These have been reproduced and *are* out there. However, they were poor reproductions. Often needing quite a bit of manipulating with a heat gun and/or dremel to make them work. So I say GO FOR IT! Make a proper reproduction. I could definitely use one (or two.)

I'll let someone else bring up any licensing issues...

Yeah I bought one and it works but needed a LOT of work to make it work correctly. Even then it is just meh.

we have the tool for the vortex ramp and are waiting for them to be made ... these are not the repro's that were made a couple of years ago, these are original tooling that were used on the original games.

Any sort of time line for that?

Since so many are broken, and the repros aren't great I'm sure there would be a lot of interest

Hi, let me introduce you. You nailed the first impression

Then make some, there are a lot of Pin Bot owners that would buy 1 just to have as a spare. 12000 Pin Bots made, surely there are a few thousand remaining in operation.
While you are at it just have that large blue playfield plastic that is on the upper left. Each 1 of those would also sell like hot cakes, from what I've read many of those playfield plastics are broken, and Pin Bot owners have complained, that they do want to buy a whole playfield plastic set.

Added over 7 years ago: Missed the word, 'NOT'. 'that they do not want to buy a whole playfield plastic set.'

The tool is with the plastic manufacturer now. We will be checking this week, but they have run the black version already and just color matching the red/orange.

Awesome news!

Any chance of Pinbot plastic sets being rerun?

Bump....did anyone ever get these ramps made? Everywhere I look they are out of stock.

File that in the same place as the B/W LED ghosting ROM patcher that was pulled because fixed roms were going to be officially released. That was 4 years ago. Zero released officially to date.

yup, I saw they made the black ones for jackbot. no red ones... Wonder if they would reinforce the area they keep getting broken at. Every pinbot I see is broken in the exact same place.
Almost got everything I need to restore this game. All I need to do now is get my other car working, so I have room in my garage to stencil

Rick's word is completely worthless and he proves that repeatedly.

Rick can't find any red pellets just black.

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I'm up for a vortex ramp just too have a back up......

I am interested in purchasing the vortex ramp if you ever made them.. I realize this is an old post, but it didn't seem to go anywhere. Did you make the vortex ramp you were talking about? If so is it something that can be made using a 3d printer? Is it possible to upload to thingiverse? Or does it use a different type of tooling? We have a 3d printer, but I am not sure that a print would hold up under as much abuse as a pinball game would give it....

So did PPS ever folliw through. I would take a couple of the orange vortex ramps.

guess no ramp was made?

I need one as well.

I still have the original which I replaced with a new one.

The one I have is cracked by 100,000 I had it glued with duck tape behind it. It looks good but isn't a solid fix. Don't know if the ones Pin Bot owner's are replacing are any better than what I have. If local send me a pm.

Also I have the name and address where I got my replacement October 2014. Pm me if you need the address.

Planetary Pinball - Bump. Any progress on getting the Pinbot ramps made?

I am also interested in a new ramp.

I never heard anything from Planetary - I guess they don't want to deal with it. I gave mine to someone who tried to write a printer program for it. One big problem may be the program he uses, but the arcs of the ramps are not consistent - if you look down from the top, you can see that there are various angles of the walls. Every section had to be "redone" to get the correct arc. He gave up since he could not get it "perfect".

I started to look for a modeler who could make an injection die, but that quickly became cost prohibitive, let alone the possible C&D crap. So for now, that's out. I ended up buying a BOP ramp that I am going to install.

I am not done trying, but this is slowly going on the back burner, along with other projects. I am, however, partially finished with my Theremin! Hope to have that completed before summer.

Guys ... the vortex original WMS tool is in the queue to remake (including the jackbot black version as well) ... it is high on the list and as best I can tell there are no obstacles in running it. I am getting the orange color sample to them this week ... it is sitting at the OEM plastic company that had run it previously, just fitting into their schedule and ensuring the metal flap is correct.

UPDATE: I have the sample of the orange ramp as well as the flap print, so waiting on the plastic company to verify the tool ... a question if this does run quickly is if there are any other color options (other than orange and black) that would be a winner? Like a transluscent Orange maybe? lmk

Agree with Richard that the fit and sturdiness are most important. Translucent in either orange or blue would get my money.

I'm for the original color

Reinforced design, both opaque and translucent.

It's the original tool ... there will not be any redesign of the tool ...unless everyone is ok with +$$$ for the cost of the part ...

On with the PinBot Vortex ramp!!

+1 vote for offering it in translucent orange as well. Will need the ramp stickers to come with.

Seems like it should be red.

I would very much like to see a translucent red or blue for the Jack*Bot.

I would absolutely buy an original tooling translucent orange, or even better, translucent red vortex ramp. That would look fantastic lit from underneath.
I have a repro ramp in mine now and it definitely isnt that great.

My mistake. It's red.

My vote is for translucent red to match freeplay's awesome repro ramp in the back.

Any updates on the Pinbot vortex?

Nothing but radio silence means the project is dead?

3 years ago:

3 months ago:

Either get out if the way and let people help the damn hobby in the ways they can, or put up the damn goods.
In the years since this was posted, you could’ve developed the ramp within the community, and conceivably made a better version (as many other repro ramps are better made than the originals.)

Have your morning coffee and chill the hell out.

OK, you're right. I'll give him another three years and a week.

Pinbot (and Jackbot) Vortex ramps with Flaps are available now ... RED (Pinbot), BLUE (Pinbot or Jackbot), and BLACK (Jackbot). Includes choice of BLUE STEEL or STAINLESS Ramp Flap Installed as well as the Vortex Ramp decals $79. Original WMS tooling, OEM supplier, Stronger Material, Blueprint Cut Flaps.

Planetary Pinball

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