This helps tremendously. Thank you so much. I now understand how to look at the schematic and figure out how it works. I was wondering how all these numbers and letters worked and what they mean. Big big thank you.

Heres my schematic. And using this and my meter on buzz tone I should be able to verify that the wiring is going where it should be. I truly feel like I learned something today.

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Duplicate post

Keeps a hold on the end of the 1980 Bally Alley....

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That is a clean looking Skateball. Next door to Viking, I have a chance to pick one of those up. How do you rank the Viking?

I haven't had a chance to play a Viking yet, but if the price is good, I would pick it up and try it out...they didn't make a lot of them (2600). Maybe I can take it off your hands if you don't like it

Yes pick up that Viking faster then your truck can drive. Viking is one of my favorite games of all time and when set up properly (which is absolutely critical for this title) it is awesome. When a Viking plays bad and is not tweeked the game is not good. But when it is tweeked and fully functional it is a blast!!!... Tilt, outlanes, rules, spinner, everything. Everyone who play's mine loves it. I installed a NOS field in mine many years ago , full restore, etc. We still play the crap out of it today.

I'd go for that Viking in a New York minute. It looks like a great combination of Mata Hari meets Playboy meets in-line drops meets spinner. Nothing bad there.

No sir, I got dibs after Platypus

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Oh now wait. I have dibs after Platypus and Captive_Ball......I need another....Insert needle....!!!!!

Had to do it

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Looking good tdiddy

A few months back I bought a beat up machine for $500. Playfield totally trashed and down to the wood in many places, inserts sinking so the ball path is affected when it rolls over them. Displays and sound not working when purchased. Still, I love me some Skateball. It was the first pinball machine I fell in love with back in the mid 80's, so I'm never selling it. I had barakandl redo the rectifier/transformer and add a nvram and a ground mod to the MPU. He also reworked my soundboard and upgraded what it needed. When I removed the boards for Andrew, I decided to remove all the boards, the wiring, the display panel, the backbox and the playfield. Cleaned the cabinet out and prepared to redo the molex connectors for the wiring to the rectifier and the solenoid board. Well, last night I started on the wiring and did my first connector crimping marathon. After I had redone all the connectors for the rectifier and one for the solenoid board, I had this crazy idea to put it all back together and fire it up. So last night at 1:30am I finally got everything together and flipped the switch. Success! I now have a working Skateball with all displays and sound!!! The playfield is in terrible shape. But until the CPR playfields are done, I decided I would order a full playfield protector from Bay Area Amusements. I will put that on so I have a nice smooth playing surface until my CPR is ready. I think I may want the kruzman treatment on the CPR, since it's never leaving my house. But until then, I will have fun with this slice of my teen years. Cheers, Skateball fans!

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Nice work Steve! Always nice when you can play your games...not just look at them in pieces.

Put the playfield in as is and go with it.

Gosh, I have had my Skateball since Christmas and it is in pieces still and I have never played it. It needs a bunch of work still.

You guys are good inspiration.

Yup. Did it. Still gotta play!

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Test cutting was completed this afternoon and after three sets of eyes confirmed every hole, dimple, drill etc on the front of the PF is correct its been released to CNC cutting. It will take approx 3-4 weeks to cut and glue the PFs before they head over for prep and screening. Once ready and printed they are off to clear and you guys will see some NICE new Skateball Pfs. Small run of Centaur and another small run of Fathoms and then Skateball. The Centaur and Fathom are all cut and glued and are just going through final inspection before off to screening.

BTW, the back of the PF gets dimples not on the CNC so its a different process down the line.

Mike

Awesome!!! Thanks for the update, Mike. Glad to hear everything is moving along smoothly. New Skateball playfield is going to be groovy, far out, solid and right on!

Well after receiving my Metallica and playing it for a week I've picked back up on my skateball. I've been re-pining my rectifier board as someone decided to go ahead and solder all the wires to the test points. I've replaced the board with a new Pinhead one and I've gotten one connector re-pined.

I've also discovered another hack on the driver board. The wire on J3-8 has been cut and soldered to the board. And since I have new boards and the parts. Im going to re-pin this connector too.

Little by little I'll get it going again.

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Yeah, I spent a weekend bulletproofing the electronics on mine when I got it. Well worth the time spent.

Last night I finished the connectors for now. I ended up doing the sound one also. Still no sound but with new boards in the game boots and now flips.

