Mine came off okay. I lifted just a very small amount of paint in the process. Used the flour and goo gone method to remove the glue. But in the end, I should have left it on. It made no difference in the game play, and it looks worse because the planking in the wood is more noticeable now. I didn't CC mine either, just waxed it up. I left the mylar on by the pops though.

Yes, and it makes very little difference. You would be better off hooking it to a Polk sub for $69. That will make a huge difference. Also, replacing the speaker in the backbox with a cheap co-ax speaker and adding a volume control so you can turn the backbox speakers down and allow the cabinet speaker to be louder helps.

Check out this thread
http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cabinet-speaker-size-and-wiring-williams-system-11

.

I removed the mylar on 2 Pinbots. In my cases it came off pretty easily. In both cases though, the planking was really bad and but noticeable with the mylar on. Had I not been clear coating after, they would have been rough.

Does anyone know a source for broken plastics? Or maybe scans and I can attempt to recreate them? I'm missing the typical upper left plastic by the ramp and also the one inside the visor. Can't seem to find any replacements so maybe if I can find a scan......

+ 1 on this. I'd like some scans of that plastic also so I can make some. I've been experimenting with plexi-glass and water slide decals and it seems like a viable solution to repro plastics at a reasonable cost.

I know this doesn't help out much, but I do know that the faces were available for individual sale at least at some point. I was able to get the mask from http://www.actionpinball.com/ but unfortunately they are sold out as well. I'll keep looking for them as well! On their website the part is called " PDG078"

This is a great write up on recreating plastics:

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/how-i-recreate-plastics

If we can just find a source of some good quality scans, this might be doable thanks to his detailed instructions.

i just installed a new CPR set from an old run on that Pinbot I did. Game went home with the owner this weekend. If I had know the scans were needed I would of scanned them for everyone.

-Jim

Wow, what timing. Newbie here. I just bought a fully restored Pinbot as my first pin a couple of weeks ago. My wife and I just finished remodeling the entire first floor of our home courtesy of last year’s Hurricane Sandy. We converted the space into a large home theatre / entertainment room and it needed a little something extra… so… Pinbot Circuits Activated!

The gentleman who restored it for me did a great job. The machine is immaculate with the exception of a couple of small mylar bubbles over the chest matrix. The machine also has its original and fully functional flash bar on top of the back box. LOVE THIS GAME!! I have to be honest and admit that although I played a lot of pinball as a kid I don’t recall ever playing any of the Pinbot trilogy games. I literally picked the game off a list the restorer had (and did some minor online research). Something about the sci-fi space theme particularly grabbed me. I’m a sci-fi space geek myself so it just seemed a perfect match. I didn’t even [attachment=1288081,undefined]get to see the actual machine until the grand unveiling. It was risky, but it paid off.

One question I have for my fellow and more seasoned Pinbot-ers… One minor issue I have with the machine is occasionally when I get a solid shot up the left ramp, the ball will hop up when it hits the first rollover switch, hitting the glass (*kringe*) and will hop right off the ramp. I thought that maybe the switch was sticking but on pressing it with my finger it seems to move effortlessly – no resistance whatsoever. The ramp itself does not appear to have any flaws either. Have any of you experienced this on your machines? I kringe every time this happens.

Anyway, I love this game. It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s a beautiful piece of Americana. Long live Pinbot!
FlashBar.jpg

In a quick shot to the left ramp, the only time the ball will hit the glass is when the left ramp is lifting at the time the ball meets the ramp. I have had this happen a few times.
Give this a try. By hand shoot the ball up the ramp, the roll over should not cause the ball to bounce off the ramp. The roll over may be loose and is jambing up. The ball maybe forcing the roll over wire to one side, and this is making the ball bounce. Pushing it the roll over switch with your finger may not be the same action that the ball rolling over it. If you can replicate the issue, great.

My ball never hits the glass unless, as mentioned above, the ramp happens to be raising just as the ball is crossing it. Perhaps the flippers are too powerful.

It sounds like the roll over switch is too tall or it is bent too steep. If the front of the roll over is too flat, and the ball is moving fast it won't be able to push it down fast enough. That switch is hard to adjust so be careful if you start messing with it. The leaf switch underneath is impossible to adjust without taking the ramp out.

I also have my ball hit the glass when the ramp is coming up at the same time. Happens enough that I just don't think about it anymore

Thanks for the quick replies. It’s definitely happening when the ball hits the rollover switch. There’s even a tiny bit of damage already to the edge of the upper plastic that covers the center of the ramp, from the ball hitting it when it bounces up in that spot. I can replicate the issue by hand rolling the ball quickly over the ramp. But I have to roll the ball pretty hard to cause it. Still, I can’t visually seem to see anything wrong with the switch itself (then again, I’m no expert).

I’m wondering if perhaps as Gweempose mentioned that my flippers might be too powerful. They are new and do seem to launch the ball a bit harder than what I recall from playing other machines back in the day... I find the ball catching air more often than what I believe should be normal. I get frequent bounces off the chest targets when I hit them full blast and have had the balls land in a few spots they’re not supposed to go a couple of times (e.g., on top of the visor, on the cover of the drop targets etc…). As I mentioned, this is my first pin so I’m not exactly sure what’s normal or not. If the flippers are maybe too powerful, is that simply because they are new and just need to be broken in a bit or can / should they be adjusted?

The only time you should be getting airballs on Pinbot is when the ball hits the visor target bank while it's partially up or down. If you are getting a lot of airballs besides this, your flippers are probably too strong.

On my Pin*Bot. The rebound off the visor will create an air ball. I have had the ball bounce up between the cover and the lower plastic. Also a few times over the visor cover then it rolls off. Also a wierd shot once up through the pop bumpers, up the red spiral ramp, landing in the 5000 point hole.

