SCOOP REPAIR


 

Yup, good old Monster Bash is known for some major problem areas. One is peeling of the cabinet decals around the legs and edges. Because Williams no longer silk-screened these decals toward the end of their pinball production, the cabinet artwork had a tendency to bunch up and eventually "tear" around the legs and corners. Luckily, cabinet decals can be replaced. Some day, I'll get my hands on a set and change mine (which have a little damage toward the back of the machine).

Another major problem is wear at the "scoop hole". Because of its design, the outer edge of the hole becomes deformed and chipped due to the constant launching of balls grazing the sides. Eventually the hole widens, warps and the damage works its way outward peeling off the artwork on the playfield. This problem is also evident in games such as Attack From Mars, White Water and other games with similar designs. On Monster Bash, this flaw was noted by many to happen very quickly.

The photo on the right shows this wear. This was taken from my game, which was not as damaged as many I have seen. Notice the hole has widened at the left side tearing away paint around it. The front and right sides are also chipping.

 

Once again, the creative collectors and restorers at the rec.games.pinball newsgroup came up with a solution. A "mylar" overlay was created that recreated the artwork and hole area of the scoop. With a "filler" to rebuild the hole to its original shape and some patience, one could recreate the hole area to almost near perfection. With the help of Kerry Star's metal scoop hole bracket (to prevent the sides from chipping in the future), the ultimate Monster Bash fix was now possible.

 

 


I read up on this problem, got a few ideas, and found many people who had luck with a product called JB Weld for rebuilding the hole area (thanks to Rich Wiski for the long e-mail he sent me detailing the process). So, I picked up an exacto knife, some JB Weld, emery cloth, sanding pad for smaller areas, and a bunch of other materials. I also purchased the metal bracket protector, which would not only shield the finished product but also act as an excellent "mold" to provide an outline of the original shape. Since JB Weld has a tendency to "run" before it hardens, the metal protector would hold it into place well.

 

 

I am not an expert at these types of restorations. Therefore, my method was probably not the best out there. However, it produced results that made me very happy (and were of very minimal cost). Since my MB playfield was really nice overall (minimal Drac track wear with a nice gloss), the only thing distracting was the scoop.

 

 

 

SCOOP RESTORE STEPS

CLICK ON A PHOTO FOR A CLOSER LOOK:





I began by removing all of the area surrounding the hole. This included the plastic/bulb above, ramps and bumper cap. I also removed the metal
shooter weld mech so...........




.....I was able to insert Kerry's hole bracket into place. It didn't fit perfectly underneath,
so I drilled a hole on the left side and eventually through the metal shooter to secure
the bracket.






I then protected the entire area with tape and put a towel around the rest of the playfield before I began. I spread JB Weld around the entire hole area until
it was slightly "above" the playfield. I allowed a day for it to dry.








The next day I removed the towel and the JB Weld had dried very well. If you look at the close-up of this photo, you'll notice that the JB Weld not only is above the playfield, but it dried lumpy. I took emery cloth and sanded around the edges of the JB Weld until it was flush with the playfield.


 





I cleaned up the area, removed the mylar (cutting a hole where the shooter is sticking up)
and placed it carefully onto the playfield. After a little cutting around the edges with the
exacto knife, it was all finished.



 





I had a little trouble cutting around the hole toward the end (the overlay has a tiny chip on the right side). More than likely this is due to my novice restoration ability. However, I am very pleased with the results and it looks fantastic. It also lasted through many 10 hour parties with no signs of peeling, dents or damage. That has to prove something. Maybe it just means my friends can never make a shot into the scoop. Hmmm.

If you're interested in taking on this project, read rec.games.pinball for other possibilities on restoration of the scoop hole. Some have found luck with "fiberglass resin" along with other unique materials (for me, the JB Weld has worked very well). If you're interested in the overlay, click HERE to order. If you want to get Kerry's excellent metal hole bracket, click HERE.

"Back in my day we didn't have jackpots!"