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How To Properly Store Your Pinball Machine

Andrew MacBain — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 23:43:45 +0000

How To Properly Store Your Pinball Machine

If you are thinking about adding a pinball machine to your home, you are not alone. Many homeowners are purchasing pinball machines in hopes that their kids will enjoy this beloved game just as much as they did (and to indulge in a little nostalgia). But when you add a pinball machine to your home, you must know how to treat it. Storage is an important part of caring for your machine and making it last.

What is the proper way to store pinball machines? Pinball machines should always be in a climate-controlled area. The best place for your pinball machine is inside of your home. Too much moisture, heat, or humidity can cause significant damage to the pinball machine. If you decide to store it in a garage or basement, it is recommended to have the pinball machine up off the floor to avoid potential water damage.

Taking proper care of your pinball machine is critical to its lifespan. The good news is that a pinball machine is easy to take care of, but you need to make sure you are doing it the right way. One important aspect of pinball ownership is proper storage, and this article will provide you with the best details on how to store a pinball machine.

Why Is It Important to Properly Store a Pinball Machine?

Think of your pinball machine like you would any other type of gaming system or device. You wouldn’t toss your expensive PlayStation 4 into the basement without a thought, so why drag your pinball machine down there and expect it to be fine? Sure, pinball machines are much larger than most current gaming systems, but it doesn’t mean that they can be neglected.

Without proper storage, your pinball machine can be affected in many ways. The biggest issue is that the overall system can malfunction and become damaged from excessive heat, humidity, or moisture. Additionally, there is also the problem of dust accumulating in the pinball machine, which can cause the pinball machine to stop working properly.

Another thing to worry about when it comes to storage is the possibility of water destroying the pinball machine. Certain areas, such as a garage or basement, are more prone to leaks and floods, which can have a seriously negative impact on your pinball machine and potentially destroy the sensitive electronics or damage the entire cabinet.

Proper storage is imperative for the functionality of your pinball machine. Continue reading to find out some of the best places to store your pinball machine and how to store it correctly to avoid damage.

How to Properly Store a Pinball Machine

The best place for your pinball machine to be stored is inside of your house. In most cases, the inside of the home is going to be climate-controlled to suit you and your family. This means that the humidity levels will be relatively low, and the temperature should never rise too high or drop too low.

If you can, find a spot in your home to place your pinball machine. Your machine will be the safest in this environment You also won’t have to worry about cleaning your pinball machine too often while it is inside because there is less of a chance of dust or dirt accumulating in the playfield. Of course, it’s probably best to keep it out of direct sunlight since the sunlight can cause the machine to deteriorate over time.

But what should a pinball machine owner do if he can’t find room in his home? What if he needs a temporary space to place his precious device? If you can’t store your pinball machine in the home, there are a few other options. However, you will need to take extra precautions when using these areas.

The Basement or Garage

The most common places you might find a pinball machine stored in are garages and basements. After all, many people have basements and garages that can make excellent storage spots for their pinball machines. Does your garage or basement have to be finished, though? Of course, not. Even unfinished areas like these are great places to store different things.

Related Post In Air Hockey, Are You Allowed To Stop The Puck?

But when you opt for a basement or garage, you need to be extra careful. Always make sure that the humidity levels don’t rise too high in the basement or garage. Humidity can have the biggest impact on pinball machines and can render them unplayable if exposed to too much humidity. Always check the levels, especially if you live in an area that is prone to high humidity.

If you live in an area where the humidity is high over the summer time then investing in good dehumidifier is a good option to keep your basement moisture free. If moisture collects inside of your machine it will quickly begin damaging a variety of components.

The other thing to worry about is potential leaks or floods. Since basements and garages are prone to these disasters, it is a good idea to place the pinball machine up off the floor by using a wood pallet or another similar item to keep it safe. As you can imagine, water getting into your pinball machine is going to cause significant damage, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Self-Storage

Many people may end up using a self-storage facility to house their pinball machines temporarily. This is a great option because self-storage locations are generally climate-controlled, and you won’t run the risk of moisture destroying your machine. This leaves the owner feeling confident and secure.

I wouldn’t store it in a self storage facility that isn’t climate controlled. Often the climate controlled units are more expensive but being that you spent thousands on your pinball machine a few extra dollars a month is well worth it to keep it in good condition.

Clean Your Machine Before Storing

For the most part, running a cloth across the playfield of your pinball machine regularly is enough to keep it functioning and increase its lifespan. This should be done as much as possible while in storage. If kept in the home, you will only need to clean it every couple of weeks.

Don’t Wrap Your Pinball Machine

Some people might think that they should wrap their pinball machine to keep it safe. This is mostly because many items that are kept in storage and should be handled with care, such as a glass table, will likely be covered with a blanket of some sort. But should you cover your pinball machine?

The simple answer is no. You should not cover your pinball machine while it is in storage. This will make it easier for dust and dirt to find itself into the smaller crevices of your pinball machine, which will make the grime harder to remove once out of storage.

Conclusion

Taking care of your pinball machine is an important task. If you need to store a pinball machine, the best option is inside of your home. If you cannot keep your pinball machine in your home, you must find another climate-controlled area. Humidity and moisture can wreak havoc on a pinball machine, so keep your device as far away from them as possible.

