Highlands Ranch, CO
How about a source for the single drop target at the loop?
(Topic ID: 123617)
Linked Games
Nine Ball
Stern Electronics, 1980
Topic Gallery
Quoted from DNO:How about a source for the single drop target at the loop?
Mayfair Amusements has them at the Allentown show this year
Quoted from TheLaw:What's the deal with the bullseye version of the single drop? The flyers seem to show the standard red but was the other ever used?
Both of the original machines I have had the solid red target -- so I left them that way.
I too saw the bullseye in other pictures; I even had a decal made to install on the target to try and match them. At some point I decided the bullseye was added to similar targets in aftermarket form or in games after Nine Ball -- but its just a theory.
Quoted from TractorDoc:Both of the original machines I have had the solid red target -- so I left them that way.
I too saw the bullseye in other pictures; I even had a decal made to install on the target to try and match them. At some point I decided the bullseye was added to similar targets in aftermarket form or in games after Nine Ball -- but its just a theory.
[quoted image]
I bought a bulls eye target from Steve at PBR. I'm not sure but I think it was the last one he had.
1 week later
Merthyr Tydfil
Laval, QC
I made a service trade with a good friend of mine... I did his Fathom playfield swap and he did my nine ball cabinet.... there is the orange paint... look pretty good!
Photo 18-12-03 19 54 32 (resized).jpgPhoto 18-12-03 20 31 28 (resized).jpgPhoto 18-12-03 20 32 00 (resized).jpg
new bottom
Photo 18-11-30 15 33 29 (resized).jpg
and the fathom swap!Photo 18-11-04 14 20 07 (resized).jpgPhoto 18-11-03 12 04 25 (resized).jpg
1 month later
Finally. After 3 years I finally have my Nine Ball up and hitting on all cylinders. There were so many little things that were out of tune and I was still too new to repairing pinball machines that I was a little lost. Also, at the time, I was busy chasing the other pins that are now in my collection that Nine Ball sort of got stuck in the corner.
But yesterday, I was finally able to put the play field glass on. And I have been playing it. Hard.
It is so different from the other Sterns. Different skill sets need to be learned. Nine Ball, like Seawitch, has some easy out lanes, as opposed to Catacomb and Dragonfist with their killer out lanes.
What I do not yet understand is how multi-ball works. The saucer on the left side is a bit problematic. Some times, it will lock balls and maybe shoot them out one at a time. Other times, it will lock 3 balls and give a 2-ball multi-ball or maybe a 3-ball multi-ball. Other times it will freeze the machine and I have to turn it off and restart it.
I'll be busy figuring it out. But it is a nice pin to play.
Yes I'm having the exact same issue with MB on mine. Currently, when 2 balls are locked, it kicks out a 3rd ball, but when that ball drains it doens't end that ball. Assuming it's something trough related as if you tilt with ball 3 in the trough it still doesn't end the ball and will sit until turned off/on.
I'd also like to thank Rust-Oleum orange for making my cabinet painting easy 
Quoted from vec-tor:Note: Nine Ball is plagued with software issues.
Stern released multiple versions of their code to try to fix the issues. All updates were failures. The alltek is the most recent failed update before Stern closed the doors in 84/85.
There is an aftermarket rom that you can burn that supposedly makes the game a lot more interesting and problem free. However you need an original Stern MPU to add the rom to (no alltek)
nocreditdot Mike where can we find the game rom for that aftermarket version of Nine Ball?
shimoda Mark can you help us find the code?
Quoted from vec-tor:Note: Nine Ball is plagued with software issues.
I remember the software issues being mentioned before. One of the reasons I went with an Alltek board was I in hopes of eliminating as many as possible.
I also have occasional multi-ball discrepancies. . .
I think the balls kick out (either two or three) if said balls are locked and you hit the nine ball target. I believe the two ball multi-ball registers fine when both balls drain but occasionally during three ball the game will end after two balls drain. I do not get to that point too often and have had no other known problems otherwise.
