No flame wars. I might even have to change the color once I get so old I can't see a pinball PF

I hooked up a warm white to a 12 volt and shone it through all the inserts. Did the same with the cool. Used warms on most except cools on the blues and greens (and that big ol white Nine ball in the middle).

I WILL admit the blues and greens can get a little murky with Yopps. Not as much with LED bulbs

I got the hook up on the 9 Yops, thank you!

Hopefully the last thing to ask about........I went to Pinball Rebel and the classic Stern coil wrapper seem to be missing a few for NB. The 8 little orange ones for the controlled drops (B-24-3400) and I believe the drop target reset coils (C1-34-3400). Looks like everything else is on the site. If anyone has these files, or where to print, please let me know.

Thanks!!

After some help with my Nine Ball. Is this a known issue? I lock ball 1, all good. But after locking ball 2, a ball will be kicked into the shooter lane and all drop targets will start resetting over and over and the game bonus starts counting as if it's the end of the ball. Is this a software problem? If so, can someone let me know what the latest revision I need to get is.

I also have an issue where the game takes about 5 minutes to 'warm up'. If I switch it on cold, the game will reset after I flip. After 5 minutes it's all good and plays fine.

Thanks for the help

best getting slochar new 9ball roms and see if it fixes your issue:
http://tsqmadness.com/slochar/ZIP/

Hi have a 9ball project that needs an updated set of rom with the latest bug fixes. Does anyone have a recommendation on who to get new roms from? I’m using a melody lane cpu for my 9ball so would prefer a new set of roms.
Thanks
Al

Stern made a Memory Lane. That is an CPU/MPU-100 pin. Nine Ball is an CPU/MPU-200 pin and the MPU-100 will NOT interchange.

I suggest ordering a weebly mpu. $167 delivered, and you can later add custom roms, which you can’t do with an Alltek mpu. https://nvram.weebly.com/

Thanks guys geeze.... shame the memory lane boards are nearly perfect nicest set I have seen. Oh well thanks for the tip will get the weebly...
Al

Im having trouble locating a decal for this 9 Ball swap I am doing. I saw some people made a stencil with their Cricut. Are there any sources for that yellow decal with the red 'S'?

I have some clear decals I had made up. You would need to paint your own yellow.

See post #8794
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/price-check-1980-sterns-quicksilver-stargazer-seawitch/page/176

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I’ve ”officially” joined the club today. Two years ago a bought a guy’s table. Literally, he cut the cab,, removed the head, ripped out most of the expensive stuff, replaced it with Christmas lights and created a table. But, he left the target banks and the spinners, so I thought, what the hell.

I’ve had some great help along the way from rockwell (wire harness creation) and Schmitty (cab, backglass and transformer) and my buddy, @brenna98. Thanks to all the great photos and restoration threads, I only had to bug him a little.

One less game in the trash heap.

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Came in the mail today! THANK YOU!!

Not all heroes wear capes. Nice work!

You're welcome.

Going to install the updated EPROM in a Weebly board. There’s only two spaces it can go, one is being used, the other says ‘expanded rom’. I assume it hours in the space of the one being used? Just need a confirmation, thanks!!

I would suggest asking the owner of Weebly, Andrew. He's pretty helpful.

https://pinside.com/pinball/community/pinsiders/barakandl

Nope goes in the empty slot and you move the jumper to use the 512 slot instead of the combo ROM.

NVRAM

Thank you!

Thanks for everyones help on this project/swap! It came out beautiful and the owner is a happy camper! I think the only thing that could be nicer is the pop cap but had trouble locating one. And those side rails are mine too, made them from scratch! If anyone need a set or for any other game, I have a thread started in Market>Other Stuff For Sale>Pinball Rails.

Thanks fellow Pinsiders!

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What is the status of the arduino mod/upgrade on Nine Ball?
(Similar to what happened to Meteor in 2021?)
When I looked into this back then, my understanding was that the ROM update had not been completed (go figure--volunteers getting it done as they can while juggling jobs and families).
Also, I was under the impression that I could use that arduino chip with an Alltek board set...is that correct?

Has anybody installed alternate color led displays? I think blue would look kinda cool.

If you (or anyone that will play the game often) has blue eyes, I would strongly suggest to NOT choose that color.

