(Topic ID: 70838)

Pinbot Fans and Owners Club!

By wayout440

10 years ago


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  • 462 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 37 hours ago by RCA1
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There are 6,055 posts in this topic. You are on page 23 of 122.
#1101 7 years ago
Quoted from Milltown:

Makes sense.. I c no 28v led that size at all any were.. bummer .. it's the only non led on the feild ..

Cointaker has bulbs listed for this application just FYI http://cointaker.com/products/1251

#1102 7 years ago
Quoted from tilted81:

Cointaker has bulbs listed for this application just FYI http://cointaker.com/products/1251

I recently used these, they work and look great despite being a little on the pricey side IMO. I'd recommend them.

#1103 7 years ago
Quoted from paynemic:

Hey Pinbot fans, I'm still having troubles with my skill shot. Stumbles before the ramp and randomly (50%?) goes up to the top. From a full plunge. Anyway, I've read a ton on this topic and spent a couple hours trying some of the suggestions. Here's a couple questions:
How does your shooter housing connect to the cabinet? My cabinet has a big triangle cutout. The housing doesn't bolt to the cabinet. It has a plate that sandwiches the cabinet to hold in place. It has a TON of movement in any direction. Maybe 5mm up down left right. Is that normal for Pinbot?
I read about loosening back screws of something to make skillshot better. I swear it was the vortex. Do I have to remove the ramp and mini playfield to get to that? I was confused.
Finally, I was getting 80% full plunges reaching the top hole (I know that's not the goal, but it's my benchmark for "fixed") on two separate occasions tonight. I thought, "fixed!!" And then realized that the left "hanger" from the apron that settles down into the slot to fully seat the playfield was not down. Once I seated it all the way down again, skillshots were broken again! It was hard to get that hanger to line up with its slot. Could my whole can be warped or twisted?
Help!
Thanks.

Hey, not sure to what degree you're still having the issue but thought I'd report an update on my end. I lubricated the shooter rod on my pinbot with some dry teflon spray, the same stuff I use on my bike chain. Since doing that, it has worked flawlessly. It doesn't get caught at the bottom of the ramp anymore, and the shooter moves much smoother than it did previously when it felt slightly more stiff or sticky. Maybe this can help you out a bit?

#1104 7 years ago

A few months back I also had an issue with the ball randomly not going all the way up the vortex ramp or stumbling. Also tried the chain lube on the plunger which did work somewhat for awhile. Upon disassembly of the plunger I found that the hole in the outer face plate had deformed and pretty much was pinching the plunger. Lightly filed the hole with a round file cleaned it all up and reassembled dry like proper. Now it has the original vortex wreckin power like I remember from 30 yrs ago in the arcade.

#1105 7 years ago

Cool.. thanx for posting this .. big help.. ordering today.. lol

#1106 7 years ago

Lol just ordered 100 bucks,worth of different leds from comet.. 141 bulbs.. the games they gonna,change...

#1107 7 years ago

Here is an ok pic of mine with the LED's. I am still playing with the backglass colors. I had the "Girl" on the right in red, but i think i like this better.

IMG-20160921-01701 (resized).jpgIMG-20160921-01701 (resized).jpg

It looks better in person.

#1108 7 years ago
Quoted from ZeldaOoT:

Hey, not sure to what degree you're still having the issue but thought I'd report an update on my end. I lubricated the shooter rod on my pinbot with some dry teflon spray, the same stuff I use on my bike chain. Since doing that, it has worked flawlessly. It doesn't get caught at the bottom of the ramp anymore, and the shooter moves much smoother than it did previously when it felt slightly more stiff or sticky. Maybe this can help you out a bit?

I will definitely try that out. I have an old PinGuy friend that insists that I never use any kind of lube. But I'm desperate

#1109 7 years ago
Quoted from mike240:

A few months back I also had an issue with the ball randomly not going all the way up the vortex ramp or stumbling. Also tried the chain lube on the plunger which did work somewhat for awhile. Upon disassembly of the plunger I found that the hole in the outer face plate had deformed and pretty much was pinching the plunger. Lightly filed the hole with a round file cleaned it all up and reassembled dry like proper. Now it has the original vortex wreckin power like I remember from 30 yrs ago in the arcade.

Do you not have a sleeve in yours? Maybe I need to just buy a new shooter housing. It's the only part I haven't replaced.

