Wow this is a great thread. I like the collaboration.

Love the insert idea for the shooter lane and the 2pc. posts for the ball guides.

Maybe the ball guides could telescope (if there was enough wall thickness) that way you can have a bit more tolerance to the width of the stainless strips.

Bob

Ecurtz,
You might want to move the parts away from each other a little, the laser cuts with a very small kerf Probably about .010" total beam width.

Or maybe your using common lines to save cut time? Keep in mind the .005" offset if you are doing common cut lines.

What is the diameter of that pattern bit? Looks like 3/16" maybe...

btw, i have done similar things with a dremel router attachment and a 1/8" straight bit (when in a pinch). Use lots of butchers wax on the acrylic template and the smooth shank of the dremel bit. don't stay in one place too long, don't take big cuts.

Regards,
Bob

MarkInc,
I'm trying to draw up some inserts in Solidworks and i thought i might include a sketch to represent the routed hole in the playfield. I noticed the inserts have a good bit of taper on the sides. Did the inserts want a tight fit, line to line fit, or a little loose?

The large amount of taper made me wonder if a tight fit might allow you to press fit the inserts into the PF, so they might hold themselves while the glue dries...

Thoughts?

Bob

My pleasure, I have some more posts to draw and then some targets, Then on to Inserts.

I sort of wish my junk bin had parts more relevant than Sys 7 stuff...

Bob

Question about the v-groove in the shooter lane...

I noticed on some of my early Bally SS games (paragon, Electra) the v-groove seems to be cut with a 1-1/8" diameter cutter and the ball seems to ride in the bottom of the groove.

On my early Williams SS games (Pharaoh, Solar Fire) the v-groove seems to be cut with a 1" diameter cutter and the ball seems to ride on the sides of the groove.

What have you guys/gals found?

I was more curious about what others were finding on legacy designs.

Of course if some famous pinball designers want to chime in on the concept behind the different diameters that would be cool too LOL

Bob

the problem with the pattern bit is it usually only comes in 1/2" diameter.

SteveP3,
I am using Solidworks, BTW, I don't think you can make a cone and subract it from the PF.

A cone will have a varying radius, You need to take a Circle (constant radius) and sweep it along a path at an angle to the PF.

I'll do a quick SW part and attach it later.

here you go

PF Test1.PNG

And of course the Solidworks file will not upload. $%#$## computers.

I'll go drop it in the 3d section at Pinballmakers....

You can buy red oak (i think it's red, at least) at Home depot. It is in a small special section they have, (maybe hobby sized wood, or something) it's 1/2" thick and comes in widths from 2 -4". I usually buy the 3" piece and rip it down to 1-1/8" on the table saw, it makes great rails.

Just make sure it's straight.

Oh sorry, you guys are in NZ/Australia. Well it's good for the folks in the U.S.

"Anyone who is really good at CAD able to help me (and everyone else who wants to do a widebody) out?

What do you want to see? I can start with the William bottom, How wide do you wnat it? How many Inlanes/outlanes? Standard Sling spacing?

What CAD format would you want it in?

Bob

I don't have access to a WMS IJ ,but i do have a STTNG PF. let me see what i can work up in the next couple of days.

Bob

JackB,
I am slammed at work, with luck i can look at it Sunday.
Bob

Thanks Swinks, Exactly what i need too...

I think Cliffy also sells stainless replacement frames like the sys7, 11 and funhouse.

Bob

Yeah but if you are going to make them in any kind of numbers it's not going to be a $120 part.

Let's look at this as a little 1 time exercise.... And since we were talking about troughs, and i happen to have a drawing of the wpc trough, How many would you like me to price?

Bob

Guys i already drew a WPC trough over on Pinballmakers.com in Solidworks. Solidworks can generate the flats automatically.

If you need them i can send flats to whoever needs them.

Aurich, I do design engineering for a firm that manufactures sheet metal, welded wire, injection molded parts, vac formings fabricated wood panels, and does assembly. Occasionally I'll make some pinball related thing, IE Balllly targets.

I have no desire to become a pinball manufacturer. But i like watching you guys come up with creative stuff...

I have the wpc trough quoted at 10,25 and 50 pieces. Quoted 2 ways, with a tool to create the de-boss and without the de-boss and a piece of 3/16 Steel welded in place to "create" the de-boss.

I should have a price tomorrow. I'll try and get a real price not a "This is a favor to Bob " price.

De-boss.png

Pricing:
If you want to spend $1060 in tooling for the deboss - Qty 10/25/50 = $15ea, Qty 250 =$10.40, Qty 500 =$10.20

If you want to forgo tooling and weld in a laser cut "lozenge" instead of the deboss - QTY 10/25/50 = $18.80, Qty 250 = $12.45, Qty 500 = $12.45

This is FOB China, And includes $5 each for actual Genuine PEM hardware. ( Manufacturer of inserts/standoffs)

This does not include the coil, Rubber parts, trough boards etc. Just the steel.

This is NOT a group purchase, Just an exercise...

Aurich,
I tend to think the smaller quantities might be a favor to me price... But even at $30 it's not the end of the world.

But if you were making 10 machines i think you could ask any of the normal Pinball vendors for a discount on the $120 and see it drop considerably. AND not have to deal with some of the BS associated with offshore manufacturing.

Much of that price is that they have to hold that inventory forever.

I guess that my point in all this is if you think you need to redesign the trough to get the price down, you don,t, Just need to buy better.

The lozenge and all is just BS. I was trying to get an apples to apples part comparison. In reality i would just redesign the part without the de-boss. I think the de-boss is only there to get the ball path to the height of a standard coil bracket. if i gave it any thhioiough i'm sure it could be redesigned to fabricate with standard tooling.

Drano,
You should be able to grab the target out of the JD bank in Solidworks over on Pinballmakers.com

http://pinballmakers.com/wiki/images/6/61/5_Bank_JD_Drop_Target_Bank_A-16947.zip

Bob

5_Bank_JD_Drop_Target_Bank_A-16947_(resized).png

If not let me know i can send as IGeS or Stl or whatever.

I have had good luck with Red Oak strips from Home depot. You can buy a 1/2" x 4" nominal and then rip it down to the right height.

I can't find a link online but it is in the lumber section Near the 1x6 poplar...

What Software do you usually print to the plotter from? Do you need it in ACAD? DXF?

NICE! I'll send you over something in Acad shortly, you should have no problem opening it in Draftsight.

Bob

PM me your email, I'm in China and my Dropbox isn't working....

Bob

I have Chinese Red Sail i bought second hand. Red Sail support is non-existent.

And it's clearly a copy of a copy of a copy. That said, the parts are so basic it's not too difficult to fix.

it works, consistently.... but i need to re-engineer some things. And the power seems way down from the 120W it's supposed to have.

I hear you, who wants to build a laser when the ultimate goal is to build a pin...

But it was a decent deal, I think it was $3500 with an extra tube and it's 3' x 4'. And i like tinkering with stuff.

Besides when you figure out that the mirrors are crashing into the housing at full travel( i said Chinese right?), then it's time to re-engineer a couple of things...