Bally Bell Posts - Would someone please make these?

It could be done 3D printed pretty easily I'd imagine but wouldn't look right next to metal ones. Just would like to see them available at a reasonable price for restores/repairs.

#8 8 years ago

ART

MrArt2u

Pinside member

Los Angeles, CA

12y 65,400 1,471 16

A few years ago I was in a real pinch mid game assembly so I single flared some aluminum tubing I had in the garage to get the bell shape, cut them to length, but a bolt though them, chucked the bolt in to a drill and spun polished them with varying grits of fine sandpaper and installed them. Took a long time but, truth be told, after I'd finished assembly I had a hard time telling which ones I'd made.

Oh, and a few weeks later I found a bunch of used ones from a vendor at Pin A Go Go.

#9 8 years ago

TOM

freddy

Pinside member

11y 131K 5,656

Quoted from MrArt2u:
I had a hard time telling which ones I'd made

pics or it did not happen

#10 8 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 169K 40,258 18

Someone here who does stamping for a living needs to make up a die set for these.

#11 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

http://classicplayfields.com/f2khelp.html

Have a picture of one?

#12 8 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 169K 40,258 18

#13 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

If someone knows where I can get one I can look into making them...

#14 8 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

i have some old ones fused to some old phoenix plastics I have laying around I could send you one if you wanted.

#15 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

That'd be fine. I can send it back when I'm done. Cost would just be a quantity issue. Plating is by the batch, so the bigger the batch the cheaper per piece. Looks like a simple item though, I could probably knock a bunch out pretty quick once a die is made. If it's clear zinc plated, I could throw them in with other stuff I have done and plating wouldnt add any extra cost.

#16 8 years ago

DUG

wiredoug

Pinside member

Melbourne

11y 79,050 2,741 18

the williams and bally ones are not the same.

#17 8 years ago

ZIT

Zitt

Pinball-Mods.com

Austin, TX

11y 112K 7,875 15 10

I ended up just using Clear Acrylic tubing on my Star Trek: Mirror Universe.
I agree; they should be made available - but I think it's a cost vs reward problem. Making these would probably require a stamp machine and a special "rivet" tool to attach to the plastic.

#18 8 years ago

DOC

drscottsmith

Pinside member

Duncan, SC

10y 44,400 559 7

Would they have to be physically attached to the plastice? Seems like the pressure from tightening them down with the screw/post would hold them in place...?

Let me see what I can do - I may have a source. What is a reasonable price to pay for each?

-scott

#19 8 years ago

CMS

Xenon75

Pinside member

11y 86,800 1,969

No they don't have to be pressed into the plastic like the originals were. The tension from the screw holds them perfectly in place.

#20 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

As mentioned, the top could be just tall enough, say 1/16" or so to keep the plastic positioned, no flaring needed. Would be nice to see the cost below $1 each but around there would be doable easy. Hard to say really, it would just be great for these to be available again. Again, no riveting necessary.

The Stern ones are the same as Bally I believe, the Williams ones are narrower. I could get a sample to someone for the Williams ones but I think Bally/Stern are going to be more sought after.

#21 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

If they're different, I'd need one of each and just make both. I wouldn't bother making the crimp top. Then everyone would need a tool to attach them and there's no benefit to that.

Quoted from CaptainNeo:
i have some old ones fused to some old phoenix plastics I have laying around I could send you one if you wanted.

Neo, you can send it to:

Reilly Motorsports, Inc
2323 White Haven rd
White Haven, PA. 19661

#22 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

Quoted from BillR:
If they're different, I'd need one of each and just make both. I wouldn't bother making the crimp top. Then everyone would need a tool to attach them and there's no benefit to that.

Neo, you can send it to:
Reilly Motorsports, Inc
2323 White Haven rd
White Haven, PA. 19661

Thanks for looking into/doing this. Even though Bally are more the ones I need, I'll pull one from a Williams and send it your way.

#23 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from shimoda:
Thanks for looking into/doing this. Even though Bally are more the ones I need, I'll pull one from a Williams and send it your way.

No problem I'll work on it, and I'm sure a bally one will materialize at some point.

#24 8 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

Quoted from BillR:
If they're different, I'd need one of each and just make both. I wouldn't bother making the crimp top. Then everyone would need a tool to attach them and there's no benefit to that.

Neo, you can send it to:
Reilly Motorsports, Inc
2323 White Haven rd
White Haven, PA. 19661

will do, i'll try and get it out today.

