A huge work issue aside now (another 'hell' week of 12-14 hour days), I'm back to making progress

the drop target decals arrived and I have all of the 3-bank drop rebuilt with new targets and decals. one of the rollover targets is still soaking in some goo gone to remove it completely

coil sleeves have been replaced for nearly everything as well. I should be able to finish that up tonight or over the weekend

I also just now noticed that the small spike topped metal posts near the spinners use the machine screw instead of the wood screw version (part no. 530-5005-01), I will need to use the forstner bits again and create 2 "pockets" in the underside of the playfield because the posts are directly over areas where the left 3-bank drop bank target brackets attach to underside of the playfield

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serviceability
as I stated in an earlier post, there are 6 points where the lamp and solenoid harnesses pass between the top and bottom side of the play field. when and if you need to remove them, you need to pull out the soldering iron and disconnect those points on the harness

my solution (a tip of the hat goes to chris hutchins for all the wonderful information provided in his thread)
create a couple of smaller, sub-assembly harness sections with molex connectors so that you can easily disconnect that section without having to break out the soldering iron

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on the lamp harness, under the cross over plastics on the topside there are 3 lamps (2 topside and one underneath), creating these sub-assemblies allows me to thread a 2-pin male connector through the hole to the bottom of the playfield
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underneath there is a stapled lamp socket, and by creating a pig-tail harness (each with a 2-pin female connector), I can create a point to connect both the lamps from the top side as well as tie back into the main lamp harness
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when I get to the stage of installing the lamp harness, I'll point out the other 6 areas that are hardwired to stapled sockets that need to have molex connectors installed to make it 100% removeable without soldering/de-soldering

all of the drop target mechs for half of the playfield are now installed and their corresponding switches wired in
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2 coats of poly appear to have provided a nice finish to the stained wood rails
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all of the drop target banks are in and the switches connected. just need to hook up the sling kickers, saucer and trough ejects before moving on to the lamp harness

NOTE: prior to installing the drop target banks, you'll want to install (6) rubber sleeved metal posts and the (2) spear top posts. the reason being is that once those 3-bank target mechs are in, there's not a whole lot of room to work with. additionally, you'll want to make sure that you add washers to the posts before securing the lock nut/nylock nuts to the underside of the playfield to prevent the nut from drawing into the wood and chewing it up.

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with the exception of the flipper assemblies, the switch harness is now complete
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you want to make sure that the sling kickers do not extend too far and hit the face of the rounded slot that they sit in

taking another page from the book of chris hutchins (and ignoring the pre-existing dimples), I'm positioning the kicker arm so that it sits with its resting position approximately 1/8” from the back of the slot. this allows the kicker arm to travel the full length of the slot when the coil is energized without striking the face of the slot
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btw, even though marco's has these listed as the "incorrect" flipper bats, they are the ones on my joust (which has original bats) and on the one that I'm currently performing the playfield swap on
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/20-9250-6

does anyone else have these on their machine? (the tips of the "W" is point towards the narrow end of the flipper

another question for joust owners
what type of metal mini post do you have near the spinners at the middle of the playfield?
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/02-3905
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/02-4003
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/02-4177-1

as I'm getting ready to test out my work thus far, I'm finding that the original playfield hanger brackets will not fit. the original playfield is 1/2" thick, while CPR's is 9/16"

the gap on the parts [could] potentially be widened enough to accommodate the additional thickness, but I don't want to risk breaking the spot welds

I'm reaching out to a few metal fabricators to see what it would cost to produce new pieces. how many customers of the CPR playfield would be interested in a new set of brackets if I were to get them made?

I've gone and added the rest of the molex connectors for the lamp harness to make it removable without the use of the soldering iron. this includes (4) 2-pin connectors where the harness is attached to the stapled in lamps near the outer edge of the playfield (under the cross over plastics) and for the game over-tilt-match-high score section, each using a 2-pin and a 4-pin connector

those pen-like paint markers work great for allowing you to match the wire stripe (and band) colors when tying into the original harness

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up next, making the changes to the harness and adding the molex connectors

making progress with the lamp harness (the P2 side is about 95% complete

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the top half (the P1 side) is just positioned in the correct locations so that it's out of the way for now
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the molex connectors are working great (other than the fact that I used the wrong color wires for one connection and need to correct that), however there are still approximately another 8-10 wires in the lamp harness bundle that connect to the coil lugs

williams must have had the lamp harness connectors pulling double-duty and ran some of the high voltage through that bundle (there are 2 connectors leading from the lamp harness into the machine) and these wires are 18awg wires compared to the 20awg and 22awg for the lamp and switch wires

