Internet Info 1994 March/Internet Info CD-ROM (Walnut Creek) (March 1994).iso/answers/rec/games/pinball/part2

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From: [e-mail] (Andy Oakland)
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Subject: monthly rec.games.pinball FAQ, two of two
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Archive-name: games/pinball/part2

This is the second half of the monthly posting for rec.games.pinball.
If you have any comments, additions, or suggestions for this posting,
please contact the editor, Andy Oakland, at [e-mail].

Changes from last time:

    Updated information on Two-Bit Score Amusements, now with an
    email address, thanks to Bob Sokol ([e-mail]).

----------------------------------------------------------

Frequently Asked Question number two:

I've got this pinball machine.  Now what do I do with it?  (Besides
play it, of course!)

Steven Craig, [e-mail], maintains an up-to-date list of
pinball machines and their owners (the PAPS list), so that other net'ers
can find people who have a specific game.  He posts it to rec.games.pinball
monthly, or you can email him for a personal copy.  If you have recently
bought a machine, he'd be happy to add you to the list!

=========================================================================
=======================      Playfields         =========================
=========================================================================

Playfields come in three flavors:  Mylared, non-Mylared, and Williams'
"DiamondPlated" fields.  Mylar is a sheet of clear plastic laid over
the playfield to protect it.  Mylar can get grubby, and slows down play...
Some pinball purists remove the Mylar and keep their fields well waxed.

For Mylared playfields, you can use "Endust" or something similar.  If
your game is already in good condition, it does just what you want, and
without that annoying waxy buildup!

Williams field service suggests cleaning DiamondPlate playfields with
Novus Plastic Polishes #'s 1 and 2.  #1 to clean and repel dust, #2 to
remove fine scratches.  Or you can simply wipe the field clean with a rag
and some glass cleaner.  KIT carnauba wax is also reputed to be good.
Call Novus at [phone] for a distributor in your area.  Brady
Distributors (see bottom of FAQ) and some plastics supply houses carry Novus.

By the way, Williams does not recommend "Wildcat" wax on DiamondPlate
playfields, as it can seep under any mylar pieces and dissolve their
adhesive.  It can also cloud clear ramps, with repeated use.

Maintaining your non-Mylar playfield is more complicated.  There are special
waxes made for this, such as "Mills" and "Wildcat," which are available
at distributors or via mail-order.  (See list of suppliers below)  Wax
protects the playfield's paint, and provides a smooth, fast, surface for
the ball to roll on.

A dirty playfield should be "dry wiped" with a soft rag before the first
cleaner/wax application -- that much less dirt to get trapped in the wax.
Do NOT clean playfields with water!  Lemon Pledge is reputed to be an
excellent general-purpose cleaner; you can also clean up the playfield
plastics with it, and use it to freshen up a game that's alread got a
good coat of wax.

If you want get ambitious and remove your Mylar, Brian Millham
([e-mail]) offers the following advice:

    "It turned out to be a BIG, MESSY job, but it was worth it!
    The best method that I found was HEAT.  I simply took a hair dryer
    and heated up a portion of the Mylar, starting from an easy to get
    to edge, and peeled it up.  Once you get it started, the job is fairly
    easy, but slow.  Let the heat do its work.  Don't overheat the
    playfield, but also don't pull the Mylar up too fast.  You don't want
    to pull up any paint with it!

    "Once you have removed the old Mylar, you are probably only half done
    with the job.  You now will need to remove the glue that was left
    behind.  This is the fun part :-)  I ended up using Milwax and
    lots of elbow grease.  Once you start cleaning off
    the glue, you will find that it looks like you are making a bigger
    mess than you had.  Don't worry, it will start coming clean.
    Oh, did I mention to have LOTS of cloths to do this part?

    "It played like a whole different machine!  And it looked better too.
    The Mylar leaves a dull finish.  A waxed playfield looks nice and
    bright.

