Day 3: (8 hours) 99% complete with the bottom side. Just need to solder in a few flash bulbs....
All is good.

Learned to work around the lack of small screws for lamp brackets. Use a small washer on regular hex screws.
-mof
201510_Sor-small-hex-workaround.jpg
201510_Sor-complete-under-1.jpg201510_Sor-complete-under2.jpg

Notes:

* having a donor playfield from a friend made this 3x easier than referencing bad photos for hours and hours and having to back out of mistakes.
* working on your own playfield where you can trust all the pre-used holes is 2x easier than having to create them all by hand when it's a CPR -- I still love CPR's very much, but just saying this was a huge time save. I look forward to sending out Nine Ball and Defender to HSA some day to get touched and cleared, at least I know it won't take > 3 days to do the undersides in the future.
* at least 3 of the 24+ hours on the underside was re-building the zip-ties. It's slow, tedious and worth it.
* make sure the dishwasher is in full working order next time a harness is due for cleaning, I found some soap on some parts that needed a wiping. I have already fixed my dishwasher, which wasn't getting enough flow...

-mof

Day 4: (9 hours) Experience taught me to not expect a 6-hour topside completion and to see myself playing it tonight. Always expect the unexpected.

There are several holes that got covered up thoroughly by clear. Some are easy to pinpoint, others are not.

-mof

A quick pick-me-up while I trudge through making sure all the holes are actually THERE.
-mof

waxed and waiting...

201510_Sor-wax-laid-down.jpg201510_Sor-wax-laid-down2.jpg

Missing hole #1.
Left inlane. From a certain angle, I can see concentric circles (barely) that suggest a hole was once there.

I took a dremel and a TINY diamond-coated bit and made a hole as a wild-guess. I took a small drill bit, and drilled up from the bottom only like 1/8".

I repeated this step from both sides until I got daylight. I then used a diode leg to clean out the hole. I worked it from there.

YIKES...

-mof

(see bottom left of pic)
"We have daylight. You got this one correct. Play again? [Y/N]?"

201510_Sor-left-lane-light.jpg

Here's a better shot

201510_Sor-left-lane-light2.jpg

Now the funny thing is that these holes SHOULD be lined up perfectly with the wire guides. Factory didn't ship it that way.

I may be adjusting both at a later date.

-mof

This one was much easier. I could see the darkness through the clear. The last one was flat and white and there was nearly nothing to see. This one had a good clue. I stabbed it with a poker, drilled it with 1/16" bit, then reamed it. Should be good.

-mof

201510_Sor-left-middle.jpg

Next step. Creating an outlane starpost hole. From scratch. I'm going to use geometry, and double-check my work from 4-5 measurements.

1. assume both outlanes are built the same (verify)
2. create a wax paper template from one good hole on one side
3. use poker to create a tiny mark where I think the new hole will be.
4. take 4-5 measurements from different other playfield holes to verify I have it triangulated right.
5. dive in and make the hole.

-mof

RIGHT (good)
LEFT (created)
TOOLS

201510_Sor-left-outlane-starpost-right.jpg
201510_Sor-left-outlane-starpost-left.jpg
201510_Sor-left-outlane-starpost-tools.jpg

Spent another hour opening up all the screw holes (as expected)...
Still need to cut some mylar and drop it on there, wondering what shape to choose...
-mof

Everyone should expect a little fill in from clear. You ream and redrill the top of every hole and move on...

I did not expect some holes to be completely covered and hidden by the white masking or playfield printing.

-mof

I was cruising along with the topside...
(re-using old plastics until I know *exactly* where the WEAR spots are and how to avoid repeating them in new plastics.)
-mof

201510_Sor-topside-progress.jpg

And then I noticed -- another missing hole in the printed playfield. I'll have to remove everything in the area, and do the same on the sample I have at my house. Make a template out of wax paper, and create a new hole.

I'm telling you, if I didn't have this extra PF here, I'd be SUNK with the missing holes.

-mof

MISSING

201510_Sor-another-missing-hole-printed-over1.jpg

FOUND (on sample)

201510_Sor-sleeve-hole-in-spare.jpg

I found concentric circles, hole is pinpointed, prodding/reaming/drilling commencing...
(cross those fingers)
-mof

Victory!
-mof

201510_Sor-last-hole.jpg

Remove old flipper return frames.
Order new ones from Cliffy.
Remove Bells + screws...
Polish all on the wheel...
Clean all...
Wax all...

Install, and look for the 1981-Excalibur-shine!

-mof

201510_three-shiny-posts.jpg

"We've come to see your finished Sorcerer!"
Excalibur.jpg

Another shiny pic...
Not gonna say light at the end of the tunnel, but there's a tunnel approaching soon.
-mof

201510_Sor-right-ball-lock.jpg

Well lookie here!
Time to call the Hole Patrol...
hehe.
-mof

201510_Sor-missing-hole-left_ramp.jpg

More progress.
-mof

201510_Sor-side-horseshoe.jpg

tech note:

To install this ramp, you want to SQUEEZE the ramp into place against the RUBBER, make sure the 2 screw holes line up -- THEN install the outside "flap" that supports and holds it all in place. THEN go ahead and drop in the two little wood screws.

The clear isn't cut away to drop the tip of the ramp down low enough. There IS a small indentation, and I'm going to go with it. initial manual ball rolls "SEEMS" ok. Ideally at some point, I remove that ramp and route that area about 1/32". There's a chance I could cosmetically lose something by doing that, so I'm going to hold off until I know a best approach.

