I've been working on Palm Springs. It is the oldest left to program. I have a MUCH better handle on games with missing documentation now - I need to revisit some of the older games now, like Dude Ranch.

However, what I wanted to post was that the Hold Feature is incredibly complex from the standpoint of my game. Ouch. I have to detect the balls dropping (somehow), close the shutter, then release the hold coils. On top of this, the spotted numbers (which just add a number to the list containing the lit holes) must remain when the balls drop. Ouch!

Implementing the coils and shutter movement right now. Then I'll figure out the spotted number quandary.

Of course, I can't actually test the game until I have the playfield wired for Surf Club... (lots to do...)

Palm Springs coding is complete (minus the graphics) - now, to work on Surf Club. Surf Club is a fantastic game (one of my faves), but the feature implementation is going to be even more complex than Palm Springs!

Alright! Surf Club actually wasn't the challenge that I thought it would be... I figured out a way to do that that would work (again) very similarly to the real deal. The game is done (no graphics). Only one more 25 hole hold feature game to program. Pretty cool!

Lots of stuff going on, finished up shopping a Chicago Coin 'Thing' and am excited to play the new game with my daughter tomorrow, then work on art again!

Art: came up with a great idea, I think... thanks to some supportive friends for letting me bounce my ideas off of you. We'll see if I can pull it off.

Other art: Just replaced the backglass image on Keeney Rainbow. Looks better, but have to realign all the numbers a bit. Put it in my bug notebook for now.

Trying to decide if I should continue with cab art while motivated or work on another new game?! Better stick with art while I'm motivated.

Stuck with art - I didn't like it. I decided to drop back down to something more simple that doesn't require as much artistic talent (I have none).

Both sides of the cab will have a different stencil, one from United, one from Bally. These are two of my favorite stencils - each approachable and visually interesting.

The front will be completely different. Still thinking about that part, and I may have some help with that!

This weekend, I should be learning from Steve how to build my button drawer! I'm looking forward to that - playtesting a game like Miss America or Sun Valley is really tough with the few buttons that I have. I can convert them fairly easily to use the new buttons as they become available. I already have headers ready to wire for the extra buttons.

I'm still thinking of the design of the wire bundle coming off the drawer. Ideally, of course, I'd put all the controls on the footrail. Steve is really my guide in this as he is a fantastic woodworker and has actually reproduced magic screen footrails in the past (long gone).

He says that putting all the buttons in the footrail would make it too easy to break. That was, in fact, the problem with a lot of the games, and probably a factor in switching to the metal-clad footrail in the late 60s (along with updating the look).

So --- a drawer it is! I plan to have an array of buttons available - drawer will be able to slide out and be removable for transport or moving with a hydraulic lift. That means I need an easy connection. I can put in two sets of Jones Plugs - one in the bottom of the cab and one in the head - the one in the bottom will remove the drawer and the one in the head will allow removal of the head... or I can just use a simple Molex connector. I'm thinking of just using a Molex connector for this, but we'll see how I feel when I go to install it!

I will likely paint it black to make it unobtrusive when viewing in the lineup, but I've also toyed with the idea of carrying my stencil down the drawer. Perhaps black on the sides and stenciled on the front. Not sure yet.

Steve is a great friend and mentor - I'm looking forward to learning something about woodworking - and he's to blame for my bingo addiction, as well!

Thanks NoQuarters That's the basic idea! The black is just for the sides of the drawer. I kind of want it to be hidden. Not quite sure yet.

Alright!! I have smoothed out my source images and ensured consistent coloration and etc. One image for left, one for right, and one for front. Now, I am going to vectorize my art and do a check with my wife - she suggested a third set of colors for the front.

I found a way to incorporate the name on the front that isn't right in your face, while using an existing stencil.

I'll post the art once I have it all vectored.

I've been working on colors for a little while - ideally, I want the colors to kind of flow across the cab artwork so that it doesn't look so stark.

One side has a primary base coat of an orange, the other, blue. The front now incorporates each of those colors along with other colors used across each stencil.

I think this will look pretty good.

I've taken my measurements 3x for each section, and am in the process of pricing out just sending the vector files to a print shop to see if they can (laser?) cut the stencils for me. That would be a big time savings.

Hopefully, I'll have the artwork to my satisfaction by Friday, and be able to send the print shop info for next week. I'll get the game torn apart and start the cabinet restore, procure primer and paint... and go! Getting pretty excited.

Phil H. has also provided (I believe with the assistance of someone here) mixer and reflex documentation of Miami Beach! I played a lot of this game the other night, and needed to tweak the portioning since the curtains would almost never light. One of the main draws! Hopefully the new docs get that on the right track.

