(Topic ID: 222199)
Linked Games
Medieval Madness
Williams, 1997
Topic Gallery
Matthews, NC
Building up the underside of MM 1
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Catapult rebuilt and in place with protections .
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New correct troll targets will be wired in.
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New jet bumper switches and spoons.
image (resized).jpgThe other targets will need to be replaced as well.
The Merlin bank is rough with chewed up plastic faces and corroded rivets. image (resized).jpg
The catapult target is fairly new but incorrect. image (resized).jpg
It should be a side terminal style to keep the wires tighter inside the playfield.
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This can be seen on MM 2
image (resized).jpgAlso MM 1 will need all new switches and to have its crimp terminals eliminate
This is due to corrosion.
The pink center terminal can become unreliable on games with heavy corrosion making for an intermittent contact. Even on a good or new switch. 16CC0174-C528-43CA-8CA9-50A392FB9C6B (resized).jpeg
When pulled you can see the corrosion. 5A2E1AF1-F3F4-4DBB-8DF4-4CB8EF08FEC4 (resized).jpeg2C5D33BC-C4CD-48A2-927B-F1B665FA283F (resized).jpeg
As a result all switches should be replaced and connector eliminated for The greatest reliability.
These will be rewired into sub assemblies as well for ease of servicing and to make sure there is adequate wire length after cutting back the corrosion within the wires themselves.
7F34522D-6540-4297-8D04-8190C4155D34 (resized).jpegE0FB4D06-3672-47B5-9541-C743B67B9797 (resized).jpegSub assembly for this section is made up.
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Even though there are six individual wires it only requires a four pin connector because varies switches are run with various wires in common. image (resized).jpg
The biggest advantage of this besides the elimination of the corroded wire and connectors is that now these sub assemblies can later be removed and single switches can be soldered in on a workbench instead of upside down in the game for more precise work.
Running around the harness proofreading my work.
This is the proper configuration. I was probably copying the shooter switch which is upside down compared to the other two when mocking it up.
image (resized).jpgHey Chris
Thanks for the most interesting thread on the forum. I look forward to seeing the progress each day.
Wally
MM 1 Switch harness is done. That was a bit of a chore compared to the norm but it was worth it.
Sloppy mess right now but it is mapped well and will tuck away nicely as the build continues
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Every switch or bank has its own plug no matter how large or small.
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The jet switches and other well known short areas are fully protected
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This is a switch that commonly gets smashed or shorted/legs bent
Using MM 2 as an example of that I believe it is the pivot that can catch it occasionally
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The well protected version now in place. image (resized).jpg
Trash from the switch harness.
image (resized).jpgBoards are placed on MM 1 as well as the troll solenoid assemblies because they go under the lamp boards.
image (resized).jpgReady to run the lamp harness for MM 1
It is at this time that I will start placing loom brackets and selecting appropriate loom sizes. image (resized).jpg
The brackets used will be nickel plated version in comparison to the tumbled ones.
image (resized).jpgStarting at what I consider the end of this harness I am going to work from here
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around
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until I reach the other end
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Along the way I will replace many or most sockets depending on what I run into and I will eliminate all generic wiring in favor of color correct
Pictures are used to highlight how many sections that will be image (resized).jpg
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgLamp harness is soldered in with new sockets and corrected wiring. GI taps were made for the troll eye lights image (resized).jpg
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Now for the solenoid harness MM 1
Roughed in place.
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Will need to do a little reconfiguring and some repairs but not as much as was need on the switch and lamp harnesses.
image (resized).jpgMM 1 solenoid and opto harnesses are now in place and it is just about time to put the final brackets on and place it in the cabinet for power up.
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Edmonton, AB
MM 1 playfield is in the cabinet.
image (resized).jpgQuoted from High_End_Pins:MM 1 playfield is in the cabinet.
[quoted image]
One thing I have always found to be a pain in the ass is removing and installing the PF in the cabinet. Any techniques that you use to not jack up the inside of the freshly redone cabinet. The best I could come up with is the wife's assistance and a whole lot of heavy lifting and careful manipulation. Even stripped on the top it's pretty heavy and not easy handle by myself.
Long time lurker, first time poster. The quality of the restoration top-side speaks for itself, but I'm really blown away by your attention to detail with the wiring. When I hit the lottery, HEP will be one of my first calls ...
