(Topic ID: 257166)
Linked Games
Laser Ball
Williams, 1979
Topic Gallery
Wellesley, ON
I just put way to much time into my laser ball.
I re did all the mpu and driverboard connectors, headers, and 40 pin interconnect. Then on a spare partially populated playfield I had I stripped the top down, removed all mylar, removed and reglued all loose inserts. Cleaned, touched up and waxed playfield.
Put mylar back on around pops and saucer kick out. I rebuilt flippers, rebuilt drops, rebuilt pops. All plastic pieces ultrasonic all metal tumbled.
Then every socket unscrewed and cleaned inside with dremel, all inserts backsides cleaned and full LEDs.
Just got playfield back in today. Gonna fire it up tomorrow.
20191110_124642 (resized).jpg20191110_141451 (resized).jpg20191110_150249 (resized).jpg20191110_223509 (resized).jpg20191113_224314 (resized).jpg20191115_172840 (resized).jpg20191115_172845 (resized).jpg20191205_194413 (resized).jpg
I tried to start a Laser Ball club awhile back....
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/laser-ball-club-big-girls-need-love-too
But I didn’t get enough members to start a news letter....
Not a lot of love for this pin. It deserves a lot more. Mine plays fast and mean, which makes it a great drinking with your buddies game. And trying to get a extra ball is not easy and very rewarding to get.
Yours looks beautiful! Probably the nicest one on the planet.
Best wishes on your club- count me in as a lifetime member.
Quoted from ryan1234:I tried to start a Laser Ball club awhile back....
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/laser-ball-club-big-girls-need-love-too
But I didn’t get enough members to start a news letter....
Not a lot of love for this pin. It deserves a lot more. Mine plays fast and mean, which makes it a great drinking with your buddies game. And trying to get a extra ball is not easy and very rewarding to get.
Yours looks beautiful! Probably the nicest one on the planet.
Best wishes on your club- count me in as a lifetime member.
That's strange I searched for all laser ball threads and I didnt see that one. Wouldn't have started a new club page if I had seen it.
No problem at all!
I’m happy this pin is getting some love.
Only 85 people on pinside own Laser Ball.
Pretty crazy given 4500 were made.
Probably not to many left.
Quoted from ryan1234:No problem at all!
I’m happy this pin is getting some love.
Only 85 people on pinside own Laser Ball.
Pretty crazy given 4500 were made.
Probably not to many left.
I have 5 populated playfeilds lol stripped them down and used the best for this game. Just wish mine had the plywood cab not the MDF.
Had a plywood cab version but had to burn it. Too moldy.
1 month later
Murrieta, CA
hi guys,
i just bought a laser ball. brought it home, and now it doesnt work. it was playing fine at the seller's home. we keep blowing the 2.5A fuse on power up. the lights dont work whatsoever.
the game turns on, but the game is simply growling/vibrating under the PF. i am worried the game will self destruct. the sling shots seem to be semi-firing. they are moving slowly. its so wierd. this is my first OLDer game. my other games are from the 90s and 2000s.
any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,
HOG
Quoted from Mitch:If anyone needs game specific parts or plastics I have lots.
I also have game specific parts and plastics that I would like to get rid of.
Quoted from HEAD_boss_HOG:hi guys,
i just bought a laser ball. brought it home, and now it doesnt work. it was playing fine at the seller's home. we keep blowing the 2.5A fuse on power up. the lights dont work whatsoever.
the game turns on, but the game is simply growling/vibrating under the PF. i am worried the game will self destruct. the sling shots seem to be semi-firing. they are moving slowly. its so wierd. this is my first OLDer game. my other games are from the 90s and 2000s.
any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,
HOG
Has the 40 pin interconnect been replaced? If not I'd start there
Quoted from Mitch:Has the 40 pin interconnect been replaced? If not I'd start there
Thanks for the recommendation!
I have heard that from another Tech. perhaps i should bite the bullet and replace it. any other suggestions?
Quoted from Mitch:Has the 40 pin interconnect been replaced? If not I'd start there
This is not a recommendation!
This is a MUST!
1 week later
Fixed it
Actually I screwed up a connector. Now its correctly connected and fully functional !!!
Playing this game for hours today
1 week later
4 months later
1 month later
Hi all, My Laser Ball has developed a problem where nothing happens when all 10 lights on the upper lanes are lit. Normally lighting all these causes the flashing effect and lights one of the "AE" lights at the bottom of the playfield. Has anyone else experienced this issue?
Added over 4 years ago:Edit: I've noticed that what is actually happening is when the ball goes through lane one, two other lanes will light also. These lanes do not, however, register as though the ball has gone through them (It's just lane lights coming on when they shouldn't.)
2 months later
Quoted from Hangernade:Count me in. First pin. Don't remember playing it back in the day but playing the hell out of it now!
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Looks beautiful!!