I would like to get screen game sounds programmed in - right now it is using the generic motor noise from a six card. I have the sounds recorded and mixed, but I need to apply them in code. This will happen when I do my refactor sweep to clean up syntax for portioning. I will also add blinking lights for feature lockout. Right now they light in a solid color. Boooooorrrrrring.

Then... I need to roll back through some of the early games without docs and see if I can tighten them up.

Once the cabinet is refinished (I can code while I wait for paint to dry), I can work on alternate playfields and finish my button drawer.

The drawer is fantastic, and Steve is amazing. He patiently taught me how to make the drawer, after he and I designed it on the fly. He cut everything and we had the drawer created and lockbar pieces (to hold the buttons) glued and ready to go within a matter of hours. Incredible.

He also made mounts for the switch stacks. I have yet to determine how I will actually hold everything in the lockbars... no metal plate exists to do so, so I'll need to make my own, probably.

I'll have a Jones Plug (female) in the back, the switches will be wired to this, and then the male portion will route into the cabinet. Should allow for relatively easy connection/disconnection, since I will need that to be able to swap playfields.

Finished up my stencils and got some advice from some artists I know (thanks to Ryan and my wife) regarding coloration. I am unable to get a local print shop to do my simple stencil cutting, so I'll need to do this the old fashioned way.

I am going to take my files to get printed tonight. My wife suggested I just get them printed in B+W so that I can save a nickel or two (more to put in the machine later). I will lay out tracing paper and transfer each color to poster board. Won't be as quick as I was hoping, but this way certainly works well too.

It was suggested that I get a stencil cutter on ebay, but those are crazy expensive. I'll probably spend about $20 total for the stencils this way, but a lot of time.

Anyway, while all that's happening I need to take my game apart and remove siderails and start prepping the cab. I'll probably get my images printed tonight and start on the cab.

Got my stencils printed, and pulled the glass off the game to start removing siderails! It's happening!

I did end up spending $35, but I got an extra set printed, and the person ringing me up needed glasses.

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Nice blot spotting @otaku. Haha!

Yep, giraffe and lion.

I fully cut one side's stencils last night and will cut the other side tonight. Today is so nice outside... I should probably drag the cab outside to fill, sand and prime. But I'll do what I can without being a burden to the family.

The kids are enjoying the stencil cutting process. My youngest asked for the main giraffe cutout. My oldest kept checking on me after her bedtime to see how many spots I had cut out. Haha! 'You're cutting all those spots out?'

Yep. Now go back to bed!

I adore the intracacy of bingo stencils. That's part of what took me so long: I couldn't do the masters justice.

I'm excited beyond words that this is coming together.

Alright! Another night, another side done!

My modifications to the second side stencil transformed it from 4 colors to 5.

I'm working on the coin door now, and the modifications I made there are proving to be difficult to cut... whoops!

My poor index finger needs some time to heal, though, so tonight I'll probably work on the cabinet - removing hardware.

Stencils all cut.

Siderails removed. Tomorrow evening I'll take the cab apart and the start prep. Saving the front as a surprise.

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Ok, a little ambitious for a larger than normal work schedule this week. I have almost all of the buttons removed from the front of the cab,along with interior siderails (make up part of the glass channel), coin return, return surround plate, etc.

Tomorrow, I have one more button to remove, then I need to remove the head from the cab and start prep (body filler and sanding).

Maybe this weekend, I'll be able to start priming?

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Why thank you! I did a large portion free-hand, used a lot of french curves and straightedges, though.

I'm too cheap for that!

I did think about bugging you last night and this weekend, though - the wind was pretty crazy last night. Got one coat of primer on the cab. Had to wait until the wind stopped blowing, then spray, then wait, etc. Haha! Hope your project is going well.

I may rework the front corners a bit - I may not have made them sharp enough. I'm trying to balance the rebuilt look vs. some of the rougher elements on the cab. It won't be perfect, so I'm not cutting a new front door or doing stuff like that... and even re-leveled, the door is not perfect. It's not new!

Thankfully, the wind wasn't bad this evening. Thank you for the offer.

I will let you know, but things are looking up (and less breezy)

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I have one small stencil left to apply on this side that was hidden beneath my head stencils...

Problem with not tracing an actual game is that you can get stuff sized a bit wrong - in this case, stuff is going to sit under the metal rails... Both of these games were woodrails and I didn't adjust the art. Poor birds are flying under the rails.

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This side turned out pretty well, but the clown is going to be missing his hands. Those bars were incredibly hard to stencil.

Machine is coming together - I am finished with one side of the head now, and working on the second. The temperature and conditions were PERFECT this weekend for painting.

