Comet
Williams, 1985Quoted from vid1900:2.25"
The extra holes are so the difficulty of the outlane can be adjusted.
If ball times got too long after a few months, we would move the guide to the harder hole.
Ahh, I see, thanks. I have a couple wobbly posts to take care of, the upper on that being one of them.
Quoted from jaytrem:Ahh, I see, thanks. I have a couple wobbly posts to take care of, the upper on that being one of them.
You can install a T-nut from below and then use a machine screw instead of a wood screw. This is the strongest post connection.
If you really want to use a wood screw, put a drop of wood glue in the loose hole, then tap in a Bamboo skewer, cut off excess with a pair of wire cutters. You don't have to wait for the glue to dry, just run the screw into the skewer.
Working on a Comet after it was moved to a new owner. I'm getting lights and a 0 on the CPU board but no displays and I can't seem to coin up and start a game. I'm missing something obvious I just don't know where to go next since I can't find a system 6 guide on the German site.
I played one recently for the first time and had to have it! Joined the club last week. There's just something about this pin. I might even prefer it to Cyclone. No creepy clown and better background music. Not that I wouldn't love to have a Cyclone as well. 
Now I just need to find some repro ramps. All 3 of mine have some type of damage. If anyone has any spares laying around please hit me up.
Quoted from cocomonkeh:Working on a Comet after it was moved to a new owner. I'm getting lights and a 0 on the CPU board but no displays and I can't seem to coin up and start a game. I'm missing something obvious I just don't know where to go next since I can't find a system 6 guide on the German site.
If you have a meter, make sure your displays have high voltage.
Space Shuttle, Sorcerer and Comet are Sys9
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:Now I just need to find some repro ramps. All 3 of mine have some type of damage. If anyone has any spares laying around please hit me up.
Corkscrew ramp mold is being made right now, so in the next few months.
Quoted from vid1900:If you have a meter, make sure your displays have high voltage.
Space Shuttle, Sorcerer and Comet are Sys9
Thanks I'll give that a shot once i decipher these diagrams. I knew it was a 9 but brain... bad.
I pretty much count on these flipperwinkel articles and I guess there isnt' one for 9 
Quoted from vid1900:You can install a T-nut from below and then use a machine screw instead of a wood screw. This is the strongest post connection.
If you really want to use a wood screw, put a drop of wood glue in the loose hole, then tap in a Bamboo skewer, cut off excess with a pair of wire cutters. You don't have to wait for the glue to dry, just run the screw into the skewer.
Thanks for the tips, I appreciate them. Will also take your flipper upgrade advice from the flipper thread. Work should start in a couple weeks. For now just enjoying some flakey play.
Staying in a large cabin home in Ohio and they have a Comet in the gameroom. I never played one and was excited but holy crap this thing needed some tlc badly, barely playable, ramp not scoring, slings shotgunning badly, ball getying stuck all over the place. I had to improvise with limited tools...fixed and adjusted so many switches, made a missing shooter lane rail with a wire coat hanger, taped cracked cycle jump plastic with electrical tape, backglass lighting connector burnt but it works now. Cleaned rubbers good and playfield lightly. Glass was broken at some point and thin plexiglass in its place, hey it works now and ball doesn't get stuck anywhere anymore. I finally hit the million point shot, how satisfying is that shot! Game really lets you revel in the glory of it. So much fun, I might be wanting one now. We part ways tomorrow, I am glad I had the chance to tinker with this one, the next few visitors should have some fun with it now.
Quoted from swillie:Staying in a large cabin home in Ohio and they have a Comet in the gameroom. I never played one and was excited but holy crap this thing needed some tlc badly, barely playable, ramp not scoring, slings shotgunning badly, ball getying stuck all over the place. I had to improvise with limited tools...fixed and adjusted so many switches, made a missing shooter lane rail with a wire coat hanger, taped cracked cycle jump plastic with electrical tape, backglass lighting connector burnt but it works now. Cleaned rubbers good and playfield lightly. Glass was broken at some point and thin plexiglass in its place, hey it works now and ball doesn't get stuck anywhere anymore. I finally hit the million point shot, how satisfying is that shot! Game really lets you revel in the glory of it. So much fun, I might be wanting one now. We part ways tomorrow, I am glad I had the chance to tinker with this one, the next few visitors should have some fun with it now.
You are lover of pinball! What an awesome story to read. I feel the same way when I play a pin. I can't stand to see pin needing some attention and love.
