Just picked-up a F-14 for my brother, it's living at my house until he comes down to swap it for my GoldenEye which I just purchased up where he lives (MA). Inserts all lifting but bubbled mylar doesn't seem to affect game play. Topper works great. Trying to convince him to do a tear-down sometime.......

Cleaning and putting some new parts, made some target stickers with a background explosion and the letters T-O-M and C-A-T in Red and Blue where the "spell targets" are. This is a simple Word doc that you can print on sticker paper and cut out if anyone is interested.

I agree, the upper pf is dark - anyone ever stick a spotlight up there - how did you wire the led's in????

What's the best (cheap) toy planes to add as a mod (right size)?

-Nate

I made up some home-made target stickers as I thought the plain colored targets (esp the white ones) were so drab, if anyone would like them, they were done on a word document and printed on a whole-sheet label paper. These extreme close-ups show the "defects" and they are hand-cut, but away and playing the game or viewing playfield they are not noticeable.

tc2.jpg

tc3.jpg

tc4.jpg

tc5.jpg

Forgot to mention, I put heavy-duty clear packing tape ontop of the stickers - I've had a couple of these on my Baywatch for a couple of years and they are as good as the first day I put them on...........that's a step you'll need to do after printing out the sheet.

-Nate

Yeah, now I've gotta have those too!!!

Wow, good salesman - I've seen you on every F-14 thread!! If your sticker was a little more afforable I think you'd sell more (I'd buy one.....).

You did a great job on 'em.

Ok, ok, so I'M the cheap one!!!

@Pinball Nate : I indeed received some comments about the high price of the sticker, but you need to keep in mind that it's not an average bumper sticker. The dimensions is not only quite big, but I make sure to print it on the best vinyl available. Believe it or not my markup is not that big. Keep in mind that as soon as I can find a way to reduce time and cost I will adjust the selling price accordingly. Thank you for your interest in my product, It's always appreciated.

Ok, so everyone thinks I'm cheap, was wondering if this site might be helpful to you - maybe lower the cost??

http://stickerobot.com/

Check it out.

Ok, so now we've drooled over the machine like the latest pin-up, how about some discussion about game-play? I'm trying to rack up a good sized score for my bro to beat before he comes down to get his pinball. Anyway, I have finally noticed that you can keep the ball in play and spell multiple Tom Cat's to progressively light the 3 locks before actually locking a ball - that way if/when you drain, when you plunge, you will actually be plunging 3 times and easily locking the balls - saving you from having to shoot the lock on the upper right-hand side. (Which I've found out you can actually backhand with success from the right flipper.....).

I'm set-up to spell Tom Cat again before multi-ball starts - and haven't gotten that yet after two weeks! But I like that, keeps me interested!

Sooo, the multiple locks idea seems to be a good one - the Yagov shot doesn't seem to be all that difficult, but I usually avoid that, have not logged ever kill yet -- is it easier to shoot a kill from the center targets?

-Nate

So the bonus multiplier increases when you hit the lighted "123456"?? I think that's it? What's the "fighter jackpot?"

Forgot about the combo shots, I will give those a try as well.

Thanks guys, so far I've only gotten 920,000 on 5 balls(!) - does everyone have this machine on 5? I'm a 3-baller but I think this game really cries for 5.

Nate

Thanks! I'm working on it!!

Yeah, I know, I grew up with 3 balls - ummmm, I mean.......

Are pf still available?

Also, on my F14 the out lanes seem to *always be lit for a Kill shot at the center target, this seems kind of odd for it to be lit all the time - what makes the "kill" outlane light, or is it a setting where these are timed or something............?

I'd use corresponding LED color to match the inserts, most likely the inserts are faded, so you'll improve the color of the inserts by using red or blue LED bulbs.

Finally got aroun to installing a small F14 on the playfield; I drilled a hole in the bottom, and screwed one end of a straightened paperclip into it. The other end I simply wrapped around a screw on the pf - looks good! Now to find a reasonably priced MIG....

Also installed a spotlight with a white LED thinking it would really illuminate that damn dark upper pf, but I was really disappointed, not much light at all - are the unfrosted bulbs better??

Here's some pics of both....

f141.jpg

f143.jpg

f142.jpg

Ok, I'm gonna try that - it'll still be ok with an incandescent because I tapped onto an existing GI?? Thanks.