Also, there are solvents available to dissolve the glue...I've seen these
work with magnificent results.  Michael Knudsen ([e-mail])
reports:

    "I just heard from a serious pin restorer that that Blue Stuff
    (called CP-100 by Gemini Inc in Michigan) really dissolves that
    gunky glue that holds down Mylar sheets.  Not only cleans it up
    in short order, but will even soak under the edge of a Mylar sheet
    (like around a bumper or ramp) and loosen it right off the playfield!
    So now The Blue Stuff has its special niche in pin work.

If you want to do playfield touchup, you can use Testor's paint.  You'll
find this in the plastic model section of your local toy store.  Lettering
can be either retouched by hand, if there's enough to salvage, or completely
redone with rub-on letters.  Art supply stores have the latter.
Before retouching the playfield, be certain to clean well and remove all
the old wax!  Brian Casper has used grain alcohol with good results.

You can build up height in worn or chipped spots by using multiple coats
of paint.  Be sure to allow plenty of time for each coat to dry, and finish
up with coats of polyurethane spray.

Deeper gouges and holes in your playfield can be patched with "Bondo," a
product typically used for repairing car bodies.  Bondo should be applied
to the bare wood; beware of getting it on playfield plastics, as its
solvents may attack them.  It is very hard after it cures, so you should do
as much shaping of the area as possible while it is still malleable.  Once
it dries, you need to use a power sander to smooth it out.

To fill in stripped screw holes and the like, you can use "Plastic Wood"
to provide a new surface for the screws to grip.

=========================================================================
=======================        Flippers         =========================
=========================================================================

If your flippers seem feeble, have a look at the contacts on the buttons
and the coils themselves.

The flipper coils are actually two coils in one.  One is the relatively
high-current one to initially fire a flipper, and the other is the lower-
current one for holding a flipper up.  The high-current coil is supposed
to cut out at the end of a stroke, leaving the lower-current coil to hold
the flipper up.  If the high-current coil isn't firing, the flipper will
move very feebly.  Conversely, if the high-power coil is constantly
energized, you're likely to fry the coil or blow a fuse.

How this is done depends on the age of the machine.  On older machines,
(Pre-Dr. Dude, 1990) it's done in hardware with a normally closed end-of-
stroke ("EOS") switch which opens at the top of the stroke and cuts out
the power to the high-power coil.  If the contacts on this switch are bad,
the high-power coil won't ever fire, and the flipper will be feeble.
Cleaning and adjusting these contacts, as well as the contacts in the
flipper buttons, will fix many flipper problems.  See the directions for
contact cleaning under "General Cleaning Tips" below.

Most modern machines use "solid state" flippers, which use software to control
the strength of the flip.  The most important difference is the fact that the
end of stroke switches are normally open, and close when the flipper reaches
the end of stroke.  When the player presses a flipper button, the flipper
controller board energizes both the high-power (50-volt) and low-power (25
volt) coils.  When the flipper closes the EOS switch, the controller board
shuts off the 50 volts, leaving the 25-volt coil to keep the flipper up.
The practical upshot of all this is that the switches, being low current, do
not need as much care.  Also, the flipper buttons may be replaced by optical
switches, again reducing the necessary maintance.

A sluggish flip may also be caused by a dirty flipper sleeve.  Remove
the sleeve and clean it and the plunger.  A melted sleeve should warn
you to check the EOS switch and make sure the high-current coil is cutting
out on cue.

You may also have a worn coil stop or plunger, causing the flipper
to pull in too far.

If you need new contacts, sleeves, or whole coils, you can order
replacements from the sources listed below.

Flippers in many electromechanical (EM) machines are driven by AC, so there
tends to be some buzzing associated with them.  This is normal.

=========================================================================
=======================     Drop Targets        =========================
=========================================================================

To clean drop targets, hold the target up by hand, or remove it entirely,
and use a moist soapy rag or Q-tip.  Anything nastier than soap may harm
the paint or plastic.  Again, test on an inconspicuous place first.

