Welcome to Pinside!
You will find many useful tips here: http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index.htm

For parts, rubber kits and help with what parts you need contact: PBR - The Pinball Resource
http://www.pbresource.com/
For your first order, call. Steve will set up your account and explain how you pay.

Marco Specialities is another source for parts: https://www.marcospecialties.com/

For post replacements, you may want to check eBay or the “EM parts wanted” thread here on Pinside.

When you replace the rubber, do not double up the slingshots.
Lastly, it’s not a hobby, it’s a disease!

Just drill the lock if you don't have the key. Either put a new keyed lock in or a thumb lock.

Be careful cleaning the playfield as the reds will fade fast if you scrub too hard. I start with a simple wipe down with a blue shop paper towel sprayed with simple green. Everyone has their own technique. Do not wax the playfield until you're certain it is clean or you just seal in the dirt and grime.

The reproduction post that are supposed to be for these older machines have an odd blue hue to them. Also documented on pinside.
Some just change over to the new red post or clear if you want to light em up.

And http://www.pbresource.com/ is the place to become a customer.

-Mike

There are many posts on cleaning the playfield. Do not start with alcohol and a magic eraser. That is a last resort and ends with you needing to clear coat the playfield. My procedure is to start with naphtha and then move up to novus 2 if needed. You can always go stronger and you can’t go back if you mess up.

I have refurbished 2 of those games. They are a lot of fun. You can definitely get new plastic posts. The vendors have pictures so that you can match them up. I recommend drawing a map of the short and tall ones and which screws are machine thread, wood screws, and long/short when you start pulling apart the playfield.

Good luck,
Dave

RadMax8

Looks like you are in the Cleveland area. I am in Westlake and also have a Hokus Pokus. Let me know if you have any questions and I can go check out my game (for visuals) or refer to my schematic. Once you get the door cabinet door lock taken off let me know if you have a schematic.

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That’s true pinside fellowship there! I too live close by. Hit either of us up for any help needed. The peeps here are such a tremendous help and resource. Welcome!

That is awesome to see such a clean specimen. You’re lucky to have all the original docs. I’m very jealous

Good luck with the refurb, you’re gonna have a great game!

Dave

Dave.......agreed. That is a very nice example and will clean up very nicely.

Hey guys,

I'm fairly new at all of this. I just picked up a Hokus Pokus project machine couple weeks ago. I may or may not be in over my head. Can either of you tell me where your Knocker unit is mounted? I think my machine's is AWOL. Also, I love this cabinet art and i plan on doing the stencil thing as the cabinet has been repainted white. (clean slate at least). Is the original paint a solid white or off-white? with or without that speckled effect?

Any info is much appreciated.

- Tom G.

I think you did a great job on that paint job. I get that you want to match the colors exactly, but that paint job still really looks great. Thanks again for those photos. Those two little screw holes in the back box looked suspicious. lol. And seeing those spacers underneath the knocker solve another mystery. That's a big help.

- Tom G.

Grab yourself a flipper rebuild kit. I'm not sure what the Bally's are going for maybe $50 tops. It's well worth it.

Coil sleeves in your pop bumper would be nice too. Cheap to do. Maybe grab some pop bumper yokes (metal) as you may find one broken when you take it apart. This is also cheap to do and improves play.

Enjoy the game. I've owned 2 before and will eventually own a 3rd and never sell next time.

Hello all,
I have another favor to ask. Could someone take a photo of the relay bank in the back box. Mine is missing the label - this would save me a lot of headaches. Hope everyone is doing well. Thanks

- Tom G

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Major thanks !!

hi all,

just wondering if anyone can help? l got a Hokus Pokus pinball machine, played it for around 3 times and it stopped... but l had a look and the 50v 10a fuse was blown... which l replaced but now when you turn it on all the lights come on and when you press the start button it starts to reset and then blows the fuse again..

any ideas? and the what is the 50v 10a fuse for? it's the one in the fifth picture...

thanks..

That fuse protects the voltage that goes to every coil and relay in the game.
The fact that it is blowing means that there is a short circuit between the two wires the carry 50v through the machine. It could be that there is a burned up coil or it could be a short circuit between two wires or even solder tabs on the switches. Even a stray screw or piece of metal could fall into the wrong place. It’s tough to tell.

The easiest thing to look for is a burned up coil. Sometimes they make it obvious.

After that, I’d begin with trying to determine exactly how far through the startup process you’re getting, and then use the schematic to trace what coils and relays are active at that point.

You can make or buy a circuit breaker that clips into the fuse holder to avoid going through a bunch of fuses. Alternatively, you could make what is called a “dim bulb tester”. It is commonly used when testing old electrical equipment to prevent excessive current from damaging what you’re working on. I use on in my amp repair work and have used it to solve a couple of fuse blowing pinball machines. When your game gets to the point where the fuse is going to blow, the bulb will go bright and the relay will start chattering. Then you know that you are close to the problem and you haven’t fixed it yet (but it prevents the fuse from blowing).

Good luck,
Dave

thanks for that Dave, l'll give it a whirl ...

I love this. Just finishing up my Fast Draw and diving in to Hokus Pokus next. 2BAD1F22-5B1C-4408-9CDC-0B8072B26540 (resized).jpeg