Victoria
Geez this is looking fantastic 
Just the PF to see and I think I'm in
(Topic ID: 172723)
Linked Games
Thunderbirds
Homepin, 2018
Topic Gallery
Warrington
Quoted from J85M:homepin hey Mike any idea when we might get to see the Thunderbird 2 (T2) mech? The video of the T1 mech was awesome man, would love to see the T2 mech up the right way, the little teaser video you did of the mech upside was such a tease.
Hahaha - I was waiting for the T2 model to be approved and the actual toy to be manufactured but we won't have that in time for Pinfest in Newcastle so I have had a few 3D printed and we will paint them up for the demo machines. (we didn't put anything on the machines we have on test sites).
I will try and get a short video this week of it operating.
Quoted from Homepin:I will try and get a short video this week of it operating.
That would be awesome!
Quoted from Homepin:Hahaha - I was waiting for the T2 model to be approved and the actual toy to be manufactured but we won't have that in time for Pinfest in Newcastle so I have had a few 3D printed and we will paint them up for the demo machines. (we didn't put anything on the machines we have on test sites).
I will try and get a short video this week of it operating.
welcome back!
Quoted from solarvalue:From FB：
A couple of "teaser" pictures of some playfield plastics.
Hopefully PET-G, not acrylic so they don't break easily...
Quoted from PinMonk:Hopefully PET-G, not acrylic so they don't break easily...
Yes, laser cut PETG - made in-house using our two laser machines.
Hudson, NH
Hi Mike, I've really enjoyed this thread. As an engineer, the detail of the manufacturing processes plus the challenges you've addressed by having to manufacture literally every part is amazing. Thank you for rejoining the thread.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing the whole machine. My father was US Air Force back in the 70's so the family spent time in England so I grew up with the Thunderbirds. My daughters call the show " creepy puppets", but I'm still amazed at the craftmenship that went into building all the models and sets. It was really amazing when you think of the production effort.
Keep up the outstanding work!
Quoted from Homepin:The stainless steel case completely encases the spinning weights. There is no way anything can get near any moving parts as long as the covers are left bolted to the frame - hence the warning to NEVER operate the shaker with the covers removed.
Our Electric Road/Last Lap, Kress Electrix modified machine has had a Homepin shaker motor running in it for a few years now
Quoted from Homepin:Hahaha - I was waiting for the T2 model to be approved and the actual toy to be manufactured but we won't have that in time for Pinfest in Newcastle so I have had a few 3D printed and we will paint them up for the demo machines. (we didn't put anything on the machines we have on test sites).
I will try and get a short video this week of it operating.
Awesome thanks for the quick reply Mike, looking forward to this and the other toy/reveals.
Any chance you can tell us what will be represented in the game, you have shown Thunderbird 1 & 2 and mentuioned the mole several times and shown the mech for that, will there be a Thunderbird 3/4/5 mech?
Quoted from J85M:Awesome thanks for the quick reply Mike, looking forward to this and the other toy/reveals.
Any chance you can tell us what will be represented in the game, you have shown Thunderbird 1 & 2 and mentuioned the mole several times and shown the mech for that, will there be a Thunderbird 3/4/5 mech?
originally t4 was under the playfield
t5 is the topper
Quoted from PopBumperPete:originally t4 was under the playfield
t5 is the topper
I know you say originally, do you know if this is this still the case Pete?
Quoted from J85M:I know you say originally, do you know if this is this still the case Pete?
t5 topper, yes
t4, i dont know
Quoted from solarvalue:Here's a couple of pics of the interior of the cabinets being built now for an expo in Australia:
I love the fact that your using the heavy duty leg bolt plates. Stern is to cheap to do that. Your cabs are built to last. 
Quoted from musketd:Mike
Will all the games come with the topper even if we didn't pre order?
bassed on Mike has posted pictures of topper domes by the 100s, id say something is planned, just not the animated topper preorders get
Quoted from PopBumperPete:bassed on Mike has posted pictures of topper domes by the 100s, id say something is planned, just not the animated topper preorders get
I totally get Mike originally offering pre-order bonuses, but on the other hand prior to and since Mike announced Thunderbirds, there has been multiple pre order pinball companies collapse and ruin the pre-order model.
I am sure it put a lot off from pre ordering and waiting on the side lines, so it would be a shame if all Thunderbirds buyers couldn't get the Thunderbird 5 topper in all its glory and from what I have seen so far I imagine it would be fully interactive as Mike doesn't seem to do things by halves
It would also be more money going to Mike/Homepin which is surely a good thing for Mike and Homepin #2.
Ultimately its a shame a**holes like JPop, SkitB and clusterf**ks like Dutch and Heighway, have potentially lost Mike additional pre-orders he may have got a couple years prior to those above going down in flames and tarnishing the pre order model in this hobby.
And this is no disrespect to Mike as his accomplishments are to be commended, but I know after being extremely lucky to get out unscathed from Jpop and SkitB, it put me off pre ordering again and I did want in on Thunderbirds at the beginning, but my brain was telling my heart "not again".
