(Topic ID: 104189)

Comet Club - Admit One

By midcoastsurf

9 years ago


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  • 1,751 posts
  • 189 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 80 days ago by Evlclown
  • Topic is favorited by 88 Pinsiders

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There are 1,751 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 36.
#52 9 years ago

Copy_of_comet.JPGCopy_of_comet.JPG

These sure are not perfect, but can be a good starting point to create your own replacement artwork.

Remember to print with a color laser so it does not fade on "permanent" decal paper, and cover with Mylar.

#53 9 years ago

Vid for the win! There is no decal on my drop target and my stand up targets are faded to white...should be a bit of an improvement

Thanks!

1 month later
#54 9 years ago

I just joined the club! Holy moly I've got some work on my hands... Been sitting in a warehouse for years.

It's missing the power transformer, the shooter rod assembly, and two coils. The left flipper is all wacked out and is missing at least a sleeve. One of the displays is marked "bad" in sharpie on the glass...

No battery damage to the boards, but lots (and I mean LOTS) of dust. The backglass is pretty decent, it has bubbled all over but is mostly intact and looks good from the front.

Playfield is pretty worn. All the ramps and hard to find plastic parts, however, are all there and working.

Cabinet is average for it's age. Some planking and flaking, but not all beat to heck and easily fixed.

I'm gonna start with the transformer and missing coils. If I can bring it back to life, I'll order a new shooter rod, rebuild the flippers, and then figure out how much restoration I'm going to attempt on the PF.

My wife said I needed a project, and that I should go look at it. Mission accomplished, I now have a winter project!!

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#55 9 years ago
Quoted from MonkeyGrass:

My wife said I needed a project

That never happens.

#56 9 years ago
Quoted from vid1900:

That never happens.

I know, right? Hard to believe but I got a good one. She plays as much as I do!

Quick question for any Comet owners out there, is there supposed to be a plastic ball detent as part of the plunger kicker assembly? Mine is pretty bungled up, and I'm not sure if there is supposed to be a small plastic piece above the ball sensor switch for the ball to rest in or not.

Thx guys. I've got some serious work ahead of me!

5 months later
#57 8 years ago

I have a manual for sale if anyone is looking.

#58 8 years ago

New member here. Just picked up a rough but mostly complete Comet this afternoon. Xpin displays are on the way. Now I just need to find a decent backglass for her.

7 months later
#59 8 years ago

I picked mine up about a month ago. Replaced the power supply with a rotten dog, Ed Cheung has my main board as I write this. It cleaned up pretty well! I found a corkscrew on ebay( paid throughrepaintung the nose, but I got it!), waiting patiently to play! It had a 11 power supply when I got it, was badly butchered. Seriously considering going with LEDs throughout on this one! The cabinet needs work, and repainted. I have seen many pictures of the ball gates for this play field, and many are different. Any help on the correct ones and where?

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#60 8 years ago
Quoted from TnJHead:

Replaced the power supply with a rotten dog

Doesn't that stink?

#61 8 years ago

Wow... that backglass is bad! Funny how the sunlight bleaches all the red out.

#62 8 years ago

Family has owned The Comet and has been resided in our basement since 1990!

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#63 8 years ago
Quoted from vwallat99:

Family has owned The Comet and has been resided in our basement since 1990!

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Now THAT is an attractive use of LEDs. Well done.

#64 8 years ago
Quoted from jibmums:

Now THAT is an attractive use of LEDs. Well done.

My favorite before and after backglass from a LED conversion. The color is great on this one and looks better in person!

#65 8 years ago

Every now and then when my slingshots activate all the lighting under the pf goes out for a split second then comes right back, almost like a power surge. Doesn't affect game play but a bit annoying. Any tips to fix it? Love, love, love, my comet.

#66 8 years ago

Maybe my backglass will look better with red LEDs?lol!

#67 8 years ago

K's arcade has NOS back glasses for 500! OUCH! I think mine looks great. Kinda.

#68 8 years ago
Quoted from TnJHead:

Maybe my backglass will look better with red LEDs?lol!

I think adding some colored LEDs like vwallat99 did would probably work out well with your backglass. Maybe even some color changing LEDs behind those fireworks. You need something to add some color back!

#69 8 years ago

I plan on adding LEDs just to lower the power consumption, if for no other reason. Where's the best place to get them?

#70 8 years ago
Quoted from mattosborn:

I think adding some colored LEDs like vwallat99 did would probably work out well with your backglass. Maybe even some color changing LEDs behind those fireworks. You need something to add some color back!