I was able to repair and remove commas from 3 Bally 7 digit displays I forgot were in my parts bin so problem solved. Thanks for that tip though.

Finally got mine back in the house...feels well!

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I did.

No one in pinball gives a shit about my red/green colorblindness. Maybe this is just my revenge?

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I installed a new weebly board with slochars updated code with spinner count. How many spins do you guys get on a good rip? I’m not getting much past 10.

My top left non-active pop bumper got smashed during the UK Open. It is not clear what parts I need to rebuild it. Has anyone got a list of what I need, please?

thanks,
Neil.

about 25-40 on a big rip.

Meteor has a couple of dead pops, Nine Ball has one in the upper right, and I think Dracula has a dead pop.

Pinball Resource stocks these.

For Meteor and Dracula PBR has dead caps that are screened. For Nine Ball, you have to buy a blank blue unit. I don't know what size rubber ring installs on the dead pop body.

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thanks!

I have recently aquired the parts for build a 2nd Nine Ball. I thought I would put up some pics of the 8-position drop target for the NB builders who will be using the F2K drop assembly.

This is my OG Nine Ball drop assembly. Notice that position number 8 on the play field corresponds to the 4th position with regards to the coils. There are only 7 coils inside the assembly and position 8 does not have a coil. This position is filled with a spacer. There is a locking finger in this position but I don't know how it works since this is a dead position.

Also, this spacer is the same dimension as the coils, so if you cannot find a spacer you can use a coil and not hook it up to anything. You could also unwrap all the wire from the coil and just place an empty bobbin in this position.

( Please notice that the finger that is in position for the spacer on my assembly is broken and was repaired by having a nail welded into place. This is not my fix; It came this way. ).

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Here is the other half of the assembly with 4 coils loaded.

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Front view of NB assembly

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backside view

All 8 switches are wired; This includes wiring for position 8 where there is spacer and no coil. I have not figured this one out yet. I'll study this when I finish my NB; Which should be in the next few days.
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And here is the F2K unit. It has 5 coils and no spacer. You will need to move one of the coils, plus add 2 more coils. You will also need to procure 3 more of the coil activating fingers and 3 more drop target switches. And then you have to rewire the coils and switches to NB configuration.

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Notice also that the large coil has to be swapped to the other end.

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The wiring is well documented. It is pretty straight forward.

Solenoids wiring

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Switches wiring.

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You will need the other side of this 24 pin connector.

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NOTICE:
======

The wiring for the 8 switches is just like wiring any other string of switches, with the EXCEPTION that all 9 switch wires will terminate at this 24 pin connector

For example, you could have a switch wire start at one of the 3-position drop targets, then travel all the way down to one of the inlane or outlane switches and then travel back up to the 8-position drop assembly and terminate there. You will be terminating all 8 switch wires to the drop target. This can throw you off if you are building your own harness.

Good Luck to all Nine Ball builders.

Quote “ There is a locking finger in this position but I don't know how it works since this is a dead position.”

This target can only be knocked down by the player and then reset when the entire bank is reset. Other targets can be dropped by the game’s memory coil.

Thanks for posting those memory drop pictures. You saved me some questions later. Ive been collecting parts for an eventual scratch build.

The big stern drop banks are pretty rare, so I'm planning to use 2 4 bank drops instead. Should be a fun to mod them for the job.

Wanna trade a big F2K toaster bank for those 4-banks?

I had some time off in late Nov early Dec due to having had surgery so I decided to start yet another project with my time off so I set up my rotisserie aka kitchen counter and populate the bottom side of the playfield while watching MST3K. I figured installing the Wire Bot wiring harness would be a good "light duty" project. Working on the topside now so I thought I would take some pictures.

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Looks great! It's gonna play like a dream when it's finished, i reckon. Is that a data east pop bumper assembly you've got installed there?

Your wiring looks very nice.

If you have not taken play_pinball up on his very generous offer, I would urge you to take this deal. Don't pass GO. Don't collect $200.00. Just take the deal.
============================================================================================

I am not going to say that putting two 4-place drop assemblies together can't be done. But it will be done with difficulty. And expense.

1) The first option you might think of would be to just install two 4-place drops next to each other and go with that approach.
Here is a pic with two 3-place assemblies for illustration ( work with me on this ).

