(Topic ID: 225496)

Stern Electronics Club (1977-1984).

By Mitch

5 years ago


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  • Latest reply 37 seconds ago by bluespin
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Topic index (key posts)

11 key posts have been marked in this topic, showing the first 10 items.

Display key post list sorted by: Post date | Keypost summary | User name

Post #227 Various gate tips. Posted by cottonm4 (5 years ago)

Post #269 Hi quality thoughts from Cotton about inlanes. Posted by cottonm4 (5 years ago)

Post #279 Playfield touch up tips. Posted by klr650 (5 years ago)

Post #309 Stern inserts suggestions. Posted by cottonm4 (5 years ago)

Post #310 Seawitch gate flap solution. Posted by frunch (5 years ago)

Post #1033 Bally drop targets on the classic stern, even mix and match. Posted by cottonm4 (5 years ago)

Post #1958 Star Gazer podcast episode link. Posted by DRDAVE (4 years ago)

Post #2587 Link to 3D printed parts available from HHaase. Posted by HHaase (4 years ago)

Post #2590 Link to 3D printed parts by Swinks, available at Shapeways. Posted by swinks (4 years ago)


Topic indices are generated from key posts and maintained by Pinside Editors. For more information, or to become an editor yourself read this post!

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#1474 4 years ago

Selling a beautiful (mostly original) Seawitch in the marketplace.

Machine - For Sale
Seawitch Archived
Partially shopped/refurbished - “Selling my 1980 Stern SEAWITCH This machine is in excellent original condition. The cabinet shows beautifully with only minor nicks around the head and great colors. The playfiel...”
2019-04-23
Mississauga, ON
3,500 (Firm)
Archived after: 33 days
Viewed: 476 times
Status: Not sold: Decided to keep game

1 week later
#1501 4 years ago

Looking for a seawitch apron that's in better shape than my current one.
If anyone has parted out a playfield and has a spare, please let me know.

The decals available for restoring one are way off on the dark blue.

Thank!

#1514 4 years ago
Quoted from Winger03:

Similar problem with F2K. There are times when I really hit the target hard and it does not fall. Almost like it is not built to fall - does not budge. Other times, it goes right down.

This has nothing to do with repro targets. With the exception of a few warped batches, most repro targets available today are a near exact match. This is usually an installation problem.

I've gone through a lot of these games and the most common reason for this, at least in my experience, is how the target mechanism gets re-installed. There is usually a bit of play at the mounting holes. If the mech housing sits too far back, the targets end up being very close to the rubber rings behind them. In F2K this can definitely be an issue.

What ends up happening on a really hard direct shot is that the target will actually push back, hit the rubber and recoil forward again so fast that it never actually releases. It needs to go back far enough so that the small retaining lip on the target front can let go and allow the target to drop. Often, in this case, softer shots will work better because they don't cause this fast bounce-back effect. Hopefully that makes sense.Try loosening the screws on the mech a little and just force the entire mech forward before you tighten it up again.

Using oversized rubber behind the targets can also cause this same issue. The rubber should be taught and well stretched.. making it thinner. This can be difficult with some classic sterns. They sometimes call for rings with 1/4" increments that are no longer available. So, instead of a 2-1/4" ring, most people install 2-1/2" (for example). The resulting 'fatter' rubber can interfere with the targets ability to move back far enough.

On repro playfield swaps, this tiny adjustment can be even more of a pain to deal with. If the dimples for the mounting screws are not in the exact correct spot, the mech placement can be way off. Too far forward or backward, or even not centered left to right is very common. Pay close attention.

One other thing I always do with new targets is to take a small round rasp/file and clean out the hole at the bottom where the retaining pin holds it to the metal arm. New targets can be a tight fit. By running the rasp around the inside of that hole for a few seconds, I remove a lot of friction and the target move much more freely...just like the originals.

Hopefully that helps.

#1517 4 years ago
Quoted from HPR:

Repro targets are more flexible and when hit hard they just bend, hit the backside and do not drop. My fix is to mod them to be a little more rigid but not too much or they will break

This is just because plastic becomes less flexible with age... or more brittle. In 30 years, the repro target would be stiff too.

#1530 4 years ago

Nine Ball is notorious for trough and ball lock switch issues. If the switches got misaligned at all, the game gets really confused. Even a slight change in the pitch of the machine can have an effect.

#1533 4 years ago
Quoted from getadam:

Really appreciate the help @lotr_breath @cottonm4 @whridlsoncestood @drano - Nine Ball is fixed. It was indeed the shooter lane switch and it wouldn't close.
Now, since we're on a roll maybe you guys have a suggestion on my Star Gazer. About half the times when I drain the ball just passes through to the shooter lane again. It is not counting bonus or advancing the ball.
The switch looks fine. And it does know the ball is there since it's kicking it out. It's just that the software doesn't seem to know since no bonus count and no ball advance.
Ideas?

I've had a similar issue on my Quicksilver but it happens very infrequently. In my case, I think the ball is actually coming down so fast that it's not being kicked into the shooter lane so much as it's being deflected through the ball trough and back into the shooter lane. Could just require a bend in the trough.

If the ball is actually sitting in the trough and you hear the machine kicking out with no bonus... that sounds like a software issue.
Have you tried a factory re-set? Or maybe new ROMs?

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