Yes it does.

I removed the standoffs and screwed it down to be as flush as possible. To keep it from harming the LCD, I covered the back with foam sheet.

My uppermost target switch at the swamp entrance is constantly being bent backwards (into the swamp) quite a bit. The switch registers but it's annoying to bend it back all the time and it looks bad when bent.

The two lower switches doesn't seem to have the same problem (guess it depends on ball angle/velocity for the different targets and the fact that the lowest one have the steel assembly directly behind it to act as a stop).

I know there are reinforced targets but I can only find oblong ones and the swamp targets are round. I've been thinking about making a sturdy metal piece (with drilled holes to fasten using the target screws) to put behind it and act as a stop. Anyone recognize this problem and have any good solutions?

swamp (resized).jpg

Deleted

It should have the same metal back as the others to keep it in place.

Its identical to the other two targets. Perhaps the metal backing on this particular target has been bent so many times the metal got fatigued. Its easy to bend that target , not much force is needed.

Maybe my experience here over time will help.
My addams has at least 27,000 plays over the years. Im only responsible for about 5000 plays. Over time the swamp and cousin it targets take a beating. Ive replaced all at least once, and several a couple more. Left and right swamp hole, they have been replaced at least twice.

I had the same issue. Targets were all bent back. Got tired of bending them and replaced with new ones. The new ones stay straight and look great. I think I got them from Marco.

Buy a reinforced oblong target and swap the front blade with your blade that has the round target. Target stacks are just held together with 2 little bolts like a leaf switch.

Odd question, Uncle Fest...ahem...Lester stopped working. How exactly would I trouble shoot this thing? I tried the clips on another power source and no go. The chair lights still work. Not sure how to tackle this?

It's possible the LED has just gone bad, it does happen. It's pretty unscientific, if it's connected to a working insert then the wires will be getting voltage. It basically can only be a dead LED or wire come off.

Is it replaceable with a piece I could buy somewhere? Not sure how these get put together.

More then likely the wire broke off the resistor or a leg broke off the resistor. You can order a replacement LED from Mouser or other electronic supply stores or a replacement resistor. I recently went through a whole Fester issue. My fester fell out of his chair. Apparently mine is a cheaper made one and is made out of plastic instead of rubber. I didn't stop playing and decapitated him with a ball lol. I glued the head back on and from my taking it in an out a couple times, the resistor then broke. I said bahhhh who needs this and hooked it up without it. The LED then burnt (what a surprise right). The LED that came in him was a stupid clear one to make matters worse, most have a red or yellow LED. At this point I was so pissed I had him out for awhile and was just gonna buy a new Fester. One day I decided to try and repair it one last time. I had to order a new resistor and LED from mouser. Pull him out of the game. My resistor was soldered to the end of the wire right at the alligator clip. You may have to remove heat shrink or whatever to get at it. If you have a spare switching power supply, you can hook it up to the 5volts and test it out of the game. If not, a multimeter set to diode test mode should be enough to at least get the LED to illuminate FAINTLY. With the resistor it may not illuminate much at all. LED's typically don't burn out unless your a bonehead like me and try sending 5 volts directly to them without the right resistor.

This is the LED I ordered from Mouser, you can order a red, yellow or purple whatever color you want.

Yellow LED
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/755-SLR-332YY3F

Red LED
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/755-SLR-332VRT32

If your resistor leg broke off, here is the replacement you will need. Keep in mind, this resistor pairs along with the LED's linked above. It should probably be fine working with the LED that is already on Fester but just keep that in mind.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/660-MF1-4CCT52R2200F

If you already have a spare LED laying around and don't need to order the above one, you can tell what resistor you will need if you know the specs of the LED. Use this calculator to determine what resistor you need. http://www.ohmslawcalculator.com/led-resistor-calculator

If you order the LEDs above the resistor I linked will work and like I said it SHOULD work with the LED that is already on your fester if your LED is still good.

Mine has been working for months now since I repaired him and I fixed him falling out of the chair with some velcro and hot glue.

Interesting, mine must be plastic too because I got him for a deal as his hand was broken off. What color did you end up going with? Yellow? White?

Somehow the instructions above sound hard, yet easy at the same time. I’ve only learned minor solder repairs at this point, haven’t run new wires, so some learning to be done here. How did you get the LED out of Fester? Just push or pull it right out, or is it glued in somewhere?

If you can solder it isn't hard at all. Just tin whatever you are soldering before hand and solder the new resistor or led on or both. Use heat shrink to protect your solder.

I have went with a red led and hooked it up to the red light on the chair that only flashes when the chair is ready to start multi-ball. Its all up to you though, you can have it come on with the yellow light to indicated it's ready to start a mode at the chair.

