Hey guys. I'm in Oakland and i'm getting more seriously into pinball. I have board game events at my house and I thought it would be fun to add a pinball to the space. My wife and I have always enjoyed playing pinball. I've been watching CL and I got that Comet that was up for 1000 (got it for 850). I have been having a blast fixing it up, but seems like even at 850 I overpaid, since I am adding parts. Therefore it's a learning experience!

I am reading about these tournaments. Would they be welcoming to a rank beginner (I think the most pinball I have played up to this point is Kirby's Pinball Land and the occasional quarter here and there)?

The wife and I have been out to Playland-not-by-the-sea, Hi-Life, PPM. In fact I am thinking about volunteering at the museum. Does anyone know if they let the volunteers get involved with repair? I think I understand the Williams System 9 board pretty well now!

I'm already looking for an upgrade over Comet, but we really only have room for one machine to be set up (maybe 3 more in storage).

So basically: Hello!

I just have to convince my wife to move our home decor away from mid-century/modern and towards smelly arcade and then I could fit some more. (We don't REALLY need a couch do we?)

Does anyone volunteer for the museum?

The Comet was fully working but the more I look at it the worse I think the play field is. It has like a cracked alligator skin look throughout the paint as it it is all about to crumble away. The back glass is perfect and the cabinet is pretty good. Plays ok even though the left ramp was mostly tape (I ordered a repro). The center ramp is all melty, but you can still make the shot sometimes. The rest of the time it shoots up and hits the glass! Has anyone tried restoring a ramp with a heat gun?

Ok, I'll give that a try!

I took your advice and emailed Kendra.

Almost done cleaning the playfield on the Comet. Next is the swap out the capacitors on the board and see if I can reduce the speaker hum through futzing with the screws.

Anyone want an EM adventure?

sfbay.craigslist.org link

I like the "fog of war" effect.

No I am def missing at least one and I figure I could brighten up the contacts for the others and if that doesn't work use nylon screws. I wanted to change the caps at the same time.

What I have read is that you get hum when a part grounds through the wrong parts due to age related resistance. If you deny the board access to grounds it will ground the proper direction and not hum.

Reference:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/buzzing-light-matrix-noise-on-my-williams-system-11-fire-fixed

Check out my NOS tool! I wanted something to check the pitch of pinballs and this was so pretty (even though you should check over a longer distance)
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This Comet is starting to feel like even less of a deal. The wires from the burned out GI connector are just soldered to the back of the power board. There is also what looks like a fuse holder inline with one of the wires. I think I can fix it, but I need the tool for the connector and I can't just take the board out to work on it without a lot of unsoldering and note taking. I have the manual though, it says what wire color does where if I screw up. Is this the type of thing that the "no hacks" sentiment refers to? Just to be clear, the board is currently working, but I want to put it back to "factory" before I sell it. I am also going to put new caps.

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I noticed this when I bought it but I don't think it registered what a pain it would be to fix.

Wow, thanks for all the offers of assistance. I might take you up on your offer Sean. Are you free Sunday (Or Tuesday? It's Veteran's Day)?

I went out and visited Steve. Thanks so much for being willing to help and letting me take a peek at your games. Put me down as #2 on your list to buy that World Cup Soccer! I hope I see you around and thank your son for permitting me to share your attention for a bit.

Sean, if that's not a time limited offer, I think I want to try doing it on my own. Maybe you can bail me out when I put everything in backwards and it explodes. I want to do this more than once so might as well get the supplies.

Has anyone looked into this? Maybe some people could go in as a group if it's worth while. I'd love to get a quantity of repair tools/parts.

sfbay.craigslist.org link

I have been meaning to head over there also. It's one block from my house and my wife loves Demo Man!

Is anyone driving from the bay for Arcade Expo?

Time Zone is also on ebay.

ebay.com link: Time Zone Pinball Machine

My (from out of town) sister-in-law saw my pinball machine and then she was looking at local attractions and then she wants to go to the Pacific Pinball Museum. So I will probably be there Saturday with her and my wife.

Could someone define "planking" as it relates to play fields?

Ah. I don't think that is what is wrong with the playfield on my comet. The paint is messed up though. Looks like alligator skin or broken glass.
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I'm at the PPM with all my In-laws.

Yes both are.

Sorry I didn't see your note about pics. They had a roller disco which was new I think.

