Fish Tales
Williams, 1992Shopped out my newly acquired FT over the last couple nights! Put it all back together last night. After the plunge the ball guide used to send the ball to the left flipper, now it's hitting a bump in the ball guide and sending the ball to the right flipper. Is there an ajustment on that ball guide? I'm going to rip it back apart tonight and take a look but thought I'd ask before I do it.
IMG_20181208_090100 (resized).jpgQuoted from V_piscopo:Shopped out my newly acquired FT over the last couple nights! Put it all back together last night. After the plunge the ball guide used to send the ball to the left flipper, now it's hitting a bump in the ball guide and sending the ball to the right flipper. Is there an ajustment on that ball guide? I'm going to rip it back apart tonight and take a look but thought I'd ask before I do it.
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I know this sounds obvious but my fish tales was a pain in the butt to level properly. It did the exact same thing you are describing and the only way I could fix it was by adjusting the the level.
Quoted from jmountjoy111:the only way I could fix it was by adjusting the the level.
I will look into that option as well. We will see what the deal is after I tear back into it tonight.
Quoted from MrArt2u:Finished up my playfield swap yesterday. Wow, it plays fast!! I blame the shiny new PPG clearcoat and shiny new ninja balls.
Now...do I make a topper for it?? Maybe a quiet topper??
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Looks great, and fast! I like the simple thing like the red post rubbers at the captive ball.
Quoted from MrArt2u:Now...do I make a topper for it?? Maybe a quiet topper??
No! That's how you know the topper is going when you are not looking at it. Loud and violent. I wouldn't be heartbroken if you added splashing noises to it, however.
Could use some help with reel button. It currently has some non standard switch and various hardware. Where do the green and white wire attach to new switch?
Also, any tips to sourcing black plate that the button sits on? Manual says it is part 01-10508 but cannot find that anywhere.
20181209_172520 (resized).jpgThat plate is basically a washer, might be able to make your own relatively easy for basically no cost
Quoted from V_piscopo:I will look into that option as well. We will see what the deal is after I tear back into it tonight.
Try raising the levelers just a little on the left side. It's counter intuitive, but that is how I fixed mine. The trick is not to raise the left too much so that every time the ball gets near the right outlane when it bobbles it drains right too much. I tore mine apart once because this was driving me crazy, and the rail is straight- no discernable bump, and there is no adjustment. It's pretty solid and the screws are fixed holes in the playfield and rail. The key seems to be in the leveling.
Quoted from wayout440:The key seems to be in the leveling.
It was. After messing with the levelers for a min it is working correctly again!
Quick question on changing a light on my fish tales. One of the arrows in the boat went out (the starboard one). What do I need to do to change it out? Do I get to in from underneath? Or do I take the whole playfield apart to get to it? Also, are those bulbs something I can get anywhere, or am I hitting up pinball life or something similar?
Quoted from Soulrider911:tbaum those are actually pretty easy to get to once you raise the playfield to the vertical position. You don't need to remove anything
Thanks! So this is a dumb follow-up question. Should there be a bar that holds it up, or is it just if I lift it high enough it stays there? I've seen some videos where they mention a bar, but I didn't see one under my playfield.
Quoted from tbaum:I've seen some videos where they mention a bar
No prop up bar in FT. You see those in older pins.
Quoted from MrArt2u:Take the balls out or stuff a rag in the ball trough area before lifting the playfield that high so they don't come crashing down. The one in the boat can stay safely under that plastic
I learned that lesson when a friend did that on his machine, not repeating that mistake 
Quoted from Neal_W:No prop up bar in FT. You see those in older pins.
Mine has a prop bar. And the round cutout on the underside of the playfield where it should sit when supported. And the bracket that holds the prop bar secure against the inside of the cabinet when it’s not being used. Maybe some had it? I definitely don’t like using it with such a heavy playfield.
Quoted from MrArt2u:Mine has a prop bar.
Prop bar on Fish Tales?? Are you thinking of a different pin such as Addams Family? Maybe yours is a prototype? 
Quoted from Neal_W:Prop bar on Fish Tales?? Are you thinking of a different pin such as Addams Family? Maybe yours is a prototype?
Don't all WPC pins have that prop bar thing you can use to prop up the playfield half way? It lays down flat on the right side of cab. My other pins have it but not FT. Probably just removed at some point. I don't really like using it because it doesn't seem that safe especially on heavy playfields.
Quoted from MrArt2u:Mine has a prop bar. And the round cutout on the underside of the playfield where it should sit when supported. And the bracket that holds the prop bar secure against the inside of the cabinet when it’s not being used. Maybe some had it? I definitely don’t like using it with such a heavy playfield.
This is the inside of my FT before restoration. You'll notice the blocking is there but no prop rod. If someone had the parts, they could have added them.
FTbody0003 (resized).jpgHere's the inside of a WH2O. Same thing.
wwinsidebody3 (resized).jpgQuoted from Soulrider911:Of all my games only my T2 had it... cause those had the older "hinge" style playfield lift.
Which really sucks when shopping one out lol. I’m tearing my T2 apart right now
Badamack actually, I looked at mine and that does look correct. here is a pic I had in my phone of the bottom of mine, u can mine is similar but it’s on a different bulb.. I believe the white / purple and purple wires are from the power driver... I.e 6v power?
CEE4CFE9-D776-4ECE-A274-F69B63C0DEBA (resized).jpeg
I am working on a fish tales where two of the tantalum capacitors were blown up. I replaced them and a repaired a trace that they had damaged. After that didn't work I replaced the main amp (with the big heatsink) and all the caps other than the big 2 which were testing "OK" on my ESR meter. When I turn the game on it makes a big buzz for a second, then silence. Any other ideas before I scrap it? A few other questions:
Is it okay to play the game without the sound board installed
Is there a way to "bench test" the board without putting it in a game and turning it on? Any recommendations on where to send the board for repair if I give up?
Is the Pinsound board the only direct replacement available? Almost $400, yeesh.
Quoted from Yesh23:Are the 5 bulbs in the front of the topper standard 555 bulbs?
Yes, regular wedge bulbs. Not 12v.
Yesh23 and suggestion... If your going to replace use bendies... Even better color changing bendies!!
https://www.cometpinball.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=1SMDRGBFLEX
Quoted from Adams_Tales:Bought my first pinball machine two months ago for half the price of my The Addams Family game which i bought a month later.
I can't imagine a better money for value machine. i LOVE my Fish Tales game, making me a proud member of Casters Club.
Congrats! It looks great. FT was my first as well.
Why the credit dot? (the little dot after 'free play' on the DMD tells the operator there is some issue that needs attention.) Maybe you already fixed.
Quoted from Neal_W:Congrats! It looks great. FT was my first as well.
Why the credit dot? (the little dot after 'free play' on the DMD tells the operator there is some issue that needs attention.) Maybe you already fixed.
Thanks Neal_W - I a rookie owner and didn't know about the dot. Actually there were two targets out of function (Captive ball and Extra Ball). It is fixed now. But hanks again for the heads up. I am a big fan of the friendly and helping out attitude in here.
Quoted from Gryszzz:Thanks Joe!
Glad to be here; been 3 years in the making
Welcome! Congrats on find.
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