As mentioned earlier DP installes nowadays a 'rubber' insert in the subway where the ball drops.

Took some of these inserts home with me and upgraded my subway.
But befor I did that I made a scan of the inserts to you can easily copy this idea

See the attachements

Enjoy

Rubber inserts subway (1).JPG

Rubber inserts subway (1).pdf

Rubber inserts subway (2).JPG

Oh wow. I thought you meant that completing any character’s letters a second time increases that specific character’s multiball jackpot shot x2.

Interesting. So it’s only Maude that controls the total jackpot X. I’ll have to pay attention. I think sometimes I have probably rolled the Maude letters 3 times and then gotten the scoop Mystery Bonus X, so maybe I’ve gotten 3X or 4x.

Thank you Rens!

Can we ask one more favor and can you put a picture or two up of a side profile of the foam so we can tell about how thick it is, or maybe measure the thickness? It looks far thinner than the typical stand-up target foam backing. Also how is the density? Is it really soft or is it almost rubber-like in firmness?

Maybe if someone in this group can find a readily available source for a good material, then can share it here.

It’s already in my subway but it’s isn’t foam, it’s more like rubber. Thickness I think is like 1 millimeter

Edit: got info that the material is EPDM celrubber

Installed great MOD by @Time. Lit apron looks better with this reflective, easy to install, plastic insert. Must have, for any with this nice apron. Specially looks better when no lights on at all!

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Can we order a little piece of this stuf from you @rensh? (Or do you know where to get it from?)

It should be made available for purchase from DP or CoinTaker since they are starting to use it in new builds .

Or you could just google that shit?

https://www.google.com/search?q=1mm+thick+adhesive+back+edpm+sheet&rlz=1C1GCEB_enAU950AU950&oq=1mm+thick+adhesive+back+edpm+sheet&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i10i160.14969j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Which one of those is celfoam, 2” wide X 1/32” thick that isn’t $60+ shipped?

Remembered I used to have an awesome neighbor who worked for a manufacturer of huge spools of various foam and rubber materials, and he would offer me scraps of handy stuff every now and then. Then I remembered I have a small roll of 3M adhesive backed rubber in 5” wide by 1/32” thick.

It’s not celfoam so it likely bounces more than what Rens / DP is using, but it’s strong as hell and the adhesive is great.

I’m going to make an in depth post about it over on the maintenance thread. I know I went overboard with the surface areas covered, but honestly I actually only covered the areas that were already showing wear on my 2 week old game. Lots of the walls of the subway get banged and scuffed. Notice all the pics of the bare metal ramps below with some sort of mark already.

Sadly I don’t have any part # or detailed info of what this 3M product is. It is also about 15 years old, so who knows what’s what anymore with what they make.

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Someone missing a toe?

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*

Decided to hang my rug on the wall and made a Lewbowski White Russian Station.....

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Mhh ... doe it not slow down the ball ?!

If you’re inclined to make a few more I’d like to buy one from you.

Maybe a silly question...wouldn't mylar accomplish the same desired "fix". I use it on ball drop areas ( mainly to protect the playfield) , but seems in this case it could be used effectively to protect the ball from some of the sharper areas down there, without impeding the ball roll, or potentially wearing and " crumbling" over time, which many rubber pads tend to do...thoughts? Anyone try this?

Rensh has done this.

Way to make me jealous...

That's a hell of an idea. The rug can easily be seen all the time, and it doesn't get worn down by being on the ground. Excellent idea.

I used 0.5 mm thick macrolon to cover the blank metal. I guess there are many solutions…

Yes and no, I think.

Part of what drove me nuts was the clanging and clonking of the ball down the metal. The rubber really quiets it down. I wouldn't be surprised if the mylar wore eventually with the ball flying down metal to metal on a very concentrated spot? Also, in the extreme case of the machines that had their subway joints break (some of the perforated joints like the main diagonal landing spots are simply not that strong), the mylar wouldn't deaden the blow time after time like the rubber or foam would.

Mylar can be a small pain in the butt to lay well if you don't really take time and care. No offense to those who've done it, but I've seen pics on here of some really lumpy and creased mylar on the subway, and that would drive me nuts lol

That said, Mylar is certainly going to be better than the bare metal. As I mentioned, I used that on the middle long section where there simply isn't space for the rubber.

I have done this with mylar but updated my anyway with the new material. Did notice damage in the mylar at the spot of the ball drop. So guessing numerous ball drops do go through the mylar (that is the kind of mylar I used)

This is not celfoam but celrubber. Think this kind of material is easily bought locally.

As it has a rubber feel I don’t think this slows the ball down, didn’t notice this at least.

I appreciate the comment, but unfortunately not likely to happen. This rubber is TOUGH and it takes 5-6 forceful blade cuts to get through each one, and it took me 4 hours to do it right. Granted if I bothered to make a template that didn't get hacked up, it would save an hour or two.

If someone had a similar material and a sort of machine that could press-cut the pieces, that would be the way to go.

Good question. Yes, it actually does slow it down. In some of the modes (i.e. car mode when its traveling all the way down the longest path) there is about a 1/2 second delay of the video screen changing and then the clip starting, compared to the bare metal ramp. It's funny how I mentally got used to the timing of the game the way it was, and my heart jumped a few times when I was playing with the rubberized ramp, thinking "oh no did the game just lock up!?" because it takes slightly longer for the ball to reach the bottom now.

