Wow 
just superb work Ant
just superb work AntPinball info
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In Progress Fishy, Fishy, Fishy! - 3 x Fish Tales Restorations
- Thread starter Ant-H
- Start date
OP
OP
I now have all the armour/bolts back from the platers and powder coaters. Fishy No1 & 2 are going full on chrome and Fishy No 3 is going with a gloss black power coat.
First part to go are the start button rings that I make.
Followed by the side rails, cabinet bolts and back box hinges.
When it came to the fishing reel handles all 3 games had issues with the shooter buttons.
Either the button was replaced or the wiring had been hacked up.
Iāve always thought the shooter button didnāt look right on the handle and bit of an after thought when it was designed due to a the handles being cast with a square opening and then a piece of plastic filling the hole
After reading a few posts online about this, itās seems that they were originally designed for a larger button similar to other pins at the time that had shooter buttons instead of shooter rods, but for some reason, was cancelled before release.
The service manual even has a picture of what it was meant look like. Plus the game code/test menu and harness has the wiring installed for a bulb on all production games but was simply not used.
So I thought Iād give it a go and make my own.
First job was to find a button that was the closest in regards to dimensions to the square opening when the 2 halves of the reel are put together.
The issue I had then was it was to big internally with the larger micro switch.
So I marked out 2 points on both halves that needed removing and carefully machined them out.
This gave me enough clearance so that the 2 halves could be fitted back together.
As the games already came from the factory with the wiring for a light in the main cabinet harness, all I had to do was add 2 extra wires to the reel wiring and solder all 4 wires to the new switch.
Iām not sure if the button was actually released if it would have had something on it, like āshootā or āfireā. So I though Iād add my own using black vinyl.
Once all 3 reels were back together, the last job was to fit some oak to the handles for Fishy No1 and No3.
Then I could get them back on each game and see if they worked.
The last job to do, was to rebuild the 2 coin doors for Fishy No1 & No2 after having them chromed.
When reassembling I had to remove some of the plating on a couple of the parts as even though the plating is quite thin, as they were triple plated, it was enough to stop them slotting back in place.
After that, everything went back together nicely
Obviously, before they were plated any labels were removed, so I made some new ones to replace them.
When it comes to fitting coin doors back on a cabinet with new decals, I like to score around the coin door frame to stop it creasing the decals.
Im planning on leaving all 3 games on their trolleys for ease of movement and will install the legs last.
So basically apart from a few replacements stickers, the cabinets are done, so I can not start on the Playfield swaps/shop
First part to go are the start button rings that I make.
Followed by the side rails, cabinet bolts and back box hinges.
When it came to the fishing reel handles all 3 games had issues with the shooter buttons.
Either the button was replaced or the wiring had been hacked up.
Iāve always thought the shooter button didnāt look right on the handle and bit of an after thought when it was designed due to a the handles being cast with a square opening and then a piece of plastic filling the hole
After reading a few posts online about this, itās seems that they were originally designed for a larger button similar to other pins at the time that had shooter buttons instead of shooter rods, but for some reason, was cancelled before release.
The service manual even has a picture of what it was meant look like. Plus the game code/test menu and harness has the wiring installed for a bulb on all production games but was simply not used.
So I thought Iād give it a go and make my own.
First job was to find a button that was the closest in regards to dimensions to the square opening when the 2 halves of the reel are put together.
The issue I had then was it was to big internally with the larger micro switch.
So I marked out 2 points on both halves that needed removing and carefully machined them out.
This gave me enough clearance so that the 2 halves could be fitted back together.
As the games already came from the factory with the wiring for a light in the main cabinet harness, all I had to do was add 2 extra wires to the reel wiring and solder all 4 wires to the new switch.
Iām not sure if the button was actually released if it would have had something on it, like āshootā or āfireā. So I though Iād add my own using black vinyl.
Once all 3 reels were back together, the last job was to fit some oak to the handles for Fishy No1 and No3.
Then I could get them back on each game and see if they worked
.The last job to do, was to rebuild the 2 coin doors for Fishy No1 & No2 after having them chromed.
When reassembling I had to remove some of the plating on a couple of the parts as even though the plating is quite thin, as they were triple plated, it was enough to stop them slotting back in place.
After that, everything went back together nicely
Obviously, before they were plated any labels were removed, so I made some new ones to replace them.
When it comes to fitting coin doors back on a cabinet with new decals, I like to score around the coin door frame to stop it creasing the decals.
Im planning on leaving all 3 games on their trolleys for ease of movement and will install the legs last.
So basically apart from a few replacements stickers, the cabinets are done, so I can not start on the Playfield swaps/shop
Lovely Ant so lovely mateI now have all the armour/bolts back from the platers and powder coaters. Fishy No1 & 2 are going full on chrome and Fishy No 3 is going with a gloss black power coat.
View attachment 253607
First part to go are the start button rings that I make.
View attachment 253605View attachment 253606
Followed by the side rails, cabinet bolts and back box hinges.
View attachment 253610View attachment 253611View attachment 253612
When it came to the fishing reel handles all 3 games had issues with the shooter buttons.
Either the button was replaced or the wiring had been hacked up.
View attachment 253566
View attachment 253555View attachment 253556View attachment 253557
View attachment 253558View attachment 253613
Iāve always thought the shooter button didnāt look right on the handle and bit of an after thought when it was designed due to a the handles being cast with a square opening and then a piece of plastic filling the hole
After reading a few posts online about this, itās seems that they were originally designed for a larger button similar to other pins at the time that had shooter buttons instead of shooter rods, but for some reason, was cancelled before release.
