More goodies I am selling:

Parts - For Sale

FATHOM Plastic Set - 2 pieces Archived

New (selling multiple, business) - “Two custom plastics to replace the most commonly broken ones at the flippers. The originals are only .100" thick. These custom replacements are .170" thick.... 70% thicker! Also ha...”

2020-07-08

San Jose, CA

JethroP

60 (Firm)

Archived after: 46 days

Viewed: 91 times

Status: Not sold

IMG_5379 (resized).jpeg

i am in the club

IMG_20200704_192922[2] (resized).jpg

Not sure if you ever got an answer to your problem. I had targets that kept going too high. Problem was broken nut and spring brackets as shown on the attached picture. I made new ones and solved the problem.

Screen Shot 2020-07-29 at 10.15.27 PM (resized).png

Those are hard to source. Good business if you have the ability to produce.

JethroP Nhpolarbear

Sorry, I thought I had replied a long time ago.

I found a site that had some info on recreating these. Went to Home Depot and grabbed some angle aluminum. A saws all with a metal blade, a grinder with a thin disk, and a small tap-and-die allowed me to create a few. I admit they are butt ugly, but it works. My Farhom is working 100% now!

B92072D5-1492-4469-B77E-E44F7C7463DC (resized).jpeg

Great! So you also figured out that was the bad part causing the problem. I found a source in Europe producing replacement parts for $20 each. Ouch. They looked nice, but I didn't want to spend $60 plus shipping for 3 little parts you don't see. Glad you got your game working again too.

Found these pics I thought worth sharing from 2014 buying Fathom off a dealer. He let me pick the best bits from the two games to put into the one I bought. Should've grabbed them both looking back.

IMG_0196 (resized).JPG

IMG_0197 (resized).JPG

IMG_0198 (resized).JPG

What are you guys doing about replacing the little fish plastics in the ball return lane? They have stainless steel posts underneath that are “riveted” to the plastic (ie. The neck is flanged). Are you reusing the original posts or getting new ones?

F947EC13-39DA-426C-8DEE-66CD16016630 (resized).jpeg

You have to re-use the old ones - give them a polish if they need it.
Unless you found a source, nobodys selling brand new metal bell posts.

Do you try and “rivet” them back in the new plastic or just leave them sitting in top?

To remove the bell post, stick a hot soldering iron tip into the "rivet" area and hold it there for 10 seconds. The post will then just slide right out as the plastic softens.

Then find a drill bit that fits in the bell post rivet hole, use an auto lug crimper or just a pair of pliers to squeeze the rivet flange against the drill bit to remove the flange so you can slide the bell post into the new plastic.

Does anyone have pictures of Shay's new Fathom reproduction backglass?

I have an unused repro that I purchased a few years back.Never installed it . No lift channel or trim.Better off with someone who can use it.

Who reproduced the backglass you have?

I’m unsure about that.
Bought from Bay Area Amusements in 2016.Which is now merged with PPS I see.

Ah ok, can you please post a few photos?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/fathom-owners-club/page/12#post-5735767
I made new plastics and used aluminum spacers (which you don't see).

If you have a "dapping punch" available - something around 8mm diameter - set the two posts (with plastic sitting on the posts) on a hard surface, then gently whack the top of the post with the punch & hammer to re-expand / flare the top of the post onto the surface of the plastic. Works great, and prevents the plastic from wobbling as the ball tracks down it to the flippers.

There's a serviceable set of punches on Amazon for not a lot of money; if you work on classic Bally games you'll find these handy when replacing plastics on the smaller size bell posts: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00819E0WG

My Fathom has a mostly rubber grommets holding down the plastics. Is this stock and where do you get them?

Pinball resource

Yes, Pinball Resource. Item: Post cap (RIN-PC)
http://www.pbresource.com/Rubberprc.html

Does anyone in here have or know where to find the metal playfield hinge/ support that bolts to the side of the cabinet and allows the playfield to swing up? I could use a whole set and can’t seem to find them anywhere.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/nos-playfields-you-havent-seen-and-i-havent-seen/page/43#post-5837820

Selling Gold CPR Fathom play-field & plastics. Post #2139

Cheers

You need to find a parted-out old school Bally game to get those parts.

I have a friend who reproduce it... i just contact him.

Like this?

IMG_2612 (resized).jpg

I’d be interested in a couple sets too.

Um, yes, exactly like that! Where can I find me a set?!

Me too!! About to start a full Fathom resto and need a set myself!

I'm making use of an old Fathom PF donated from a fellow pinsider... awesomely fun project!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFe_0fgncgW/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Also have a matching amp in progress to go with it.

30CD1D93-6929-4A40-A0AA-46F0D3FFFEE7 (resized).jpeg

That is way too cool!!!!!

I'm having a weird issue with my Fathom that I just rebuilt. Here's the overview -

All new Alltek boards. Everything tests properly including all the switches and solenoids.

Here's what happens. If I lock a ball in the green lagoon, the green inline drops reset to the up position and another ball is served into the shooter lane. This is the expected behavior.

