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Quoted from wamonkey:The volcano mod - sold by Pinballbulbs.com - looks really cool!
thanks for sharing ,indeed it looks great!
(Topic ID: 50221)
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Congo
Williams, 1995
Topic Gallery
Barnstaple
Has anyone recreated the artwork for the cab decals? If so would anyone be able to send me the red and orange layers for the cab sides? I have one here now that the red and orange has faded and someone has coloured it in with a felt tip which looks poo. Id like to make templates so i Can airbrush the colours back in
1 month later
Great machine, im going to restore it, someone can send me some good quality pic of this 2 inserts, im planning to do some waterslide decals 1 week later
so my GRAY mode has stopped working. the G R A Y letters register and lower playfield ape throws the ball on each letter as usual but once all four are completed and the ball in play is held up by the upper left post, nothing happens down below. The lower playfield is just dead, after a short time the ball is released and play continues. I can troubleshoot a faulty switch or coil but I have no idea which components initiate or control the mode.
Can anybody off me any direction?
1 week later
Antioch, CA
I'm not sure if I goofed up or not.
My Congo got LED'd with a kit from PinballBulbs.com awhile back.
Now I'm wondering if I should have gotten an OCD LED board and/or an OCD GI board.
The machine has been away from my house for a while (no space...how could that be?),
and with my bad memory I don't recall if there were dimming or flickering effects coded into Congo or not.
Thanks!
BobC
Quoted from BobC:I'm not sure if I goofed up or not.
My Congo got LED'd with a kit from PinballBulbs.com awhile back.
Now I'm wondering if I should have gotten an OCD LED board and/or an OCD GI board.
The machine has been away from my house for a while (no space...how could that be?),
and with my bad memory I don't recall if there were dimming or flickering effects coded into Congo or not.
Thanks!
BobC
I think you're fine without it Bob. I LED all my pins and never bother with those boards. The Fish Tales I just installed at Phoenix looks great IMO. Personal preference thing I guess.
Quoted from BobC:I'm not sure if I goofed up or not.
My Congo got LED'd with a kit from PinballBulbs.com awhile back.
Now I'm wondering if I should have gotten an OCD LED board and/or an OCD GI board.
The machine has been away from my house for a while (no space...how could that be?),
and with my bad memory I don't recall if there were dimming or flickering effects coded into Congo or not.
Thanks!
BobC
Congo does have a reasonable amount of fading in the GI.
Go incandescent, or LED + GI OCD. The middle ground isn’t great.
Looks to be a nice clean machine, hope you got a great price on it. Welcome to the club. Now go find some diamonds!
Wellesley, ON
Quoted from Mitch:Or just go in the menu and turn off gi fading
Also a possibility.
Maybe unplug the DMD while you’re at it, prevent any temptation to buy a ColorDMD.
Quoted from monkeyboypaul:Also a possibility.
Maybe unplug the DMD while you’re at it, prevent any temptation to buy a ColorDMD.
The gi still works fine just doesn't dim. Totally different from being unplugged and not working.
Talk about a dumb comparison. I get it you like to spend extra money so you lights dim a bit.
With a larger collection it's not worth the waste of money for a bit of dimming.
Anyone have any update on the thread that describes how to add a shaker to the volcano flasher? I would love to add a shaker and the link it goes to in pinbits.com is sold out.
Quoted from Mitch:The gi still works fine just doesn't dim. Totally different from being unplugged and not working.
Talk about a dumb comparison. I get it you like to spend extra money so you lights dim a bit.
With a larger collection it's not worth the waste of money for a bit of dimming.
What!? No alpha numeric display?
Actually I'm down to 6 pins from 16. But an going up to 7 or 8 wirh new Stern's. Trying to afford LEDs on the old pins. Color DMDs are a year or 2 away
Quoted from Johncare07:Anyone have any update on the thread that describes how to add a shaker to the volcano flasher? I would love to add a shaker and the link it goes to in pinbits.com is sold out.
Sorry, no but that sounds like a great mod. Congo is never leaving here.
Quoted from Johncare07:Pinshakers.com has the answer! Pre order now.
Exciting ! 
Going to be joining the club in a few weeks hopefully. For those that added the hippo toy to the playfield, how did you mount it? I noticed that modfather sells the same toy for $38 you can get from amazon for $15, but wasn't sure if his comes with a mount.