Lights behind the fireworks are flashers. It would be nice if there was any color changing flasher bulbs.

Quoted from TnJHead:

I plan on adding LEDs just to lower the power consumption, if for no other reason. Where's the best place to get them?

Comet Pinball would be my recommendation for sure.

#71 8 years ago
Quoted from vwallat99:

Lights behind the fireworks are flashers. It would be nice if there was any color changing flasher bulbs.

We have tinkered with quite a few color changing flashers...unfortunately, none respond to the super fast signal of flashing
to change color fast enough. Nice and slow "blink", instead of fast flash, and they work.

If anyone feels they have the skill to proto, Id be glad to manufacture them.
...with royalties....

Art

#72 8 years ago

Mine is completely kitted out with LEDs as well. Looks much more "fun" and interseting. I colour matched the playfield GI to make it brighter. Such a huge improvement.

#73 8 years ago

I'm in - picked her up last night. Can't wait to start tear down and complete resto.

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#74 8 years ago

Here's the stripped PF to be repainted (from another machine).

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#75 8 years ago

Give her some good lovin' Scott!! She deserves it.

#76 8 years ago

Picked this Comet up a couple months ago. It has Coaster Ramp Protection. Seems to be the original ramp. Only issue is that the Lane lights and the lights in that series are out. Im a Brand Newbie. Loved this game as a kid. I got a good deal. I don't see any burnt connectors or anything on the board. All the wires seem in tact. Lost!!

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#77 8 years ago
Quoted from Coin_Door_Kid:

Only issue is that the Lane lights and the lights in that series are out.

Did you put new bulbs in?

#78 8 years ago

Yep did that. First thing I did when I got her home. All new # 63s and 44s. All the fuses are in tact.

2 weeks later
#79 7 years ago

Mine, joined the club a little over a month ago

8.5/10 playfield, 7/10 cabinet, 10/10 backglass. Just needs displays, waiting on good originals because unlike everybody else I really just hate the reproductions, I can 100% always tell when a game has them and it really bothers me, I find them ugly personally and wouldn't want them on my own games but can definitely respect others who like to use them and can totally see why.

Came with well-done color matched normal brightness LEDs underneath. Not my thing either but looks original and backglass and top of playfield have incandescent bulbs left so I left it alone, finally a game without superbrights. Paid $500.

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3 months later
#80 7 years ago

Corkscrew ramp in eBay $25!!! Mine is in good enough shape to keep I need main ramp.

ebay.com link: Williams Comet Pinball Playfield Cork Screw Plastic and Tube B 10738 and 03 7938

#81 7 years ago

Actually got my comet about 3 months ago but didnt realize there was a club thread for it! It is the first pin I ever "bought" (traded my uncle a Cruisn' USA with LCD "upgrade" for it) He had the machine for like 25 years and said he didn't play it much at all.

I have cleaned and waxed the play field , replaced all the rubbers, batteries, and fuses. Full LED conversion with non ghosting bulbs where needed and next up to do is to the MOSFET conversion that vid wrote up then do my first play field restore.

comet1_(resized).jpgcomet1_(resized).jpg

#82 7 years ago

That looks nice.

I'm picking one up this weekend with a pretty shot playfield. Has anyone ever printed an overlay for this?

1 week later
#83 7 years ago

I am a member did not realize that there was a Comet club as well, picked it up 6 months ago and was my first pin and probably not my last as now addicted to the silver ball.

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#84 7 years ago

I have one as well! I seem to prefer the quicker and simpler games these days, and I most often go for a quick game of Comet! It has a simple, but enjoyable rule set.

#85 7 years ago

Got a couple lights out....all 3 pop bumps and all 3 lane guides under 1986. Just noticed it tonight. Any input on where to start? Are those lights in a column/row? I did try to change the bulbs. Lol

#86 7 years ago

Fuses. That's where I would start. The same fuse controls all of that. If your Flashers go out it is due to the white block resistors under the playfield. That's been my experience. Good luck!!

#87 7 years ago

Just checked all fuses all is well. The 2 shorter block resistors are burning up after the games been on for a minute or 2. I'll replace them tonight. Did the wattage or amperage change with modern tech? Do you know the watt/amp? Couldn't find my Manuel.

1 month later
#88 7 years ago

Just picked up Comet last week and happy with my shop job.

Lets talk AIRBALLS. I know this game has glass hits, but I'm seeing the ball jump all the way off the comet ramp and going to the back of the machine routinely.

Also I'm assuming the reason why the dummy plastic and the train station plastic are broken is due to AIRBALLS coming off the drop target, but it's horrible on my machine and often flies right over the slingshot to the outline.

