Aurich is late to the party.

Ah I didn't realize they'd dropped it, my bad. I saw their video explaining the three options and didn't realize it was already out of date.

So Fathom is pure acrylic top, no clear coat?

Yep.

Just got my Fathom.

It's beautiful but I've got a few issues.

Plunger only shoots ball halfway up shooter lane...gotta wait for auto launch. I saw someone else had this prob but I didn't see the solution posted.

Backbox displays scores but the windows for 'Match' and 'Ball in Play' are dark.

Ball has gotten stuck in pop by spinner twice on Day 1. Ball search does not free it.

I'd appreciate any help you can give me but please keep the technical stuff simple as I'm not the most mechanically inclined person in the world.

Thanks and Happy New Year.

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On your shooter rod, make sure it is aligned straight and striking the ball dead center and following through. If that's not the issue, you probably need a stronger launch spring.

On your Backbox displays windows for 'Match' and 'Ball in Play', check all connecting wires on and to it. Unplug and reseat them snuggly.

Couldn’t that stuck ball in the pop theoretically burn the coil out or is there an EOS switch there?

That looks like a natural ball trap, but it was apparently also in the original games. Looking at pictures, I found this one where it looks like someone added an extra post to an original Fathom:

https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=829&picno=52655&zoom=1

Maybe your pop bumper switch is not adjusted properly? My suggestion would be to adjust the switch for that pop to be a hair trigger and hopefully it will kick the ball out before it gets a chance to wedge back there.

On that stuck ball at the pop. Remove the rubber ring from the small metal post AND the plastic post next to it. Replace both of those with one single larger sized rubber connecting the two of them together. I would suggest a 3/8 inch rubber or a 7/16. I'm guessing so you'll need to play with it.

The only possible issue I can foresee in doing that, is if the rubber is too fat and it rubs against the spinner arm and locks it up.

But first, I recommend you continue to play it without changing anything. My game has been getting a lot of plays and I've not had that issue once.
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Data East had a part that was like a wire/ spring to prevent this. It’s on my Robocop. Just hooks around the post and blocks the gap. Very effective.

Thanks for response.

Yeah, I plugged and unplugged w no success. I'll try again later when I'm less frustrated.

Rubber tip of plunger is barely striking ball. Seems like shooter lane auto kicker is too far forward and needs to come down (towards front of cabinet) a half inch or so to get a better strike.???

Post a photo of the ball sitting in the shooter lane and you should receive some advice on what to adjust.

He had the same problem and describes the fix
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/haggis-fathom-owners-club-dive-in/page/3#post-7319203

I would love to see a picture of that if possible.

Here's the culprit.

I appreciate all the responses. Thanks.

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I would just bend that right fork out a little so the ball sits back further and more even.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/haggis-fathom-owners-club-dive-in/page/3#post-7323350

Try here

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Yes sir. That’s the post I made after experiencing the same issue
To properly bend the forks in the autolaunch, it should be removed from the game
Note the area circled in yellow, that part comes off and goes back on in a certain order that is not symmetrical- just take pics as you disassemble it and you’ll be fine.
The hardest part for me was getting the tiny (and very tight) “C” clip off the plunger shaft/linkage
BTW, don’t lose any washers along the way for two reasons - there are electronics down there! And the parts are unique down to the washers and I did not have any washers matching one I dropped (found it after 5 mins of searching)
You won’t need much bend on those tabs and I bent both the right and left tabs toward the outer cabinet (bent then to the right)
Once the auto launch tabs are bent, this allows the ball to “sit back” about a 1/4” more toward the manual plunger tip, thus increasing strike range and force. I changed my silver plunger spring to blue as well but I’m betting the silver would work just fine once all parts are correctly aligned

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Remove white rubber ring on the post the ball keeps getting stuck on in between the pop. Then insert a larger and thicker rubber ring, push it all the way down the post. Then insert the original white rubber ring. You now have two rubber rings on that post, with different sizes. Should solve the problem.

There is something more going on here if you look closely. The thick acrylic plexi that covers the playfield is cutout all the way around the pop bumper skirts creating a circular ledge all the way around the skirt. The ball looks like it is hung up on that edge, because the skirt is actually pushed below the level of the playfield surface? I may be wrong, but I've seen odd situations like this after adding playfield protectors to various games.

