All in for supporting this idea, keep me in the loop

-Joe

there are people on fiverr that could model the martian from scratch for about $100. Problem is the second someone shares that, planetary pinball will be all over it with a cease and desist
http://www.planetarypinball.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PPS-23-6768

They hold the license for that game?

anything williams, yes pretty much

I'm not sure if this has been covered before, but I just bought the last one of these from Pinball Resource. Doesn't look like it would be difficult to 3D print it.
It's used on woodrail pins; mostly 1954 models with the "double award" feature.

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Skeleton Flipper toppers are now available.
https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/pinball-bone-flipper-toppers

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That would be pretty easy to model with some basic dimensions. It wouldn't be as nice and smooth unless it was done with resin though

Subdivide the surfaces and you should get a smoother model.

Depends on the complexity. Something like that alien will look smoother, but still a blob without muscle/limb/etc detail.

Under what protections do the martians fall under? No snark, honest question. Maybe there is/was a design patent on it. It’s not a part that could get a utility patent, although maybe there was one for the use of coils to make them get all jiggly. If it’s only part of a patented assembly, then maybe this would come into play:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aro_Manufacturing_Co._v._Convertible_Top_Replacement_Co.

It doesn’t say Bally or Attack From Mars anywhere on the Martian, unless it’s molded somewhere in the back. Bally and AFM are trademarks that can be protected. How does the aftermarket car parts world work? Dodge designed the shape of the brake pads for my Journey, but dozens of companies make replacement pads.

Trying not to go all wall of text here, but last point was recently Honda threw a fit and had a site pull all of the parts with Honda or any of their vehicle names in the title. The issue is supposedly that it could be thought that Honda has blessed those parts. Anyone using a site to get a file to print at home probably isn’t looking at things with that angle, but there are a lot of idiots out there. But what if a door insert was named “HC 92-95 door insert” instead of “Honda Civic 92-95 door insert”? You could spell it backwards too, but Honda was too smart for you there with the Civic. Totally planned.

Ask TheMickster | https://www.mickspinball.com/big-o-jiggly-martian-add-on

Has anyone modeled a shim for stern stand up targets to prevent air balls? I’m getting a ton off the sanctum target on AIQ

edit - I thought you were looking for the supports to prevent target leaning.

I remember someone having a small wedge like spacer under the standup to angle it forward. I'll model my own, but thought I remembered someone having one

"Swinks" makes one.

Sharing my own two prints as I learn 3d printing. (Saturn) I found the models online.

Tornado, painted sepia, to fill in the gap behind the house on WOZ standard.

Terror dog, added red LED eyes, painted a bit purple to match the game better.

Super fun to make these! Next up I’ll be thinking of ideas for my incoming Hobbit.

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those look awesome!

Trying to repair a Namco Quick & Crash gun grip would anyone be willing to help me model a new part, Ive tried for the last few hours but can't seem to figure out Onshape.

Thanks!

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Massively jealous that you've got a Quick and Crash! I love that game and hope to own one someday. Kicking myself for passing on one at Captain's auction so many years ago.

Good luck with getting that handle replaced!

I'm so jealous too! I played that game just once in an arcade about 20 years ago, and haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. I never quite figured out how the cup could shatter (was it a video/illusion? did it somehow pull back together with string??), and I just haven't wanted to spoil the magic by looking it up now.

I think one sold for $75 at captains in 2017, if anyone has any leads on spare parts please hit me up, Apparently everything is unattainable.

Making progress with the resin printer! Still have a lot to learn about “hollowing” and supports. It is clear that resin printing is SLOW and EXPENSIVE. At least when compared to regular filament prints. And oh wow the software sucks so bad. But the print quality is outstanding!!

Tried to print a tank for my Godzilla, which was ….yeah a learning lesson. Lol

Tanks are rough...sorta. Tried a couple but think I just havent gotten the right model for it. Most of the stuff I found is for FDM printing, so just need to find a better model for resin printers. If I find one I'll let you know.

As far as speed....I actually find it faster than FDM, especially for the detail if you were to compare it to filament with .~1 layer height. Well, faster if you go wide instead of tall and you load up as many pieces. 1 tank and 6 vertical tanks will take you the same time on a resin printer.

Almost done with galactus with the pockets of free times the machine has. 28" tall!

