For sure, let me get the parts to try it out first. Obviously the one things I can't really justify is one of those laser/water cutter tools that are like a zillion dollars. That and well... space.

Hi there,
Just wanted to know for my information what is the piece of art behind the clear part of backglass? Is it a mini playfield, a plastic, what else?
Thanks

You can call it a mini-playfield but is more commonly called a bagatelle. In bagatelle mode, a light weight ball shoots to the top and drops into one of 4 columns

Ok thanks.
Bagatelle is wood painted, plastic,..?

That's a good question; It's some sort of pressed wood. You can see fibers when unscrewing posts from it.

Yes. Some sort of particle board, MDF maybe. 1/2" thick. Painted white. All of the colors are silk screened I am thinking.

I am looking at a Catacomb to purchase and the bagatelle ball is missing. Is there a replacement for purchase?

We can get you fixed up on the ball, I think. But in the bagatelle up on the top right hand side there are two brackets and a gate the ball must pass through. Those two brackets are unobtainum.

What does the pin look like condition wise?

CPR makes the play field and plastics. Greatwich makes the back glass. BG Resto makes the back glass. Pinball Pimp makes the cab stencils.

EDIT: The ball is a one inch wooden ball. Shipping will cost more than the ball.

https://www.caseyswood.com/shoppingcart/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=159_157&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI97PVk9rQ6wIVUvDACh3hvw51EAAYASAAEgKX5PD_BwE

I'm in, we found the little bagatelle ball

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Anyone know the green color of the cab? who makes the best backglass for this? I think there are 2 people making it. and is there a source for the plastic piece that holds the bagatelle ball by the flipper? I taped mine back together but would like a new one.

I robbed one of the wooden play field supports from inside the cab and went to Lowes for a small can of color matched paint. It was not perfect but it was real close in color match.

I can make you the piece of plastic that holds the bagatelle in place. Actually, I have some spare material. I can cut it to size for you, make your bend marks and you can make the bends in it your self. If I ship it flat like this is will fit in an envelope and postage is 50 cents. PM me your address.

I'll do this for you for free but you have to come back and share with us a little bit of your experiences with your Big Game now that you have it playing.

Deal? You first I'll look for your input on the Big Game thread.

And then when you get this piece of plastic, you come back and tell us about Catacomb.
Am also send ing you a PM

I have been on this machine for hours. Very addicting and frustrating at the same time. I did finally light up the entire square with 1 extra ball but had it all lit on my third ball. I was really digging Big Game but I have to give the edge to Catacomb by just a bit as far as game play goes. I see why some folks do not have a great first impression on Catacomb. It is not one you just walk up to and immediatly love it. After probably 5 hours of playing I have a real appreciation for it now.

Yeah. It took me a few hours of play to really get into it, too.

Have you had a spinner shot go bad and drain yet? If not you will

not yet, but had one really close tonight.

had my first spinner shot drain today. It was a laser! Did have my best game yet. 2 extra balls, had 5x playfield, and cleared the toast area once and almost a second time.

I put in a new lamp board and added LEDs today as well. i had to replace a bad lamp socket and everything is 100% now. I like the alltek lamp boards over that no flicker LED kit.

I have lit up the bonus once and did 13 lights the 2nd time around. I do not know what happens if you get all of the bonus lit twice.

Sounds like you had a couple of killer balls.

Can someone get me dimensions of their backglass please? Going to have to order the translite off eBay and need to know what size glass to go with.

Also, anyone have a link to the ball in the bagatelle in the back? Thanks!

Marco's is out of the backglasses, but Pinisder greatwichjohn is the one who makes them and sells them direct to pinheads, and to Marcos. Try pming him to see if he has one in stock.

28 1/2" wide x 25 1/2" tall.

Thank you! These are 1/8" thick too, right?

1/8”. Yes

Did a Playfield swap, almost done. Could someone send me a pic of what under the apron looks like? I feel like there’s maybe a piece of hardware that holds that down I’m missing...

Many thanks in advance!

Sent

Anyone got a old catacomb playfield laying around from a swap? I would buy or borrow and pay all shipping back and forth. I need a playfield protector made.

Just noticed something weird on the field I swapped. It doesn’t have the numbers for the banks ABCD and only has the bank letters in the middle. Early run? Proto? I just noticed, but strange and have never seen.

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They don't need to be on those inserts. You have the A-B-C-D play field. So you have A-orange, A-red, A-blue, A-green. And all four of those are located at...

I wish my Play field was the A-B-C-D type. They are scarce. But they are out there.

Way back in the thread someone explained the logic behind the A-B-C-D play fields.

Of course, it you are upgrading with a CPR repro play field, you will give up the A-B-C-D format, since CPR followed the Magic Square format.

When you have the number type play field you have to do a mental exercise as to where Red-7 goes to. Eventually, after you play enough and your memory function kicks in you realize that Red-7 goes to "C". And blue-5 goes to "A".