Quoted from bluespin:Stern released multiple versions of their code to try to fix the issues. All updates were failures. The alltek is the most recent failed update before Stern closed the doors in 84/85.
There is an aftermarket rom that you can burn that supposedly makes the game a lot more interesting and problem free. However you need an original Stern MPU to add the rom to (no alltek)
nocreditdot Mike where can we find the game rom for that aftermarket version of Nine Ball?
shimoda Mark can you help us find the code?
Or a MPU from nvram.weebly
Quoted from bluespin:There is an aftermarket rom that you can burn that supposedly makes the game a lot more interesting and problem free
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/nine-ball-club-all-welcome/page/4#post-3407292
Despite all I've read about NB having software bugs, I've been running version 60 on mine for a couple years now with minimal problems. The only time I've consistently had any issues was if a game ends with 2 balls in the lock trough. One ball automatically gets kicked out of it at the end of the game, but the other one stays there. If i start another game with that ball still in the lock trough, sometimes it will hang up if i manage to lock another ball or 2. It hasn't happened in a long time though, so i can't remember exactly what it did--though it was a situation where i had to reboot the game to get it working again after it happened. Again, the only time I've noticed trouble was when starting the game with one ball still in the lock trough.
I've read many times that the ball lock trough switches need to be adjusted properly, the outhole switches need to be adjusted properly, and the shooter lane switch also. I would try putting the game in switch test next time a weird error like that occurs and see if one of the switches is open when it should be closed or vice versa.
Quoted from bluespin:Stern released multiple versions of their code to try to fix the issues. All updates were failures. The alltek is the most recent failed update before Stern closed the doors in 84/85.
There is an aftermarket rom that you can burn that supposedly makes the game a lot more interesting and problem free. However you need an original Stern MPU to add the rom to (no alltek)
nocreditdot Mike where can we find the game rom for that aftermarket version of Nine Ball?
shimoda Mark can you help us find the code?
Its funny you mention me in this thread as i just happened to message tractor doc to see if he still had the second game. I miss nine ball a ton. Who knows if ill be able to get one back... ill keep an eye out for the code. This and Bad Cats are my biggest regrets of letting go. Hope you are enjoying it but if you ever decide to let it go
Quoted from frunch:I've read many times that the ball lock trough switches need to be adjusted properly, the outhole switches need to be adjusted properly, and the shooter lane switch also. I would try putting the game in switch test next time a weird error like that occurs and see if one of the switches is open when it should be closed or vice versa.
There is no mystery to the switches. They surely confused me when I bought this beast home 3 years back, but I was still learning how to work on my pins then; I'm still learning, but you get the idea.
The 2 ball lock switches and 2 outhole switches are micro switches. They are the same switches that are used on the coin door. They can go bad but there is not too much to adjust. They are on-off switches. The trip wires may need to be adjusted but if the ball is rolling over the wire and not getting hung up on a wire that has been tweaked too much then the micro switch is more than likely OK.
You can test a micro switch with a multimeter and a couple of alligator clips. I have never opened up a micro switch so I cannot say with certainty that a micro switch can show intermittent problems but my thoughts are a micro switch is going to work or it is not---with no in-betweens.
If a micro switch is bad then is is going to be bad 100%, IMO. My Nine Ball action is not 100% consistent. Sometimes it works; Sometimes it doesn't.
The shooter lane switch is a blade type switch. It is no different than any other blade type switch. It needs to be clean and gapped properly and offers the usual headaches blade switches display when they are acting up.
Added over 5 years ago:EDIT: The two switches on the ball lock on the left side of the play field are blades switches. They are not micro switches as I stated.
Quoted from cottonm4:I have never opened up a micro switch so I cannot say with certainty that a micro switch can show intermittent problems but my thoughts are a micro switch is going to work or it is not---with no in-betweens...
If a micro switch is bad then is is going to be bad 100%, IMO.
Microswitches rarely suddenly 100% stop working. Through contact wear they usually start out becoming intermittent, common failure mode is they make contact only at the moment of switch but then lose contact when held down and it eventually gets worse.