Quoted from swillie:We part ways tomorrow, I am glad I had the chance to tinker with this one, the next few visitors should have some fun with it now.
You should make them offer, you're already started fixing it up, might as well complete the job. Cool story, thanks for sharing.
Anyone have a copy of the manual they could send me? Just picked up a comet and the manual on IPDB isnt loading up. Thanks!
I'm in!
Couple things I did to my Comet, added red comet LEDs to the million point shot to make it more noticeable when it's lit. Added a pinball RGB under cabinet kit. I prefer to play in the dark and the extra light from under the cabinet really helps my eyes, plus my daughter loves to change the colors on it! Super fun game and I never see us getting rid of it.
I need to make a thread for the playfield swap I did. I'm considering fixing the body of the cab, its in....players condition. I'm just worried about finding the side art templates and color matching, or if I should just mask off the colored areas and just repaint the black.
I have a backglass if anyone needs one. Looks great in the game. I sealed and touched up some flake on the bottom and the reds were not as saturated as I would like so I ponied up for a better glass. $75 patz or pinfest ( not a fan of shipping)
Quoted from Malenko:I need to make a thread for the playfield swap I did. I'm considering fixing the body of the cab, its in....players condition. I'm just worried about finding the side art templates and color matching, or if I should just mask off the colored areas and just repaint the black.
You can get a stencil kit for it. Remove the head off and take it to your local Sherwin Williams store. They will use their computer to scan the colors and mix your needed paint perfectly. That's what I did.
When you had the paint mixed at Sherwin Williams, how did you apply it over the stencils? Was it spray bomb or was it latex in a can?
In case some folks don't know, Comet cycle jump ramps and corkscrew ramps are being reproduced.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/freeplay40-ramps/page/44#post-4356264
I've bought several ramps from Mark in the past and he does great work. Get on the list while you can!
Quoted from radium:In case some folks don't know, Comet cycle jump ramps and corkscrew ramps are being reproduced.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/freeplay40-ramps/page/44#post-4356264
I've bought several ramps from Mark in the past and he does great work. Get on the list while you can!
It is awesome looking and much tougher than the originals.
Hello Freeplay40 , I would like to order 1 of each and can wait for the cycle jump ramp ( 1 Orange corkscrew ramp )+( 1 cycle jump ramp ) I can wait until both are ready. I appreciate your appreciation for the game.
Quoted from PinballAir:When you had the paint mixed at Sherwin Williams, how did you apply it over the stencils? Was it spray bomb or was it latex in a can?
It's latex in a can. I have the stencil kit and the paint. Now I just need to find someone who will paint it for me or learn to do it myself.
Quoted from BigB:It's latex in a can.
I sprayed my Tic Tac Strike shuffle bowler with house paint thru my air brush.
Had to be thinned way down but looked excellent and has stayed that way for more than 7 or 8 years.
I made stencils and sprayed it. It did like to clog the airbrush though.
Not sure if your stencils are self adhering but I used blank clear stencil material from the craft store and then sprayed it with stencil adhesive.
I have recently switch almost exclusively to low tack frisket.
I still use the stencil material and adhesive occasionally.
The automotive Sherwin Williams will custom mix rattle cans for $22.
It is a little pricey but very convenient.
Can someone let me know which bulbs are used for the back glass. Looking to order some LED bulbs. Thanks for your help.
Quoted from pinballjah:Can someone let me know which bulbs are used for the back glass. Looking to order some LED bulbs. Thanks for your help.
Comet is just one of those games that no known LED can provide proper illumination.
They desaturate the colors and make it look like trash.
And anyone that puts blue LEDs behind the COMET letters is officially the king of clown puke.
Just use some #47s, and bask in the genus that was Python.
PSA: I know a few months ago, someone was looking for a Comet backglass. If you are still looking, there is one available here:
Yes!! I finally got my comet after all these years of trying. This was my first pinball machine I played when I was a kid and I would spend days playing it in the summer months. It looks great, but it does have some planking on the playfield. Luckily most of it is under Mylar. Are there any suggestions for fixing/preserving the planking areas that are not covered in Mylar?