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I guess I'm not really being fair about the print times - I've not done a true comparison, just me getting impatient waiting haha

That galactus is pretty amazing! After just doing a handful of prints, it's clear the quality is unmatchable, even with a tiny nozzle and low layer height on FDM

I'll have to try the tank again with supports this time; I printed it on its side and made it hollow, and it basically collapsed. But I'll try again!

oh, hollow, flat on the plate, and no supports? Yeah thats a recipe for disaster. be careful with those kinds of setups because it'll wear out the FEP on the tank quicker

Its the equivalent reverse of FMD printing an overhang. It needs something to attach to. As far as it being printed directly onto the plate, usually not recommended as it can make it hard to remove if it adheres too strongly. And lastly , if you do offset float it with supports, make sure to add holes in key places to reduce the suction forces. Things will break away from supports that way.

LOL so I found out! It was roughly matchbox car sized, so hopefully wouldn't be putting too much strain on the tank. I was kind of hoping it would print since it was kinda small. Still learning!

Looks like it will cost about $200 to get a highly rated fiverr 3D modeler to make the Attack From Mars Martian.

Yep. That's the one. It still haunts me to this day.

I finally found what I was thinking of, and it is something someone is selling in here. I'll have to just make them myself.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1377-hippies-haven/05733-anti-airball-target-bracket-wedge

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are those actually effective? Seems like something at the top of the target from allowing it to move back, would be more effective on not making it a ramp when the ball hits.

I think all the different products try to lean the target forward to keep the angle of incidence in plane when struck. Where most of the targets fail is that the backing support gets deformed and the foam compressed so it allows the target to point away from the playfield as it is displaced, angling the ball up and away from the surface of the playfield.

It's probably just as effective to bend the target backing forward every now and again.

bigguybbr

I first started with the foam at the back and then did the small wedges under the base of the target years ago to lean it forward which sort of worked for some people and not others so canned those.

The problem with Stern targets is they cheapened out on the target design as now dead straight so the target needs to be leaned forward about 2 degrees to be like a 90's Bally / Williams target. But to get a decent angle you start losing threads in the wood and pulling the target lower into the playfield.

Ideally the target needs to be lifted up about 2mm as normally the ball just hits the higher side of the rivet also contributing to air balls so lifting the target up about 2mm gets the ball just below the target rivet. But using wedges / shims will pull the target down still contributing to airballs.

So I then remade the metal target base with 2 degrees of angle and lifting the target up and solves 98-99% of airballs. Therefore redoing the target playfield bracket out of metal means no deformation, lifting the target up and tilting it forward reducing the airballs 98-99% of the time the other 1-2% of airballs comes from the pan angle of the target as a glancing hit to the side of the target can still create an airball. The pan angle can not be changed.

no they are not as effective as pull the target down, less thread into the wood and all the ball to hit the higher side of the target face rivet contributing more to airballs

Happy so share a STL that’s why we do this. I designed the part for my AIQ air ball issues and it solved them for much cheaper than the $18 metal bracket that’s out there. I shared it in my shop for people that don’t have access to a 3D printer.

I’ve sold hundreds at a very cheap price for people who don’t have access to a printer and haven’t had any complaints, only positive feedback. Have you actually tested this solution side by side? This is a 3D printing thread, not sure why an innovative answer that has worked for a lot of people is being slighted without any real testing or proof.

They do work. Modern stern targets are reinforced and don’t bend much if at all. If you need more than one wedge you can use a longer screw, it’s pretty simple to solve that problem.

Yes I have tested side by side and use to sell them with a 50 / 50 satisfaction rate for GB, with the metal brackets having a 99% satisfaction rate with the 1% airballs still coming from the pan angle on GB. The metal brackets are better and they are 3d printed metal and I am not saying the original stern brackets are bending ???.

I was just sharing my knowledge and experience from testing and using for a few years now of both so not sure where you getting the fact that I haven't tested.

Just throwing this out there - has anyone seen any sort of 3d printed option that would allow a one-armed individual to mount a 3d printed device and play on any pinball machine? I have a family member who lost his right arm in a car accident. He's actually a Paralympian archer for Team USA (https://www.teamusa.org/para-archery/athletes/eric-bennett). He would love the ability to play pinball. I know there are other threads on the one arm topic, but specifically am interested in 3d printed possibilities - if anyone has seen anything that might be an option to activate a button on the right side, let me know, much thanks!

I haven’t seen an apparatus that works for ANY machine, but Multimorphic’s P3 can be configured to play one-handed with a of menu setting. All games work, too. Does your family member like Weird Al?

I think the one Ben heck did was 3D printed + a suction cup?

I asked a question if it was tested and asked for proof, I didn’t state anything as fact..........thanks for clarifying your perspective.

Someone mentioned my name, so explained my experiences and then you made comment almost suggesting what am I doing here without testing and proof. Your comment - "This is a 3D printing thread, not sure why an innovative answer that has worked for a lot of people is being slighted without any real testing or proof."