Quoted from Quench:through contact wear they usually start out becoming intermittent
Thanks for clearing that up.
Should we be considering switch replacement as a possible solution to this problem? I can't speak for the others but my NB sure shows interment behavior.
Quoted from cottonm4:Should we be considering switch replacement as a possible solution to this problem?
I've never owned a Nine Ball so can't say but it seems there are potentially software issues at play here.
Testing the micro-switch a number of times with your multi-meter will usually tell you if they're suspect. Personally I find analog meters are better for this because quick dropouts are more noticeable with analog needle deflection.
Quoted from Macdaddy1974:I have a mint Back Glass that i would sell
Interested... pm me with the detail
2 weeks later
Playing my NB last night, i had a pretty crazy game!
- ball 2
- manage to light the 173k drop target
- have only the 8 ball left to collect to light the Nine Ball
- 1 ball is locked
- some crazy rebound sends my ball down the left side lane into the lock, scoring the 8 ball, and locking ball 2!!
- so now i have 2 balls locked, 9 ball is lit, 173k is lit, and i have a ball in the shooter lane ready to plunge when I'm ready. I shoot the ball, it rebounds from above the 7k target at the top, hits the post above the right 3-bank, bounces over the pop bumper and takes a perfect arc into the lit 1 ball drop target just as the 9 ball light cycled to it! 1 in a million skill shot! 212015184.png
But alas, collecting the Nine Ball started multiball (and lit WOW for extra ball), which quickly reset my progress on the 173k drop target, with 2 balls going over the left rollover that advances the u-turn drop target value. Now my 173k shot is only worth 20k. 
Proceeded to have a pretty short multiball (as is typical with this game in my experience), and drained without collecting WOW. This all happened on ball 2, so I got the 77k super bonus at the end of the 3rd ball.
Still had a pretty good game in the end. Before i had launched that ball, my score was around 630k, a pretty respectable score on my NB. By the time the game was over, i had about 1.4mil. Not my record, but not far from it either! NB might be my all-time favorite pin. I never cease to see crazy shit happen when i play it!
I have been playing the daylights out of my Nine Ball since I recently got it running.
It is a righteous pin.
Definitely no slouch when it comes to short ball times; Ball 3? Already? it has only been 40 seconds.
I had a problem over on the left hand side of the play field so I did a mod.
Whenever the ball launched from the saucer and rolled down behind the drop targets it was being pinched between the ball guide along the rail and the rubber sitting behind the lower set of drop targets. The result is that most times the ball would come out from behind the rubber and drain SDTM. I don't know if this was by engineering design to pick your pockets or a manufacturing issue. And possibly it is only my NB that has this problem.
Here is a pic showing the tight fit of the ball along the rubber. At the bottom plastic post the ball was really pinched.
I repositioned the bottom post and moved it inboard almost a complete hole. If you look carefully, you can see where I moved to hole close to the back of the drop target. You can also see the original hole that I plugged. The scale shows how the alignment of the bottom post is inboard of the other three posts.
This pic shows the clearance I now have between the lower post and the ball.
The result of making this mod is that now when the ball leaves the saucer it scoots down and launches over to the right hand flipper where you have a chance to do something more than just watch the ball drain SDTM. It is is even better because the ball likes to run up the flipper and up the ball guide and make a frustrating roll over into the outlane. I much prefer this action that you can play to as opposed to just watching the ball drain.
I still get a little pinching from the two middle posts but since I like the results of relocating the one hole I am going to relocate the two middle ones as well.
It is a tight fit in this area so as a precaution I shaved off a bit from the front of the post so there will be no interference with the back of the drop target.
Quoted from cottonm4:I have been playing the daylights out of my Nine Ball since I recently got it running.
It is a righteous pin.
Definitely no slouch when it comes to short ball times; Ball 3? Already? it has only been 40 seconds.
I had a problem over on the left hand side of the play field so I did a mod.