I assume the cutout in the playfield allows the pop bumper assembly to be removed from down below for ease of repair? If so, is there a way to adjust it or shim it so the whole assembly sits a little higher on the playfield?

I still would like to think that if the pop bumper switch was adjusted really tight, the ball would get kicked out before it made it back into the trap.

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Respectfully disagree, John.

Look how high up the ball is on the pop bumper skirt. Then, look at the mirror reflection on the pinball of the rubber post. That ball is wedge directly on that rubber post. (And the second rubber post but you can't see from that angle). Now, look at the downward strike plate on the top of the ball. That's a three way wedge in my view.

Lastly, I just inspected my game and ran my finger around that area. Yes that edge is there as you pointed out, but it should have zero impact on any part of the game, in my opinion.

Yeah it is definitely wedged primarily by the post rubbers and getting trapped there. This MAY have nothing to do with the cutout under the skirt. Look again at the picture at how low the skirt is on the left side and how high it is on the right. The ball is sitting in a depression and looks a little low compared to the post rubber. Normally the skirt can't be pushed that low because the playfield is there instead of a cutout...and the ball could possibly roll off the skirt back into play.

I make my own playfield protectors for old EMs and SS games. I don't cut out under the skirts the way most of the companies that sell protectors do because I have run into funky issues. Even the slightest change in the tried and true skirt geometry and motion can cause issues. It means stripping the entire pop bumper off the playfield to install the protector, but it is worth it. And once again I think the issue in this case is a pop bumper switch that is not adjusted properly.

Yep, something to keep an eye on.

Food for thought. Haggis's 1st game, Celts, has pop bumpers also and has been out for a long time now with no such issues that I'm aware of.

Like this. Not the best pics but should demonstrate the idea. That’s a stock part too.

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Replace the shooter tip rubber. Put a 6/32 (pinball nut, or equivalent) inside the rubber tip, then slip it on. (my OG shooter rubber was cut shot on the back, that is why you probably need a new tip, for the extra rubber to slide on the shaft, after installing the nut inside.

That will give you the extra extended reach you need for a good plunge. (Just remember to pull the plunger back before raising the playfield)

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There is too much of a gap between the ball & the end of the shooter tip.
The mechanism should be originally mounted another 4 or 5 mm closer to the front to get the ball that much closer to the shooter tip. But hard to reposition only that amount once mounted already.
I bent the metal fingers where the ball rests on the auto fire to try & move the ball closer. It worked ok but metal really needs to be ground away a bit more.
The shooter spring is plenty strong enough

The airballs from the 123 drops are plentiful in this game…

My solution was a 1/16” thick clear acrylic sheet from Amazon. A dremel with a plastic cutting wheel, and a stone attachment to round the edges, and a drill for two mounting holes. I then mounted the homemade acrylic piece under the green plastic protector, and then I placed the original plastic on top, with a washer under each acron nut. There was just enough bit for the top nuts to accommodate this three layer setup.

It’s not laser cut. More of a home brew mod I came up with. But no more air balls!

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After a couple weeks of playing this non-stop, I can’t even express how impressed I am with the build quality. Will have to agree with jgentry that it is indeed a TANK. The speakers emit the best sound I’ve heard on a pin out of the box, the light shows are gorgeous, the music is great, the mermaid rules are addictive and fun. Modes are tough to complete but doable For a skilled player (probably not going to happen accidentally though, at least not twice We did have some common switch issues out of the box and had to adjust the plunger, all easily fixable but my husband is a pintech so make of that what you will. I wish the backbox was brighter and will probably offer that feedback. I understand the intent (dark undulating underwater vibe) but the mirroring on the glass is too gorgeous to be shrouded in darkness. Basically, my verdict is that this game is amazing. Even got a little spoiled with a custom apron (Richmond Pinball Collective is the name of the pinball arcade we run) . I’m probably gonna regret posting that, but oh well! I am so glad we went in on this game. Since we purchased , due to the long timeline I was admittedly nervous, then irritated, then apathetic , and then excited again. It’s been a long ride but I am happy to say it was worth it.

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I took some decent iPhone video but can’t find anywhere to upload it that doesn’t degrade the quality. Admittedly, I know nothing about that shhhi so I can email or text it to you if you want.

Incredible review and photos. We had a lot of the same flipper & plunger issues. It’s definitely beneficial to have an in house tech (not me, my husband. I yell out BINGO every time I see a switch matrix). But the game is just lovely and I had a similar romantic feeling at unboxing. What a beaut. I too felt the mode colors evoked Christmas but it could have just been the timing.

