Shepparton
Not long ago (August) I purchased a mini playfield board from BAA, manufactured by CPR. At first I was a bit concerned with the finish of the surface, as it had small pin prick type spots under the clearcoat. BAA were very helpful and after lots of emails and them offering to meet me half way with postage I decided to keep what I had, as the cost to send it back to the USA was still too expensive and only “I” would know the condition I received it and it would not be visible when the rest of the playfield was in place. // Error: Image 160651 not found //
OK, so now all I had to do after installing a new motor, mushroom buttons, optos and rubbers etc., (Many thanks Toads of AA for helping me change it over and also changing the mushroom buttons, springs and opto board) onto the brackets and some hours cleaning and polishing (Brasso is my new friend, definitely an outside thing with the fumes though), Toads even sent a couple of parts off with his chrome order and put other parts though his tumbler, I was ready to put it all back together….. or so I thought. // Error: Image 160650 not found //
The pics show the line-up of the t-nuts and holes drilled in the CPR playfield did not match mine. // Error: Image 160652 not found // // Error: Image 160653 not found //Approx. ⅛th inch out. This meant that the playfield would sit too far forward when screwed on to the main playfield. Emails this time were forwarded to CPR as I needed to talk to the source. I was told that the “CPR” MPF board was properly cut and holes drilled as per original NOS specifications. That my Doctor Who must be a “DUD” and that they have not had any complaints from anyone else they have sold their MPF’s to. “All care taken, No responsibility” is how their answers seemed to me “These guys would be brilliant used car salesmen”. Wish it was different and I had a good report regarding their “after sales service”. Their advice after looking at photos:
[Look at the room at the rear. Tons. Back it up. The whole mechanism from underneath the playfield. About 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch is all it should take. The whole master unit should be detachable and held onto the playfield with several screws underneath.
Your machine is unfortunately an oddball. Since the games were assembled on the line by human beings, they assembled your particular machine based on the mini they had at hand... so everything was positioned based on that. Your mini has an inside-cut that is backed up relative to most.
The extremely valuable NOS original we modelled the reproduction after would ALSO not fit in your machine for the same reason, and look the same.
Remember, nary a word of this kind of fit after 150 sold and installed by people. Which makes sense, because ours is identical to a mint unused uninstalled factory original specimen.
It sucks you have to do a little bit of movement as opposed to most, as it would have been great to be a drop-in swap. I agree. Kevin]
I sent pics off to Faz, whose publication I was following for removing and replacing the MPF and even he was amazed at the difference and offered advice regarding the holes for the brackets etc. I had also read here on Pinside where people were having the same problem as me and one person had cut part of their MPF board to suit, also that someone had drilled the holes to lengthen on the bracket to enable their MPF to sit properly. // Error: Image 160654 not found // Well after much reading and discussion, Toads filed the holes so that the MPF could sit back further, using stronger screws to ensure it held.// Error: Image 160655 not found // // Error: Image 160660 not found //NOW I could put it all back together, also able to fit brand new designed hole cliffys purchased from Cliffy. // Error: Image 160658 not found // // Error: Image 160657 not found // // Error: Image 160659 not found //
I have learned that……………….. I can follow written instructions and even though I was really “apprehensive” about removing and replacing my MPF and also the unplugging and cleaning and ordering and putting everything into envelopes with all the parts inside noted and taking photos as I went, I am proud that I was able to do it, with help from Toads when it came to explaining what the actual parts did and his endless patience ( walking out side to have many a ciggy to allow me time to take in and understand and undertake instructions). Also for helping me source the parts I needed and sending my boards off to Ken to have them boosted. Thank you Ken, fantastic job and quick too!! Also big thanks to Toads for the entire electrical and soldering etc. that was way beyond my capabilities. Also, thanks for my birthday present – new dalek sling shot plastics – very cool!
I have also learned…………… well maybe, cause it’s not my better quality………………….”Patience” That a lot of parts I required came from USA. You don’t go to the local hardware store for your pinball parts. I hope this has not been too long winded and that it has helped anyone thinking of overhauling their MPF on their Doctor Who. Thanks for reading. Allison.
Johnson City, TN
