I know a number of us have been battling the solution to the airballs off the x2 and x3 multiplier targets including my wedges that I designed and made available on Shapeways a while back which had mixed results.
I have been tinkering away in an attempt to improve on those. My thoughts was always that we shouldn't have to design air ball protectors and wedges etc and it must be something about Stern's target design - in that it has changed.
the target design has changed, as it use to have the angle built into the bracket where now it is vertical and that it has lowered - yes gives a cleaner look but effectively drops the rivet down at the ball impact height where it is luck if the ball deflects down or up off the target rivet. Therefore I redesigned the Stern target base mount to have a 5 degree lean forward and with the mounting holes lowered a few millimetres which effectively lifts the target higher which in turn means with the target sits higher and now leans forward 5 degrees. Now the ball hits the lower side of the rivet of the target and since there is a lean forward the target deflects now to roughly the vertical position together keeping the ball down on to the playfield.
I have been playing for about 20 games and really focusing on smashing the multiplier targets as hard as I can, with the overall results being:
- x 3 multiplier - very successful and very very happy - no airballs in 90-100 hits
- x 2 multiplier - successful and very happy - did not have any airballs on direct hits but still had a couple of very small hop airballs - but nothing huge like it use to. So not 100% successful but alot better than standard and the wedges so a 95% improvement. I believe the angle that the x2 multiplier sits contributes to hard to the side hits that do a unusual airball deflect.
if you want to give these a try head to Shapeways on the link below and pick a metal print that suits your taste and give them a play. There is no tapping or drilling to do just bolt in using the same bolts and footprint. I can't control the price as that is deemed by there pricing, sorry. Shapeways will have a free shipping deal for anywhere in the world for Cyber Monday.
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?q=swinks&sort=newest
the design
IMG_3511 (resized).jpg
new and Stern bracket side by side
IMG_3532 (resized).JPG
new and Stern top view of slot differences
IMG_3533 (resized).jpg
the bracket locations - new bracket is the same thickness so fits in the same mounting locations
IMG_3530 (resized).JPG
original impact height
IMG_3521 (resized).jpg
3x target upgrade installed comparison to the 2x
IMG_3535 (resized).JPG
2x & 3x bracket installed and you can see the raised impact height difference now
IMG_3538 (resized).JPG
Tucson, AZ
Dubai
London, ON