111AF77A-F758-4E8D-9191-7E49C6775488 (resized).jpeg1AE1EC11-666A-463E-85AB-8A01C43CD9CC (resized).jpeg4307B971-0D16-4D5E-9435-4A5975CB9F80 (resized).jpeg7DA02421-29C0-43A3-9623-4D3CB4753C0B (resized).jpeg93199519-143D-4FA5-B4B8-2B3C9E6D1321 (resized).jpegA97F934B-5E93-4921-B648-74AAC2D5AAD4 (resized).jpegAA4AFFC7-65E7-4EFA-AED1-1716A70B1A1B (resized).jpegB741DD12-CC67-45C8-8564-DE146827E92E (resized).jpegE647F314-FCC5-455E-8B9C-940060710436 (resized).jpegPlus you've got the original promo flag (which originally attached to a stick but looks good as a topper, too)!
Quoted from remf:Yep and I have the original stock as well.
That makes two of us. 
I wonder how many of those survived?
I'm impressed by the condition of your ramps! I just replaced mine with FreePlay40 ramps and they were worth it.
Quoted from Malenko:I'm impressed by the condition of your ramps! I just replaced mine with FreePlay40 ramps and they were worth it.
That's the first thing I thought too. Looks like the whole machine is in really nice shape. Playfield is not bad at all. Nice find, congrats!!!
Here is a quick before and after from my hardtop install last night, as you can see my playfield was not so nice....
20180419_221923 (resized).jpg20180603_215512 (resized).jpgDang. Mine looks like yours did. Makes me want to install a hardtop even more! The colors are soooo different.
Thanks. I got lucky and the previous owner already replaced both ramps and installed new display boards. There’s no wear luckily, but I can see the planking becoming an issue on the non Mylar areas in the future. Wow, the new hardtop looks great! I might end up doing that down the road as I don’t see this leaving my collection.
Quoted from remf:Ouch! What happened?
Haven't done a post mortem yet. Played 2 or 3 games, turned it off, smelled magic smoke as I left the room. Opened the head to find that. Sending the boards off to Eugene Mosh for repair, bullet proofing, and to add NVRAM. I'll probably order 3 new pop bumpers and store the originals (I kept my original ramps too!) I want to get translucent bodies with different colored clear caps (to match the bumper cars)
Ok everyone my comet all of a sudden a couple days ago started to have a few lighting issues. After consulting my manual it appeared to be row 5 on the lamp matrix table that is my problem. I started by checking fuses which all turned out to be good, next i checked every diode on each lamp which also passed the test. The switches all register as they should they just don't light the corresponding light they are linked to. Then after I poked around trying to find the problem more lights decided to also stop working.Initially the 2x light associated with the dunk the dummy was out and the 3, 4 and 5x were still lighting but now they also quit working which is strange cause the 3, 4 and 5 are linked to different rows in the matrix. I am pretty stumped on this one so any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thks
The 3 4 and 5x are all on column 8. I would start looking at those ones too. They could be backfeeding into that row. Just an FYI, some of the lights in column 8 are in the backbox. Took me a while to figure that out the first time I was chasing stuff down.
Also, you should check your GI plug on the driver board. If they are burnt at all, they can do wacky things.
Ok so I messed with it for about an hour tonight and figured out part of my problem. Turns out some wires that attach to the 2 molex connectors on 1J7 at top left of the cpu board were loose. In the process of refitting the wires i noticed one connector had 2 wires. Since I cant find anything that tells me which wires are to go to which pin in the connector i'm asking someone to verify starting from left to right the color of the wires and also if there is supposed to be a connector with 2 wires instead of just 1 like the others. Thank you for any help, Bill.
20180612_191650 (resized).jpgScreenshot_20180612-200545_Gallery (resized).jpgThank you Jay for the pick and th he wiring info.Turns out my wires were backwards on the left side of the plug. Unfortunately i still have the original issue that all lights associated with row 5 are out. I have unplugged and then reattached every plug associated with the red/green striped wire leading to every lamp in row 5. I am really confused at this point because I have traced that wire looking for any loose connections or defective diodes and am coming up short. Any more thoughts from anyone as to what I am missing? I would almost bet its something thats staring me square in the face but i'm just missing it.
20180613_172235 (resized).jpgQuoted from PinDeLaPin:Thank you Jay for the pick and th he wiring info.Turns out my wires were backwards on the left side of the plug. Unfortunately i still have the original issue that all lights associated with row 5 are out. I have unplugged and then reattached every plug associated with the red/green striped wire leading to every lamp in row 5. I am really confused at this point because I have traced that wire looking for any loose connections or defective diodes and am coming up short. Any more thoughts from anyone as to what I am missing? I would almost bet its something thats staring me square in the face but i'm just missing it.
Have you checked other associated components on the board itself? Transistors? Pre-drivers? ??
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Cranford, NJ
Sana'a
My wife and I love playing comet.