It's a crime that there is no league at the PPM.

I now own the hyperball. Guy also has an Atari Football vid (with the massive trackball) for 300. Screen has no burn. He says it plays perfect. I snapped a few quick pics. He would also trade for a wedge head.

I'm not sure I have room for it either, but I thought it would be fun to fix. It does power on a bit. A few back glass lights come on, but the MPU doesn't come up with a number (it flashes 0 for a second and turns off). It's system 7 boards. I had this one on my list, but it doesn't make sense to have unless it is part of a larger collection. I am toying with donating it to PPM. It would go over great there.

It was a 2 player.

I will def post if I get it going. I hope PPM gets into that library! Then they could have more out.

Cross-posting if anyone wants to come by and scratch their head with me.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hyperball-system-7-wont-power-on#post-2075670

In other news I have recapped and repaired the GI IDC connector on my Comet. That IDC punch-down tool SUCKS.

Now it works (still) with no hacks or globs of electrical tape!

I found the soldering part to be relatively easy (certainly easier than painting a warhammer mini, which I also do). So if anyone wants some soldering help let me know.

Got the Hyperball to power on! Someone had cut the safety switch that shows the coin door is shut. Doesn't work but it powers on. Am I spamming this tread or are people interested in my travails?

The next ob problem is the 40 pin interconnect is missing pins. I am going to fix that and recap the power supply and see where we are at. Right now it goes into attract mode with no sound and won't register coins/start a game. The fan for the super solenoid comes on and a few backboard lights but no others. This game has a unique driver board, which is a little scary.

The displays (including the one IN the playfield!) all seem to be good.

You call that a Plastic? Thiiiiis is a Plastic.
IMG_20141202_215251_1.jpg

Context, the playfield in the cab is shattered and the playfield on the extra one was not, so I am going to swap them. Easiest swap ever! No need to touch the bottom. Why aren't all playfields 1/4th inch plexiglass.

Yaaaaaa... I actually started in on pinball cus I wanted to get one to accent my board game days and then I was like "Gee Fixing these is fun!"

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I have a MAME cabnet that I built from scratch as well. It's styled after Gauntlet.

The Face Your Fear doesn't count?

Don't you have that tiny Batman Face your fear machine to the right of your real machines?

Is anyone going south from the bay for Arcade Expo?

So my Comet that I had just finished repairing Sunday and was getting ready to list for sale has lost all sound. One day sound. Next day no sound. I'd played it like twice fully repaired.

That's pinball I guess!

I have a "walk-through" (http://home.scarlet.be/~fb054529/will9/ewill9.htm), but this will be my first foray into micrometers.

Hyperball update:

FYI it uses stock System 7 Boards except for the driver board

I recapped the power supply, replaced all 16 TIP42 with MOSFETs and jumpered the resisters, replaced the Zerner Diodes and resisters for the high voltage, replaced the female side of the interconnect, replaced the fuses (EVERY SINGLE FUSE WAS WRONG).

This revealed the second tier problems:

No Sound
No GI (in fact i think there is a wire missing or I haven't spotted it hanging in the cab as 3J9 is listed in the manual as "GI in" but there is no wire going to it, Says it is supposed to be coming in from the cabinet.)
The fourth digit in the inset playfield display doesn't work (is this a bad display? cus I have two. The other digits are bright)
The Ball Auger doesn't come on consistently
Balls jam the Auger
The playfield lamps come on but they are very dim and if you leave the machine on they fade out. They come back on if you leave the machine off for a while. (they are acting like flashlights with a dead battery... Dead Cap?)

On the plus side: you can start a game, the z-bomb button works, the flash lamps works perfect, all the back glass displays work perfect and the hyper blaster solenoid works fine.

No idea if any of the switches or optos are out

We have GI on the Hyperbal! It would seem that 3J7 is not supposed to have a connector in it. The connector that was supposed to go to 3J9 was plugged into 3J7. That was an easy fix!

I have been watching Board Repair videos all day and now I feel like I want:

-a desoldering tool before I start messing with changing IC's
-Test Roms (and subsequently
-a rom burner (Seems like people like the GQ-4X)
-a rom eraser

Can anyone point to a good primer on using a logic probe?