#1110 7 years ago
Quoted from paynemic:

I will definitely try that out. I have an old PinGuy friend that insists that I never use any kind of lube. But I'm desperate

Yeah, lube is a no-no. Dust sticks to anything moist, and shortly you will be looking at cleaning and reapplying - over and over frequently. Replace the nylon bushing. Should shoot smooth and fast, if it doesn't you have a problem with your shooter rod/housing. Pinbot should only require about half a pull to get it in the 100K hole, full plunges slam the top, resulting in the all-too-common broken vortex top over time. I had repaired mine using Steve Channels method http://www.stevechannel.com/pinbot.htm

#1111 7 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

Yeah, lube is a no-no. Dust sticks to anything moist, and shortly you will be looking at cleaning and reapplying - over and over frequently. Replace the nylon bushing. Should shoot smooth and fast, if it doesn't you have a problem with your shooter rod/housing. Pinbot should only require about half a pull to get it in the 100K hole, full plunges slam the top, resulting in the all-too-common broken vortex top over time. I had repaired mine using Steve Channels method http://www.stevechannel.com/pinbot.htm

I'll be putting a low tension spirng in mine so a full plunge only gets you to the top but barely. Friends and visitors too often just full plunge and slam the vortex. It's already broken but will put in a new one soon.

#1112 7 years ago
Quoted from paynemic:

Do you not have a sleeve in yours? Maybe I need to just buy a new shooter housing. It's the only part I haven't replaced.

What sleeve you guys talking about? Any picture of that piece (Marco)

Edit: This guy I figured. http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/03-7357

I guess mine was broken cause I only have the sleeve tip around the shaft, sleeve was gone I think. Still it worked great...

#1113 7 years ago
Quoted from Plumonium:

What sleeve you guys talking about? Any picture of that piece (Marco)
Edit: This guy I figured. http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/03-7357
I guess mine was broken cause I only have the sleeve tip around the shaft, sleeve was gone I think. Still it worked great...

Yes, that's it.
Maybe the remainder of the sleeve is still inside the shooter housing?
The shooter rod should be very loose if there is no sleeve in there.

#1114 7 years ago
Quoted from paynemic:

Do you not have a sleeve in yours? Maybe I need to just buy a new shooter housing. It's the only part I haven't replaced.

The sleeve was there although I did put a new one in when I had it apart. The problem on mine was that the hole in the face plate where the plunger goes through was being closed up. The metal around the hole was deforming causing the plunger to bind up. I guess 30 yrs of being slammed by the plunger stop spring can do that.

#1115 7 years ago

Was this,ever suppose to be every time 100.000 ?.it is the skill shot.... I replaced my entire shooter assembly.and pUT a medium spring.. blue I belive ? No play at all and still once in a while it won't go up the vortex .. I'm cool with it.. like 25 bucks threw marco..

#1116 7 years ago
Quoted from Milltown:

Was this,ever suppose to be every time 100.000 ?.it is the skill shot.... I replaced my entire shooter assembly.and pUT a medium spring.. blue I belive ? No play at all and still once in a while it won't go up the vortex .. I'm cool with it.. like 25 bucks threw marco..

For a good player in the right conditions, probably pretty close to every time. There's just too many variables (shooter adjustments, shooter rod, springs, rubber, vortex and adjustments, gate, table warp, leveling) I think the skillshot would have been much, much more accurate if it had it's own complete lane up the right of the table. Coming out of the gate, across the table and back in to the vortex adds some of those variables.

#1117 7 years ago

Pinbot skill shot is one of the best in pinball. Add the multiplier on good games and its makes it more interesting than the jackpot.

but yeah I guess it kills it when it's constantly inconsistent It's a skill shot not a luck shot.

#1118 7 years ago

Yeah. Mine is not consistent at all. Definitely feels like a luck shot when you get it...

#1119 7 years ago

That's what I'm sayin.. they were ment to take money.. not be in our homes.. so I belive u will make yerself insane tryin ? Any I've played do the same.. I replaced my shooter.. cleaned and waxed .. waxed the balls.. new rubbers and stI'll not always up the vortex..

#1120 7 years ago

And 30 years of play I'm sure adds to it..

#1121 7 years ago

Sometimes IL pull the shooter left right down up. And it seems to change..

#1122 7 years ago

I've been struggling with the skill shot too, but I think I might have it dialed in now. I ended up putting a small piece of electrical tape around the shooter sleeve to eliminate left/right play. This, in combination with adjusting the shooter rod so the tip lines up with the center of the ball should go a long way.

My issue was that the ball was hitting the rubber to the left of the ramp entrance, so it wouldn't enter the ramp cleanly. If that is your issue, make sure your playfield is level and maybe even tilt it a few tenths of a degree to the right.

#1123 7 years ago
Quoted from henrydwh:

That is a badass idea using red and blue LEDs in the visor! I love it!!!

Quoted from TheOnlyest:

I don't believe the game is actually supplying 28v to those 1251 bulbs, my understanding is that Williams used a higher voltage bulb to reduce the brightness. When I got my machine, it had 89 incandescent's in it and they worked fine. most operators had no idea those bulbs were 1251's, they look exactly the same. I'm using Comet Red & Blue 89 8-SMD LED flashers in all those spots and they work just fine too, no modifications, nothing is burning, and they look badass alternating red-blue when the visor opens!!

