Someone please guide me to the Xenon club. Seem to recall a club here or am I mistaken?
Have some Xenon related questions to ask..

All right, so I am in the process of restoring my Xenon which I’ve had since 2001. Right now I'm rebuilding the playfield after a successful clearcoating job. Some questions have emerged.

Anyone tried to add a skill shot to the gameplay by removing the left ball gate at the top arch? This way the ball could travel back through the spinner lane directly to the flippers if plunged too hard..

13_(resized).jpg
12_(resized).jpg

Also the size of the buffing wheels I’m using make buffing the metal ramp very difficult, so I’m considering separating the ramp into the three parts it’s made of. Am I risking that the ramp will be less stable or otherwise behaving differently if not welded together but only held together by the playfield screws?

That’s super cool. I really think the gameplay could benefit from a hard skill shot. Then I guess the job is to come up with a small fix to prevent the ball from bouncing back the spinner lane when making the spinner shot. Preferable an existing Bally SS solution. They only had one version of the shooter lane top ball gate that almost all games had up until flash gordon, right?

I got someone to help me taking the ramp apart. Pretty nicely done.

14_(resized).jpg

The ramp seems as stable as always when mounted to the playfield. But it will take some time before it can be tested properly. Almost blindingly shiny but has a large bluish spot at the bottom center.
16_(resized).jpg
17_(resized).jpg

Not sure I get that. Just wondered whether a shooter lane ball gate exists or could be made which doesn’t rebound the ball in exactly the same direction it is coming.

Purchased 30+ blue posts from Marco (like the one to the left in the photo) only to find that the color tint is far from right. Now I'm done with color.
posts_(resized).jpg

Valuable information. Was not aware of that.

Scan_(resized).jpg

This is the best high-res scan my scanner is capable of giving me. Compared to these original posts the blue repro posts have a strange violet blue glow. In fact they could just make them of the same plastic as the bumper caps.
I’m probably hypersensitive to post colors, I know.

Some pics from just before pf went back into the cabinet.

v_(resized).jpegk_(resized).jpegh_(resized).jpega_(resized).jpeg

Original old playfield with automotive clear coat. Really didn't need much touch up. Amazing how clear coat makes colors pop and the black so deep.

exit-chamber_(resized).jpg

You'll find many online stores that carry 1-1/8" (is it 1-3/16”?) clear ribbed posts.
My favorites are from bestofpinball.de. They look a bit more cold clear. Here we go again.

1" clear I can’t find anywhere.

Thanks. To clarify 1-1/8" is the original post size for the game. The smaller size just prevents a post underneath the plastic from scratching the paint.

image (resized).jpeg
Clear 1 inch posts do indeed exist. Found about 30 at a European ebay clone. In order to protect the plastics I did replace 8 taller posts (incl. the Kmiec signature post ) and 5 spacers behind the drop targets.
image (resized).jpeg

Dip switch #30 consensus

I have a printout of the excellent Xenon Rules & Strategies from Jeff's Pinball Pages that I have read from time to time. In the section on ball locking for multiball it says: “Collected X symbols remain lit from ball to ball”.

Which reminds me that it is a configuration option as you know:
Dip switch #30 Top saucer first 2 ‘X’ lites
ON: Recalled for next ball // OFF: Reset next ball

ON setting obviously providing much better chances of multiball.

I know what I prefer myself but have never seen discussed witch setting Xenon owners prefer in general.