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:One thing I have always found to be a pain in the ass is removing and installing the PF in the cabinet. Any techniques that you use to not jack up the inside of the freshly redone cabinet. The best I could come up with is the wife's assistance and a whole lot of heavy lifting and careful manipulation. Even stripped on the top it's pretty heavy and not easy handle by myself.
The best advice I can give is to leave the backboard off because it makes it easier to handle and that is one of the main cabinet scratchers.
One person in the front of the playfield one in the rear just ease it in.
Never fun or easy. My wife is my helper with that task as well.
Quoted from High_End_Pins:The best advice I can give is to leave the backboard off because it makes it easier to handle and that is one of the main cabinet scratchers.
One person in the front of the playfield one in the rear just ease it in.
Never fun or easy. My wife is my helper with that task as well.
Yea I was thinking that those PF service cabinet protectors might be a nice one time purchase as insurance against screwing up the inside of the cabinet (or the top of the outside of the cab/rails if present) while removing/installing the pf.
Terry has them for $35: https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=4575
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:Yea I was thinking that those PF service cabinet protectors might be a nice one time purchase as insurance against screwing up the inside of the cabinet (or the top of the outside of the cab/rails if present) while removing/installing the pf.
Terry has them for $35: https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=4575
When HEP has his own cabs made, might be easier in the end to make the cabinet 1/8" wider and avoid any and all playfield scuffing problems. (when raising and lowering, might not help as much when installing the pf.)
Quoted from Jarbyjibbo:Yea I was thinking that those PF service cabinet protectors might be a nice one time purchase as insurance against screwing up the inside of the cabinet (or the top of the outside of the cab/rails if present) while removing/installing the pf.
Terry has them for $35: https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=4575
I have those and they work pretty good
No tears in my side art or blades.
No scuffing of paint etc.
They can be finicky on very tightly fitted playfields but one learns to deal with it.
The alternative is of course, scuffed and torn artwork.
MM 1 and 2 are almost back in the same position at a glance side by side with MM 2 patiently waiting its turn.
I am a little torn as to which apron to place on MM 1
The cleared one or the standard gloss
Reason being. MM 1 is standard trim and heading down a very factory road by design/request.
MM 2 will go down a different path and might benefit more from the glossy apron.
Both aprons are in excellent condition at this point so it isn’t an up or down grade just about choices to complete the package.
I'm still a noob at this, and one thing I've purposely done is to not take everything off at once. Just too many little do-dads that I'd forget where they went. Hundreds and hundreds of photos of everything, and possible every angle helps a lot. But I only tackle small sections at a time despite taking forever. More often than not, I almost cringe when I see one for sale that been 'stripped and cleaned' - worries me that they didn't put things back correctly.
How do you keep everything sorted out? Have you just done so many it's second nature? Got any of the factory assembly manuals (not a repair manual, but the build instructions for the worker bees)?
Sorry for all the questions!
Quoted from mbwalker:I'm still a noob at this, and one thing I've purposely done is to not take everything off at once. Just too many little do-dads that I'd forget where they went. Hundreds and hundreds of photos of everything, and possible every angle helps a lot. But I only tackle small sections at a time despite taking forever. More often than not, I almost cringe when I see one for sale that been 'stripped and cleaned' - worries me that they didn't put things back correctly.
When starting out, you can help yourself as you do by breaking the game up into sections... this reduces how many choices you have to pick from 
Take some solo cups, and put all the hardware from that area into the cup. Make a small note of what the cup is.. and put the note in the cup. Done Where it gets harder is when you want to tumble/etc all the hardware at once.
Quoted from mbwalker:How do you keep everything sorted out? Have you just done so many it's second nature?
For Chris... basically it's that He's done so many he's told us before he has the main stuff on-recall
Quoted from mbwalker:I'm still a noob at this, and one thing I've purposely done is to not take everything off at once. Just too many little do-dads that I'd forget where they went. Hundreds and hundreds of photos of everything, and possible every angle helps a lot. But I only tackle small sections at a time despite taking forever. More often than not, I almost cringe when I see one for sale that been 'stripped and cleaned' - worries me that they didn't put things back correctly.
How do you keep everything sorted out? Have you just done so many it's second nature? Got any of the factory assembly manuals (not a repair manual, but the build instructions for the worker bees)?
Sorry for all the questions!