I belive they may be 28v.. I gave those a shot and they realy heated up.
Ordering the 28v. From coin op today.. keep n eye on those man..

#1124 7 years ago
Quoted from Milltown:

I belive they may be 28v.. I gave those a shot and they realy heated up.
Ordering the 28v. From coin op today.. keep n eye on those man..

I'm not having that problem with mine...

#1125 7 years ago
Quoted from TheOnlyest:

I'm not having that problem with mine...

Odd.. but who knows ..

#1126 7 years ago

Mine had 89's in the eye's when I got it, but they kept burning out really quick! Switched to 1251 and no problems! I am thinking the incandescent 89's could not handle the voltage, but obviously the 1251's are made for the 28 volts. Now as far a LEDs go, I have no idea how voltage affects them, I have looked for 1251 LEDs and have not been able to find any, so assuming voltage does not affect LEDs the way it affects incandescent , using 89 LEDs in place should work!

Anybody, feel free to correct me if I am wrong in my thinking.

#1127 7 years ago
Quoted from henrydwh:

Mine had 89's in the eye's when I got it, but they kept burning out really quick! Switched to 1251 and no problems! I am thinking the incandescent 89's could not handle the voltage, but obviously the 1251's are made for the 28 volts. Now as far a LEDs go, I have no idea how voltage affects them, I have looked for 1251 LEDs and have not been able to find any, so assuming voltage does not affect LEDs the way it affects incandescent , using 89 LEDs in place should work!
Anybody, feel free to correct me if I am wrong in my thinking.

Cointaker makes 28V LEDs to replace the 1251's. I have them and they work great.

#1128 7 years ago
Quoted from henrydwh:

Mine had 89's in the eye's when I got it, but they kept burning out really quick! Switched to 1251 and no problems! I am thinking the incandescent 89's could not handle the voltage, but obviously the 1251's are made for the 28 volts. Now as far a LEDs go, I have no idea how voltage affects them, I have looked for 1251 LEDs and have not been able to find any, so assuming voltage does not affect LEDs the way it affects incandescent , using 89 LEDs in place should work!
Anybody, feel free to correct me if I am wrong in my thinking.

There are 1251 leds. But if you want to do a bit of modding to your machine and want to use the more common (cheaper) #89 leds.

You can use #89 Led flashers instead, if you solider a 1 watt 350ohm resistor across each 1251 flasher socket.

Also cut all the ground leads off the warming resistor boards under the playfield and in the backbox. Otherwise the#89 led bulbs will stay lit because of the warming circuit for the #89 incandescents.

My pinbot has been running that way for over 7 years. Not a burned out led flasher bulb yet.

#1129 7 years ago
Quoted from ZeldaOoT:

Cointaker makes 28V LEDs to replace the 1251's. I have them and they work great.

I always forget about cointaker, are they plug and play or require a mod?

#1130 7 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

Yeah, lube is a no-no. Dust sticks to anything moist

It's dry lube. Stuff works awesome.. I use it at work on collar threads for machines. After using it at work w/ such good results I too have used it on some moving parts in some of my games

#1131 7 years ago
Quoted from henrydwh:

I always forget about cointaker, are they plug and play or require a mod?

They are plug and play. The hardest part was getting the screws out to access them from underneath in my opinion. You can access them above too if you want to remove a ramp and plastics.

I did remove warming resistors for the other 89 flashers but it was really easy and prevented ghosting. There are several threads about it if you need assistance.

#1132 7 years ago
Quoted from tilted81:

It's dry lube. Stuff works awesome.. I use it at work on collar threads for machines. After using it at work w/ such good results I too have used it on some moving parts in some of my games

I'm going to try it. I really think I don't have much to lose at this point.

#1133 7 years ago

i currently have an 89 flasher in one of the eyes in the back box. It is significantly brighter than the 1251. I have removed the grounds from the boards, as i have all the 89's converted to led. I have only had it in there for a couple of days with minimal use, we'll see how long it lasts.

#1134 7 years ago
Quoted from paynemic:

I'm going to try it. I really think I don't have much to lose at this point.

There are different types. I reccomend silicon based over oil based but it'll cost an extra buck or two also FYI this stuff works wonders for squeaky door hindges

#1135 7 years ago

Anybody know where to find a visor? Mines broken at the rivets and was taped back together with electrical tape.... mmmmmhmmmm

#1136 7 years ago
Quoted from tilted81:

Anybody know where to find a visor? Mines broken at the rivets and was taped back together with electrical tape.... mmmmmhmmmm

New ones are not available, you have to camp on ebay till a used one appears.