If your drop targets aren't resetting properly, check to see if the
lip the target sits on is rounded off.  If so, file the plastic lip (on
the target) flat again or replace the target.  Also, check that the reset
solenoid is pulling in all the way so that the targets are coming up to
the correct height.

If the targets don't register when they drop, try cleaning the contacts
as described below.

=========================================================================
=======================  General Cleaning Tips  =========================
=========================================================================

If this is a machine you've just bought, by all means vacuum out all the
insides, carefully.  Don't suck up any stray screws, small springs, or
other objects...They might be useful!  Watch out for the various service
instruction sheets stapled around the insides.  If you find any mouse
droppings, check carefully for wires and cables gnawed thru so neatly
that you can't see the gaps!

Radio Shack Color TV Tuner Cleaner is a good all-around cleaner and
lubricant, even for non-electrical items like solenoid plungers and
shooter plunger shafts.  Don't get it all over the playfield though,
as it's conductive and can confuse a solid-state machine.

Intermittently flickering bulbs may be helped by bending the socket
slightly out of round with needlenose pliers (with the bulb out!) to make
the grounded shell fit tighter.  Use TV tuner cleaner to slip the bulbs
in and out easier.

You can use a business card to clean switch contacts.  If necessary,
use Freon, rubbing alcohol or some such solvent on the card to soften
the crud, and use a dry card again afterwards.  High-current contacts,
such as the ones on flipper buttons, may require harsher measures.  Look
for a "contact burnisher" at your electronics shop or hardware store.
Never use these on the gold-plated low-current contacts, though, as
they'll destroy the plating and lead to corrosion.

If some switches aren't firing, or are firing sporadically, check the
spacing between the contacts ("Dwell and Gap").  Bally recommends
1/16th of an inch.  You can adjust the spacing by bending the stiff blade
that's between the two conductive ones.

=========================================================================
=======================     References          =========================
=========================================================================

The following books are recommended for pinball fanatics.  Prices listed
are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

"Pinball--The Lure of the Silver Ball," Gary Flower and Bill Kurtz,
Chartwell Books.  General overview of pinball history, from EM's to solid
states.  Color hardcover, great pictures.  ISBN 1-55521-322-7.
(This book is available from Terry Cumming, listed below)

"Pinball 1," Richard Bueschel.  History of early games, guide to rating
condition of games, descriptions and photos of many pre-1960 machines.
Emphasis on EM or pre-electric machines.  B/W softcover.  ISBN 0-86667-047-5.

"Pinball Art," Keith Temple, H.C. Blossom Publishers.  History of pinball,
focussing on backglass art.  Absolutely gorgeous pictures.  Includes a list
of pinball artists and their machines, and a list of "pinball milestones"
along with the machines which introduced them.  ISBN 1-872532-10-1.

For guides to maintaining machines, you can try the following:

Pinball Troubleshooting Guide, Russ Jensen.  For upkeep of electro-
mechanicals.   Can be ordered directly from author;  $19.95 to
1652 Euclid Av, Camarillo, CA, 93010.

The following reprints of 1960s-vintage service guides are available
from Paul Midtdal, 1-3755 Cambie St., Vancouver, BC, CANADA V5Z 2X4:
[Williams] Introduction to Coin-Op Amusement Games, $12.
An Introduction to Bally Flipper Games, $8.
Gottlieb Instruction and Service Manual $10.

AMR Publishing, though they specialize in jukeboxes, sell schematics
and service manuals for an odd collection of older pinball machines.
Box 3007, Arlington, WA, 98223.  [phone].

"Pinball Machines: How they work & troubleshooting," Norbert Snicer
ISBN 0-646-11126-4.  Available from the author for $40 Australian.
Norbert Snicer, PO Box 622, Randwick NSW 2031, AUSTRALIA.