I will probably end up inserting a few 0.093 molex connectors for the wires leading to the coil lugs to make the lamp harness completely removable

a couple more tips that should make everyone's swap a bit easier (I'll add these back to the appropriate sections as well

prior to installing the drop target banks, you'll want to install the (6) rubber sleeve metal posts and the (2) spear top posts. the reason being is that once those 3-bank target mechs are in, there's not a whole lot of room to work in those areas. additionally, you'll want to make sure that you add washers to the posts before securing the lock nut or nylock nuts to the underside of the playfield to prevent the nut from drawing into the wood

I did a great job labeling the switch harness using those ID zip cables, and thought that I did the same with the lamp harness, but it turns out that I probably should have labeled every single socket (and taken more photos of their positions and orientation prior to removal. there are quite a few sockets strung next to each other in the harness where they are grouped together closely under the playfield, and it may not be clear which one goes where when you go to put it back

(fortunately, I have [my] joust sitting in another nearby room with the playfield up in service position to refer to, but I know that this isn't a scenario that most of you have the ability to rely on

I can get the playfield hangers made for a price of $64 per set of four (4) plus shipping if I can get at least 23 people to commit (for a total of 25 sets)

pm me if you're interested

these would be done just like the originals, zinc plated with the stickers "LIFT FROM THIS SIDE ONLY" and "LIFT FROM OTHER SIDE ONLY" applied

edit:
so far, only 1 person has stated that they would be interested in a new set of hangers. I know for a fact that CPR sold at least 60 joust playfields, so unless all these people intend to route four 2" (w) x 1-1/2" (l) x 1/16" (d) sections on the bottom of their playfields, they are going to find it a bit difficult to fit the brackets

edit:
2019.sep.11 - 6 sets accounted for, 19 to go with the first fabricator if need be

thanks tom

there are 3 other metal fabricators in my city that I was planning on reaching out to as well as marc (marco specialties) and terry (pinball life)

does anyone have the ability to create the cad files that most of these houses use? I can chat with you and give you the specific changes from the original that should be made to the files

the lamp harness is now complete

in addition to the molex connectors for the stpled sockets, I added another 8 single molex connectors for the wires running to the flippers and 3-bank drops

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work will start on the solenoid harness tomorrow where I’ll be adding another 24 molex connectors to make it easier to service when things like coil stops and sleeves need to be changed out

other than the playfield hangers (which another pinsider has been kind enough to help with and create the CAD file for), I should be wrapping the playfield swap up this week.

most of the molex connectors for the solenoid harness are of the 0.093 variety, however the holes near the ball trough eject and lane auto shooter is just as tiny as the ones under the crossover plastics for the lamps, so those are using the smaller 0.062 2-pin connectors

additionally, since the wiring is identical for both coils (at each end of the playfield) and they pass through the same hole, I've keyed the molex pins differently so that they cannot inadvertently be connected to the harness incorrectly

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pins for the shooter ejects, sockets for the autoplungers
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I've reached out to 5 metal fabricators to get the playfield hangers produced now (still awaiting the quote from the last one). $60 per set if I have 100 pcs (25 sets) run is still the best price that I've been able to get

AD72 has been kind enough to provide me with CAD drawing to work off of (thank you sir!

producing them (at the 100pc qty) comes to $1,500. while I've got no issues funding the project, I would really love to have 18-20 people committed to purchasing a set of these before tying my funds

currently, 12 sets are accounted for:
(4) - j.m. (myself and the playfield swap that I'm currently working on)
(1) - AD72
(2) - tjc02002
(2) - chad
(1) - whysnow
(1) - BobLangelius
(1) - ghostbc

I've gotten a new (lower) price for the brackets. $52 per set plus shipping. seeing as I've got 20% of them sold through, I may take the plunge and have them made (there is a 4 week lead time)

these will be zinc plated, just like the originals and I will include a sheet of (4) "LIFT FROM THIS SIDE ONLY" and "LIFT FROM OTHER SIDE ONLY" decals that can be applied to them like the originals (but not like my set of which 3 of the brackets have a LIFT FROM OTHER SIDE ONLY decal

update 2019.oct.21
** the initial reservation pricing is now over, pricing for the remaining 9 sets has been set at $60, plus shipping **

I've no idea. we submitted the final [corrected] artwork last year to CPR right around the time that the playfield were supposed to start shipping