#1137 7 years ago

. Ok..... So this pinbot is quite the project! I'm missing the stainless guide that goes on the right side of the lift ramp. Didn't know if anyone might have one? If someone had the spare time a picture of one that's taken off would be ok too... I might be able to make one.... It looks like just 2 screws attached it to playfield

#1138 7 years ago
Quoted from TheOnlyest:

I don't believe the game is actually supplying 28v to those 1251 bulbs, my understanding is that Williams used a higher voltage bulb to reduce the brightness. When I got my machine, it had 89 incandescent's in it and they worked fine. most operators had no idea those bulbs were 1251's, they look exactly the same. I'm using Comet Red & Blue 89 8-SMD LED flashers in all those spots and they work just fine too, no modifications, nothing is burning, and they look badass alternating red-blue when the visor opens!!

Wow, seriously? I've been wanting to put UV flashers (Red+Blue=Violet, get it?)in those locations for years, and have shied away from it because I thought it would require major electronics surgery. You telling me I could have just plugged in UV #89 LED flashers and been happy by now?!

#1139 7 years ago

I'm pretty sure 89 will die in there. Previous owner did put 89 on mine, dead on arrival.

#1140 7 years ago

I'm currently restoring my Pinbot and my thread does not get a lot of love so here it is:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinbot-restoration-underway

I'd love to get feedback and some tips as I move forward. Cheers!

#1141 7 years ago
Quoted from Plumonium:

I'm pretty sure 89 will die in there. Previous owner did put 89 on mine, dead on arrival.

An incandescent 89 bulb wont last forever, but the Comet LED's seem to handle the voltage range very well, I havn't lost one yet. They do only flash quickly and not constantly, nor are they ever lit constantly on. Until one burns out or a problem arises, i'm sticking with them!

#1142 7 years ago
Quoted from TheOnlyest:

An incandescent 89 bulb wont last forever, but the Comet LED's seem to handle the voltage range very well, I havn't lost one yet. They do only flash quickly and not constantly, nor are they ever lit constantly on. Until one burns out or a problem arises, i'm sticking with them!

Mine were LEDs but the eject hole covers were melted down as well so may be there was once a problem where the lights were staying lit. Actually now I think about it, I'm pretty sure there is an occurrence where they stay lit. They flashes when the visor opens but then there is a moment where they stay lit right?

#1143 7 years ago

Yest, there are times during multiball where note eye flashers stay on constantly for about 5 seconds.

#1144 7 years ago

I'm re-building my pop bumpers and wondering about which color I should choose for the skirts. Factory is blue but it goes against the left/blue right/red theme. Red would be too much red may be. I'm thinking white.

Any of you used a different color for skirts and have pictures or thoughts about it?

#1145 7 years ago
Quoted from Plumonium:

I'm re-building my pop bumpers and wondering about which color I should choose for the skirts. Factory is blue but it goes against the left/blue right/red theme. Red would be too much red may be. I'm thinking white.
Any of you used a different color for skirts and have pictures or thoughts about it?

I believe I used 2 orange and 1 red to match the graphics under them.

#1146 7 years ago

This is why I have a love hate relationship with Pin*Bot. This morning, played 1 game, and then quickly reached down, and turned it off.
20161003_075410_001 (resized).jpg20161003_075410_001 (resized).jpg

That is 72,050 points with all 3 balls! However it did give me the Match Score.

#1147 7 years ago
Quoted from Plumonium:

Mine were LEDs but the eject hole covers were melted down as well so may be there was once a problem where the lights were staying lit. Actually now I think about it, I'm pretty sure there is an occurrence where they stay lit. They flashes when the visor opens but then there is a moment where they stay lit right?

So because mines all torn apart I tried this w/ some 12v led flashers and the sockets next to the eyeballs stay lit until you lock the second ball... in less than 10 seconds the leds started smoking! I quickly pulled em out and they were pretty warm! I do not reccomend putting leds in the 1251 spots unless they are rated

#1148 7 years ago
Quoted from tilted81:

So because mines all torn apart I tried this w/ some 12v led flashers and the sockets next to the eyeballs stay lit until you lock the second ball... in less than 10 seconds the leds started smoking! I quickly pulled em out and they were pretty warm! I do not reccomend putting leds in the 1251 spots unless they are rated

http://cointaker.com/products/1251

#1149 7 years ago
Quoted from tilted81:

So because mines all torn apart I tried this w/ some 12v led flashers and the sockets next to the eyeballs stay lit until you lock the second ball... in less than 10 seconds the leds started smoking! I quickly pulled em out and they were pretty warm! I do not reccomend putting leds in the 1251 spots unless they are rated

Amen

#1150 7 years ago
Quoted from TheOnlyest:

I believe I used 2 orange and 1 red to match the graphics under them.

Any chance you can snap a picture of it? I'd like to see.

A see in the gallery that someone did it using black skirts and I think it contrasts well and looks bad ass.

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