(Topic ID: 228657)

Bally Rocket Woodrail Flipperless Restoration

By mrm_4

5 years ago


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  • 140 posts
  • 22 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 11 months ago by mrm_4
  • Topic is favorited by 11 Pinsiders

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There are 140 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 3.
#1 5 years ago

Ever since I finished my Mata Hari all I could think about is what my next project could be. Well Deez helped me figure it out today. I got a 1947 Bally Rocket from him and I’m ready to dive in with this one!
First of all its a flipperless however someone added flippers so those will be removed. Secondly I’m gonna need any help possible on where to get replacement playfield parts.
Lets see how this goes!

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#2 5 years ago

Nothing like OEM but having flippers would be fun on that machine. Nice.

#3 5 years ago
Quoted from phil-lee:

Nothing like OEM but having flippers would be fun on that machine. Nice.

The placement of the flipers is terrible. Someone put them up by the white 10000 bumpers. I would think if youre gonna sacrifice the playfield at least put them in the normal location. Im looking forward to getting her back to normal though. And i agree this game would be sweet with flippers

#4 5 years ago

Decided to see what i could do with the bumper caps while watching The Browns game. Got one done. 9 more to go.

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#5 5 years ago

Dude... No progress?? Hurry up.

#6 5 years ago

I need to call Steve Young and tell him I'm new to the hobby and ask him for parts without a part-number first, then I'll be able to proceed.

#7 5 years ago

following!
what lovely colours on the playfield. Is that seriously an original backglass?
what a find.

#8 5 years ago
Quoted from cait001:

following!
what lovely colours on the playfield. Is that seriously an original backglass?
what a find.

Thanks for following, as for the back glass it is a repo that Matt ( Deez ) had done before I got it from him.

#9 5 years ago

Got the PF cleared time to clean
Gonna use naphtha and novus to clean it up then ill wax. Ive decided not to touch up and piant/clear this one. I think itll ruin the character of being 71 years old if its too clean.

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#10 5 years ago

Wow! Half way done and the colors and shine hiding under the dirt is amazing.

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#11 5 years ago

I had one of these about a year ago. I really enjoyed it

#12 5 years ago
Quoted from mrm_4:

I've decided not to touch up and paint/clear this one. I think it ll ruin the character of being 71 years old if its too clean.

I agree with you Matt. Even though you may remove some of the protection on the playfield, this machine in a home will not see enough traffic to wear out. Indeed, there is no need to clear coat it or do any touch-ups. You did a wonderful job at cleaning the top of the playfield, already.

Yves

#13 5 years ago

One of these sold at that huge Tulsa auction a few months back...it was top of my list of games offered there. Too far away. Following this thread with a hint of jealousy..!! Haha! Great stuff so far...

#14 5 years ago

Cant wait to replace these nasty bodies. I love the old school look of them though.

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Here is one i cleaned up and repainted the cap. Still waiting on a new body though.

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#15 5 years ago

Could someone confirm this bulb size? I think they are 50’s but im not certain.

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#16 5 years ago

Finished all the caps with white paint and moved on to blue. I’m liking the way they are turning out but im not sure ill ever do this again. My eyes are killing me.

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#17 5 years ago

Glad to be able to provide the special size balls required for this. I'm still wrapping my head around flipper-less play though. Even in my limited exposure and play time on all pinball machines, I've never even stumbled across one of these. Is it all just random gravity play or do you get to use body English without the tilt threat?

#18 5 years ago
Quoted from ballbaron:

Glad to be able to provide the special size balls required for this. I'm still wrapping my head around flipper-less play though. Even in my limited exposure and play time on all pinball machines, I've never even stumbled across one of these. Is it all just random gravity play or do you get to use body English without the tilt threat?

Play a flipperless pin a few times and you'll see just how important a masterful plunge is. Beyond that, yes to the body English. You will learn every little nuance of that machine's tilt mech, and how to transfer power to the ball at just the right times.

#19 5 years ago
Quoted from ballbaron:

Glad to be able to provide the special size balls required for this. I'm still wrapping my head around flipper-less play though. Even in my limited exposure and play time on all pinball machines, I've never even stumbled across one of these. Is it all just random gravity play or do you get to use body English without the tilt threat?

whats cool with this game is the kickout holes fire right into the next and it does this figure 8 of sorts around the playfield, little nudges here and there make a huge difference. Cant wait to get this playfield completed so I can play it some more before I do the cabinet.

#20 5 years ago

Very interested in your thread and this machine, I own Bally Rocket III, so is this Bally Rocket (II) and Rocket (I) 1933 is cars?

I've never played a flipperless or heard the expression "body English" and I'm from the old country

#21 5 years ago
Quoted from astyy:

Very interested in your thread and this machine, I own Bally Rocket III, so is this Bally Rocket (II) and Rocket (I) 1933 is cars?
I've never played a flipperless or heard the expression "body English" and I'm from the old country

Yes this is Rocket 2. Im not sure about Rocket 1’s theme from 1933

#22 5 years ago

Ok Deco caps are touched up. Even though they are a little warped I’m happy with them. I tried to heat them up and flatten them out but its not working and I’m not gonna over do it to avoid snapping them or warping them more. Even though my OCD about them keeps me up at night.
Cant wait to get the replacement bodies that boilerman found for me!