Whenever the ball launched from the saucer and rolled down behind the drop targets it was being pinched between the ball guide along the rail and the rubber sitting behind the lower set of drop targets. The result is that most times the ball would come out from behind the rubber and drain SDTM. I don't know if this was by engineering design to pick your pockets or a manufacturing issue. And possibly it is only my NB that has this problem.
Here is a pic showing the tight fit of the ball along the rubber. At the bottom plastic post the ball was really pinched.
[quoted image]
I repositioned the bottom post and moved it inboard almost a complete hole. If you look carefully, you can see where I moved to hole close to the back of the drop target. You can also see the original hole that I plugged. The scale shows how the alignment of the bottom post is inboard of the other three posts.
[quoted image]
[quoted image]
This pic shows the clearance I now have between the lower post and the ball.
[quoted image]
The result of making this mod is that now when the ball leaves the saucer it scoots down and launches over to the right hand flipper where you have a chance to do something more than just watch the ball drain SDTM. It is is even better because the ball likes to run up the flipper and up the ball guide and make a frustrating roll over into the outlane. I much prefer this action that you can play to as opposed to just watching the ball drain.
I still get a little pinching from the two middle posts but since I like the results of relocating the one hole I am going to relocate the two middle ones as well.
It is a tight fit in this area so as a precaution I shaved off a bit from the front of the post so there will be no interference with the back of the drop target.
What about a size down rubber ring in this area? the rubber will take less space...
Quoted from Redketchup:What about a size down rubber ring in this area? the rubber will take less space...
What? Like get a shorter rubber ring and it will stretch more?
I don't know.
I can look in my ring supply and see if I have one size down and try that.
Quoted from TheLaw:Yup. Tighter = more room
But only for pinball rubbers...
The problem isn't the rubber or the post, it's the fact the metal guide has bowed out from the siderail and constricts the lane.
I fixed mine by sticking a piece of mylar onto the metal, wrapping up and over the wall (pulling the metal against the wood), down the side and uder the PF for extra area to stick. Could also just drill and secure the metal wall with small countersunk screws outside of the ball path. No need to move posts, especially when that may affect drop target action.
Quoted from metallik:The problem isn't the rubber or the post, it's the fact the metal guide has bowed out from the siderail and constricts the lane.
I fixed mine by sticking a piece of mylar onto the metal, wrapping up and over the wall (pulling the metal against the wood), down the side and uder the PF for extra area to stick. Could also just drill and secure the metal wall with small countersunk screws outside of the ball path. No need to move posts, especially when that may affect drop target action.
You are right, we see it in the pic
Quoted from metallik:The problem isn't the rubber or the post, it's the fact the metal guide has bowed out from the siderail and constricts the lane.
I fixed mine by sticking a piece of mylar onto the metal, wrapping up and over the wall (pulling the metal against the wood), down the side and uder the PF for extra area to stick. Could also just drill and secure the metal wall with small countersunk screws outside of the ball path. No need to move posts, especially when that may affect drop target action.
Yes. You are correct. I never saw that. I feel like a fool.
Quoted from TheLaw:And in fact is that the nail for the guide BEHIND the guide? There's something sitting right there.
There is nothing behind the guide. I'll have to check into why it has warped. And will probably anchor it with a small screw, as suggested. Or I might just remove it and tweak it.
Over the years, I have learned to thin out the wood side rails
in order to make room for the metal flat rails.
e.g. High Speed.
Rebuilt start, new ground sheild, bracket for the board zinc plate390BE29E-A500-4DB8-A84D-65629F6859BC (resized).jpeg
I like to put some screw to secure the neck when I do cab work, it make the head more stable
69C9BF04-3867-4004-ABBE-2063BCDAF738 (resized).jpeg6CEA2EAF-CDDE-4876-AEB4-8E62C345EAFE (resized).jpegQuoted from Redketchup:I like to put some screw to secure the neck when I do cab work, it make the head more stable
Ding. Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding. 
Quoted from Redketchup:All the part are there... just need to put it together
[quoted image]
Hot Damn !!!!! Red Ketchup, you are going to put us all to shame with level of workmanship you are putting into your Nine Ball.
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