Quoted from per3per3:Going to be joining the club in a few weeks hopefully. For those that added the hippo toy to the playfield, how did you mount it? I noticed that modfather sells the same toy for $38 you can get from amazon for $15, but wasn't sure if his comes with a mount.
I believe I got mine ( with mount ) from swinks. The mount is designed to mount along the side of the pop bumpers. I've seen the hippo placed elsewhere but imo looks better along the pop bumpers.
Quoted from per3per3:Going to be joining the club in a few weeks hopefully. For those that added the hippo toy to the playfield, how did you mount it? I noticed that modfather sells the same toy for $38 you can get from amazon for $15, but wasn't sure if his comes with a mount.
here is the mount that I designed for the hippo
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?q=swinkscongo&sort=newest
ebay options for the hippo
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Schleich+14681&_sacat=0
interesting thing is modfather is using my photo
Quoted from swinks:here is the mount that I designed for the hippo
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?q=swinkscongo&sort=newest
ebay options for the hippo
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Schleich+14681&_sacat=0
interesting thing is modfather is using my photo
Appreciate it. The mount you designed is cool. Does modfather sell the hippo and the mount for $38 or just an overpriced hippo toy that costs around $15 plus shipping? What color do you recommend for the mount?
Quoted from per3per3:Appreciate it. The mount you designed is cool. Does modfather sell the hippo and the mount for $38 or just an overpriced hippo toy that costs around $15 plus shipping? What color do you recommend for the mount?
I am thinking he is just selling the hippo, and the mount was designed to be in blue to simulate water and the ripple rings around each foot. The mounting points just utilise existing rail bolt points so totally reverse-able.
1 week later
Coming along. Goal will be all black and white except the Playfield.
Added: White flippers, black and white insert cards, black rubber, powder coated habitrails and legs, trees and miniature animals from Hobby Lobby, and a color DMD.
Pinbladz ans black and white translite still left to do.
583BBBAD-83FA-4B55-881E-9C6EB60EF158 (resized).jpegAnyone install the pinballbulbs.com red pulsing volcano mod (https://pinballbulbs.com/products/congo-pinball-red-pulsing-volcano-mod)? Curious on folks' thoughts and if you're done other things to light up the volcano.
Thanks!
Quoted from per3per3:Anyone install the pinballbulbs.com red pulsing volcano mod (https://pinballbulbs.com/products/congo-pinball-red-pulsing-volcano-mod)? Curious on folks' thoughts and if you're done other things to light up the volcano.
Thanks!
My game has it or least similar mod. It was on the game when I bought it. It's just a red light strip that sticks on the volcano weldment. Works just like in the video.
Quoted from jawjaw:My game has it or least similar mod. It was on the game when I bought it. It's just a red light strip that sticks on the volcano weldment. Works just like in the video.
I'm trying to justify the $40 price tag for a red strip that pulsates vs. a normal red strip that is always on for under $10
Quoted from per3per3:I'm trying to justify the $40 price tag for a red strip that pulsates vs. a normal red strip that is always on for under $10
I have it and it is cool - it does pulse and I think that is unique versus always on.
I purchased this mod, but first to note there is very little to no lighting under the volcano. I am into moding my machines and the volcano was in need of lighting up. Upon looking at this mod, as stated above the red light strip is to be attached to the weldment and was for me too far inside the volcano to have a real good effect. Also the molded volcano plastic itself is yellowish in color. So, first I added a number of red LED's to the GI lighting under the volcano in many locations, some in the playfield and some on extensions so that they are closer to the molded volcano outer plastic. This gives the volcano a red-sh color throughout most of the entire volcano. I then changed the red LED light strip that came with the kit with white LED light strips (I did two) on modified metal strips that holds the strips again close to the outer volcano plastic. Because of the volcano plastic yellowish color and the white LED strips under it (strobing) gives like molting lava! I know this is a bit more then what you are asking about, but thought I would share what I did with this kit.
20190802_083707 (resized).jpg20190802_083753 (resized).jpgQuoted from Mikespinball:This is a short video of the volcano in action. View it here:
Are you using a led strip to light up the backboard ? Looks nice and bright!
What I did for the back board again was my own custom job. I purchased from a local glass company 1/2" clear plastic and it cut to the original back board size with the needed holes. Found a local art guy that copied the original picture on the back board and made it so that I could back light it. Did not use light strips, but regular lamp sockets so that I could tie them to the GI circuit. This was all attached to a thin/small plastic extended board behind the back board. Also light strips to me usually have too many lights (too bright) and you have to find a 12V source to power them. Attached are pictures of the process.