That said, as I was doing all the work on it and testing the fit and finish last night, I noticed that some of my balls in my TWO WEEK OLD game literally have tiny rust spots on them. I don't quite understand that, and I've used crappy Stern stock balls at times in the past and had them get scraped and scratched and nasty, but these literally had little pits of rust. So either the game is beating the hell out of the balls or some that I got in my batch are junk and need to be replaced.

Also related to potential ball wear, I posted a week or so ago how it is important to go through the game in detail and inspect the ramps, and specifically the screws attaching the ramps to the various playfield areas. Several of mine were poorly installed at the factory and sticking way up or angled so that the ball would get severe damage if I didn't redo them and try to flush and level them.

With how I have the game tuned up now, I think my only real risks of ball wear are the VUK, the lower scoop and the upper scoop by the garage. I wish DP used bent-formed curved metal like Stern rather than whatever they do with the "corrugated" metal that "bends" using 20+ angled bends. It has to be hell on the balls, and mylar lays like crap across that multi-angled curve.

Agree.

Did this awhile back too.
Made simple French cleat -clamp out of wood.
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As I stare at the ramp in the pics, I'm more convinced the ball damage would be most prevalent at the sharp edges, not the smooth section of the guide.

I sort of like hearing the "thump" in my TAF, POTC, etc. so noise is not a concern of mine. Do suspect, however, the sharpness of edges of bends could contact the ball (i.e. right ramp concerns) as the ball is certainly not going to roll consistently down such a wide lane.

Mentioned earlier in the thread that I'd be reaching to my metal fab shop to see what they might have in mind. Easy to take assemble off....will update the thread (I'm into a couple other sort of complicated mods at the moment, but this is definitely on my near term radar...)...mark

When I purchased a pool table, I specifically got one with a "gulley" ball return system as I always found it satisfying to hear a ball returning to the main collection area after it was sunk in a pocket.

Similarly, the sound of a bowling ball traveling down an alley would be cool while a pinball is returning via the subway.

Mod makers please take note!

Really like the game, and the subway intrigues me a bit, as do a couple other things.... no telling what my path will be...

Not mod makers take a note ... programmer take a note
I am sure that sound coud be integrated with not too much work.

Nice idea.

I say, Put in the change request sheet at https://dutchpinball.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/dashboard?id=581bc065-9ac9-4235-858c-3e4bc182722e

I know this post is about a month old, but I am still making my way through it, reading from page 1.

I am chiming in to say that even with my new build, I have a TON of airballs off of the two white lock/light targets on either side of the dude ramp. Super annoying how often the ball gets stuck in the actual bowling ball return trough accessory on the left of the playfield. It's painfully ironic lol.

I did turn down flipper power two notches but it still happens often enough. Happened again last night.

Did you try adjusting the lower playfield window? A final adjustment on that eliminated 98% of my air balls.

hmm. It’s all perfectly flush on the surface. It’s when the ball slams into the Light Lovk targets and off of the corner of the Dude ramp that it’ll fly.

Done !

everytime i've tried to do this for a drop point or trail. The foam wears out, and locks the ball up in that area. Once the foam wears a bit, it's going to stop the ball.

It’s not foam but a rubberish material. Don’t think this wears out but we will see.

Also it’s only at the very beginning so think ball has plenty of speed at that point to avoid this

Time will tell

Also CaptainNeo see the material I used. Pure dense thin rubber and won't mat down or sink in like foam

time will tell, but if wood and clearcoat can start to divot. I'd think this would as well. Hopefully it does not.

Guess I'm missing the point....is the rubber at the drops designed to deaden the noise, or protect the ball? Can't imagine a ball dropping onto a flat piece of metal could cause damage. Now those sharp corners down there....a different story.....

it doesn't . Many games have metal drop points or metal walls that stop the ball at the end of the ramp. That's not what scratches up your balls.

Exactly....wanted to make sure I wasn't losing my mind...

Earlier in the thread, it was shown that the metal ramp bends are weak and can (and did) break since the perforation lets it bend very slightly each time it gets dropped onto. This improvement deadens the blow and reduces the impact force.

Also, most other manufacturers do not use metal ramps or subways with a coarse finish like these. If they were polished or at least typical in their finish, it wouldn’t be as much of a concern, but these will definitely scuff the balls more than a normal metal ramp.

I can see it improving the impact and breaking of the metal ramp points.

Ahh, both good points..I'm not a fan of the perforated bending solution, as well as non polished. Will share/ post what my metal shop makes for mine when complete. They do alot of serious metal work there, and created an amazing Alien Apron for me. If not too pricey I can gauge interest here. Think 25 is the smallest they would do as a batch w a price break.

I would be interested to see a prototype

Thanks for the black bowling alley ball suggestion Dude!

Just switched out my TBL's lower playfield ball and it is truly classic (resin ball) looking now. A top 10 "bang for your buck" mod to be sure!

your pic:
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Where did the Black pinball come from? Any issues with the Optos on the drain? I had an issue with those when I tried to use a white powerball. Wouldn't trigger the optos about half the time.

Nice idea ... I have for years a set of Back Alley black chromes balls in my partsbox ... will also swap. Very nice idea !!

Looks perfect!!

Black Pearl Pinball Balls | Back Alley Creations

https://backalleycreations.com/collections/black-pearl-pinball-balls