#crazy-ball (1948, CCM) is recently up and running with just a few additional details to work out (that aren't related to game play--e.g., wiring on coin door for coin chute relay and game counter). Getting it working again was pretty straightforward, but not having a schematic felt like working without a net.

The machine features a "spinning bumper" that shoots the ball around the playfield or gives the ball a tremendous spin. Chicago Coin first used this with Spinball (which came out in May of 1948, Crazy-Ball came out in July) but then not again until 1973 with Hee Haw (albeit with a different style).

Principal objective is to hit the C, R, A, Z, Y bumpers (in order) to lite the "extra special hole" (for five replays!). Otherwise replays are won via certain scores.

IMG_4754 (resized).jpeg

The rubber on the spinning bumper was hard and misshapen, but I was able to make a replacement.

IMG_4716 (resized).JPGIMG_4717 (resized).JPGIMG_4725 (resized).JPG

The spinning bumper is controlled by a small motor on bottom of playfield that is run via a separate, smaller transformer in the cabinet and options of different voltages for controlling speed. It took a bit of effort to get the motor clean and working smoothly and quietly.

IMG_4759 (resized).jpeg
IMG_4756 (resized).jpeg
IMG_4762 (resized).JPG

Will try to record a video of gameplay.

Nice work.

Wow, congrats on Crazy Ball. Makes me wonder why we didn’t see this spinning feature more from the likes of the “big two”. Chicago Coin seemed to love gadgets.

Here is a video of gameplay of Crazy Ball.

The best recording happened to come during a game in which the main aim was achieved on the fifth ball (i.e., hitting the C-R-A-Z-Y bumpers (in order) to lite the "extra special hole" and then getting the ball in the hole (for five replays!)). The replay window is a bit small in the video and there is no knocker for sounding off when replays are won, but if you listen closely, you can hear the five replays being added just after the ball lands in the hole.

That's so cool, spinner really gets the ball going.

Great job on the video.

There's a project Bally Heavy Hitter 1948 ish I’m considering. It is a wood countertop game, a pitch & bat.

The worst thing I can think of is that it would need a pitching motor. Anyone know if something would be available if it needs one? Owner says it powers up, so the transformer is ok.

Any idea on a reasonable price?

Wow! What a great game! Thanks for a showing us the game play.

Adding it to the wishlist!

I just got my first pinball machine, a Gottlieb Rocket Ship. What better way to start than a woodrail? I was so pleased when my wife turned to me after about 15 minutes and said "I really like this game." Both are keepers.

Now for the newbie question. What if anything should I use to wax the playfield? I want to keep this thing looking and playing great for another 65 years. Well at least do my part for 20 or so...

Thanks for reading.

Take care,
Brent

Rocket Ship Smaller (resized).jpg

Nice game for your first pin. Everyone recommends a good carnuba paste wax on the playfield. Lots of good info on pinrepair.com if you're not aware.
Happy flipping!

I use One Grand Blitz Carnuba wax. It's great on your car as well.

One Grand Blitz (resized).png

This is what I use as well.

It's a coin toss between "carnauba" and "naphtha"; which is more often misspelled.
I think naphtha is the winner.

Yeah prolly

Guilty as charged.

Thank you for recommendations. I'll wax it this week.

I've been reading pinrepair.com for the past week. Along with Rocket Ship came a project Capersville. Without the information on that website I'd have no chance of getting that machine going. There are also a few things to sort on Rocket Ship that the website is helping with. Currently I can't get the specials to light when the last letter of Rocket Ship is lit on the back glass. It follows that it never resets so for now I reset it manually. I hope to dig into that a little next week. For now I'm going with a plan to only work on one at a time so I have at least one playable table.

Take care,
Brent

I would like to ask if anyone has an older 50's-60's Gottlieb wood rail that has a blown out playfield or missing mechs or backglass. Basically need a decent cab to start with. All elertical wiring and relays will be removed from lower board and back box other than coil mechs and the score reels for one player.

The need for the caninet is to do a Fantatsia theme and it just wouldn't look right on anything other than a woodrail. It will be the "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".

I had a Gottlieb Majestic many years ago and loved the cabinet design. The backbox was larger than you see on many of the older woodies and it had a deep lower cabinet.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/1957-gottlieb-majestic-up-and-running#post-608669

Current playfield condition of the wood rail can be rough as it will be used for testing until the final table layout is completed. Any and all playfield options will be considered with the playfield design, even possibly a bank of drop targets. One thing that will be used are under playfield magnets,.

The reason for a single player machine is to use the backglass to light up what portion of the scene you are completing.

The underplayfield magnets will culminate with the draining water portion of the story. I was actually suprised to learn of the first use of them by William's in 1947.
https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2596

I live in southeast Michigan.

Thanks
Mickey Fantasia (resized).JPG

still after an owner of a gottlieb double-shuffle from 49.

need front on and side photos of the original cabinet design, mine is gone totally.