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You will need remove the lift coil that is sitting between the two assemblies and put it on the opposite outer end. OK. so you have moved the coil to the other end and you now have a lift coil at each end. With that problem solved, you now have another problem to deal with.

So, you have moved the coil out of the way, now you have to figure out what you are going to do with the two reset arms and rods that are going to collide with each other. You cannot modifiy the reset arms to allow the assemblies to come closer together.

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The only way you can mod the reset arms would be to cut the ends off of each reset arm and splice them together as I did with two 3-position reset arms to make one 4-position reset arm.

Marco sells one style of reset arm for a 4-position assembly. Two of these could be spliced together to make one 8-position, but might take splicing together 3 of them for the correct length.

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Marco also sells the other style of reset arm in 3-position only option. I took two of this style of reset arm and spliced them together to make one 4-position reset arm. This can be done, but to make this style work for a Nine Ball reset arm, you would have to splice three of them together. Marco sells these for $11.00 each. So, you are look at $33.00 worth of lift arms.

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Let's assume you have figured out how to get around these problems I am talking, then you have to make two memory coil mounting brackets. This could be done. It would take a piece of flat steel stock and some length of steel stock with a stiffening angle spot welded on ( it could be bonded together with epoxy, or drill some holes and screw the two pieces together). And then drill the holes to locate the memory coils.

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If you have gotten this far, then you still need to find 7 of those "fingers" that are actuated by the memory coils.
( Has anybody found a source for these yet?).
=======================================================================

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Next up is this. Let's assume you have figured out how to solve all of the problems I talked. Now you are ready to install your Frankenstein two 4-place assemblies onto your play field.

Here is your 1st problem.

Remember, you are installing two 4-place assemblies that you Frankensteined together.

Here is the mounting at one end.

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And the mounting at the other end.

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Where are you going to install the inner parts of your cobbled together assemblies without colliding into the lamps boards ( if you use them), or light bulbs if you don't?

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And last, you now have installed a coil at the other end of the Frankenstein assembly. You will need to deal with a feature light that will be in the way. And the coil bracket looks like it will clear the switch that is mounted right there, but it will be close.

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All right. Now that you understand that trying to mount two 4-position drop assemblies is a fool's errand, you decide you want to try and splice the two 4-position assemblies together to make one of the monster Nine Ball size assemblies. It could be done, but....

The two 4-position assemblies, when placed together are too short. You will need to hire a welder to splice your brackets together plus he will have to add some material to make up what is lacking when you attempt to slice the two assemblies together.

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Just take the deal. It is a gift horse.
===========

Sorry for the complicated post but these claims have come up that two 4-position drop targets have been used. And I just don't see it happening until someone shows pictures of their cobbled together Nine Ball drop assembly.

Haven’t heard from him. Only need one of these (at this time, at least!)

Not for sale but down to trade.

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PM sent

cottonm4

Great write up, I agree attempting to fuse the two 4 banks would be a mess. But I was planning different approach...

This was just my initial thought, I have not invested time working through details since my 9ball build is the 4th project in line currently.

But here was the initial plan:
Initial dry fit looked like I could mount the 2 banks separately. Not join them as you detailed (I agree that would be a lot of fab work!).

I saw the bigger challenge was to come up with a way to drive 2 separate reset coils where the game is set up for one. I assumed it was probably too much to drive both reset coils off a single transistor. The thought was to wire it up so the 2 separate transistors would be activated off the same circuit - each transistor driving a single rest coil. Again, didn't run this down very far this could be done by linking to an unused transistor on the driver board or by a separate circuit built up on a breadboard.

As far as the rest goes, one of my donor banks already has memory coils. This would require fab up of 3 home-made mechs for the non-memory target. I've got a bunch of EM relay coils & that could be build up similar to the stern resets coil/armature design where a "finger" activates the drop the target.

I was wondering about that. If some EM coil fingers could be adapted for use. They are already notched so they can pivot. I am going to need to make some of these fingers for my next NB build.

Does anybody have an extra left sling plastic they could sell me?

Just know the reproductions are an entirely different color than the originals and don't match at all.

That’s annoying. Mine came with a left sling plastic from Meteor which actually matches pretty well, took me a while to notice it didn’t belong.

I bought a whole set of repros for my Nine Ball, but couldn't even use them since they didn't match the original playfield at all. I was fortunate to find originals to replace the broken ones on E-bay.