Nothing fancy here. I take pictures and measure post .I categorize everything based on materials like playfield metal,cabinet metal, all plastic parts ,all black parts etc.
This question made me wonder when I did my first MM looks like my oldest picture documentation is 8/2003 so I have known the game well and studied often for 15 years.
image (resized).jpgPlastics are being placed.
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I think the black standoff’s are cleaner looking with the art than the white ones still on MM 2 for now image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpg
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgNow with MM 1 back to life and everything verified working so far I can catch the last few coils and assemblies needed to finish it up.
The ramps are already done so I am left with the following
A rough damsel ramp divetor mech. image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpg
The drawbridge mech
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgThe divertor from MM 1 rebuilt.
Not as pretty as some of the other assemblies but that is just because it uses that cardboard looking wrapper and the metal is different doesn’t polish up.
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Needed a new retainer and stop.
8A18560E-06D7-457A-90DA-23352C557745 (resized).jpegNow for what took me the rest of the day. That damn MM 1 drawbridge.
It was broken down and what you see in this picture is what is no good. image (resized).jpg
With the exception of the pivot and drive gear I had good used parts to donate
This was the homemade pivot and in order to make that work pretty much the rest of parts shown were ruined. image (resized).jpg
This is what would have been needed
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgAs for building the replacement it started with a nice used housing. 22AAD8E5-1AC2-43A6-850A-E53E48B4D118 (resized).jpeg
The gearbox was completely disassembled.
That proved to be a pain because a finish nail was used as a switch screw.
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The gears were all separated and lots of grease and sludge were removed.
All teeth were inspected and a new drive gear and switches/wires for those were 7C79A1FD-C419-4642-B568-BCE4DB0A1C5C (resized).jpegCA599C83-E3C0-47D4-BB8C-CE87411CADB7 (resized).jpeginstalled.
The motor was rewired with 18 gauge wire and really robust soldering to strengthen the motor tabs which can break easily. 44055275-CA7A-47B7-B299-633B89103C7F (resized).jpeg
Brand new opto were used with new wiring
That wiring was run through clear tubing and that was doubled after it exited the housing. 9CF1CFD5-2703-402C-B0F7-1A821B80A84B (resized).jpeg6DC4CD1A-605C-45F3-A3D2-422CCA9F1A1D (resized).jpeg7221ECCA-5A6B-4E19-90BF-3F2E2F4B7A0C (resized).jpeg
A new coil was needed and as luck would have it I had an NOS one since it looks much better when a choice is possible over the wrapper for these coils in particular. image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpg
A nice used drawbridge is installed with all new screws,nyliners,washers,clips and all the other things that were missing or ruined.
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgThe drawbridge for MM 1 is now suitable for use.
image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpgNow is a good time to tune all the switches.
There is a right way and a wrong way to do it.
The wrong way to test is just pressing it with your finger. image (resized).jpg
The right way is with a ball when possible
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Straight down the center of the switch they are both essentially the same and will register a good switch easily.
The issue is that the ball doesn’t travel through the center of the switch during gameplay especially on loop shots so while it might test good with your finger or placing a ball dead center it could not be sensitive enough to register as the ball travels on the edges of the guides as pictured. image (resized).jpg
This is why now is the best time to tune all the hard to reach switches and what you are looking for when doing so.
Not just that they work but the are sensitive enough to register from all ball angles.
Quoted from lordloss:I'm looking through the manual, what part/assembly is this?
Below the damsel tower in the right rear of the playfield.
LTG : )
Quoted from LTG:Below the damsel tower in the right rear of the playfield.
LTG : )
But is there a part number for it?
Quoted from lordloss:But is there a part number for it?
Not in the manuals.
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/04-10995
LTG : )
Quoted from LTG:Not in the manuals.
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/04-10995
LTG : )
Thanks Lloyd!
HEP,
This thread has been very intriguing to see the progress and attention to the detail. Now a sidebar question...maybe a new thread or add at the end of this one when finished that gives us a quick history about how you got to this level of detail? Obviously, it had to start at one point of just fixing a broken pin. But did the level of detail ramp up quickly or did it simply progress gradually? Did you learn to solder, understand any electronics, methods of cleaning, painting, etc. and was it self taught? Did you have some to help guide you on the way? By no means want you to spend a night typing a long story, but something brief would be rather interesting.
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