I did make a couple flubs, but it's looking really good (I think).

I am waiting for the last part (the front of the cab) until a little later - I had an offer of a NOS door (woohoo!) it should look pretty darn good.

So! I have simultaneously worked on painting the legs and button surrounds. I have three out of four button surrounds painted, but I'm not satisfied with the look. I'm going to sand and redo.

The legs are looking so smooth and nice. Very pleased.

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Thank you. A lot of work. Hope it looks good assembled.

Sure did. My weekend bled over to today, too.

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This game is gonna look pretty sharp (I think).

I put one coat of primer on the drawer.

Drawer is painted, interior of drawer has elements to be stained, so will hopefully start on that this weekend.

I've been priming and painting the front of the game, however, my spray is reacting to the original paint, which I did not completely sand off (a mistake). I lightly sanded the door, laid down two coats of primer, then sprayed my base coat. The door started growing this scaly skin, so I sanded that off, shot again, and it was fine.

I laid down my first color and the entire door reacted violently.

At this point, I am going to sand it off and start over.

The good news is that I am still super excited. I should have the cabinet reassembled (sans playfield) and be able to begin my semi-final layout of internal cabinet components.

My speaker arrangement, for example, was temporary, along with the mounts for my Raspberry Pi display computers. I'll try to get those routed nicely and attached to the cab, but I needed the drawer to ensure that mounts for the drawer did not interfere with mounts for the Pis.

My replay reset button is hidden nicely inside the drawer. Love it.

Thanks Jim!

Steal away! It's a great idea, isn't it? I can't take credit for it, Dennis Dodel suggested that very early in the process. In fact, due to my cheapness, it almost didn't happen. But my curiosity won out. I'll shoot you a message.

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Front is painted! Final coat drying then doing some woodwork with the kids.

And hardware attached. Had to stop for the night because I need someone to help lift the head.

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Thanks everybody! My patient, wonderful wife helped me lift the head into the game this afternoon.

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Thanks Dennis, truly it's all thanks to you and all the other bingo folks that have provided me with parts, information, techniques, etc.

Can't wait to get the game all back together and work on the next cosmetic piece of the pie!

So, what can happen in 3 days? Well, a lot of experimentation and thinkin'.

I have a button drawer, and needed to attach to the game. Pretty simple, but I needed some wood blocks installed inside the cab to support the drawer.

Took a 2x4 and sawed off little 2" square rectangles, and glued into the cab using Titebond. Drilled pilot holes and then zipped some Torx screws into the holes.

That hung the drawer frame, then I mounted the actual drawer, and experimented with simply pulling in and out to test the fit.

It works great! The drawer actually is inset under the game. You can safely hug the cabinet while playing with the drawer pushed in and will not have any trouble.

It looks great! Simple, but effective.

Now, I'm working on mounting switches. I have been stockpiling switches for another project, and have way more than I will need at this point. I'm using those to handle the button presses.

My lockbars built into the drawer have space for 6 or 7 buttons each. My daughters helped me to finish the wood inside the drawer that will hold the buttons and the switch stacks.

I'm thinking: A-F, D & Large R (70s 6 cards), Hold All/Even/Odd, and White button. If room, gold/orange button.

I'd love to have room for two more buttons, namely 1-7/7-1 for Ballerina, and maybe a selector button.

My main lockbar will remain a Magic Screen lockbar, Left/Right/R. Lockbar R will take the place of 'C' for the 70s six cards.

When I hook up the 'bump' feature, I'll need to drill some holes in the cabinet for the flipper buttons, or I could use another button already wired on the lockbar. I'm kinda leaning that way since I just spent all that time making the cabinet graphics...

Another thing I've done is to add switch distribution inside the drawer. There will be a female Jones plug, 24 pins, to hold the switch logic wires. This will run into the cabinet, to another Jones plug, which will then terminate at the switch boards. This means that there will be two runs of wire for these buttons. It will make it easier to disconnect - I can remove just the head or just the drawer. Lots of work.

So... that brings me to 'what's next'. I have a plan for the remaining cosmetics. The lockbars need metal plates to cover their bare wood. These lockbar plates were nailed to the top of the lockbar, using special spiral nails (another bingo thread may have made some headway on a new source for those), and I'm thinking of moving my menu instructions/drawer instructions to the large open area between screen buttons and the 'R' button on the footrail. A laser cutter would make this simple (I think)!

Next, in the drawer, I could also mill plates to hold the buttons and simply cover the joints on the lockbar pieces.

I really don't have any experience whatsoever with laser cutters, but there is a maker space near me that should be able to help, I hope.
If anyone has any thoughts, I am all ears. I'm guessing I need to make a CAD file so that the computer can do the engraving and cutting of nail holes/rounding of corners?