I chose a gauntlet cab for mine as I wanted 4 players. Player 1 and 2 have a SF layout but with a seventh button to match the SNK layout better. It is actually a second 4th button. Put a Golden Tee size track ball right in the middle, but I wish I had put a centipede size. Mine has a real medium res monitor running off the ArcadeVGA card that Ultimarc makes. You could come take a look if you want!

I will be at CAX mof.

Me ans Mof at least. I'm driving down.

On a lot of machines the pot is inside the coin door, not in the head. Bad pot will make static and crackle when you adjust it. Contact Cleaner is cheap.

How come I have never heard of heavy metal meltdown before today?

Nice score!

So I heard about this stuff called RAD Dry Slick. Then I heard it was now called dry/slick. Then I heard it didn't exist any more. Then I figured out that Hubbard-Hall owned the formula. Then I contacted them and they are only interested in corporate customers, but they do offer "samples". I inquired about that and they offered to sell me a whole case as a sample. I'll pretty stubborn, so I put in for a whole case, which is way more than I need. The case was pretty expensive with the shipping, so if any one wants some, I got some. 20$ a bottle.

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Dryslick.pdf

They have stools. Sometimes it is a bit crowded.

Way OT: If anyone wants to come to my post GDC board game after party in Oakland, hit me up with a PM.

Who do people buy NIB Sterns from on the west coast?

I don't have a target in mind, but if they really do a Game of Thrones pin I may need to have a conversation with the wife...

No prob!

It's been a while since I updated about the Hyperball. I have it working electronically now, except for still no sound. The stuff that I did that had an impact included changing the Bridge Rectifiers, changing male and female 40 pin interconnects, re-pinning a connector and re-socketing the roms. I also did a bunch of stuff that didn't have in impact, including rebuilding the entire reset circuit . I have changed the CPU and the PIA on the soundboard and resocketed the rom and it still doesn't work (even with test rom) so I now suspect the 6810 ram. Mechanically is seems to work pretty well. Random switches work, shooter works. The thing that doesn't work is the ball auger, but I am hopeful it will stop jamming if I clean it good.

I have a comet that has some mysterious issues.

Nice work TJ.

FYI Phoenix Games in concord is in a new location and it is a huge upgrade. They have room for the owner's whole collection to be playable by the public. Their current roster:

Godzilla
World Cup Soccer '94
Walking dead pro
Wheel of Fortune
Sega star wars
Scared stiff
Frankenstein
Tales from the crypt
Mousing around
Twilight Zone
Funhouse
Championship pub

There are like 10 golden ages vids too. They have room for more as well. New location is a block down Clayton next to IHoP

Didn't see Metallica on the floor today.

I'm on vacation in Vegas! I heard about the satellite exhibit of the pinball hall of fame at the Riviera and then I heard that they are imploding the Riviera. So my wife and I fast tracked a trip. Nice mix of EM and SS. They have a stern NBA that I was excited to play. Also have Spanish Eyes and Grenada next to each other. I didn't realize Grenada had a different layout. Guess these are all going into storage next month. Going to the hall of fame proper sometime between now and Monday.

I have (finally) posted my Comet after getting it all fixed up!

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/ad/22253

Let me know if you want to come by and take a look!

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WIP hyperball

That non-working hyperball now works electronically 100%! Fixing pinball is way more elating than playing them so far for me. Problem ended up being a bad PIA that I replaced with a PIA that was also bad. Third one worked! Always socket your chip replacements!

Anyone want to come look at my Comet? I've bumped my ask down to $1150.

Saw this ad and contacted the person.

sfbay.craigslist.org link

Pinball is a Wild Life. They sent a picture. Note the apperent stuck on coil. Might be a deal, didn't get a price.

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Wish I had room for that Earth Shaker. Maybe if someone would buy my Comet!

Does anyone know who operates the machines at Moby Dick? Is it TJ? Saw on the pinballbayarea twitter that they have an Indy 500 there now.

So i actually kind of want that Dr. Dude that is on Craigslist. My wife and I have liked every Nordman we have played. I've emailed three times with no response though! What gives? Anyone have info on the person?

All I did was ask if I can see it!

So I visited this guy:

stockton.craigslist.org link

The Space Station had been described as in poor condition, but the pictures of the playfield looked nice so I went and took a look. Poor was right. The head was coming apart. Plastic on the speakers had come off, displays hanging out. I could see some of the leads going to the tubes were broken off. No legs. I still might have gone for it if the boards had been ok. Head was locked. Spent some time drilling it off. Pretty bad Battery damage. I passed.

