I am getting close to completing the design for my Wizards Tower mod for LOTR pinball. Really, I can’t replace the sloppy factory Orthanc fast enough .

What I am still working through is lighting color, thermoplastic material to use, painting technique, wiring connectors and clearcoat type. In the end I will offer a single model – no confusing options.

I’ll do an initial run of 10 units so I can test manufacturability, time and costs. The price for this trial run will be somewhere around of $70 and will be a substantial discount from my store price after they go into production. If you live outside of the USA, then add an additional $20 to the TBD price. Be aware that the production model after the initial ten may slightly change based on feedback from you guys.

If you want to be part of the first ten units, post below on this thread and I will add you! Here is a list of possibly interested people from my original LOTR club thread – if you are on here, will have first rights of refusal for these ten units, so let me know if you want in.

Gogdog, MrSmiley, Nihonmasa, Reznnate, RStone0407(confirmed)

Wizards Tower will include:

Hand painted diorama finished in clearcoat (testing between high gloss or matte)

Three (3) 12v LEDs hidden withing the diorama – connects to 12v/5v plug at coin door (or elsewhere per user)

Clear lens on top of tower to evenly disperse lighting – still debating how effective this is.

Simple installation – remove three easily accessible hex head screws from the existing tower, remove the clear plastic spires, slip the new tower on, route the wire behind the path of the dead lighting assembly, replace only one of the screws, connect power at the coin door. It will take about five minutes and is completely and quickly reversible.

The plan is to do these ten units, gather some feedback, improve the manufacturing process (if necessary) and add them to my store as a new product.
I am guessing I’ll have these 10 units ready to ship by 02.28.20 – this thread will be a great spot to discuss final details, yo!

NOTE – these photos below represent older, outdated and unfinished models. I’ll updated this thread after the weekend with models that are much closer to the production piece.

Thanks a TON for all of the input so far!

-PC
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I'll put you on the list. You are free to back out after seeing the final model and no payment until it ships.

Those are Pictures from The Big Chair... er, I mean my painting table. Bag End is for The Hobbit pinball but my next project will likely be adapting this to the Shire shot on LOTR. It will be hard to avoid obstructing the view and also I have to work out getting power to that area.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1139-pinworlds/02856-mod-for-bag-end-the-hobbit-pinball-machine-all-versions

I can't figure a good place to mount there unless I makes brackets for the wireform - but it will be too high then and look awkward.

Best place I can see it right on top of the clear plastic in from of the VUK arch. I think this will block the view of the left inlane/outlane though. I'll need to make some mockups for sure.

This is almost precisely how I do it for a one color print - you must do some painting yourself

If you are willing to pay an additional $20, then YES! I'll ship to Germany, danke schön!

NICE! LOTR has been in my collection, by far, longer than any other of the 25+ pins I have owned. It's EPIC.

Yes - I've got the initial ten, but I'll put you on standby. I should have these readily available a week or two after (assuming I can produce fast enough to meet demand).

WOW! Yeah, you know what you are doing alright - you could teach me a LOT!

Yes I will for sure offer package deals - but Bag End for LOTR hasn't been developed yet. Ultimately, I plan on having Bag End, Mt. Doom and Orthanc mods as a package - but I don't currently have a timeline on when (or really if) I will get Bag End done.

Also, and this is far off, I'd like to produce a Weathertop behind the Ring Wraith and get rid of that last piece of 2D plastic art.

You can't tell I'm a huge Tolkien nerd, can you?

Yes. I hate that flasher just sticking out like it doesn't even care.

One issue I need to work through for that mod is that it will be designed around the incandescent flasher (LEDs will be shite in that spot). If that coil ever locks on during play, it will get hot enough to melt whatever mod I encase the flasher in. Suggestions for that potential problem would be welcome.

The list is complete - but favorite this thread as I will continue to post development and availability updates fo sho!

A couple updates - I have experimented with various materials from white to black and shades in between. Darker materials prevent light leakage and are much better at controlling how I want the lighting to work. The top picture shows how I was expecting the top lens to disperse light. I am going to try to etch some symbology in that top lens.

Second picture shows how the mod is progressing and various base material colors and finishes.. White material shows better detail and weathering, but the one on the middle remains more true to Orthanc, which is a black tower. The one on the far left was printed in pure black and is not painted/finished at all. Also, I removed many of the fins on the spires and platforms as these were not consistent with Orthanc. The top platform has been raised, too.

The good news on the third picture is I think I will be able to adapt Bag End to LOTR. That location should be good and won't block any critical viewing areas - that will be my next future project

I just got my chosen material in last night, so I should have a really good update this weekend.

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Yes! It is the ancestral home of the Baggins in the heart of Hobbiton - it spans over both book series and pinball machines. If you look on both machines, you will find several references to this same doorway that leads inside Bag End.

BAGEND (resized).jpg

Bag End indeed IS currently available for The Hobbit pinball machine. It can be purchased here on Pinside, pinworlds.com or mezelmods.com.

It is NOT available for Lord of the Rings pinball machine. I still need to adapt and develop the diorama for that specific space. I plan on doing that in a couple months after I get Orthanc developed and available.

Wretched scum. &^%&^ Sackville-Baggins's!

It's not real obvious, but the factory Barad-dur already has the Eye of Sauron built into the flasher behind the tower. I kind of put that into the category of "good enough" - no mod needed. I mean, yes, you have to be exactly 5'-6-3/4" and standing at a 13 degree angle to see it and only at certain times.

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