#25 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

Okay, so Phoenix is a Williams. I will pull one from a Bally game to send for repro so that can be done. It'll be from a currently owned game so I'll need it back

#26 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from shimoda:
Okay, so Phoenix is a Williams. I will pull one from a Bally game to send for repro so that can be done. It'll be from a currently owned game so I'll need it back

No parts will be harmed in the making of this item

#27 8 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

ok, I just pulled out the piece and it looks different than the gottlieb ones. This one is 1" 1/4" tall. That still going to be useful?

standoff post.jpg

#28 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

So am I to believe there's a Williams one, and then stern/ballys/gottlieb? I'll make some Williams ones NEO, if it's useful for someone. Not sure how many games have them. But it would be cheapest to make both styles and have them all plated at once.

#29 8 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

well the ones on the Galaxy I had were short. Like 1/2" and not connected to the plastic. also flared out on both ends.

#30 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

Ok, so there are a few then. I'll make what I get, can always do something else later if needed. Especially if the flare and od are the same.

#31 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

I need to pull a Bally one for you and can do that hopefully this week (early) and get in the mail to you. Bally will likely be the most sought after since they were used in sterns as well. I haven't seen the taller Williams one like that but I have a shorter one from a Williams. Galaxy would have used the same as Bally.

#32 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

Ok, I'll work on whatever shapes I get

#33 8 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

i'll send the williams anyway.

#34 8 years ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

These bell stand-offs appear to be progressive stamped from stainless. I'm sure those stamping dies are long gone by now.

#35 8 years ago

CCR

Cliffy

Cliffy Protectors

San Ramon, CA

20y 90,150 1,625 19 17

They aren't stamped really. They drawn over a mandrel and then a second die is rammed down over it to form the bottom flare and pinch the top. A third die trims the bottom flare to size. They are made from brass and then nickel-chrome plated. There are metal fab shops that make brass grommets so could likely make the bell spacers too. I'll bet someone with more time than me could source them but be prepared for probably a 10,000 piece run to justify the cost. I hope someone can take it on

#36 8 years ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

Cliffy....that's basically what I meant to say....and knowing your knowledge of metals, I'm never going to arguewith you.

My strength/career has always been in design/cnc milling.

I worked for a company whose main selling products was welding tips for the robots used in auto manufacturing....man I always hated walking thu that area....you couldn't hear yourself think with all stamping/extruding going on.

#37 8 years ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

I wish I had never sold my Tennsmith brake and shear. Years after I sold it, I'm in the pinball hobby once gain. Sure could use that equipment now.

#38 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

Once I have a look at them I'll decide, if the dies required are simple I'll likely do it here so I can make small batches when needed. If it requires a more complex process I can cash in a favor or two with some suppliers. Either way, in the end it's the plating that becomes the cost issue. Making a small number is easy but the plating is $125 minimum. Even at 1000 pieces they'd likely cost $2.50 or $3ea. But if I can make them from steel tube and clear zinc them it'd be cheap. I send alot of stuff to be zinc plated at work and could toss them in for no extra cost. But that will only work if the zinc is shiny enough to match the original.

#39 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

All we can do is try to help you try to get them made, that is good enough for me. I pulled one of the posts (Bally) and will try to get it in the mail tomorrow, Tuesday latest.

Mark

#40 8 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Third Coast Pinball

Corpus Christi, TX

11y 100K 3,609 8

Bally made at least two different sizes. Anyone with an EBD could tell you that.

IMG_3923.JPG

#41 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

My ebd used the same size bottom and top there, the bigger one.

#42 8 years ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

EBD should have the smaller diameter posts on top...not both being the same size.

#43 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

Interesting. Well I only have a larger one to send.

#44 8 years ago

NEO

CaptainNeo

I already sent the post.

#45 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

I'll let you know I get them...

4 weeks later

#46 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member

Here's a quickie sample. The cost of making multiple die sets for each style would be too high. So cheapest and easiest way is to spin them in brass and then nickel plate. It should be pretty reasonable, I'll be able to figure some costs in the next couple days.

tmp_14403-20150630_174620-1-1201430465.jpg

tmp_14403-20150630_174555-1-355003051.jpg

tmp_14403-20150630_174542-1-1990591689.jpg

#47 8 years ago

STU

Pinballer73

Pinside+ Frequent

Moe

12y 78,050 2,426

Great work, thanks for doing this.

#48 8 years ago

SEF

Mk1Mod0

Third Coast Pinball

Corpus Christi, TX

11y 100K 3,609 8

2 weeks later

#49 8 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

Any pics of the shorter, fatter Bally posts? Thanks again for looking into this.

1 week later

#50 8 years ago

BLR

BillR

Pinside member