20230826_171502 (resized).jpg

Whenever I am in this type of situation I look at the listed pinsiders who have it in their collection and send them a PM they are less likely to see a post like this at random.
This game shows to be in the collection of two pinsiders, an active user gottguy and a user matt7 who shows to have not been on pinside recently. I suggest PM them directly and hopefully get the help you need to complete your game.
Goodluck

Posted videos of gameplay of a few more Williams machines: Nifty (1950) and 8 Ball (1952). Notice that although the flippers on 8 Ball are operated by either flipper button, they are not impulse flippers (see earlier post about this at https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/woodrail-pinballs/page/35#post-7410162).

Thanks for showing gameplay for these two. Very neat.

Can anyone give me an idea of what to ask for an as found 1948 Screwball? Found in a garage; the glass has some flaking in the corner, but the PF looks to be in great shape, it all seems to be there (legs/lockdown/etc), nothing feels frozen, etc.

Apologies if this kinda question is frowned upon, but despite doing pins for well over a decade this would be my first woodie.

20230830_182507 (resized).jpg

20230830_182545 (resized).jpg

Great find!!

Also try messaging any owners listed on the pinballowners.com website

I have a collection of Genco games. But there aren't very many collectors for them. In that condition - bad glass, nice playfield (usually that orange fades badly, but yours looks good from the pic), playfield lamp posts are all there, wrong flippers, not working - probably a couple hundred.

That's about where I was at... I was thinking $250 for exactly those reasons (rare, good playfield, but limited market)

Looking for a base cabinet for a Dragonette if anyone has a decent one they would part with.
TIA

It's a great machine, I've had mine for about 20 years now. As far as playfield wax, I use good old fashioned Johnsons paste wax on the playfields and the cabinet, works great for me.
Also, don't know if you're interested, but Marco has a new plastics set for Rocket Ship, a bit pricey, but they look good.
https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/PP1976
Enjoy!!

Thank you. I did not realize the plastics were available. I'll check them out.

Any chance someone here has or can make side rails and lockdown bar for a 1948 United game?

Might be best to find a donor game. Seems to be some that popup from time to time that are reasonably priced.

Finally got a woodrail project. Two of them! 1939 Chicago Coin Tigers and 1957 WMS Lucky Inning. The playfield on Tigers is beautiful. A cool $450 for the pair. Excited to eventually dig in

20231104_171031.jpg20231104_171040.jpg20231104_171215.jpg20231104_171815.jpg

This is next up in the repair queue. 1955 Williams Three Deuces.

20240112_223956 (resized).jpg

20240112_224042 (resized).jpg

BG and Pf look very nice. I just restored one top to bottom and inside and out. Let me know if you run into any issues.

Thank you!

Just finished going through this one.

20240318_120121 (resized).jpg

20240313_201147 (resized).jpg

20240313_201231 (resized).jpg

20240317_153841 (resized).jpg

Ha was just playing my 3 Deuces and saw your post. Very nice. Looks great. I have a pdf of an apron card that you can print at Staples and mount to a thicker card stock.

Thank you. PM incoming.

I also have a file available for Three Dueces.
Funny thing is that there is a typo in the original card.
It is spelled as "Three Dueces" and in my file I also added a corrected version.
Look in the Williams section http://www.inkochnito.nl

Peter
http://www.inkochnito.nl
If you like my work, please send me a donation via PayPal.

Almost 20 years attending the Chicagoland show I can't remember ever buying a pin? We went Saturday and this one was charming and cheap enough to entice me to bring it home. Complete and overall decent. Backglass is toast. Has anyone ever redrawn this title.

Dealer (resized).jpg

DealerB (resized).jpg

Nice pick up! There are a number of good Williams games in that era.

I imagine just like Surf Rider, coming right up!

Posted a bunch of woodrail projects up if anyone is interested

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-woodrail-pinball-projects-allentown-delivery-ava#post-8195431

Recently got a Genco South Pacific cleaned up and running as it should. Currently have the original inserts and plastics installed but have some quite nice reproduction plastics and inserts for the kick out holes in the cabinet to be installed at some point in the future.
IMG_5969 (resized).JPG
Backglass is in great shape.
IMG_5967 (resized).JPG
Machine came with its schematic stapled/taped to the backbox door.
IMG_5825.JPG

Still have these projects up for sale, all 4 for $1200, located in upstate ny. To be honest I'm surprised that they haven't moved yet. Am I off on the pricing?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-woodrail-pinball-projects-allentown-delivery-ava

Probably so. There doesn't seem to be much of a woodrail market left except for a few notable games. Most EM projects at $400 seem to not move quickly right now.

What should they be at then?

I don't know. I only see the local ones that have been sitting on the market. Not sure at what price they're actually moving.

Personally I think it would be cool to have one woodrail in a pin collection. Taking home 4 woodrail projects to anyone but a specialty collector seems less likely. You might have better luck dropping the individual price vs. looking for a bundle buyer.

The most I would spend on an average project woodrail title would probably be $150. I buy, fix, and sell a lot of EMs. They just don't command very much money (most of them).