If you can't find these books in your local bookstore, try:
    Rick Botts, Jukebox Collector Magazine.    [phone].
    Mayfair Amusements, [phone].
    AMR Publishing, [phone].

Terry Cumming has a stock of "Pinball - Lure of the Silver Ball," now out
of print, for US$17.95 in the US, Cdn$19.95 in Canada, US$19.95 elsewhere.
Prices include shipping.  28 Hawkridge Ave, Markham, Ontario,
CANADA L3P 1V7.  His email address is [e-mail].

Larry Bieza puts out an annual "Pinball Price Guide," listing price ranges
and guidelines for estimating value for Gottlieb, Williams and Bally machines
from Humpty Dumpty up to the early 1980's.  $12.00 from 1446 Albany Ave,
St Paul MN, 55108.

=========================================================================
==============  Sources for parts, machines, etc.      ==================
=========================================================================

The following sources have been used and recommended by a variety of people
on the net.  (I've used several of them myself)  For many more sources,
read the ads in the periodicals recommended in part one of the FAQ.

WICO is a reliable source of parts for all sorts of coin-op machines,
but a little expensive.  Tried marketting their own pinball machine
a while back, but it flopped.  Catalog costs $10.  [phone].

Two-Bit Score Amusements provides circuit board repairs for Bally, Stern,
Williams, and Data East pins after 1977.  Can supply and install game
and sound ROMs; sells reprinted shop manuals with schematics as well
as specialized testing chips and text fixtures.  Austin, Texas.
[phone] (voice), [phone] (FAX), [e-mail]

Eldorado Products sells copies of manuals for $29.
Long Beach, California, [phone].

Betson's sells anything related to arcade games and vending machines.
Ask for the parts department.  [phone].

Donal Murphy runs EWI, an inexpensive source for coils and some plastic
parts.  He manufactures new bumper caps and drop targets using the original
molds.  Chicago, Illinois, [phone].

Steve Young has a good supply of miscellaneous EM parts (wiper/stepping units,
motors, flippers, pop bumper skirts, springs, score reels, etc.)
Lagrangeville, New York.   Eves:[phone]   FAX:[phone]

Nick Cochis at Pintronics can supply parts and reprinted documentation for
Bally solid state machines, burn ROMS, and also sells whole machines.
Canton, MA.  [phone].

Steve Engel at Mayfair Amusement Company carries staples like coils, rubbers
and light bulbs.  They also do board repairs, have parts and documentation
for older machines, and carry a mammoth (6K+) selection of backglasses.
Ridgewood, NY.  [phone].

Pinball Connection in Orlando carries new and used parts, does board
repairs by mail, and sells whole machines.  Seems to specialize in
Gottlieb, but also does Bally/Williams and DE.  [phone].
*************** Note *****************************************************
Pinball Connection has recently (1/94) moved, and this phone number
no longer works for them.  This will be updated as soon as I can find
their new number.
*************** Note *****************************************************

Dan Gulley has apparently spun off from Two-Bit (see above) and specializes
in Gottlieb parts and repair.  [phone].

Colorado Game Exchange sells whole machines (both pinball and video,
we'll forgive them for the latter), though their quality can vary.
[phone].

Brady Distributing Company in Charlotte, N.C., sells Novus Plastic Polish
(and other supplies, I assume!) [phone].

-----------------------------------
For readers in the UK:

An authorised Williams distributor is:
DEITH LEISURE LTD.
Unit 2, Industrial Estate, Leigh Close
New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3NL, England
TEL: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

'Amusement Emporium' in Bristol can provide spare pinball parts, and has
quick service.  (0272-441147).  [There's an unconfirmed report that
they've gone out of business, though]

'Pinball Paradise' is especially good for getting parts for old games, etc.
(0428-658734).

The Pinball Owner's Association (PO BOX 2, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 2EQ, Great
Britain) publishes a magazine which carries ads for machines and has
maintenance tips.