I just cut the wires off off the back of his head. Then the LED should pull out of his head. Mine wasn't glued in or anything but did take a little force to pull it. Just be careful you don't snap his head off since yours is plastic too.

I would first start with just looking at the wiring. More then likeley there is a break in the wiring or if you have alligator clips on it, maybe one came loose. Trace the wiring where they go through the playfield. If both aligator clips are attached to whatever they are hooked up for power you know that probably isn't the issue. Then I would start examining the wiring and aligator clips if it has them to make sure they are still attached and nothing came loose. Finally look for the resistor. It should be on the red wire. More then likely under the rubber boot of the alligator clip, peel it back and examine it for broken connection. I doubt your LED went bad but anything is possible, just more likely its a loose wire or connection somewhere imo.

If you want you can post a picture and I can tell you if I see anything off or what to look at.

Do you think this #86 bulb is the right size for Lester? My guess is no, but hey, worth a shot ha.

7489A165-601F-4DBB-A6D0-700D40B65217 (resized).png

No that wouldn't work. You need a 3.2mm LED, that is the size that was in mine. If your looking for a green LED, here is one that should work, but I would have to figure out what resistor you would need because this has different specs the the other two I linked a few posts up. Did you get a chance to check out the wiring or anything yet?

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Kingbright/WP710A10ZGCK?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtmwHDZQCdlqa6b4mV2olw7571gxYXCm5g%3D

I’m inclined to agree with you. To each his own.

So hard to get any decent photos of Led's in backglass's.

True.

Question for TAF owners.

How often do you get or have had 'dirty pool' ?

Had TAF for years and heard it very rarely.

Callout needs much more exposure.

Never had it. Doesn't it require an airball landing in the vault when the bookcase is closed? That's got to be super rare by definition, hasn't it?

Weak orbit shot.Ball rolls back and somehow bounces off the rubbers near the vault and goes in?? Multiball mode maybe?? I forgot if there was any points scored from it and remembered how it happened on those very rare occasions .

Pat Lawlor made it a shot and call out from it.

If memory serves it counts as a lock shot when the bookcase isn't already open, as in - it will advance you past all GREED shots, open the bookcase and leave you at the 2nd ball lock stage if you somehow manage to get it.

I guess it could be possible to get with a bounce off the black ramp post from the upper right flipper, then off the two rubbers on the closed bookcase. An airball is more probable though.

A variation of "Dirty Pool" features in a few games where you do something unintended. AFM has it if you trap a ball behind the saucer target bank, for example.

Saw an accidental dirty pool on a friends TAF. An airball came off the upper right flipper and flew behind the right side of the closed bookcase and in to the vault scoop. This was during the finals round of a charity tournament and we could not believe the timing of this very rare occurrence as we battled for the tournament win.

I am searching for an original printed TAF Instruction card. Anyone have one in good condition that they'd part with?

So I'm is this misfit club this week...picked up a TAFG. It was a gamble as the owner never cleaned it in the 15 years he owned it or even knew he had to change the batteries (completely corroded). Fortunately no damage at all to the MPU board or any of the boards for that matter. All the gold needs re-plating, the playfield was so dirty- black everywhere, pop bumper bracket broken, all the wrong flipper coils. but after some Novis, the playfied is actually very nice and I'm contemplating having it clear coated (the slightest "dent" just after thing...recommendations please. So a couple of questions- I ordered the parts to install the magnet fuses...what size fuse though? what is the Thing mod. I did remove my thing from my box (hey now) other than being dirty, it has a scrape down along the middle finger from the nail rearward. I'm guessing its hitting the box cover? Fix for this?...I didn't play the game before I started breaking it down, but it did start up...to factory resets restored...didn't want to do anything with those batteries in there...Advise welcome

Welcome. Hopefully that playfield will clean up nice. I would not bother clear coating it, which is huge big undertaking to remove everything. Just clean and wax and it should hold up fine with home use.

The scrape along the top of the thing is normal, since that is where he pushes the box open. Clean him up and add some touch up paint as necessary, and clean inside the lid of the box.

What number is yours?

936

I removed the ramp today....I figured if I did that I might as well go all the way ...and they look awesome..I have to rebuild all the bumpers too...so I'm half way there...

How is that MPU not trashed from that battery acid!? It looks remarkably good considering, although to my untrained eye the solder pads below the holder look darkened a bit.

What would be the best thing to do in this situation to neutralise the board?

Just joined the club yesterday and i am very excited to finally have one. This has been 5 years in the making and being very patient to find one in my price range. Finally have one sitting in my gameroom.

