Villanova, PA
Ready to re-install playfield. Any tips? What's the best method to get the playfield back in without buggering everything up (especially my brand new mirror blades)?
(Topic ID: 148983)
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Attack from Mars
Bally, 1995
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Quoted from ninjabones:Ready to re-install playfield. Any tips? What's the best method to get the playfield back in without buggering everything up (especially my brand new mirror blades)?
I'd suggest installing the mirror blades last. You're going to be lifting that playfield up and down quite a bit getting everything working right.
Yep. Bryan may be a douchebag, but he's usually right about these things. Mirror blades go in once you've been playing the game for a while, you know everything is working well, and you (hopefully) know you won't have to fix anything for a long time. Beautiful job!
good idea... I did leave the protective film on the mirror blades for that reason, but perhaps removing completely would be the safer play.
I'm still not sure what is the best method to get the playfield in by myself.. I was able to get it out, but nervous doing the install solo.
Quoted from ninjabones:good idea... I did leave the protective film on the mirror blades for that reason, but perhaps removing completely would be the safer play.
I'm still not sure what is the best method to get the playfield in by myself.. I was able to get it out, but nervous doing the install solo.
You definitely need a second pair of hands. That and decal application are the two areas where it's great to have a wife. Just be patient and slide it in slowly...and realize that if you get a couple of scuffs on the side for all your care a patience, you'll be in a very large club of people who have done the exact same thing. Embrace the imperfections. They need love, too. 
BTW, Bryan, thank you for the YouTube tutorial on the silkscreen technique. I watched it like four times before doing mine. It would have been a total disaster without your tips. I still buggered the first attempt 
but it would have been a whole lot worse without the tutorial. I definitely used way too much paint... It took forever to clean everything up. And you were definitely right, that stuff dries quickly, you have to move fast to prevent the paint from gumming up the screen.
I install the playfields by myself but I do it with the cabinet damn near on the floor. I've got the legs off and it's sitting on a lift I use. If it's on legs, I'd say you want help.
I also take a couple of thin towels and drape them over the sides up top where the playfield is going to slide in.
Quoted from beelzeboob:Yep. Bryan may be a douchebag,
I heard that, #shitforbrains!!
Quoted from ninjabones:Ready to re-install playfield. Any tips? What's the best method to get the playfield back in without buggering everything up (especially my brand new mirror blades)?
It looks like you have done as much of the troubleshooting as possible with the playfield out of the cabinet so you hopefully you won't need to do too much playfield lifting. Put some felt adhesive strips (http://www.pinrestore.com/Supplies.html) on the sides of your playfield and the sides of the back panel. You are better off removing the blades and having some friend(s) help. Or look at https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/twilight-zone-playfield-removal#post-1208755.
Yikes!! I got the playfield back in pretty easily without too much cursing... But after I got everything hooked back up, no GI. everything else appears to be working, but entire GI is out. Checked all connections, checked all fuses. Removed the bill ung GI connector and bypassed his expansion board. Not sure where to go from here... What's my next few steps in trouble shooting this? All was fine before I did the cab work and the bill ung expansion kit.
I had GI problems on reboot as well. Check that you didn't bend the leads on the rear GI sockets when it was in the rotisserie - those bulbs are REALLY close to the back edge of the playfield. You might have shorted them there. I also had a short problem because one socket is right up against one of the playfield supports. If it's touching, that'll cause a short as well. Of course, you didn't blow fuses, so that might not be it. You didn't do anything with the boards, did you? There's a chance you flexed a connector and broke a solder joint somewhere.
If your fuses aren't blown, you have a power issue, like others said, check the connector and make sure it's getting power.
thanks for the info.. where are you guys suggesting I check for power? Should I remove the main GI plug (J106) and check voltage at each pin while the game powered on, or is there another place on the board to check?
Do you have continuity from the connector to the first gi socket on that string? If you do, that eliminates a broken wire.
Make sure wire in the connector is seated all the way in.
I'm dealing with my own gi issue on fh, but my fuse blows immediately on power up, which means there is a short. I believe it was two bad bulbs...odd, but replaced the fuse and it seems to be holding.
A while back, on a HS, I had a tiny bit of solder make its way into a socket, which created a short..
I'm no expert, but I would check:
- Voltage at the board GI plug with the GI harness unplugged. Check both J106 and J103. Check continuity as well. If you have power at J103 but not J106 then you may have a loose connector pin.