I completed installing all 3 harnesses. both the solenoid and lamp harnesses feature molex connectors to allow the owner to completely remove them without the use of a soldering iron. all sub-assemblies with a coil (saucer kick-out, drop target banks, flippers, etc...) are now connected via molex connectors and can be removed to be repaired or replaced easily. photos will be posted tomorrow

have I mentioned that the underside of a joust is very messy? there way too many wires, mechs and lamp assemblies and probably a good mile of wire running underneath this playfield

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some close-ups
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I ended up switching the connector types (using the plug on the wiring harness and the receptacle on the coil assemblies since there was no close restraint on the underside of the playfield where the wires pass through topside. 0.062" size connectors were used because the 2-pin plug type connector is small enough to pass through the hole without having to modify the playfield.
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I have placed the order with the fabricator this morning and will be producing a total of 25 sets of the playfield brackets. if anyone that ordered a CPR playfield that is not on this list, now is the time to act (or if you know of someone that ordered a CPR playfield, you may wish to contact them.

once these are sold through, I do not plan to have any more made.

with the harnesses in place, I'll probably post one or two more updates to cover anything that may help with the installation of the topside components once I have the newly fabricated brackets in hand

one thing that was changed on the CPR playfield from the original were the locations of the (4) #4 wood screw holes for all of the longer (17") wood rails
on my original (and the machine that I'm currently performing the swap on), it appeared that the williams factory workers attached the rails with screws wherever they saw fit
on the CPR playfield, the 4 holes for each wood rail were piloted in the same position, using the same hole position pattern, so that you don't have to worry about accidentally attempting to install a rail section on the [wrong] side of the playfield

there's a strong possibility that I will have the completed playfield hangers on or by October 21st and ready to ship. once I have them in hand, I will calculate the shipping costs and send people the total amount due

there are only 10 sets left unspoken for, so if you want a set, now is the time to speak up

the template for creating the bracket labels in my zebra printer is done
the original labels were pretty utilitarian to begin with, but I think I’ve come pretty close
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I’ve printed these on BOPP so you won’t have to worry about them fading or tearing

bracket update:
the playfield hanger bracket decals are all printed and have been cut and packaged up to be included with each set of brackets

I will have the brackets in hand next monday, oct 21st, so look for a pm with a total amount due and payment information

brackets are in-hand and being bubble-wrapped and packaged up. if you have reserved a set or two, you should have a pm with your total and payment instructions in your in box

the cardboard envelope(s) included in the package contain the "LIFT FROM THIS/OTHER SIDE ONLY" decals. and even though I have increased the gap to accommodate the CPR playfield thickness, you may find the brackets are still a very tight fit due to the thickness of the clear coat. I ended using a plastic "deadblow" hammer to gently knock them into place and then secure with the bolts.

thank you to the joust community for putting their trust in me (once again) to get this job done (and terry @ pinball life for actually getting these fabricated for us

all paid bracket orders have either posted out or will make their way to the post office tonight

I have noticed that the tolerances for the new brackets on the spot weld sections are very tight and even , so the amount of clearcoat that was applied to the playfields may cause the fit to be very tight (as noted above).

I have also noticed the following:
- the #10 bolt holes on P1 end appear to be dead on (1-1/4" from the playfield edge), while the holes on the P2 end are slightly greater than 1-1/4" from the edge, so you may have to elongate them a bit with a drill bit (like I did) so that they align up with the bracket holes
- either I messed up or the playfields are slightly longer than the originals. with that said, you may have to put the brackets in a vice and [modify] one of the middle 125 degree bends ever so slightly

on the playfield swap that I'm currently working on, it appears that I need to change the bends just enough to gain another 1/16" to 1/8" clearance for the playfield to sit on the hanger ends and fit inside of the cabinet

I'll take a picture of the playfield [almost] in the cabinet when I get home tonight and then a couple of the brackets (before and after)

I believe that the fix will be something as simple as putting the bracket in a vice (w/ wooden blocks to protect the part) and then applying a bit of pressure to the part to change the angle of one of the bends. this will need to be repeated for all 4 brackets

the playfield as it currently sits
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using MDF blocks positioned as shown, I squeezed the bracket in my vice to increase the angle (the one just above the spot welded piece join)
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here's a comparison of the newly bent bracket with an original from the new run (the top piece has the increased angle)

the angle is changed by just 2-3 degrees. then repeat for the other 3 brackets, making sure that the angle change is uniform (I changed all 4 on my first attempt with each bracket without any issues. while in the vice, I used the first re-bent piece to compare and make sure that I wasn't increasing the angle by too much
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see post #5 for some important information
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/joust-cpr-playfield-swap-process-and-tips#post-5019800

