Just picked up a 1971 Gottlieb Playball and while it is in good shape. I wanted to start the club to keep info and tips in!

I picked it up with the seller saying it turns on but does not play/credit up. When I went to break down the game, I noticed the jones plugs very corroded. However everything in the head and cab looked really clean. There were a few bulbs out, paint on pf looks pretty darn good, and the rubbers looked original and cracked/broken.

Got the game home, wanted to clean the jones plugs before powering it on. Finally got a file and cleaned the female side, then used a dremel w/ brush bit on the male side. Plugged the game in...powers on, the button on the coin door w/ the red edge fires the game up. Must be wired for free play? Need to verify how they did that.

Things to do:
New rubber kit
new ball
New bulbs - I like the incandescent but may try sunlight leds to keep the heat down (not color matched)
Clean the pf and wax
Seal backglass?
Clean legs
new leg bolts
new foot adjusters

fixes:
Right varitarget plastic is broke. Thinking of scanning all plastics then remaking that right side one. Pinball rescue does not remake these plastics.

Once the game is cleaned up I can start the process of making sure all switches etc work. This is my first EM so it is a new adventure Loving the bells, chimes and clicking though!!!

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Here are the pics I received before committing. Saw these and said, unless it is ultra hacked up or broken, you have a deal.

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Here is my right broken plastic. Going to scan both sides, then have my graphic designer redo the right one. I'll have to look at the plastic making threads to see how people do this. If it isn't horrible maybe I'll do all the plastics and keep these w/ the machine.

For the backglass, not sure if I should scan it and maybe get a translight made or what. It has some look of start of flaking...so I need to think about sealing. Otherwise it is pretty darn good shape.

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I worked with Jimmy at PBR to get some things ordered...

Parts I found for the game:
21? metal acorns
1 x ball
35 x 1" White post C-11561

Rubbers: At PBR you can just list the game and rubber ring kit and they will basically build you a kit. White rubber w/ red flipper rubber
But here are the parts inside that:

15 x A-10217 - 5/16"
2 x A-10220 - 1 1/2"
2 x A-10222 - 2 1/2"
4 x A-10224 - 3 1/2"
2 x A-13151 - 3/8" Wide x 1 1/2" flipper rubber (stock is red RIN-WFR pbr p/n)

I have the schematics and manual incase people need info. I also think PBR may sell these though too, if you'd like.

Thanks!

Hahah we had/have a few of the same games over the course of the last year :-p

I think I'll snag sand paper and pvc w/ evaporust and see if I can reuse the legs and leg bolts.

I asked a few people about cleaning the pf. Was told naphtha or novus 2. Still freaks me out like I'll pull paint up using those

Anyone that needs or wants replacement plastics. Demand has to be shown to pinball rescue.

http://www.pinballrescue.net/

Email [email protected] and request the game plastics. They make a list and if demand is enough, produce them.

PF pics for reference

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wiped the game down with naphtha, little novus 2 and waxed. I didn't want to go too deep to wreck paint, so it isn't perfect but it is nicer.
I pulled the pop bumpers up and cut the mylar out from under those. All the white posts were yellowing and meh, so I put an order in for all 35 1" posts c-11561w. Also a few of the screws w/ acorn tops as 1 or 2 of mine were bent. While I wait on those, I'll rebuild the flippers. I also scanned ALL the plastics. I was going to have my designer remake them in vector but he said it would take way too long. I may do the quick/dirty method to make the 1 broken plastic on petg and then in free time turn my scan's into nice vector files.

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Used my dremel with wire brush, 220/420/1000 grit wet sanding and got all 4 legs in okay/decent shape from what they were when I grabbed it. The legs were pretty rusty and pitted. I was just looking to clean them instead of buying new. I have a dremel polish wheel so I may do that but I'm pretty happy with them. I'll snag a pic.

Now onto leds/lights. Tried one set of retro and they were white way too white. I ordered a handful samples of retro, sunlight and frosted and I'll get pics of those. Trying to get as close to incandescent as I can without using them for heat reasons.

I tried
PBL warm white
Comet retro
Comet warm white
CT retro
CT warm white
CT frosted warm white

I only liked CT frosted warm white. It was a decent color but too bright still, however that will be fine. All others just did not look remotely close to incandescent

House projects took over...

Have some switches to adjust/tighten and need to figure out some light bulb issues. Back gi isn't on but the 10 point targets to the side of each varitarget turn on/off, maybe randomly. Is that supposed to happen?

Welcome to the club!

Post pics! Hope you get yours up and running tonight.

It is pretty fun. I need to do my flipper rebuild kit and level the game but love the game. Hitting a triple is hard!

How is your stepper?

I need some tips/opinions on sealing my back glass. It’s pretty good but the game over is almost gone. Before that spreads I’d like to seal it... just rattle can clear?

Bump! just to see if anyone else has a playball or has worked on one recently? I need to go back over mine as when I moved it to work, it stopped starting a game.

I posted my opinions on led's above, but does anyone use other ones they find look like incandescent?

Well I moved the game to work, and it stopped working fully and now it is back home. Need to spend a night cleaning switches and connectors so I can get it sent over to my in laws place.

Still no work on the broken plastics. I worked with a couple people that I think did end up making their own for the game which is cool!

Playball is back in my basement! It is on the list to get looked at again, and then I'll be sending it off to my in laws once it is fixed. I need a fun game to play when we visit and my Father in law wants an older game.

I never fully cleaned all the switches, contacts and plugs, so that is my plan.

I have not touched it yet...
I’ve never sealed a BG, which I’m willing to learn but I haven’t seen it done either. What is done with score displays for example?

Otherwise bgresto probably can make a new one

anyone have updates on their Playball's?

I brought mine back home and need to get a scotchbrite (green) pad for cleaning jones plugs on the skill roll and PB, so I'll clean both those gamees up and see if that helps bring it back to life. You'd think with winter you have more "time" for projects but man time goes poof! I would think remaking the plastics would be a fun project as well

I can get you the scans, I’ll have to find them and can pm you. I’ll see the game tomorrow morning I can try to open the back of the head and snap a pic!