sections so I can work on the playfield easier. I was able to sharpen up the photograph, clear, easy to identify small details.

Another aspect is that the playfield was hammered dog 💩, the only option for me was to strip it down, clean it up, and start over again.

I have a couple of hand drawings of the playfield, exact location of the letters, people, signs, lines, arrows, etc.

[David Walz]

  I figured it wasn't a problem changing the name on the playfield. It's a Swinger, not a Fun Fest. When I work on the water slide decals, all of the lettering is going back on exactly as it was on the playfield, just cleaned up. Exception is the Swinger, and that is very small lettering.

Just like this photo, I took the lettering, removed it, cleaned it up, resized it, and now its ready to reapply back on the playfield the exact same place, size, that it was before the restoration.

I have several drawings of the playfield, exactly where the lettering came from, size, location. And yes I spent untold hours cleaning up the lettering, resizing, using AI to help on the damaged lettering, etc. Since this lettering isn't available, it was hand printed in 1972, no font is exactly the same.

[David Walz]

Working on the white paint for the playfield. It's a lot of work. I use the Frisket Matt Masking Film, then blue tape for the paper. I make 100% sure its sealed or the  will happen if a over spray happens. Also it's important not to let the blue tap touch the playfield, another  will happen.

[David Walz]

Getting the white paint on the playfield.

[David Walz]

This may be a bit strange, however I have a lot of black paint to put down and I don't want to screw up my previous work. I put two coats of automotive finish on the playfield and I heated it up with a hair dryer to help cure it. I will let it sit overnight to fully cure, then I am going to start the black paint and line work. I also Experimented with lines and I used a 0.07 tip with black acrylic paint on plywood. Then I put down some clear coat and it is fine.

I read the hair dryer is #1 for the playfield and they are 100% correct any more heat will cook it. I experimented with a scrap piece of plywood and it went wanky.

[David Walz]

This is going to be a long process.
As I started out, I FUBAR the job. Good thing was sealed and it wiped off. So that was a great save.
Then I jumped in and started making lines, after awhile I got the technique figured out, to a point. I learned if I have a bleed I don't need to start over, just heat the paint dry then tape and wipe off the bleed with some magic juice.

[David Walz]

Here is the magic juice.
So as I said I tested out a piece of plywood for a test subject with the paint pen. Using under coating, paint, some lines and a sealer I found out it would work.

[David Walz]

I took a post and I am using it as a measuring tool. If I don't need to put a line down that cuts down my time.

[David Walz]

The wood pieces on the playfield are being redone, I located the paint for it. They are the ones that are on each side of the playfield and on the right side. They sure have bleached out over time. Those were the times of some loud paint colors.

BTW I was 12years old when this was built.

[David Walz]

Line painting by hand, what a lot of work. 

The posts are for a reference only, they are not tied down.