The service manual even has a picture of what it was meant look like. Plus the game code/test menu and harness has the wiring installed for a bulb on all production games but was simply not used.
View attachment 253559
So I thought Iād give it a go and make my own.
First job was to find a button that was the closest in regards to dimensions to the square opening when the 2 halves of the reel are put together.
The issue I had then was it was to big internally with the larger micro switch.
View attachment 253615
So I marked out 2 points on both halves that needed removing and carefully machined them out.
View attachment 253573View attachment 253574View attachment 253576
This gave me enough clearance so that the 2 halves could be fitted back together.
View attachment 253575
As the games already came from the factory with the wiring for a light in the main cabinet harness, all I had to do was add 2 extra wires to the reel wiring and solder all 4 wires to the new switch.
View attachment 253564
View attachment 253578View attachment 253581
Iām not sure if the button was actually released if it would have had something on it, like āshootā or āfireā. So I though Iād add my own using black vinyl.
View attachment 253561View attachment 253560
View attachment 253616
View attachment 253563
Once all 3 reels were back together, the last job was to fit some oak to the handles for Fishy No1 and No3.
View attachment 253569View attachment 253570View attachment 253571View attachment 253586View attachment 253587
View attachment 253582
Then I could get them back on each game and see if they worked
View attachment 253572
View attachment 253617
The last job to do, was to rebuild the 2 coin doors for Fishy No1 & No2 after having them chromed.
View attachment 253589View attachment 253591View attachment 253590View attachment 253592View attachment 253595
When reassembling I had to remove some of the plating on a couple of the parts as even though the plating is quite thin, as they were triple plated, it was enough to stop them slotting back in place.
View attachment 253596
After that, everything went back together nicely
View attachment 253597View attachment 253598
Obviously, before they were plated any labels were removed, so I made some new ones to replace them.
View attachment 253599View attachment 253600View attachment 253602View attachment 253603
When it comes to fitting coin doors back on a cabinet with new decals, I like to score around the coin door frame to stop it creasing the decals.
View attachment 253619
View attachment 253604
Im planning on leaving all 3 games on their trolleys for ease of movement and will install the legs last.
So basically apart from a few replacements stickers, the cabinets are done, so I can not start on the Playfield swaps/shop
Hello, Ant,
With the launch button, the earliest ones did have the fittings shown in the assembly drawing. The first of the three work bought did, but not for long. As I reckon, reports about its (lack of) durability saw a replacement kit issued, basically a large washer* and another switch, similar to your picture of two handles taken apart. Though the switch wasn't as solid as the ones shown, it was deeper, with a more pronounced white plastic button. As I recall there was no marking on/in the intended lit button, btw.
* the production line used a square black mounting piece instead, to avoid the switch being recessed in the caster housing
With the launch button, the earliest ones did have the fittings shown in the assembly drawing. The first of the three work bought did, but not for long. As I reckon, reports about its (lack of) durability saw a replacement kit issued, basically a large washer* and another switch, similar to your picture of two handles taken apart. Though the switch wasn't as solid as the ones shown, it was deeper, with a more pronounced white plastic button. As I recall there was no marking on/in the intended lit button, btw.
* the production line used a square black mounting piece instead, to avoid the switch being recessed in the caster housing
Last edited:
OP
OP
I started on the Fishy No 1 playfield first and have basically done the same to Fishy No 2 but Iāve just not added all the photos as itās basically the same process.
The original playfields on both games were pretty reasonable for a Fish Tales, both showed the usual insert wear and ramp damage.
Stripping down the top sides on both games was the first job to tackle.
Once the tops were completely stripped, I spun them round the the rotisseries and started on the backs.
The coil harness is the first once to come off.
Followed by the GI harness and lastly the switch harness.
With the harnesses removed from both Fishy No 1 and No 2, all that needs to be done is to remove all the mechs and lamp boards.
Space becomes bit of a challenge in the workshop when restoring more than 1 pin at the same time, so I have to get creative for where I store all the parts
I ended up hanging one set of Harnesses on the back of door and the other in the roof rafters.
After a good clean, the playfield for Fishy No1 has found a new home
The next job is the prep the new playfields and make some custom oak wooden side rails for all 3 games
The original playfields on both games were pretty reasonable for a Fish Tales, both showed the usual insert wear and ramp damage.
Stripping down the top sides on both games was the first job to tackle.
Once the tops were completely stripped, I spun them round the the rotisseries and started on the backs.
The coil harness is the first once to come off.
Followed by the GI harness and lastly the switch harness.
With the harnesses removed from both Fishy No 1 and No 2, all that needs to be done is to remove all the mechs and lamp boards.
Space becomes bit of a challenge in the workshop when restoring more than 1 pin at the same time, so I have to get creative for where I store all the parts
I ended up hanging one set of Harnesses on the back of door and the other in the roof rafters.
After a good clean, the playfield for Fishy No1 has found a new home
The next job is the prep the new playfields and make some custom oak wooden side rails for all 3 games
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Out of interest if you put a straight edge across the playfield (old) in front of the boat ish area are any warped?
Mine is and the ball can swerve sdtm from casters club, I levelled mine so itās better. I have a CPR playfield to fit, one day lol.
Seen others that do the swerve thing coming down.
Nearly there
Mine is and the ball can swerve sdtm from casters club, I levelled mine so itās better. I have a CPR playfield to fit, one day lol.
Seen others that do the swerve thing coming down.
Nearly there