Are most slingshot rubbers the 2 3/4 size?? Need to replace F14's.

Also, what is the size of the upper rubber right in the center of the upper targets (the one that the bumper bounces the ball off of)?

Also, anyone tried the flasher LED's in this game for the backbox?

Thanks.

Thanks for the LED tips re: flashers, I want to try some orange/red to highlight the explosion....

2 3/4 slingshot rubbers - is that the right size?? Also still need the top rubber measurement - thanks!

Red - red - red.

Would also be cool to have Red - White n Blue!!

Playfield looks excellent pinballfan!! My bro just picked-up his F14 over the Christmas holiday - I really enjoyed it, will have to add this to the collection sometime.

Ben, start saving up yer quarters!!!

Tell us if you need help......

Playfield with left-hand ball trap area sticker modification, and Russian MIG jet model over kicker lane.......

f14.jpg

Yeah, tell me about it!!!

Couldn't find a cheap enough cast iron MIG, there is a decent F14, which is also installed up near the top right flipper.......

-Nate

Don't think mirror blades would be worth it on F14, the entire right-hand side is just about covered with all the "hardware?" Would look cool with some type of "sky and clouds" sticker along the sides!!

Heck, somebody has to have one of those LED'd bumper caps - seems the absolutely simplest way to light that dark upper pf area?......

Hmmm, sound, how about some nice rocket launch effects??

graystarsfan1:

This works, and is very affordable, don't know the actual scale, but the plane measurements are included, anything around that size is good....

http://www.amazon.com/InAir-F-14-Tomcat/dp/B000Y169QY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_4

Hey, did that "crazy" guy doing the flying planes mod ever finish yet?? Here's one for you - smoke machine activates when you hit the Yagov kicker!!! Ka-Boom...!!

Excellent!!! Love it. Looks like you have a little piston pushing the plane along the wireform.......excellent idea!!!

Bundy, there was a discussion that the WOZ pin uses the same chevron plastics, don't know if that helps at all.......

Great job on the LED jet! Looks like you also illuminated the "Kill Yagov" sticker there behind it.

Excellent!

FiftyQuid - try blasting them with a blow dryer and then applying a clamp - it would have to be a small clamp or maybe a surgical clamp of some type.........

For the ball eject "cliffy" try a pice of mylar (I'm guessing the kicker lane?) - get the type of mylar used on expensive electric guitars - best quality.......

50Quid, no problem, it just sounded funny - was poking more fun at myself - glad to make some valid suggestions!

Has anyone followed Vid's advice on "bulletproofing" a Sys11? I just got a Taxi and was wondering how long/involved doing all that board work took??

-Nate

FiftyQuid, you could try raising that metal plate slightly - put taller spacers on the bottom and shorten the spacers beneath the slingshot plastic - or just put a washer beneath the metal plate - that just might move it enough to lessen the problem with where the ball strikes it........

Ben, you don't have to replace the inserts - I believe WOZ uses one color so those are available, but the other color is not available. Just heat the inserts with a hair dryer and clamp them down, use some epoxy glue around the edges from beneath the playfield, and let dry.

From playing your table, the chevrons DO move the ball around a little bit but not that much - be warned, if you remove the mylar, you will spend a LOT of time removing the left over sticky mess on the playfield - also, mylar tends to hide planking so you may be faced with that also once the mylar is off..................my Taxi had planking underneath the mylar that was not noticeable when it was down, so I decided to re-mylar after touchups and water-slide decals over the inserts.......

Anyone know what the heck hitting one of the center "123456" targets while lit does????

Ok, so hitting the center 123456 when lit awards bonus and spinner - thanks!

graystarsfan1:

To save some money, it would be soooper easy to make stencils and just repaint after you smooth down the roughness on your cab. Just use some tracing or wax paper, cut the shape, use template to cut a stencil (you can get thick plastic from an art supply store) put stencil down on area, and apply paint. You can brush thinner paints like Creatix without it drying and leaving brush strokes.

Good luck!

.

graystarsfan1:

Just start with a fairly simple shape and area, you can also remove the paint if it doesn't come out nicely...........you can do it!!

I've always wondered that exact same thing - anyone??

Snux, that's great that you are utilizing the center target banks, definitely a waste of space with the regular game code.

Working on your project during vacation - now THAT'S dedication! Reminds me of typing up articles for a publication when I was also on vacation years ago!!

And one spoiled kid!!!