I'm thinking my left flipper coil is too powerful because it's clearly not the same as the right and that's where all the AIRBALLS are coming from.

If not, are the any fixes for the drop target to make it less like a catapult. I replaced the foam backing behind the fixed bullseye target because I even get AIRBALLS from that, but that doesn't address the drop target itself.

Thanks

#89 7 years ago

I had the same problem, and put a piece of foam on the assembly behind the drop target, and it fixed it.
Don't know if there was suppose to be foam there but it worked, but went through 3 foams to find the right size. One was to thin, one was to thick etc..
Airballs off the cycle jump ramp is just part of the game I think, and may happen more often with the thicker replacement ramp.
Can't take any pictures as I'm out of the club for now.
Good Luck

#90 7 years ago

Thanks, I'll try the foam there as well. I expect the cycle ramp AIRBALLS, but that steep grade on the middle ramp gives them to me as well. It's one thing to hit the glass but another all together to fly into the back of the machine and break the lane plastics. Foam and new coil to start I suppose.

1 month later
#91 7 years ago

Joined the club yesterday! Scored a comet and two EMs. Comet has some bad transistors on the cpu board, two bad score displays and a bad credit display. Corkscrew ramp is cracked but repairable until I find a better one. Clown plastic is cracked above the shooter lane but not terribly noticeable since it is black and not lit from below. Otherwise in in decent shape besides being SUPER dirty.

Came with all the original paperwork/scorecard inserts and promo flag!

Does anyone out there have any of the pieces on my wish list the would be willing to part with?

* Corkscrew ramp (long shot, but worth asking, right?)
* 2 plasma score displays
* Plasma credit display
* Clown plastic

Yay Comet! I love mid-80's pinball.

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#92 7 years ago

Found this in the cabinet. It is wired to a switch which activates when the coin door is opened/closed. This machine used to be on route. Some sort of burgler alarm perhaps?

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3 weeks later
#93 7 years ago

I am trying to salvage a funky Comet playfield. I need scans of the areas pictured here to replace missing artwork. Does anybody out there have something that might be of help?

Thanks in advance!

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#95 7 years ago
Quoted from shicketmaster:

I expect the cycle ramp AIRBALLS, but that steep grade on the middle ramp gives them to me as well.

You are probably missing the thick washers that go under the center ramp rear supports.

Those washers just barely keep the ball from jumping off the ramp.

#96 7 years ago
Quoted from pinheadpierre:

Found this in the cabinet. It is wired to a switch which activates when the coin door is opened/closed. This machine used to be on route. Some sort of burgler alarm perhaps?

If the game ever starts to smoke, you'll have plenty of warning.

#97 7 years ago

I'll check on those washers

#98 7 years ago

Thank you! I should've known that this would cycle back to Vid! The center playfield scan will definitely help with the dunk and ramp area. Hey Vid - any chance you have a closer up scan of the chicken to the left of the cycle jump ramp entrance? If not, I will see what I can fudge out of the full playfield shot. Thank you for being such an incredible resource to all of us here in the pinball world!

#99 7 years ago
Quoted from pinheadpierre:

Joined the club yesterday! Scored a comet and two EMs. Comet has some bad transistors on the cpu board, two bad score displays and a bad credit display. Corkscrew ramp is cracked but repairable until I find a better one. Clown plastic is cracked above the shooter lane but not terribly noticeable since it is black and not lit from below. Otherwise in in decent shape besides being SUPER dirty.
Came with all the original paperwork/scorecard inserts and promo flag!
Does anyone out there have any of the pieces on my wish list the would be willing to part with?
* Corkscrew ramp (long shot, but worth asking, right?)
* 2 plasma score displays
* Plasma credit display
* Clown plastic
Yay Comet! I love mid-80's pinball.

If you have 2 remaining working plasma displays, perhaps we can work on a trade? I'll PM you.

#100 7 years ago
Quoted from pinheadpierre:

Thank you! I should've known that this would cycle back to Vid! The center playfield scan will definitely help with the dunk and ramp area. Hey Vid - any chance you have a closer up scan of the chicken to the left of the cycle jump ramp entrance? If not, I will see what I can fudge out of the full playfield shot. Thank you for being such an incredible resource to all of us here in the pinball world!

Okay - now I feel silly, having realized that the familiar feeling of having seen these playfield scans before is because they are just the pictures of the playfield from the ipdb. So....still looking for a couple good scans to replace missing art. (The ipdb photos just aren't good enough resolution and not true close up scans.)

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