Now if I lock a ball into the top blue lagoon, the game acknowledges it by playing "Diver Captured", but the blue inline drops never reset and another ball is never served. The game just sits there. I've also verified that switch works by dropping a ball into the saucer during the diagnostics.

I haven't put the original CPU back in to see if that's the problem as the game has been apart for *many* years and I'm not exactly sure that board functions anyway.

Any ideas?

I had a similar issue a while back where after a ball was captured the game froze and no ball was served. Traced it to a bad ball switch in the outhole.

I'll check that out. Thanks for the tip.

BTW, can someone post a picture of the two switches to the left of the outhole switch? I'm particularly interested in how the wireforms on those switches are bent/positioned.

That's what she said...

This. I read somewhere that trough switch errors are known to create havoc on Bally early multiball games. Had similar issues on mine and was a bad trough switch.

As I recall, my bad switch was the one that would "read" the second ball in the outhole. Determined it was bad checking its continuity. I replaced it with an unused, identical switch from the coin mech. I did swap out the wire form as the coin mech was a different shape than the one in the outhole. I later opened the defective switch and cleaned the contacts with a piece of paper, and it is now repaired.

Not sure the wire forms on my switches are factory spec. You just need to bend them (if necessary) to "read" the ball when it comes to rest in the outhole. You can hear the switch click with it opens and closes.

Speaking of wire forms, they are so easy to contact with your hand when lifting the playfield, resulting in bent and/binding switches. Careful when lifting the playfield.

Hope you report back your findings.

It may be a while before I get back to it but will definitely report my progress once I do.

So, the perennial pinball dilemma - clear coated re-stenciled cab or keep the original art which is in decent condition. Some planking but colours good. No major damage. No touch ups. Only problem is the back box surround at the front has been painted with a darker navy, which I could repaint.

I’ve got a brand new CPr to go in and will polish/restore all pf parts. Which is making me lean to the full cabinet restore also.

But I still kind of like the patina of an old original cab.

90E9681E-1191-4AFD-A3A8-E736A4E7C3BE (resized).jpeg

Are you kidding??? That cabinet looks great! The backbox surround repaint, ok, but I wouldn't touch the rest of it.

Yeh, thats why I posted. I think i would feel wrong sanding off all that nice original art.

Do you guys think its possible to match the old colour on the backbox surround without it looking stupid? Any tips on this?

Sure...most paint supply stores have color samples (we call them paint chips) you can bring home to compare/match what you want, then have the store mix up a pint of the matched color.

No way I would be repainting that cabinet - that looks pretty good. Yeah, as said just the surround painted will make it look so much better.

You could try this formula for that particular colour. I think it's pretty good match for the surround, I think it was a computer match from a sample, can't remember as it was years ago - certainly better than the current colour.

Think it might be with a blue base colour.

IMG_1514 (resized).JPGIMG_1516 (resized).JPG

I know that it sais Satin on the tin, but would it be better to use a matt paint to match the old existing paint? And oil based? Sprayed is better?

I did this about 20 years ago! satin matched better as the cab had a satin finish more than matt in my case. I brushed the acrylic Duraguard on, but not as good as spraying would be of course - all I could do at the time. Can't advise on finish whether oil or acrylic is better.

What else is in the collection? As a stand-alone pin or one surrounded by others in similar shape I’d probably leave it alone, looks solid to me. If it’s not a keeper I’d leave it 100% alone as the labour and cost to redo it won’t be recouped... play the heck out of it and leave it be

SOLVED! Here's what I did.

First I tested all the trough switches. I was pretty sure they were good but wanted to verify. No problems.

Started a game and shot a ball into the top sink hole. "Diver Captured" played but the inlines never reset. Arg! I reset the game and tried the green lagoon - ball in the sink hole, sound played, inlines reset as they should. It was then that I noticed the green arrow to the lagoon was off. Figured that was probably normal as I'm not real familiar with the game. Shoot the first two inlines, green arrow flashes, shoot the third inline and the ball is released. Normal.

I went back to the blue lagoon. Shoot the ball into the sink hole, sound is played, inlines don't reset. And HERE is where I figured it all out. I noticed that the blue arrow was still ON. So I reset the game, started a game, but this time I held down the blue sink hole switch with my finger. Sound triggered, inlines reset and another balll was served. Yes!

Apparently the blue sink hole switch was gapped just enough that the switch would close very briefly when the ball dropped onto it but open immediately after. So I gapped the switch properly and now the game is 100%!

Anyone got a template of the Bally backbox back with the vent holes? Want to replace mine and just thought I’d check if anyone has a cad or something I can give direct to the cabinet maker.

Hey folks, just picked up a fathom and have a few "chase lights" that aren't lighting (back by/including the star rollovers). Looking at the wiring on this it appears these lights are running ground --> positive every other socket on the strand that's not working.. is this normal...?

EDIT: have done a lot of reading - seems like this issue is pretty common and well documented. I'll start down the road of troubleshooting as recommended by 59083408934 sources.

EDIT: flakey sockets, tested w an alligator clip. Think first, post second.