However, if anyone is looking for a space station playfield, I couldn't see any ware on it. Plastics were nice too.

The story is that the guy's wife's father wanted to open an arcade. Father died. Apparently there are three containers of vids/pins in similar condition on the father's property. He said wife is executor, but sister is suing so they can't go to the property currently. I asked him if he could remember any titles, but he could not.

He also had:

Just the apron for Fire Power
Moldering Pole Position
Very Moldering Pacman
Gorgar No head at all (may be in storage/may not be)

Gorgar field was relatively nice. There was flipper ware and one ding through the paint that I saw.

He said he remembered that there was at least one game wrapped up with plastic he had seen in the storage and that he thought it was an Elvis. Dude was definitely toasty.

I asked him to call if he got access again. Might be some deals. He said the containers/property is in Ione.

sfbay.craigslist.org link

Contacted them. Pin is a Future Spa.

Just got in my second gameplan cocktail! Now to get one of them working...

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Did Stay Gold Deli get added?

I'm still looking for an Indianapolis 500.

There was one at the Pinball Museum in Alameda last time I was there.

Hello. Haven't posted in a while. I'm ready for a new pin. I'm looking for an Elvira and the Party Monsters. I have a Party Zone and a TSPP I might be willing to involve in a trade.

I have posted my Simpsons Pinball Party to the market.

Machine - For Sale

The Simpsons Pinball Party Archived

Partially shopped/refurbished - “Fully functional machine in pretty good shape. Good: -Added art blades -Extra World of Springfield toys -Moe's 3d diarama -Neat Simpsons car topper (pictured) -Garage door coil up...”

2018-12-24

Oakland, CA

BlobfishXL

4,500 (OBO)

Archived after: 24 days

Viewed: 802 times

Status: Didn't sell to Pinsider

I have dropped my TSPP to 4,900. Located in Oakland.

Machine - For Sale

The Simpsons Pinball Party Archived

Partially shopped/refurbished - “Fully functional machine in pretty good shape. Good: -Added art blades -Extra World of Springfield toys -Moe's 3d diarama -Neat Simpsons car topper (pictured) -Garage door coil up...”

2018-12-24

Oakland, CA

BlobfishXL

4,500 (OBO)

Archived after: 24 days

Viewed: 802 times

Status: Didn't sell to Pinsider

SOLD!

Machine - For Sale

Star Trip No Battery Damage! Archived

Fully shopped/refurbished - “Fully working gameplan cocktail pinball. This has an Echo Lake replacement MPU (these are no longer being produced but work in any gameplan machine). No issues that I can think of ...”

2019-04-16

Oakland, CA

BlobfishXL

800 (OBO)

Archived after: 21 days

Viewed: 476 times

Status: Sold (amount private)

Contributed to Pinside

Setting the initial price high because of the Echo Lake Replacement MPU that is no longer being made (AFAIK).

I just got one over my limit so I need this gone soon. LMK if anyone is interested.

SOLD!

Machine - For Sale

RollerCoaster Tycoon Archived

Used - shows wear but 100% working and clean - “Fully working RCT. Plays Great! Good: Full LED Extra Decal Set Other misc parts ROMs updated to most recent Button area side armor (not yet installed, 6th picture) Bad: Left ramp...”

2019-07-09

Oakland, CA

BlobfishXL

2,600 (OBO)

Archived after: 18 days

Viewed: 247 times

Status: Sold for $ 2,600

Contributed to Pinside

I've just listed an Indy 500, if anyone is looking.

Machine - For Sale

Indianapolis 500

Used - shows wear but 100% working and clean - “No issues that I know of. Side art is faded, but every one of these has that issue and it is actually pretty red still. No real spots of wear. Still has the goodie bag. Part...”

4 years ago

Oakland, CA

BlobfishXL

Expired!

Price Lowered:

Machine - For Sale

Indianapolis 500

Used - shows wear but 100% working and clean - “No issues that I know of. Side art is faded, but every one of these has that issue and it is actually pretty red still. No real spots of wear. Still has the goodie bag. Part...”

4 years ago

Oakland, CA

BlobfishXL

Expired!