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Up and running, still some little things to wrap up

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Looks beautiful!!! Nice job.

That is what a Skateball is supposed to look like.

So I've been running into a issue with the drop targets being over extended when the coil resets them. It lifts the target out of the channel causing it to sit higher and at a angle. You can see it in this picture, the upper left bank is the worst. Any idea what's causing this, never had a problem with the old ones, but these replacements are having problems

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Could it be the springs on the drop targets? I didn't replace those

Yup. The replacements are "warped and possibly cracked along the ridge on the front". I had this with some "new" Paragon targets. If they are not rigged they are able to flex and come out of the metal bank. I also think I had to bend one of the metal plates but yea your new targets are probably cracked. Found some good originals and was done with it.

I have the same problem with EBD's top horseshoe target when it was new.it still does it,but not nearly as much now.

So if the drop target is bent, if took something that was ridged and zip tied it to the neck to straighten it, that might fix the issue

Hi Guys,

I'm joining the club! Was working in Canada and brought one the week before I packed up and headed back to Australia. It's sitting in storage waiting for me to finish a contract in Chile! It's a younger brother to my HGT.

It needs a new PF or a skilled touch up. Also cabinet cleaned up and the usual board works and reflows/connectors. And of course a full clean and rerubber.

Question about the best cabinet stencils? What are people's latest thoughts? And colour brands and types.

Thanks!

Pinball Pimp for the stencil.

Yes, Pinball Pimp stencils are the way to go

Alright, has anybody done flipper upgrades? Im putting together the rebuild shopping list. Im following Vids guide. What are the clubs thoughts??

Thanks!

I know some of you will cry blasphemy on this. However, I am going to say it. As a collector of classic Ballys and Sterns, I have come to appreciate the classic stern mechanisms. I have put many plays on Ballys with linear and the before linear classic bally mechanisms installed. I used to rebuild the Ballys with the older Bally mechanisms recommended by most in the hobby. However, I did an experiment on my Flash Gordon restore. I changed the entire mechanism including the flipper plates to the classic Stern setup minus the coil. I always felt the classic Stern flippers felt better and after rebuilding flippers in classic Sterns I see why. The mechanisms are much more robust. I like the change so much I will be changing all my Ballys over when the time comes.

You're not wrong on this.
I feel the classic stern are better, but I suppose this only makes sense if you're going with all new everything.
It's gotta be cheaper to just rebuild the linear mechs?
I've also seen mixed results with the vid upgrade on linear flippers too.

My local guys recommended that I keep the game stock. I am not replacing much more than the nylon bushing and springs, oh and coil sleeves. I forgot who the dude is who has the bushings but they are cheap and save over buying more of the mech.

If anyone has a nice backglass I could sure use one. I'm buying a game and it's missing.

If you come to Belgium to pick it up...

hudsonvalley.craigslist.org link

I'd go get it for you, but i'm in China now...

Bob

I had to drop out of the Skateball preorder list for $$$ reasons, so there will be at least one spot available for anyone waiting.

I'm still hoping to get a bronze level one at a later point.

I like Belgium beers. Air/ road trip haha

Still looking for a "reasonably" priced backglass. Any help would be great thanks

Officially in the club as of last night!

Nice work Tommy

great game Tommy, miss having one, still on the lookout and still have a populated playfield as well

I installed my reworked power supply and solenoid driver into Skateball and turned it on for the first time. checking voltages I had 43 volts on the 6vdc GI ckt, I was easily able to determine that there is a short under the playfield that was backfeeding, although I have to find where that problem is. I am glad that all of my bulbs were out.

furthermore I have no 5volt on the solenoid driver board. It appears that that 5volt is stepped down from the 12 volt on that board through the LM323 regulator.... any clues on tracing that?

I guess it is back to the bench.

I was hosting our league last night, and someone scared the crap out me while I was playing GOT.

"Hey John, your Skateball backglass...(pause)...that girl has excellent nipples."

The pause was just long enough for me to think that the backglass got damaged somehow.

Saw one go for about a grand after taxes and fees today. In decent shape but noticeable wear in the usual spots. Probably had not been serviced regularly. The ball kept getting stuck between the flippers because the pitch was at about 1.5 degrees.

I am about to repaint my skateball cabinet. does anybody have an idea of what the precise paint colors are? I haven't done this before, so any input would be helpful.