I just put the foam circles from www.pinbits.com in to slow the ball down, also make sure the magnet is pretty flush with the play field.

Drop dead foam:

http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=131

Cut the foam size and stick it to the back metal scoop part.

The foam circles are out of stock but the link I posted above is in stock.

Foam doesn't work, IMO....tried a bunch of them, still got bounce outs.

This is the solution:

Take the ball stop bracket and bend it slightly forward - about 1/8 inch. If done correctly, the Doc Ock plastic on top of it shouldn't touch the metal. Just this small bend will guide the ball down into the saucer 99% of the time.

It works but you have to position the foam right and thoroughly.

I positioned it every which way....didn't really help. Once I bent the bracket down - no bounce outs. I posted this on RGP years ago - many people tried it and were all satisfied. If foam works for you - cool...doesn't work for a bunch of us for some reason.

Post back with results. I just got a SM and have the same issue!

That's what I do on most of the brackets behind the sink holes.

The brackets are mild steel and slowly creep towards 90 degrees every time they get hit by a ball.

Over time, the brackets become too close to vertical to force the ball down enough so it stays where it's supposed to.

Robert

Mine has been foamed since it was new so that may be why mine has always worked with the foam added. It is not likely to bend if you have the ball hitting the foam rather than the metal directly.

I think it should be essentially just slightly above flush with the playfield.

If it is too high, it will cause the ball to both be nicked/pitted and bounce going into Doc Ock as well as mushrooming out the magnet core.

It's not that easy to lower or raise for that matter as they put thread lock on the nut. The magnet core has a screwdriver slot not a hex, so it is really difficult to break the thread lock loose.

But if you are lucky you can get the nut loose from the core and then adjust it.

The really f'd up thing (other than Stern using thread lock) is that the core has to thread out thru the playfield, but as you loosen the nut...it pulls the core into the playfield. So if the core is mushroomed, it can damage the playfield.

The whole thing would be much better if the core had a hex, so you could put a socket on the core and a wrench on the nut to break the nut loose.

On 2 machines with magnets, I had to physically cut the nut off with a Dremel type tool. I could get the core loose from the magnet housing, but couldn't get the nut loose from the core; as it is really difficult to get a grip on the core.

Remember, the core has to thread out thru the magnet housing and the playfield, so if you hose up the core threads, you can't get the core out of the machine if it's mushroomed.

Some people have luck heating the core and nut, I tried and finally decided it was faster and easier to cut the nut off.

Good luck.

Robert

Hey OP,

So did you bend it, use foam, or both? Did it work? I'm having the same issue. My foam arrived today, but before I go break out the tools I'd love to know what you learned.

My magnet was installed too high and was starting to mushroom, so I pulled it out, filed it and "polished" it with some hi grit sandpaper then installed pretty flush with a cliffy magnet protector.

I could have sworn the magnet being high was acting as a ramp and lifting the ball off the play field, its seems quite right now.

I still get a bounce out here and there from the Doc scoop but it is much improved by adding the foam circle and bending that back ballstop bracket down a little.

The link above isn't the best foam to use. You want the foam circles, as mentioned by others:

http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13_45&products_id=247

Stern started using the same circles after the first run games (without foam) started getting bounce outs. My first run game came without that foam. I installed the foam and it virtually eliminated the bounce outs. I say virtually because 1 out 10 or 15 shots will still rattle out. Not many pinball shots should be 100% every time.

Bending the bracket should be a last resort. Once Stern started using the foam circles, complaints about bounce outs just about stopped. The drop dead foam is perfect if you get bounce outs from Black Suit MB locks, but not for Doc Ock. Get the circle foam, if that's not what you ordered.

I put one of these on the underside of scoop where ball hits when you hit the shot. That along with having the magnet flush with playfield and never had any further issues with bounce outs.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=689
image-71.jpg

All right, my magnet is clearly high. Is there a good tutorial on lowering that anywhere? As I said, this is my first time to this rodeo and I'd like to not make things worse.

Isn't the circle foam the same material as the strips?

No. It's much thicker. It's virtually identical to what Stern used.

The strips work fine for BS lock bounce outs, but the circles are the right foam for Doc Ock.

I have one of the last run SMs and mine did not come with foam circles. But I guess I was lucky and never really had any bounce outs. I added some DD foam in the back of Doc Ock while it was apart just in case. If it becomes a problem I know to order the circles. Thanks.

Weird. They likely ran out. Don't think they used those on any other game. If I remember right, Steve Ritchie himself endorsed the foam circles on RGP.

So I added the circular foam to doc ock. It is better, but I'm still getting a lot of kickouts. Probably down from 60-70% to 40%. Why are there 3 circles? Are the other two for other places?

No. They just wanted to make you feel like you got something for the $2.

If your magnet is high, fix that first before you try bending or adjusting anything else. If the ball is catching air there, foam likely won't fix it. Many have posted here and on RGP on how to do it.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/rec.games.pinball

Lots posted there on the placement of the foam too. Search on Doc Ock foam.

Well the blue pads work as well. It's big enough to make determining proper placement very easy. I had it installed for over 5 years no problems both pads will work. More then one way to skin a cat.

As I mentioned above the blue pad is simple to install and works well you may just want to order that see how it works out for you.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=689

I followed your lead and purchased a thin felt sheet . Only issue is all ACE had was color green . I wrapped it around the metal auto plunger prongs on my STLE. Do you think a piece of it would work in the DOC Ock. As you look into Doc Ock past the red optic and into hole. Where do I put the felt /foam/rubber .I am having trouble visualizing where to place it. Thanks a Million .Peace

Absolutely. And because it's so far back, no will notice what color it is anyway. Still, if his magnet is high, I don't think any foam will help until he takes care of that. You have to get it hitting the foam square before you slow it down. If it's catching air and hitting the top of that bracket, foam won't help. At least not for long.

On the bracket behind the saucer. You can see it at the link below.

http://ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=5237&picno=34620&zoom=1

I agree 100% the magnet needs to be even with the field that is a key to eliminating bounce outs. I had to adjust mine kind of a PITA but worth it for getting it to play correctly.

As mentioned above you put it on the curved metal bracket where the ball would hit when doc ock shot is made. Take a few balls roll them in by hand and take a look where they hit on the metal and put the pad there. I don't think felt tape would work in that spot you need more foam to take the impact and drop the ball directly down.

Just sounds nasty Keeping it in Doc Ock's hole is not appealing………….

That's what I did...it's like 90-95% reliable for me with full power shots from the left flipper. 100% reliable from right flipper.

So I'm trying to adjust / replace my magnet. Given that it had mushroomed a bit I figured I'd go ahead and buy a replacement. If I'm going to spend an hour taking the thing apart, I may as well pay 10 bucks for a new core.

So, I now have the unit out, and I can move the bolt some, but it appears that the core is stuck in the actual magnetic coil. I'm at a loss as to what to do now, I still can't seem to use a screwdriver to adjust the core, and I can't get it out. Anyone who has done this before who can tell me where I go from here. See pics, the top of the core is flush with the magnet plastic. I can get it to go down through there a bit, but I'm afraid that the mushroomed part will tear up the magnet.

photo 2.JPG
photo 1.JPG
Any suggestions?

Try to unscrew the core from bracket which can be a pain. Then push core up through the magnet instead of trying to force it down.

image.jpg

Could you guys post a picture of how and where you sticked the foam under the scoop?
Thanks in advance!