Quick note: I'm coming into a nice populated playfield next week if anybody needs a donor. I'll post pics when I get it.
Quoted from SadSack:Quick note: I'm coming into a nice populated playfield next week if anybody needs a donor. I'll post pics when I get it.
Where are you located?
1 week later
Hi, does anyone have a pic of the switch matrix for Laserball? Tx! Greg
Added over 3 years ago:Got it!
Quoted from ryan1234:Where are you located?
Billings, MT. I haven't picked it up, but this week I will. I'll post some pics in this thread.
4 months later
Question for you Laser Ball fans - picked one up and got her going, looking & playing great.
Had a few switches needing adjustments & the outhole wasn't kicking out as it should. All a-ok now.
Problem I'm having - after a while, the sounds stop. Or go off on to some random sounds, not when I hit a target, etc. Then silent... I can re-boot, and she starts up ok. (Sometimes) Thought it was the connector, but now thinking more on the sound board? Anyone else have a similar issue?
Quoted from Nikrox2:Problem I'm having - after a while, the sounds stop. Or go off on to some random sounds, not when I hit a target, etc. Then silent... I can re-boot, and she starts up ok. (Sometimes) Thought it was the connector, but now thinking more on the sound board? Anyone else have a similar issue?
It always seems to be connector problems after connector problems with these system sixes...
I would replace all sound board capacitors (super cheap from GPE) and replace connectors.... maybe try reseating the chips first...
4 months later
Picked it up today. Added GI LEDs and some under the playfield. Still has some incandescent under some inserts.
A1E3ACD5-44AC-48BB-9A69-E15AF8877851 (resized).jpegFF73DED1-26A5-4BA8-B8C6-BF9D10F552B1 (resized).jpeg66B33F2A-D477-4B8C-95E8-CA2C10C62543 (resized).jpeg 5 months later
Can someone post or point me to a picture of a Laser Ball backboard or light board. Whatever you can the board behind the backglass with the displays mounted to it?
I’m picking up a basket case Laser Ball to try and bring back to life that’s missing the entire backbox. He might have the light board but I’ll need to pick it out of a pile of them. It would be great to have something more thank the backglass arrangement to go off of. Thanks in advance!
Quoted from Schwaggs:Can someone post or point me to a picture of a Laser Ball backboard or light board. Whatever you can the board behind the backglass with the displays mounted to it?
I’m picking up a basket case Laser Ball to try and bring back to life that’s missing the entire backbox. He might have the light board but I’ll need to pick it out of a pile of them. It would be great to have something more thank the backglass arrangement to go off of. Thanks in advance!
Does this work for you?
image (resized).jpg
Sydney
I was able to find the backboard! Your pictures were key! Thank you! That row of flashers was easy to spot!
The cabinet has no bottom. Must have been particle board and fell out.
It came with 2 playfields. One with green around the center roll overs and the other with red/maroon/purple. Anyone see a green one before?
I’ll get some pictures ASAP.
2 months later
Here's mine. Picked it up yesterday. Turns on and makes a sound but can't play it. Won't start a game and the displays not working. Hoping it's an easy fix. My friend with a decade more experience is stopping by Sunday to help. Sold all my pins in early 2020. Happy to have one again. First of many more. Can't wait to play it.
66985468544__75830198-CC39-4FB1-9C6A-040246A7F1F9 (resized).jpegIMG_8257 (resized).jpegIMG_8258 (resized).jpegIMG_8259 (resized).jpegIMG_8260 (resized).jpegIMG_8261 (resized).jpegQuoted from ryan1234:looks like she will clean up nicely!
Thanks! I think so.
3 months later
1 month later
Finally got this one booting again. Heres what all I did:
I changed out all the old scanbe sockets on the MPU.
Installed the new 40 pin interconnect male and female sides.
Rebuilt the power supply with all new caps.
Reflowed all the header pins on MPU, Driver and PS.
Repinned the connector from the power supply to the mpu
Even after all that I still couldn't get a boot. Ended up getting Leons Test ROM which quickly pointed to a bad 5101 RAM (AMI chip) at U19 which was not socketed. I carefully used my dremel and cut off the legs of the chip, desoldered each leg one by one, soldered in a new socket, and plugged in the new 5101 RAM.
Machine now boots into attract mode and I shopped with new Titan rubber and Sunlight LEDs in the GI. Still need to figure out why the flippers aren't working. But that shouldn't be too much trouble.
received_1735165913542755 (resized).jpeg 3 weeks later
1 month later
First time I was able to fully diagnose and repair a Williams 3-7 MPU and driver board on my own. Pretty happy about that. Now I just need to get some Caranuba Wax so I can give the playfield a fresh coat.
Also first time in months every game in my row is working (aside from little issues)
Cheers everyone!
1 year later
Promoted items from Pinside Marketplace and Pinside Shops!
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