Im looking for a few things that i will need to get the game back to excellent players condition. One thing i will be looking for is a lower cabinet. If anyone knows were one may be please let me know. Not sure what cabinets will enterchange with addams but i will be open for something in good shape. I need a good photo of the topper wiring if anyone can supply. Looking for a game manual also to help order some parts.

20190701_193000 (resized).jpg

Nope...looks great...

20190702_070858 (resized).jpg

Incredible

You got super lucky! Those batteries looked nasty as hell.

Ordered a new opto board for thing and book shelf as well as some wire harnesses for both thing and the book case. Game is frustrating me and sorry at times I bought it. Game played great the first couple of months. Now thing sometimes doesn't pick up ball. Then I test it, optos work, game plays fine. Then stops again and in thing test, opts don't work. 1 opto went out in the bookshelf right after I bought it. Figured I was OK with that, but now thing is acting up. Plus, at time you start a thing multi ball, book shelf opens, ball is kicked out either at swamp or shooter lane, then book shelf closes, no multi ball. CPU issue? Game rom I think is L4. Maybe need new board with updated chips? Coming really close to selling at a loss even after replacing so much stuff.

I feel your pain, sometimes I feel the same way.

Quick question, I was thinking of pulling the play field out and putting it on a rotisserie so I can look at Thing and everything else better than trying to lean over in the cabinet. Doesn't help that I'm short as well. Am I correct in saying you need to pull all the connectors off the mother boards in order t do that?

Label the connectors with a sharpie.

It only takes 35 mins to remove the playfield and mount it on a rotisserie.

Put the cabinet on the floor (legs off).

Much easier it pull the playfield out of the cabinet with it low to the gtound.

Having 2 people really helps if you haven't stripped the topside.

Good idea, Will mark, photo, and disconnect connectors from motherboard and pull it. That way it should be much easier to work on. Thank you for the tip!

When random weird stuff happens like that, reseat the ribbon cables between the driver board and CPU board.

Sounds familiar; I had thing magnet not working all the time (replaced magnet and founds wires were broken internally), thing opto not working all the time (again another broken wire internally leading to opto), ball trough switch randomly working which gave phantom drains during play and various other crap.

My game is in pretty mint condition and the previous owner had babied it for 15 years so I was really annoyed too - but it did travel 800 km to get to my house so I expected a few problems. The machine is now 3 months old here…

My advice is like that mentioned above, especially having two people working on it helps. I’m 6ft4” so reaching in isn’t a drama but putting it low to the ground makes sense if you struggle to reach. Don’t be afraid to get the multimeter and soldering iron out and try to isolate one problem at a time. You must source some manuals if you haven’t got one already. Parts are cheap, if in doubt replace them.

Once you nail one of the problems you’ll feel like a champ and you will be more confident to move to the next. I suggest start with the thing magnet fix first as it really is just removing the thing hand and testing the continuity of wires / fuses.

I like tinkering so for me it has been a fun adventure seeing how a 90’s machine was built - but worst case scenario - don’t sweat it - find a pinball repair guy and preferably get them to fix it in front of you if possible. I know it costs more money but you’ll have the knowledge and a working machine without stress, and as I get older this takes priority!

Good luck and let us know how you go - lucky we have these types of forums and helpful advice to follow - I couldn’t imagine how lost I would be back in the day without the internet and Pinside …!!

That is for sure. Thinking back, my first home use pin was a Gottlieb Gemini back in 1982. My dad paid $268 for it because I finally got straight As back in 8th grade. I would never have known how to care for them back then, but now with this forum and YouTube, I do. Wish I still had that pin but for better or worse , sold it to a coworker/friend before I went to the USMC after high school. Addams is frustrating me, but with the help here, it will stay going strong like my space shuttle pin.

Hi Guys,

Can anyone suggest some decal options for the backboard and where to buy? I have seen some with brick walls etc previously but can't seem to find them anywhere. Maybe I'm not searching for them under the correct name??

print your own:

TAF_Backboard_Decal_2.png

TAF_Backboard_Decal_3.jpg

TAF_Backboard_Decal_verkleinert Seitenverhältnis angepasst.png

Hey! New club member checking in. Does anyone have a photo of the right flipper button wiring? Mine came hacked and I can't stage flip as a result.

Edit: I figured it out!

Awesome! Any of these exist for the sides too? Or even the Thing box?

thing box decals:

165f7bafd2daa7f982c21a45d9e4b45d55464441.jpg

Addams Family - Decor Boite The Thing skaliert.jpg

If only someone would do the apron decals with a transparent background...

I have a powder coated glitter apron in my TAF and all the repro decals you can buy have an ugly matt black stroke or background.

I had a hard time finding any apron decals for sale. Found one set in the USA.