Thanks for those kind words and glad you enjoyed the review
Even happier you’re loving the game!

I have had a few issues:

1. the plunger not being powerful enough issue. I solved this by replacing the spring with a more powerful one. They are easily purchased from marco/pinballlife. cheap and easy fix. No other modification needed

2. Flippers get stuck in the up position. The coil is not stuck on or anything. Almost seems like they are slightly magnetized. Any advice?

3. Flipper leaf switch sometimes doesn't activate. Odd, I have this same issue on other machines. Is there a good way to clean those contacts? I barely have 30 games played

4. Ball sometimes bounces back into the ball trough. Then it may pop in 2 balls. Anyone else?

Hello.

I'm looking at Marco site...they have several diff springs...which one worked for you?

Thanks.

I would turn the coil strength on the up kicker down one setting, then another if that doesn't work.

After today, I'm even more excited to get my Fathom. Go Haggis!

I really dont recall..i purchased the 3 heavier one. I believe it was red, but dont quote me on that. works perfect now

still not perfect. have it on 13% but it's not consistent. Sometimes it's perfect, sometimes it bounces around. If you look at the mech, the bracket is a bit flimsy. I took a wms95 flipper rebuild kit and changed the piston, link, and back stop on the right flipper and it doesnt stick anymore. I'm not sure if it was from taking it apart and putting it back together, or if it was bad parts. The left one sticks on occasion, but not as much as the right one was.

For #2, whack the plunger with a hammer https://sciencing.com/demagnetize-steel-12741.html

Just letting the tears flow.....

Pictures are pretty much in order from seeing him open the door with damage to the box, to unloading and verifying damage...then sending the thing away...

I've never had a worse freight experience, and this has nothing to do with the damage. If it would've came in perfect shape I'd feel the same. 5 days of "Out for delivery", 20 some phone calls, countless emails, escalated tickets through customer service...Not a single phone call returned from DHL. Then they call me today and tell me they can't deliver to a residence, they don't have a liftgate. How many people run a business or have a friend somewhere to navigate that problem? And then it arrives... Seriously...Never had an experience like this.

Spoke with Damien on the phone and he is hard at work to rectify my shitty situation.

What a disapointing day my Fathom friends..

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Looks like they pushed it with a fork. Did it go through? If it was just the one spot (bottom rear of game), I would have probably kept and repaired myself. How is Damian rectifying? Surely not sending back to Aus???

That sucks. Freight companies at the moment are a nightmare and DHL are the worst. I deal with it daily for my business. They got given a huge amount of leeway due to Covid, and the lack of service has just become standard now.

They are talking with DHL. No idea what will happen to the damaged game. It just happened an hour ago, but was happy enough to get a call from Damien within 10 minutes of me sending an email about what happened. They will get me squared away and keep me updated on what the plan is.

Believe me, I wanted it to be inconsequential enough to keep the game. It's not. It punctured the cab and went through the bottom of the game. I've waited long enough for this I don't want to have to repair and color match the cabinet. I don't want to repair anything. I want a complete, unblemished game. That was part of the reason for paying an to having it airfreighted to my home.

Worse thing is they’ll take almost no responsibility. I’m assuming it was insured?

That sucks man - sorry that happened. I couldn't tell from the pics how bad it was.

Yeah that sucks. 20 years ago I went to a depot to pick up my second machine, a really nice STTNG. I watched in horror as the forklift driver pulled up to the pallet and rammed the forks a foot into the side of the cabinet before finally stopping.

So, youre saying extra for faster delivery may not be that choice…

No, he's saying the fork lift driver should have been better at his job.

It didn't happen in the aircraft.

I posted a fix in the owners club for the ball trap issue
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/haggis-fathom-owners-club-dive-in/page/4#post-7333573

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Was a spotter involved?

Intrinsic value is the whole operation determination.

Damn shame about the game.

Air freight is notoriously worse for handling than sea in our experience. For sea, the goods are usually loaded and unloaded from the container, that's it. For air the freight often takes numerous flights, unloaded and loaded on each one, then sits around on the tarmac - often in the rain, then f*cks around once it finally gets to the destination airport, then goes to the courier local depot and is finally delivered. Air freighted boxes are without exception damaged in some way by the time we get them.