IMG_7087 (resized).JPGIMG_7088 (resized).JPGIMG_7090 (resized).JPGIMG_7091 (resized).JPGIMG_7092 (resized).JPGIMG_7093 (resized).JPGFor my volcano lighting I got some harnesses from comet and added a few more red and yellow flashers and tapped off of the flasher under the volcano. It flashes nicely when locking a ball and other times.
Quoted from Platypus:For my volcano lighting I got some harnesses from comet and added a few more red and yellow flashers and tapped off of the flasher under the volcano. It flashes nicely when locking a ball and other times.
I like this idea in addition to swapping out the surrounding GI bulbs with red ones as well or possibly adding some red strips inside the volcano
Quoted from Mikespinball:What I did for the back board again was my own custom job. I purchased from a local glass company 1/2" clear plastic and it cut to the original back board size with the needed holes. Found a local art guy that copied the original picture on the back board and made it so that I could back light it. Did not use light strips, but regular lamp sockets so that I could tie them to the GI circuit. This was all attached to a thin/small plastic extended board behind the back board. Also light strips to me usually have too many lights (too bright) and you have to find a 12V source to power them. Attached are pictures of the process.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
With an arduino you could do some killer things
Quoted from per3per3:That volcano looks great. For the mod itself, did you wrap the mod around the weldment or in another orientation?
I did not wrap them around the weldment, but my fault I did not take any pictures either, sorry thought I did. (maybe some day I will and post them here) Anyhow what I did, was that I cut small strips of thin metal tin about 1/2" wide and bent them so that they would mount just under the volcano. This took many trial, fit, test with LED's on (they were temporary taped to the strips) so that the strips were close, but not too close and looked good under the volcano.
Quoted from Robertstone0407:With an arduino you could do some killer things
I looked at this and looks like a fun thing to mod to a pinball machine. Will keep you posted if I do....Thanks!
Quoted from mollyspub:You should start selling this!
Its been already done here: http://www.pinballdecals.com/PartsByGamePages/Congo_Page.html But just missing the lights on the back side.
Can the map or mystery awards be modified to give out less extra balls. I'm trying to make the game more challenging and would like to reduce the number of extra balls. I've already set the limit to one per ball and a max of 2 per game. I've also increased the number of volcano ramp shots from 5 to 8.
Also, has anyone found speaker acrylics or anything to pimp out the speaker grills?
A couple of tech questions for the group.
1) I'm hearing a loud buzzing sound when the lock post above the upper left flipper is up...the one that stops the ball during Amy mode and when you're playing in the lower playfield. Not sure what the sound is but haven't experienced it before. Is the coil that powers the post going bad? The post functions properly
2) Every so often, the volcano vuk struggles to eject the ball from the volcano. Sometimes I'll hear it fire a few times before the ball pops out, and sometimes in those instances it'll pop out two balls in a row. A few times the ball just barely makes it out and gets stuck at the top of the volcano. Thoughts on what could be the issue? The coil doesn't seem loose so I'm wondering if the balls aren't centering properly in the bottom of the vuk before the coil fires
Quoted from per3per3:2) Every so often, the volcano vuk struggles to eject the ball from the volcano.
Mine had a problem where a ball was getting under the plunger while one was on top of it... the problem was solved by champhering the bottom edge of the plunger.
Good luck
Quoted from per3per3:1) I'm hearing a loud buzzing sound when the lock post above the upper left flipper is up...the one that stops the ball during Amy mode and when you're playing in the lower playfield. Not sure what the sound is but haven't experienced it before. Is the coil that powers the post going bad? The post functions properly
I would guess it’s definitely coil related like coil stop or something. I rebuilt all mine when I rehabbed my game...along with vuk and ball trough
Quoted from per3per3:I'm hearing a loud buzzing sound when the lock post above the upper left flipper is up...the one that stops the ball during Amy mode and when you're playing in the lower playfield. Not sure what the sound is but haven't experienced it before. Is the coil that powers the post going bad? The post functions properly
All 3 I've owned have done this
Finally after 2 years of hunting for the right Congo, I think I've finally done it. This one looks like it just rolled off the factory line. I went to go buy a different game I found on craigslist and the seller turned out to be the nicest collector couple with the most amazing line up of all rare and popular games in pristine condition that made my jaw drop the moment I entered the game room. I saw the congo at the end of the lineup and asked if it was for sale and they were happy to sell it to me since they don't get to play it that often and gave me a great deal on it.
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