(Topic ID: 283253)

Williams Chime units

By Sixpack440

3 years ago


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    #1 3 years ago

    I think all of you know that the chime units on Williams EM machines are a bit lacking in sound quality. Sure you can tune them up a bit with a rebuild kit, but they never seem to sound correct (ear pleasing) to me. I dug in to this a bit and found couple reasons why their chimes are below most peoples standards. First (and foremost) is the lack of tuned resonation chambers under the chime bars to give the tone a long lasting sound. The plastic catch-all bucket underneath (even though it helps) just doesn't cut it. Each bar should have its own resonation chamber below it that is sized to the frequency of the bar. Gottlieb had the correct idea on this issue (probably why their chimes sound the best by most peoples standards). The second applies to all of the big three during the EM period. The first fundament frequency (and the loudest) of a rectangular metal bar (like a chime bar) has two nodes (places on the bar that basically have no movement during the ringing). These nodes are located at approximately 22.4% from each end of the bar. Ideally that's where your two hold down points should be to maximize the tone amplitude of each bar when struck by the (plastic tip) solenoid plunger. All three manufacturers use some sort of rectangular frame to mount the three chime bars which provides the same hold down spacing for all three chime bars. If you measure the distance from the bar ends to the hold down points, you will most likely find that they tuned the center bar correctly at the 22.4% node points (that's why the middle one sound the best). The outboard bars (smallest and largest) are compromised by have their hold down nodes not at the optimum location. I understand from a manufacturing standpoint this probably the way to go, but if anyone out there likes to work with sheet metal and can bend up a non square frame (or build some kind of adaptor) to locate all three bars at the correct node points, just use the 22.4% rule from each end and you will have a better sounding unit. Also, this approach requires you to make two new chime bars (the small and large ones) with the correctly calculated node spacing. Aluminum works well and it's also easier to cut than steel. Let me know if you found this post helpful. I'm currently drawing up a new frame design for my Williams Travel Time EM along with running some resonation chamber calculations. Thanks and keep your playfields waxed kids.

    #2 3 years ago

    The Williams chime units always sounded "clunky" to me. Definately could stand some improvement.

    #3 3 years ago

    The medium and short bars sound ok. The long bar sounds like hitting an aluminum downspout with a rubber mallet.

    #4 3 years ago

    By the way, when I re-painted the cabinet and head, I made a set of stencils for each side and the front around the coin door. I think it came out really well (super close to the original). Anyone that knows someone that needs this stencil set for 1973 Williams "Travel time" (or Summer Time), just let me know and I'll send them. All I ask for is the shipping cost. I'll post a few pictures of the finished cabinet if you are interested.

    #5 3 years ago

    I’m no expert, but I do believe that the hold down points on Gottlieb chimes were spaced in accordance with the nodes.

    I just picked up a Travel Time a couple of weeks ago. The chime box needed a bunch of work, so instead of rebuilding it I decided to build my own. I replicated the chime bars out of my Gold Strike with some aluminum flat stock and fabbed up a bracket to hold them and the Williams coils. I’m not sure what to do about the resonator box yet. I haven’t been able to locate a spare so far.

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    #6 3 years ago
    Quoted from Sixpack440:

    The first fundament frequency (and the loudest) of a rectangular metal bar (like a chime bar) has two nodes (places on the bar that basically have no movement during the ringing).

    There are animations of chimes and nodes at:

    https://www.funwithpinball.com/learn/chimes-vibrations-and-pitches

    /Mark

    #7 3 years ago
    Quoted from jasonspoint28:

    I’m no expert, but I do believe that the hold down points on Gottlieb chimes were spaced in accordance with the nodes.
    I just picked up a Travel Time a couple of weeks ago. The chime box needed a bunch of work, so instead of rebuilding it I decided to build my own. I replicated the chime bars out of my Gold Strike with some aluminum flat stock and fabbed up a bracket to hold them and the Williams coils. I’m not sure what to do about the resonator box yet. I haven’t been able to locate a spare so far.
    [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    Nice work...and I stand corrected, Gottlieb does indeed have unique spacing (at the nodes) for each of their three chime bars (another reason they sound better). As far as resonator boxes, if you have access to a 3-D printer and can reverse engineer the Gottlieb chambers, generate a solid computer model and print them, that might be a place to start. Especially if you are only doing a few of them.

    #8 3 years ago

    Great animation of pinball chimes. Thanks.

    #9 3 years ago
    Quoted from Sixpack440:

    As far as resonator boxes, if you have access to a 3-D printer and can reverse engineer the Gottlieb chambers, generate a solid computer model and print them, that might be a place to start. Especially if you are only doing a few of them.

    Thanks, that’s a good idea! Any advice on generating a computer model? I assume there’s some software for that?

    I’ll have to check the chime bars I cut to see if they follow the 22.4% rule. Thanks for the info.

    I used 6063 aluminum from Menards for the bars, but found some 6061 from a local metal supplier after I had them cut. If I cut another set, I’ll try the 6061 for the next set to see if there’s much difference in the sound.

    #10 3 years ago
    Quoted from jasonspoint28:

    Thanks, that’s a good idea! Any advice on generating a computer model? I assume there’s some software for that?
    I’ll have to check the chime bars I cut to see if they follow the 22.4% rule. Thanks for the info.
    I used 6063 aluminum from Menards for the bars, but found some 6061 from a local metal supplier after I had them cut. If I cut another set, I’ll try the 6061 for the next set to see if there’s much difference in the sound.

    The density between 6063 and the 6061 aircraft Aluminum is about the same (6061 is just alloyed to have a higher tensile strength). You may find they sound better based on that, let me know. Thanks.

    1 week later
    #11 3 years ago

    If anyone is interested in a set of stencils (yellow and orange) for I made them myself out of poster board based on tracing the original faded artwork on the cabinet. The set includes six stencils (2 front, 2 sides and 2 head). Anyone needing these still usable stencils, let me know and I'll send them to you (just pay me for the shipping and there yours).

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    #12 3 years ago
    Quoted from jasonspoint28:

    Thanks, that’s a good idea! Any advice on generating a computer model? I assume there’s some software for that?
    I’ll have to check the chime bars I cut to see if they follow the 22.4% rule. Thanks for the info.
    I used 6063 aluminum from Menards for the bars, but found some 6061 from a local metal supplier after I had them cut. If I cut another set, I’ll try the 6061 for the next set to see if there’s much difference in the sound.

    I have a 3-D solid Modeling program called Solid works. Pretty user friendly and it is able to export the solid model file in a variety of different formats that most 3-D printers can digest. My suggestion is to just make a rough sketch (with dimensions) of the Gottlieb resonator boxes and give it to someone who can model it up in 3-D on the computer. That model is pretty simple to build on the computer. A person proficient with the software should be able to knock it out in less than 30 minutes if they have the dimensioned sketch in front of them. After that it's just a mater of exporting the solid model file in the format that the 3-D printer needs, upload it to the 3-D printer, hit the go button and wait for the product. You'll probably need to fabricate some sort of bracket to mount all three resonation chambers to the chime frame (gluing is the best attachment method), but that's not a huge deal. Just try any get the inlet slot of each chamber close to the end of the bar where the most motion is during ringing.

    #13 3 years ago

    Thanks for all the advice. I was able to find a resonator box on EBay, buts it seems to be in shipping limbo right now, so lord only knows if or when I will actually see it. I may end up going the 3-D printing route yet.

    ...get the inlet slot close to the end of the bar...good to know.

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