Category: Lighting

Welcome!

This is a blog documenting the restoration of my 1987 Williams Space Station pinball machine.  Thanks for visiting. Dave Santoro

Completed Playfield

The playfield turned out really well.  All that’s left is for me to paint the coin door and touch up the cabinet paint. I’ll just leave a little eye candy here for you…..

Lighting!

  One thing I did that a purist might not agree with, I replaced almost every incandescent bulb with a new LED.  In my view the benefits far outweigh the ever-so-slightly-reduced authenticity. Benefits of LEDs: Bolder and more vivid colors Longer life Cooler burning Draw less power and therefore easier on the wiring and components …

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General Illumination Repair

After reading a LOT online, I dove into repairing the right side general illumination.  This is a common problem that arises from the under-spec molex connector frying and losing conductivity.   In the pictures below you will see the burned white connector, which I replaced with the new black one from Mouser.  This required only …

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The condition of my new acquisition.

The machine was in what I would describe as good+ condition.  The great news is that most of the issues seemed to be cosmetic. The game was playable, but mechanically there were a few issues – a pop bumper or two was non responsive, the sound was badly garbled, and a few segments in the VFD …

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Thus beginneth my next obsession.

I am Dave Santoro.  This site has been created to document the restoration project for my 1987 Williams Space Station Pinball Machine. I had always wanted a pinball machine, mainly for the sentimental fun of playing it, but also for the technical challenge of restoring it.  I had always assumed that acquiring a good condition …

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