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#23 5 years ago

You did a fantastic job with the lettering. Tons of patience, there.

Yves

#24 5 years ago

Thanks Yves! Pretty excited about this project. Honestly my favorite thing so far is the help im getting from other pinsiders hunting for parts. boilerman with bumper bodies, patblote reached out with a great list of parts and that was a pleasant surprise, ballbaron with new pinballs, bluespin with a ton of leads.
I hope i don’t disappoint when its all said and done!

#25 5 years ago
Quoted from Arcane:

You did a fantastic job with the lettering. Tons of patience, there.
Yves

Applause from my little section of the peanut gallery, too!

#26 5 years ago

Got my bumper bodies today from @boilerman. They are perfect!

The remaining parts that im getting from patblote should be here Monday then this playfield will be back in business.

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#27 5 years ago

This is the stuff that makes me smile
Metal... I used to play it on my guitar now I just wet sand it...

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#28 5 years ago

That is quite incredible: it is pretty much the same mechanism used in the early solid state machines.
You did a good job at cleaning it.

Yves

#29 5 years ago
Quoted from Arcane:

That is quite incredible: it is pretty much the same mechanism used in the early solid state machines.
You did a good job at cleaning it.
Yves

Yes Yves, as soon as i pulled one off to clean, the first thing that came to mind was our girl Mata Hari!

#30 5 years ago

Not the happiest about this fix but its working. The body of the slide coin mech was snapped in half. I tried to weld it back together, and that was short lived. So a paper clip and coat hanger strategically placed and bent to hold actually works. After cleaning it up and lubricating, this is working again. Accepts nickels, and doesnt slide if one is not inserted. Also I found if i put the game on free play, a coil underneath the coin mech activates pushing up on a latch on the bottom of the mech and allows the coin mech to push in and start a game without coin. Fascinating to see this old technology in action, All and all it works properly (for the moment)
My wife found a site for me that sells refurbed mechs for $65. Not sure im ready to go that route.

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#31 5 years ago

patblote s package came today! Got exactly what i needed and then some! Thanks again man this helps so much.

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#32 5 years ago

Another great piece of help provided from Dan at Main St Amusements!!!
The score cards sent to me in a pdf. This is a screenshot of what was given. Arcane I’ll definitely be finding the most aged looking card stock possible to print these on. Dont want to go pure white like i did for my backbox instruction cards on the Mata Hari

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#33 5 years ago

Get this game done already! I want to play it.

#34 5 years ago
Quoted from Deez:

Get this game done already! I want to play it.

If I didn't have to run your pinball league tonight I'd finish the last few things needed to have it playable again.

I say new balls should be installed and plunged by Wednesday night. Bring a roll of nickels and some dollars to bet with.

#35 5 years ago

This would be my life if I was rich, famous and had no kids. Keep it up dummy!

#36 5 years ago

Hahaha Luckily for me I am rich, famous, and kidless!! Thanks for stopping by Brian.

#37 5 years ago

Ok after getting a file earlier this week and stumbling across a Rocket on Ebay I made some edits and created the center score card for the super special bumpers referencing what I could see....

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#38 5 years ago

Playfield is back and looking great!
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#39 5 years ago

Bringing the plunger and pushrod back to life.

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#40 5 years ago

That's looking great!

#41 5 years ago

Just to let you know your thread has been the source of inspiration I needed! Currently restoring a 63 Williams and tend to concentrate on the mechanical side of things. This will be my first chance to polish out some Daisey caps and hopefully detail them close to what you have done here. You've made clear plastics and a sano playfield is key.
Thanks.

#42 5 years ago
Quoted from pinheadpierre:

That's looking great!

Thanks @pinheadpierre !

#43 5 years ago
Quoted from phil-lee:

Just to let you know your thread has been the source of inspiration I needed! Currently restoring a 63 Williams and tend to concentrate on the mechanical side of things. This will be my first chance to polish out some Daisey caps and hopefully detail them close to what you have done here. You've made clear plastics and a sano playfield is key.
Thanks.

Glad to hear youre doing the caps! Good luck with everything. If you have a thread capturing your work can you send me the link? I love watching other’s progress.

#44 5 years ago

Got the plunger reassembled in time before the family shows up for thanksgiving.

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#45 5 years ago

Got ballbaron Ninjas. Holy shit these things are shiny!

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#46 5 years ago

You're totally going to win 1s of dollars from your family!!!

#48 5 years ago

Love the use of archival gloves. I'm gonna feel like a slob now every time I handle my balls with bare hands. (Left myself wide open there.... )

#49 5 years ago

My eyes are up here

#50 5 years ago

So I got new birch to rebuild the cab. Bought a bit to do the Rabbet Joint these old machines had. Did a test piece and my router literally caught fire and died. So that’ll set me back. However the piece i was able to route looks good. So im still excited to do this after i get a new router.

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