J85M, the pinball landscape has changed much since the original TAG announcement
the companies you mentioned had not imploded
at the time that Mike announced TAG, the JJP Australian distributor went belly up
so that made aussie preorders hard
TAG was (i think) only going to be an Australian release (get the factory running, then sell to the world)
That's what I was trying to say Pete, the whole pinball industry/pre order model has changed massively, which is why I was asking/hinting if Mike has changed any of his plans since the initial announcement mainly those relating to the pre order exclusives/topper.
If this game continues to impress as it has thus far I would ultimately like to support Mike/Homepin as much as possible, Stern are offering up less and less but charging more and more, i am looking for that company that's offering more to their customers and if that's Mike I'd happily support him with pin purchases, add ins, topper upgrades etc etc
Hi Mike, So do all TAG back boxes get that lightning effect?
Really looking forward to seeing this pin in action 
Napier
Quoted from DDDwingmaster:Is it an artifact of the photo, or are the rails really square? Possible they are made using a laser cutter, and you would not need to bend . Just put them together. Nice.
laser cutter or 3D printed
look like they go together like a jigsaw puzzle, the welded or glued?
Quoted from PopBumperPete:laser cutter or 3D printed
look like they go together like a jigsaw puzzle, the welded or glued?
Laser cut stainless TIG welded then powder coated
So, No provision for 110VAC in? The US is not the only place that runs on something other than 220.
Like Gottlieb in the early days, a different part number / transformer will be required?
It would suck to have to saddle a new game with and external step up transformer.
Quoted from CactusJack:So, No provision for 110VAC in? The US is not the only place that runs on something other than 220.
Like Gottlieb in the early days, a different part number / transformer will be required?
It would suck to have to saddle a new game with and external step up transformer.
Once they are even made for the US I'm sure it will be worked out, but remember these may not see US shores for a long time
Quoted from CactusJack:So, No provision for 110VAC in? The US is not the only place that runs on something other than 220.
Like Gottlieb in the early days, a different part number / transformer will be required?
It would suck to have to saddle a new game with and external step up transformer.
These machines are heading to Australia - they are our factory production prototypes.
These machines will never be sold. They will always remain the property of Homepin.
Production machines will have universal transformers with multiple voltages. This has already been built into our switch box.
These transformers are very expensive and I chose to make these initial prototypes as 230V only to save about $10 each X 20. So $200 is better off in my pocket when these machines will never go outside Australia.
Note that Stern restricts all machines with a frequency lock to the mains frequency which is far more annoying and frankly dumb. If they think that even a high school student can't defeat that,,,, well.....
Quoted from solarvalue:Also, we include a user mod connector which has a separate winding so anything done here shouldn't affect the rest of the machine.
I reckon this is a TOP idea, mod haters can rant all they like but this is an extremely well thought out system
Is the placing of the transformer in the traditional bottom of cabinet location, or elsewhere? Made me wonder, with the photo of the board right next to it.
Überherrn
Quoted from rubberducks:Is the placing of the transformer in the traditional bottom of cabinet location, or elsewhere? Made me wonder, with the photo of the board right next to it.
Bally Midway EE's have had located the ring formed transformer in the backbox (beat the clock for example) ..
Does it have any problems with EMI, or is the toroidal a big enough improvement in that regard that it's a non-issue?
Quoted from rubberducks:Does it have any problems with EMI, or is the toroidal a big enough improvement in that regard that it's a non-issue?
Mike has been doing this long enough, electrically wise, the game will be over engineered
Quoted from PopBumperPete:Mike has been doing this long enough, electrically wise, the game will be over engineered
Don't doubt it. Not being an electrical engineer myself, I'm just curious how, at least in the mentioned Midway, the transformer either did or didn't impart any significant EMI.
Quoted from rubberducks:Don't doubt it. Not being an electrical engineer myself, I'm just curious how, at least in the mentioned Midway, the transformer either did or didn't impart any significant EMI.
Quoted directly from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toroidal_inductors_and_transformers
"Toroidal inductors and transformers are inductors and transformers which use magnetic cores with a toroidal (ring or donut) shape. They are passive electronic components, consisting of a circular ring or donut shaped magnetic core of ferromagnetic material such as laminated iron, iron powder, or ferrite, around which wire is wound.
Although in the past closed-core inductors and transformers often used cores with a square shape, the use of toroidal-shaped cores has increased greatly because of their superior electrical performance. The advantage of the toroidal shape is that, due to its symmetry, the amount of magnetic flux that escapes outside the core (leakage flux) is low, therefore it is more efficient and thus radiates less electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Toroidal inductors and transformers are used in a wide range of electronic circuits: power supplies, inverters, and amplifiers, which in turn are used in the vast majority of electrical equipment: TVs, radios, computers, and audio systems."
From FB:
Cutting TAG playfields in the Homepin factory on our CNC machine.
Aprons being assembled after screen printing.
Our "modernised" version of 'The Thunderbirds March' that we had commissioned. Naturally the original will feature as well.
Running on one of our bench setups testing the audio board and power supply.
Quoted from rubberducks:Metal apron on a $5k machine?
Careful!
You'll give Gary a heart attack.
And with a built in level. Fantastic.
Quoted from rubberducks:Metal apron on a $5k machine?
Careful!
You'll give Gary a heart attack.
Stainless steel actually LOL - and the level is backlit in attract mode, off when game is playing to avoid distractions
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