(Topic ID: 155980)

Bally Hang Glider Restoration

By Pinballdad1961

8 years ago



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#1 8 years ago

I've had my first pinball machine for over 15 years, but it hasn't been played much in the past five due to odd scoring behavior and a unfavorable basement set up. With the undertaking of the remodeling of my current basement into a game room, it is time to restore the Hang Glider cosmetically and mechanically.

The cosmetic portion of the project should be fairly easy. I found that BGResto has the Hang Glider backglass art in their library so I will be placing an order very soon. The Playing field is in pretty good condition, but it will be stripped down, touched up and clear coated. Thanks to all that have posted details on the do's and don'ts of clear coating --- looking forward to deciding on a method and getting underway.

The most intimidating part of the project will be the mechanical portion. But, I'm hoping to learn a lot since I have two other EM projects on the backburner, with one being a total re-theme.

So, the Hang Glider is having a scoring issue with points switching between players; am I correct in starting with clean ups of the scoring reels in the backglass?

I will post pics in the very near future.

#2 8 years ago

Hi pbd
there are two opinions / concepts:
AAA) First do a full cleaning and the cosmetically part - means cleaning every switch on every relay - take apart every unit to clean and adjust. Second look for faults / faulty behaving and do fix the nonworking parts.
BBB) First bring the pin back to working condition / fully running (might have to clean a switch here and there). Second do the cosmetic work - make it shiny.

I am a BBB-type of EM-Lover - main argument / reason / criterion: IF (if) I cannot bring it back to life then I would have wasted time on cleaning / cosmetics.
I have no problem when a AAA-type of EM-Lover does it his way.

You mention "Scoring issue points switching between players - maybe a fault in the Scoring Reels".
I do not know if this means "when playing a ball - sometimes (simply playing) the next points are added on the second or maybe third or fourth player".
OR: Does it means "a single-player-game has started - but after (player-1) ball-1 the pin faulty changes to player-2-ball-1".
Either way: The Score-Reels are "Slaves" they obey and work what a "Master" orders - so we have to look for the fault in the interaction of relays / steppers / (Score-Motor).
Of course, a Score-Reel might not step because of sticky old grease or other mechanical reasons - or a coil is shot.

So a good description of the fault(s) would be very helpful. Greetings Rolf

#3 8 years ago

I had a Hang Glider a couple years ago that when I first started it up the over-the-top buzzer was stuck on...scared the shit out of me! I didn't know what it was...pretty cool feature though. It's a fun game but the guy in the speedo is creepy...

#4 8 years ago

Yes, Speedo Guy is creepy, which is why I concentrate on the bikini babes....lol

The problem with scoring is erratic, but I will explain one occurrence. While playing on player 2, the player 1 score will suddenly start increasing. My plan was to clean and lube the scoring units, but is there another stepper I should clean as well?

#5 8 years ago

Hi pbd
great, ipdb http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1112 has the schema and the manual, -> manual-page-12: Which Units / Relays are mounted in the bottom of cabinet. So the rest are mounted on the underneath-side of the playfield or in the backbox.

The ball on the playfield makes (lets say) 10 points - means the 10-point-RELAY is activated -> which player shall get the 10 points on HIS Score-Reel ? This is handled by the Player-Unit - it routes the signal from the pulling 10-point-RELAY to the appropriate player. I think here: http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=1112&picno=46384 -> on the right is the Player-Unit.

Whenever You just "look at / work / clean": UNPLUG the main power cord (Safety Reasons, Danger: 110 VAC and 50VAC and 6VAC around).
The Player-Unit (as Coin-Unit and Ball-Count-Unit) is a "Total-Reset-Stepper" - it has two coils mounted. Imitate "coil gets current and pulls" -> by hand move the plunger of one coil.
One coil does step-up single steps (-> up -> up -> up) - the other does "open mechanical switches" -> wroamm / bang -> the unit steps all the way down (the spring sitting on /around the axis does the job).
Try stepping up / stepping down (by hand) this unit - easy going ? securely stepping ? do the wiper-fingers sit on the middle of the rivets ?

We had a similar problem - well in a WILLIAMS -> https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/space-mission-mostly-works-but-nothing-is-scoring -> post-14 -> JPG -> encircled "yellow-brown" -> the Player-Unit routes the signal (in post-27 the "involved Switch on Tilt-Relay" is also shown).

I belive the BALLY-Player-Unit is built a bit different - no snoe-shoe wipers but wiper-fingers (?).
The (ipdb) schema has information about the Wire-COLORS -> schema-C-4 / C-5 shows a "wire-25-7" connecting the "Switch on 10-point-relay" to the Player-Unit. And a "wire-18-2" routes the current to the Score-Reel-player-1 (wire-23-7 to ...-player-2).
The schema shows (at B-50) the color-code: 25=blue-white, 18=red-black, 23=blue-yellow.
Look at the Player-Unit -> see wire-25-blue-white solderd-on on a lug -> some connection through wipers -> wire-18-red-black.

Plug-in the main powr cord, start a two-player-game -> play the balls -> check now and then the Player-Unit -> do the wiper-fingers sit neatly in the middle of the rivets ?

Well, it might be: insulation of wires are old, falling of at some places -> now and then a "short" does happen (?).

If You want to go the "AAA-type way" -> http://user.xmission.com/~daina/tips/pub/emTips.html -> http://user.xmission.com/~daina/tips/pub/tip0096.html .
Greetings Rolf

#6 8 years ago

From one Michigander to another good luck. I've favorited to see how it progresses.

#7 8 years ago

Rolf--thanks for the detailed suggestion. Work has me swamped right now, but I will dig into it and report back asap.

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