Once the drawer situation is figured out, I can move on to the backbox. I've looked into a larger screen, which would be ideal for the game - the backglasses are all larger than what I am able to show due to the size of my backbox monitor. This means that the backglasses have to be scaled down to fit the screen. It's fine, but ideally I wanted something to fill the space a bit better. I've done some research and reached out to some custom screen manufacturers. It seems that most (or at least the ones I talked to) will produce a bezel of any size, but not a screen. That doesn't really help, so I'm moving to plan B. Plan B to be revealed after I start messing it up.

Aside from cosmetics, I am improving the internals of the game - items like my power distribution will be screwed to the game - sounds simple, but I have to modify the power strips used to allow for this.

I also have a simple three piece computer speaker set inside the game that provides the motor and search sounds. I'm debating on upgrading to a more industrial speaker system. It's plenty loud right now, but there's no adequate way to mount it - it's basically held in place by pressure. Also struggling with being so cheap. Haha! It works, why bother?! Well, I really want to take this around the country and let people play it at various shows. I don't want the speakers bouncing around while I haul the game to Texas or Denver or wherever.

Another thing I'm taking the time to improve is wiring. There were many post-wiring wires added to the playfield and cabinet. These have to be made part of the bundle, which is tedious work. I'm doing it, I'm just lazy...

Once I have the bottom pieces (like the power distribution, Raspberry Pi cases that screw down, etc) installed, I'll be working on the playfields in earnest while dealing with the other cosmetic complexities.

I want to play, but I want to be able to take the game apart like a regular game without running into 'gotchas'. And that means double-checking my jones plug mapping while the main playfield is out of the game.

Lots of soldering, cutting, and lacing completed yesterday.

My harness, power distribution and speakers are screwed in.

Check out this drawer pic:

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Now I'm working on the male plug to male plug that will connect the drawer to the switch processors.

Pulled out my schematic and... *Gasp* five more undocumented switches!

Well, that won't do, so I wrote in some new ones (rev. D of schematic).

Next, I'll be wiring alternate playfields (finally).

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New harness from drawer before lacing.

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After.

I bought several from Joe Shope. I need to source a lot more. The cabinet has used way more plug space than I initially planned for.

Thanks Ryan - careful, you're gonna give me a swelled head!

Last night I got lazy again, so instead of soldering a bunch of stuff and using my fancy new spring-loaded crimping tool behind the game, I started working on rewiring playfields.

I have a Shoot-A-Line playfield that has been sitting for a while. I cleaned it and re-rubbered it, but there it sat.

Here's the lessons learned from my initial foray into playfield wiring:

1) Rewire the whole thing. Don't be a fool and reuse the existing harness for anything.
2) Throw out the original plastic cable clamps.
3) Pay special attention to continuity to the plug for hole wiring (it's the hardest to get to if you need to fix anything).
4) Don't solder where the iron tip can fall in your lap.

So, with #1 firmly in mind, I began the massive task of desoldering a whole bunch-a wires. Why not just cut them off, you may ask? Well, I don't want a bunch of metal sticking out where it can poke something it shouldn't, or cut into the new harness accidentally.

Soldering... soldering... checking... soldering... and my new iron broke again and fell on the floor this time(!).

I guess these irons and guns were not made for someone to work for 8 hours straight...? Haha!

Switched back to my old trusty soldering gun to finish the job. The playfield, as it sits, has been desoldered and is ready for me to string up a new harness. I'm almost out of green wire, though! Ordering more today.

I also took a peek at the rest of the playfields and most especially, the biggest piece of unobtainium that I own in this whole project, the Magic Pockets unit.

This unit was used on two games, Gayety and Gay Time, both incredible (especially for their time). The pockets unit functions as a bi-directional kicker that safely, securely, and accurately transports the ball from one hole to another in the top row. I was incredibly lucky to find one (thanks Jeffrey!!!) and I've got it unboxed and ready to bolt onto the back of the beautiful Gayety playfield (thanks Dennis!!!).

In examining the Gayety playfield, I luckily have the shutter motor (unique to these two games) and shutter arm, but am missing the shutter board. No big deal, I'm missing the shutter board to several playfields, so it's almost time for me to start fabrication...

More on that later.

Spent last night wiring up part of the Shoot a Line playfield. Helped a couple of bingo owners with some questions, so did not get as far as I would have liked, but one plug (out of 3) has been fully wired and laced back to the playfield, and a second has been started.

Wiring Shoot-a-line is interesting because there are more holes than normal, and also because the playfield GI is much more involved than on a normal bingo playfield.

I have almost finished stripping the base Gayety playfield as well.