- Continuity between the unplugged GI harness connector and the first GI bulb. Both wires.
- Whether there is a short within the unplugged GI circuit. If you have connectivity between the two parts of a socket you have a short. Unlikely if your GI fuse is good and you have power at the board, but you never know.
This should give you a better sense of what's going on.
Good luck!
This has really been a lesson in humility. I must have checked the connectors at the board three separate times. But sure enough, the fourth time reseating everything and the GI came back on. I also reseated all the connectors in the cab. I have no idea which one was the culprit, but the GI is now working.
First time playing the game with playfield in the cab. Game is playing great and really fast. I was expecting a little better sound quality with the Flipper Fidelity speakers (base is great), but still a bit tinny and muffled (Maybe that's just the older technology compared with my newer Sterns - which also have subs attached).
Have some switches to dial in, and the two top-gates are stuck wide open (the springs appear to be too tight or maybe I didn't install the mech properly). I'll investigate tonight. Other than that, I have a few more mods to install (topper, mirror blades, 3D translite), and I should be done. Fingers crossed that no other issues arise.
I'll post some decent pics when I'm really, finally, completely, and totally DONE.
Quoted from ninjabones:This has really been a lesson in humility. I must have checked the connectors at the board three separate times. But sure enough, the fourth time reseating everything and the GI came back on. I also reseated all the connectors in the cab. I have no idea which one was the culprit, but the GI is now working.
First time playing the game with playfield in the cab. Game is playing great and really fast. I was expecting a little better sound quality with the Flipper Fidelity speakers (base is great), but still a bit tinny and muffled (Maybe that's just the older technology compared with my newer Sterns - which also have subs attached).
Have some switches to dial in, and the two top-gates are stuck wide open (the springs appear to be too tight or maybe I didn't install the mech properly). I'll investigate tonight. Other than that, I have a few more mods to install (topper, mirror blades, 3D translite), and I should be done. Fingers crossed that no other issues arise.
I'll post some decent pics when I'm really, finally, completely, and totally DONE.
I agree with everything you wrote above (about it playing super-fast and the FF speakers being not as good as you'd think...and I'm a huge FF fan!). Let me know how you resolve the gate issue. My right gate sticks in the up position sometimes. Glad you fixed your GI issue easier than I did...looks beautiful! 
Anyone have a close up of the white sticker on the left in this photo? I have the serial number sticker (the one on the right, modified with the correct original serial number and mfg date of my pin), and I have the silkscreen... but I'm not sure what this other sticker on the left is? Thanks.
Quoted from ninjabones:Anyone have a close up of the white sticker on the left in this photo? I have the serial number sticker (the one on the right, modified with the correct original serial number and mfg date of my pin), and I have the silkscreen... but I'm not sure what this other sticker on the left is? Thanks.
I believe that is the build date sticker.
Quoted from ninjabones:Anyone have a close up of the white sticker on the left in this photo? I have the serial number sticker (the one on the right, modified with the correct original serial number and mfg date of my pin), and I have the silkscreen... but I'm not sure what this other sticker on the left is? Thanks.
Considering thats my Pin Just ask
Quoted from Skypilot:Considering thats my Pin Just ask
It had to be yours. It was photographed on a cloudy day. 
Quoted from beelzeboob:It had to be yours. It was photographed on a cloudy day.
And here I thought you were an educated man. Every day in Ohio is cloudy
Quoted from Skypilot:Considering thats my Pin Just ask
Sorry... I had grabbed a lot of photos during my build from various web sites. Didn't remember where I got that photo, and it was the only one I saw with that sticker. Clearly, your build was top tier... If you don't mind sharing, I'd love to have a close up of that sticker. Thanks.
There are two decals on the back one is the manufactures decal the other is the date PM me if you need more information. Thanks for the compliment I really appreciate it
5 months later
Quoted from ninjabones:Lighted drop target looks great
It does! Where did you get that? I haven't seen it before!
Quoted from yonkiman:It does! Where did you get that? I haven't seen it before!
pm indypinhead
1 year later
Quoted from ninjabones:Anyone have a close up of the white sticker on the left in this photo? I have the serial number sticker (the one on the right, modified with the correct original serial number and mfg date of my pin), and I have the silkscreen... but I'm not sure what this other sticker on the left is? Thanks.
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