-mof

201510_Sor-left-ramp1.jpg
201510_Sor-left-ramp2.jpg
201510_Sor-left-ramp3.jpg

note: add +1 to the number of T-nuts. Adding one back in now is a bummer.

note: add the woodrail + ball guide at top FIRST -- before starting the ramps...
-mof

I'm running out of parts to install... Safe to say, I can see the tunnel now.
-mof

Just when I thought I was almost done. Another missing hole. LOLLL

This time, as I started to poke the hole, and I scratched my clear coat. Just pointing out the dangers of this kind of work. I took a break and mellowed out. It's very minor, and won't be seen during game play.

Two lessons learned:

1. apply minimal force when making a hole
2. If there's a direction you "can" scratch that will be benign (under plastics) then lean slightly away from that area...

I was really lucky, and I made a line that will be completely covered by the starpost... No harm no foul.

-mof

Camera doesn't pick it up -- but you are looking for concentric circles where the clear coat puddled up over the hole. In this case, it's just BELOW the reflected spotlight.

201510_Sor-hole-near-drops.jpg

Of course you can't see it! But I can -- I've developed a 6th sense!
201510_Sor-final-hole-victory.jpg

Pops, and woodrails left.
I'm gonna call that seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
-mof

Al... most... there...

It's a boy!

And he's popping out Saturday afternoon...

And here's the fun fact. Didn't use the rotisserie this time. Nope. Preferred 3 painters-tape rolled up towels for bottom side, and 4 clamps for top-side.

I may miss using it for the pops, but it was otherwise not missed at all.

-mof

201510_Sor-pops-and-woodrails.jpg

Quick glamour shot. Decided to make just the center "robe" area purple.
-mof

201510_Sor-purple.jpg

I've already done a few test runs with the ball to check flow (rubber/metal spacings)

1. I drilled a new hole right away for the bottom edge of the left "horseshoe" so that the metal flap would lay tight and flush against the rubber on the star post. Took me 2 minutes to execute.

The ball sounds EXCELLENT when it goes up that metal ramp and travels across. Such a neat trick -- an improvement on Firepower II.

-mof

Moved a few machines around. I had the "Sorcerer Cadaver" in the corner of the garage for a while. Time to swap out the legs, levelers, and bolts. ALWAYS be over-stocked on common parts by 1 machine. I am so glad that I didn't have to wait 2 days for a Marco shipment.

ABP: always be prepared...

-mof

It's like seeing an old friend again... (relief)

* cabinet vaccumed
* All wires reattached (inside the head)
* MPU boots up
* woodrails installed

It's pops and go...
Get ready for a drum roll in hour or two.

-mof

201510_Sor-still-boots-up.jpg

Shasta is chilled.
Pizza has been ordered.
Time to take a break, collect myself, and then it's time to adjust the pop leaves, and drop him in - in about an hour or so...

WILL IT BREATHE? CAN THE DEAD LIVE AGAIN?

-mof

grape.png

I'll ask for prayers and a drum roll in 1 hour... Start thinking good thoughts.
-mof

* double check final tightening... check (found some loose stuff of course)
* double check final wiring... check
* adjusting pops now... check

* (oops) need to build out pop lamp socket wiring on underside... There's always something... Give me 45 mins here.

Soon time to maneuver the USS Sorcerer into Docking Bay Alpha.
-mof

It's time.
All prayers and thoughts appreciated...
Will report back in a few.
-mof

GI is a go!
-mof

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

201510_Sor-good-GI.jpg

As expected, bunch of stuff not working. Tomorrow will be debugging day:

Light at the end of the tunnel!

WORKING
* pops
* controlled lamps
* upper flipper
* scoring
* sounds

NOT WORKING
* lower flippers
* 1-2-3-4 lane change
* left inlane lamp (switch works)
* R standup (loose wire)
* 4 lane = dirty switch
* right pop sticky

-mof

Just a disclaimer for those hoping for a full 200+ hour HE restore: (I'm gonna roll in around 120 hours and give a it a rest)

Not doing this year:

1. new spinners
2. new cabinet
3. new coin door
4. painted interior cab

Might do:
1. new wood rails

Now the pops are out AND the drops wont reset. yikes... much to debug.
Worked 100% before I took it apart.
-mof

Ok just a sticky pop blowing the 2.5sb -- but not sure why lower flippers and lane change -- are still dormant. Suggests a connection. I wonder where to look for that...

Rest is unrelated *easy* tweaking.

-mof

Will listen for ideas here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/flippers-out
-mof

DONE
* assorted switches and lamps solved (easy stuff)

TODO
* get bottom flippers working
* drop lamps I think have a connection issue - might need a new socket in there

Now we are close...
-mof

I mis-wired the flippers when doing the molex. We have liftoff!!!

* Love the lightning flippers, I don't feel like I'm losing any slap-save-ability
* Love it with widened outlanes
* Center post MIGHT have to go in, here's why -- just like in Diner when a ball slow rolls along the wall after the 1-2-3 lanes, that line is directly SDTM. In Diner, you have enough time to get off a nudge and push the ball off that wall. In Sorcerer, the wall is 1/2 as long. It's a tougher thing to do, I'll see if I can loosen the tilt and make that part of the game, otherwise, I don't miss the center post.
* One reason I like the center-post out -- is now you are really penalized for missing the left ramp. That shot needs more risk, and now we have it.

I'll solve the 3 drop controlled lamps another day -- there's sound which alerts you to the hurry-up which is enough -- I think it's one socket affecting all 3.

-mof

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Someone needs to post a movie tonight...

-mof

Thank you for the kind thoughts, sirs!