I am waiting on glass replacement. They put the bug on all the glass, so playfield glass I took with bug, & the 15 are going back. NO STAMP LOGO was clearly on the order!

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I would save that playfield and have it restored properly. If you want to sell it let me know. I would be interested. Regards...CS

Finished up for a client recently, wanted to share. Before photos and after with new Playfield and TONS of new parts. On location at Level 256 arcade bar in Asheville now.

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Just wanted to say, thanks for saving another pinball from the trash heap.

My best Bonus/Toast attack session to date. All I needed to make complete run the 2nd time around was D-13 Orange and D-2 Green.

Part of what helped me was that I scored 2 Extra Balls on Ball 2.

Sorry, the lights are little bright under the camera. There is no glare while playing.

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Texas Toast ..........................

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It looks like CPR has sold out of the Catacomb repro play fields. I hope everyone who wanted one got one.

The toast is the numerical inserts below the pop bumper. The outline looks like a piece of toast.

ya, got mine. waiting till spring so I can reclear it.

thinking of doing the numbers on the amber toast inserts. hate that they look faded.

Thinking about letting my catacomb go if someone is looking. I am still on the fence but could be easily persuaded.

I bought mine as soon as they were for sale. What has that been? 6 months?

I opened up the box and checked for flaws and it looked great. I boxed it back up. I just had another look. The play field is a smooth as the day I first opened the box. It is an excellent coat of clear; It is as smooth as a baby's butt. I'm installing it as it came from CPR. It needs nothing.

I don't know what it is with the amber inserts, but somehow the amber dyes bleed into the white ink on the inserts. My original play field has the same color bleed with the amber inserts, leaving it with orange looking ink. And my CPR play field also has orange looking ink, as well. I think you will just have to live with it.

Maybe some other Cat owners can speak up about the amber inserts.

OG Purped run came to me early January 2020.

Looks great, mine for sure indented when installing posts which doesn't bother me.

Ink looks a little diff'rent than other, as on OG PF, inserts but only if you're really inspecting it; Bulb on they all look the same.

Opinion requested. New PF's available from CPR. Mine is in decent shape but due to minor cupping and some minor planking the thought of a brand new PF in this game is enticing. The rest of the game is in really nice condition so it's pretty far down the restoration list. I haven't typically been buying pf's but just got 3 in that look amazing.

Should i snag one now while available and deal with the decision later?
Do we think they will be available in 2 years?
What would my old one be worth on resale if i replace it?
Plastics are nearly perfect but should i be concerned with matching colors with a new PF?

Also why are the borders on the green and blue toast insert "droopy compared to red/amber? Most of the sterns I see the back borders are off-center. I figured it was just shoddy workmanship.

I look forward to your expert opinions.

RB

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only you can make that decision.

CPR is your answer man for that.

That's a good question. Yours needs some restoration touchup work.

I am going to use my original plastics. They are mostly black in color. I see no color matching problem.

When I bought my first parts for Big Game from Steve at PBR, he told me he never liked Stern quality (he is a Gottlieb man). I did not understand what he was talking about until I started restoring my Big Game and also do a little work on Gottlieb and Williams pins. Stern was sloppy in its assembly work, IMO.

On a Williams pin, the switch diodes were wired in nice and neat. It was extra work. Stern just slopped the diodes on.

This is a Gottlieb Snow Derby pin. Notice how the keylines around the inserts are real thin lines, all nice and neat. That took some precision work. Stern, OTOH, used the big, fat, wide lines, around the inserts and slopped the keylines on.

And what did it matter? These pins were supposed to last 3-4 years. They lived in arcades and bars. All they needed to do is work and get people to drop their coins. So, no point in over building.

Gottleib, Bally, and Williams are long gone. Stern is still around so he/it must have been doing something right at the time.

Thanks for the feedback man. I think I know what cpr will say. It's getting close to the end of the month. The reason I asked is I saw how quick the cheetah and f2k's sold out and i don't want to regret not pulling the trigger when i had the chance. I think i might. I'm sure i can sell either one when the time comes
Take a look at the cpr pf. it has the droop on the blues and greens. I would think they would correct that on a repro if it was a quality issue as opposed to part of the design.

RB

Catacomb playfields sold out on their site earlier this year. I assume the restock is when they get more “lumber” allocated for a given title.

What size ball is used in the backglass for catacomb?

My two cents... I am not happy that the fine black line details are lost on
the reproduction Catacomb playfield.

They are back for sale. $850.00 a pop.

https://classicplayfields.com/product-category/pinball-playfields/

1 inch. Wooden, I think. Weighs .4 oz.

I put up a link in this thread where they could be bought. Like anything else, the price is not bad. Shipping is killer.

Did you get it running?

Not yet. Just trying to pull together materials so I'll have everything when it's time.

Also, I was lucky enough to have the brackets intact. But Im going to need help fashioning a wire gate for them.

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