If you can replicate it with rolling the ball with your hand then it probably isn't that the flippers are too strong (although they may be) I am betting money that the switch doesn't have a slope at the front of it and when the ball hits it the ball just can't push it down and bounces over it.

If the switch is sitting too high there is a flat spot before the slope that will be hit.

If you roll the ball slowly you will feel if it is hitting some kind of resistance before it pushes the switch down. (and remember the ball is going to be rolling against the back of the lane)

pinbot2.jpg

Years ago I had a similar problem with my Cyclone which was my first pin and my first flipper rebuild. The cause was a misadjusted EOS switch. I adjusted EOS switch so the coil received full power for a shorter length of time. That fixed the problem.

My Pin*bot is setup such that only clean, well-aimed shots make it all the way around the ramp. There’s not a whole lot of velocity by the time the ball reaches the top and sloppy shots won’t make it. I like this setup. It emphasizes skill and doesn’t beat up on the parts.

It appears to be a combination of two issues. For one thing, upon closer inspection, one of the rivets (that I assume??)hold the rollover switch in place is sticking up a tiny bit. I was so focused on the switch itself that I didn't even realize it:

Rivets.jpg

Secondly, I do think the flippers are a bit harsh and need to be adjusted. I did confirm that the flipper coil is FL23/600 30/2600 as wayout440 mentioned. I'll do some research on EOS adjustment (again, babe in the woods here) and see if I can tone them down a bit. I think this will solve the problem without having to get into taking the ramp apart etc... And will also keep the rest of this beauty from being hammered into an early grave.

First shake down test
remove old mylar, clean it up, touch up all the damaged paint, 4 coats of clear, banged her back together, has a few issues going through them one at a time

Adding myself as a Fan! I have a BOP and Python is a friend of mine. Pinbot Rulz!

Hello Pinbot fans. I still have reproduction toppers for sale.

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinbot-topper-group-buy

Joe

Nice!

Emailed pinbits today about the availability of the pinbot topper base. It has been sold out for a while but they told me that they are making a run of 10 more. Here is the link http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_44&products_id=380
It still says sold out but you can email or call them to get one. Got my repro topper dome, just ordered my topper base, got my flasher board last week, now I am only a light strand away from a complete topper!!!!!!

Bump for Pinbot fans.

I'm in the club. I picked mine up a few days ago from a fellow pinsider. In great shape, also has factory mylar.
20140301_225411.jpg
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I'm now out of the owners club, but am very happy to bring rottenrobert in! I'll always be a lifelong fan of Pin*bot - "The Ultimate Machine"!

Looks like you're having a great time with it, Rob! You've got one classy lineup of machines there.

Since you are no longer in the club, you can no longer post here. Sorry.

Looks like I'll have to find another, then

one of us
one of us
one of us

Bump for Python

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/python-anghelos-last-public-speech-ever-will-be-tomorrow-in-louisville

PinBot

I am your pinball game, I'm PinBot.
Your wit is my computer software.
Your fingers my mechanical design.

But your imagination I have not -
To you the spheres of my cosmic playfield;
Planets, Pinballs are the same.

I am a giant, cosmic robot.
A masterpiece of magic and high tech;
But human I am not!

So, on your sapien skills and temper rests
The conquest of the solar system.
As well as my existence.

-Python

I finally picked up a PinBot.

When I get it to boot up once again, it's going to get a TU & CC. Can't wait top play it.

Lol. Well I don't think ether are leaving my line up for a while at least. My SWE1 goes before any of these three.

Thanks again Ryan. It's been a blast to play. I love pinbot in a very non gay way. lol
I did break a post up by the visor and I had an awesome game going too. But that is pinball... you never know what's going to happen.

Anyway I did get another set of the center targets along with the mech and motor from a pinsider. Just in case I need to replace the one that's in there now.

20140307_120243.jpg

Today I finally made a remote battery holder. The batteries are now safely sitting in the bottom of the back box. With some wire, a battery holder from The Source(Radio Shack). I think Vid1900 would be proud. I have always checked the batteries and replaced them regularly, but now it was time to get them off the board. Nothing fancy but it seems to be working. Note to self: When soldering, pay attention, do not reach for the soldering iron and look up the TV at the same time.

If you broke a post it was probably the one to the left of the visor. If you do the "washer under the post" mod, it won't break or get loose anymore. You can really tighten it down against the washer instead of it digging into the wood.

posts.jpg

I finally did something to my Pinbot that I have wanted to do for several years. I got the trim around the speaker panel chrome plated along with the metal trim at the bottom of the backglass. That trim has never looked that good. It was a little rusty at one point before I restored it and polishing it and clear coating just didn't cut it. I have been getting Mike Chestnut to do some plating on parts on other machines and decided to do those 3 pieces too. I think it turned out awesome. I don't think I have ever seen it done before. I am sure I am not the first.
IMG_20140319_181838_599.jpg
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Thanks. It actually had a washer under it when it did break. I put it back. I did buy a few extra posts just in case.

I think that chrome looks cool. It is a nice touch for the robot that is pinbot.

I just ordered the blue/red displays from x-pin. Along with cointaker's LED's. Can't wait to install them. But I might have to wait, depending on how soon the contractor starts on my basement. Going to have the whole thing done including two bedrooms, a family room and a game room. I should be able to fit about 15 games down there.

That does look really good. I wish I would have seen that before. I might had went that route and saved some money. Definitely looks way better than the original trim.

Dont have PINBOT but I do have BOP, A friend of mine here in Sarasota has a beautiful one with the red blue led set up! And he wont give it up! Don't blame him!

Pinbot is the game that started this whole pinball addiction I have... I love Pinbot!

Ouch. That really sucks man.