I found that the angle on the playfield had slowly flattened a bit (creeping below a 10° total), making the length of the playfield just long enough that it brushed against the flipper button pal nuts when raising and lowering it into the cabinet

also, make sure that the flat edges of the flipper button pal nuts are vertical to give you some additional clearance space

edit:
I re-bent and secured the playfield last night along with making the changes and reattaching the playfield brackets. tonight, I'll attempt to put the playfield back in the cabinet and post photos with my results

no photos tonight but I am happy to report that the changes I made allow the playfield to sit in the cabinet properly. now, to start chasing a couple of minor issues and I'll post photos once I'm done with everything. overall, I'm very happy the way that this came out

getting closer
- fixed a GI issue where I had added 6 molex connectors to the lamp harness but forgot to make and solder the corresponding connector tying into one of the stapled in sockets
- identified multiple issues with the display driver board harness
- drill the holes on the (8) wood rails and install them (which will also allow the installation of the left ball entrance metal ball guides)
still to do:
- acquire all new edge connectors and crimp terminal connectors to replace all three of the original 6, 9 and 18-pin IDC connectors
- correct issue with P2 right flipper
- correct issue on solenoid harness for drop targets

playfield hanger bracket update
I have 7 sets left. this is it. I will not be funding a re-run of this part after these are sold. so, if you want a set, now is the time to act.

I managed to locate 2 of the 3 IDC edge connector housings used on the display board (the 6-pos and 9-pos) as well as the split terminators
mouser.com carries the 6-pin connector and the terminators (part no's: 640136-6 & 350011-1)
onlinecomponents.com has a limited no. of the 9-pos connector left (part no.: 640136-9)

for the 18-pos connector, I ended up using an alternate part (used mostly in arcade applications) a 18/36-pos molex connector

given the condition of the original harness, it was probably a good move to cut, strip and re-terminate everything. I found no less than 8 wires that had either broke off completely or were sliding loosely inside of the terminators and only held in place by the wire loom.

the playfield swap is complete but I'm still working through electrical issues on the joust. the +100v on the power supply board was out (a bad transistor) and 2 headers needed to be changed out (the 9-pos IDC for GI) and the 2-pin 5v connector which someone hacked by running 2 machine screws from the underside and soldering them. a huge thanks for clay harrell for fixing that
the rottendog MPU327 board may be the remaining issue

ps
for those of you looking for excellent replacement boards, pinballpcb.com appears to be back in business with nearly their full compliment of products available once again. this is not a paid advertisement, but merely my personal opinion from having running my joust will all of their available products for the past 6+ years without any issues.

main driver board (mpu board due out early next year)
http://pinballpcb.com/products/williams-system-3-thru-7-driver-board/

sound board
http://pinballpcb.com/products/williams-system-6-7-9-sound-board/

power supply board - NEW!
http://pinballpcb.com/products/williams-system-7-11b-power-supply/

I'm also running their master display board and their replacement gas plasma displays (which are not being offered again yet)

probably, one of the best improvements that the kohout brothers did is the elimination of that crappy 40-pin interconnect between the mpu and driver boards, which is elegantly replaced using an IDE 40-pin connector. alternatively, you can still pair either of their mpu or driver boards with an original Williams mpu or driver using the 40-pin interconnect.

all issues have been resolved and the game is now working 100%
the last problems that I encountered were the following:
- the diodes for 3 of the 4 3-bank drop target coils were installed backwards (and the wiring reversed to accommodate it). when I removed the wires from the coils to dismantle the harnesses from the original playfield, I neglected to notice this. subsequently, when I added the molex connectors, I used my joust as a reference and in the process reversed the wires which caused the diodes to blow.

fortunately, due to the way that the 3-bank drops are wired, it only blew the 10amp fuse on the power supply board and didn't damage my original boards that I was using to test. it also pitted the contacts in one of the relays, so those had to be cleaned up and burnished.

- a missing section of ground braid and the diode on one of the disappearing targets was blown causing all of the disappearing targets to not want to reset. fortunately, by taking them all of out of the circuit (by unplugging the molex connectors) it was easy to determine which target was the culprit and correct it with a new diode.

once I receive a new set of mpu and driver boards from pinballpcb.com, I can call this project done