I was doing the wedges at the back and under the stand 5 years ago as was a big problem for Ghostbusters. You can't do your style of wedges under the bracket on a GB as the pcb's go over the mount bolts and with wedges the bolts get awfully close to the pcb's.

After doing some slo-mo video I realised that putting wedges underneath moves the rivet down so when the ball hits square on to the target it hits the top side of the rivet inducing an airball so I then created the metal bracket with angle and raising the target up a few millimetres. Have you tried the alternate bracket before commenting.

In addition I have been doing 3d printing for 9 years and learnt alot of the years of what works and what is cheap and nasty and what is really good. I am not trying to steal sales from you just sharing my experiences and lessons learnt.

here is my free download files:
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?type=product&q=swinksdownload

here is my range of 3d printed parts:
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?q=swinkspinball&sort=newest

Ben's solution feels like a lot of logic (probably so he can tweak response time)

I designed this flipper holder.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4827309
I wonder if I could tweak this and do some sort of mechanical solution with linkages and a couple joysticks in the middle where you could have full control of both flippers with one hand?

I know a guy from the northern California area who has had and used such a device for a number of years now. He had one that was made for him by someone here on Pinside, but I think he's been using the one Ben Heck made(as he was the person BH was making it for) for the last few years. Whichever one he's got now has much better response time. I saw him at GSPF a couple weeks ago, so I know he's still using it. He has his right arm, so I don't know if it's made specifically for him or if the device is reversible. I don't immediately recall his Pinside name or if he's even been on in the past few years, but I know there was a thread about it all, just takes a search to find it. And here it is:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/one-armed-pinball-i-mean-it

There's some good ideas in there, but nobody seems to want to share their designs. I think taking the idea of a rod with a spring, and adapting my flipper holder I have a design that could work (and it would be flippable depending on which side you needed). The only hardware you would need to buy is a spring, some inserts, and a piece of 24" threaded rod (About $15 in parts)

Curious how many one armed pinball players we have?

I have printed out a holder for a microswitch to use the coin eject button as another switch on a Stern pinball machine.

More info and a video can be found here.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/time-out-button#post-6945152

3D file
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/eycWN8hzcfI

Maybe someone can use it

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I think it's more because the thread was started just as a way to come up with ideas, as where this 3D printing thread was started with the sole intention of sharing in mind, that's all.

As for the number of one armed players, the more the merrier! It was my hope for that thread that it would branch out further into other contraptions for adaptive controls to be made to help as many people out there as possible. There's really no limit to what we all could come up with, given the challenge presented by those who are differently abled and what they'd need made for their proper interaction with a standard pinball machine. Everything from someone who is in a wheelchair(and therefore has a hard time seeing the playfield due to height), to those who have limited use of only one limb that could be able to move in two directions, however minute.

I think as long as someone has decent enough reaction time and vision, they should be able to play pinball!

modeled this up real quick this morning, I think this would work. You would have a plunger on one side, and the opposite side would have a pivoting arm.. that pivoting arm would just rest against the button, and the spring would keep the pressure off of it. In theory you could use your thumb and pinky on one side to play. Keep in mind this would JUST work, I would probably add some robustness (thicker threaded rod, some bushings for smooth action instead of using the 3d printed hole, etc). I like the idea of 3d printed parts because so long as you give someone a list of hardware and some basic instructions, anyone can build one.

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Not sure why this seems personal, I appreciate your contributions and for the original problem identified here I thing there are many ways to solve it. I wasn’t “almost suggesting” anything, I asked a question that led to other comments that are being misinterpreted by you. Peace man, take care.

Thank you all for the initial ideas and interest!!

This would be exciting to come up with something that can be constructed using a 3D printer and maybe a few items that could be obtained from a local homedepot.

@toyotaboy, your concept is also was I was sort of thinking might be towards a solution.

Anyway - thanks everyone and keep the ideas coming! Said family member doesn't know that this effort is in progress, so it will be fun to surprise him. He does have access to a pretty decent 3D printer.

I know you were interested a 3D solution, but this might be more practical...what about a simple foot switch? Some wire and a couple of small alligator clips and you're in business.

Like this. Cut the plug off and add some alligator clips (or an in line adapter).
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So if you really want a 3D printed option, one thing to consider is whatever is added, is that it doesn't impede normal play (i.e. the lockdown bar button on a Stern) or the flipper button itself. So rather than go across the top, I'd focus on going down the pin's front leg to the floor instead.

Would this be home use? Or something he (and the family) could take to an arcade too?