If you’re honest with yourself, though – You will probably be playing your pinball machine much too often to need to store it except for in rare instances like a move.

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Pinball Adventures is a North American manufacturing company producing fresh and unique Pinball machines. Our goal is to create to the highest standards, and spark the same joy we found as gamers when we rolled our first quarter into that coin slot so many years ago. Stemming from a lifelong passion, Pinball Adventures is created by gamers, for gamers. We strive to bring high quality, innovative, and captivating experiences for all to enjoy.

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

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Pinball Adventures Is On YouTube

Andrew MacBain — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 23:19:07 +0000

As some of you may know, We are now on YouTube!

Pinball Adventures Is On YouTube

We are going to be releasing a 10 part series on how The Punny Factory Pinball Machine came to be as well as 10 mini videos of rules and gameplay after every video.

Here are the topics of each video exclusively released here on Pinball Buzz

Idea, Concept & Rules
Engineering
Prototype & Whiteboard
Artwork
Sound Affect & Animation
Programming
Full Prototype & Cabinets
Trims
Testing
Final Modification

The first video is now out and you can watch it here!

Rules and Gameplay #1

We will be releasing each video one at a time leading up to the release of The Punny Factory. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at thepinballbuzz@gmail.com

Feedback on the videos are appreciated in the comment section of the videos. Remember to like and subscribe. Thank you for your support!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/?hl=en

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

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Injection Molding DIY & Process

Andrew MacBain — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 01:18:15 +0000

Looking to make a customized toy for your pinball machine? We got you covered with the DIY Injection Molding process and what you’d need!

Injection Molding DIY & Process

What Is Injection Molding?

It a process used for manufacturing a wide variety of items from small components to large ones. It uses a granular plastic that is gravity fed from a hopper, forced into a heated chamber by a screw-type plunger, melted, and then pressed against the mold. It then cools and is removed as a solid part. Rapid injection molding uses aluminum molds that are quick to make, while large-scale production typically uses steel molds.

Injection fabrication makes it possible to produce parts in large volumes. This is why it is typically used in mass-production processes, where thousands or even millions of parts are needed. The biggest drawback, really, is that the tooling time and costs required to set up for the molding process make the technique inappropriate for small batch production runs (luckily we have 3D printing for that now).

What You Need for DIY Injection Molding

Building a setup for DIY injection molding does require some investment. It takes both money and time to acquire the right equipment and to master using it. However, these costs are in many cases still lower than the cost of a single metal mold, so the eventual time and cost savings, once you’re up and running, will easily offset the initial effort. source.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

A high-performance desktop SLA 3D printer, like the Formlabs’ Form 3. The Form 3 can produce accurate molds with crisp features, and a smooth surface finish that will yield high-quality final molded parts. Beyond DIY injection molding, an SLA 3D printer is also a valuable asset for prototyping and other applications throughout product development.
A 3D printing material that can withstand the temperature and pressure on the mold during the injection molding process. We recommend the following materials for Formlabs SLA 3D printers:
- Rigid 10K Resin is an industrial-grade, highly glass-filled material, which provides a solution that can cope with a wider variety of geometries and injection molding processes. It has an HDT of 218°C @ 0.45 MPa and a tensile modulus of 10,000 MPa, making it strong, extremely stiff, and thermally stable.
- High Temp Resin offers a heat deflection temperature is 238 °C @ 0.45 MPa that is suitable for injection molding. This material is more brittle, but is recommended for materials with a high molding temperature and to reduce cooling time.
- Grey Pro Resin has a lower thermal conductivity than High Temp Resin or Rigid Resin, which leads to a longer cooling time, but it is softer and can wear hundreds of cycles.
A benchtop injection-molding machine, such as the Galomb Model-B100 or the Holipress. There are a number of benchtop injection molders on the market that vary in cost. Many of the lower cost molders use a hand-driven plunger, while some of the more expensive units use a screw or pneumatic system. Some of our customers have recommended systems from Minijector, Morgan, APSX, or Micromolder as well. Desktop automated molders such as the product line from Babyplast are good alternatives for mass production of small parts.
Plastic pellets of your choice
A CAD software tool of your preference to design the mold insert, such as Blender, which you can download for free

The injection molding process cycle follows 4 stages and typically takes between two seconds and two minutes per part

Clamping

This is the part where two halves of the molds are securely closed by the clamping unit. Hydraulic power is used to keep the clamping unit in place while the specific material is injected (typically a thermoplastic).

Injection

At this stage, raw plastic material or pellets are fed into the injection molding machine, pushed into the injection unit, melted and then injected into the mold.

Cooling

Cooling allows the molten plastic to solidify and take the shape of the mold. There are specific cooling times for different parts and components, depending on the maximum wall thickness of the part and the thermodynamic properties of the plastic material

Ejection

An ejection system is used to push the molded part out of the clamping unit. A mold release agent may be sprayed onto the surface of the mold cavity before injection to facilitate easy ejection and prevent damage to the new part.

What are the benefits of injection molding?

Low production costs

In injection molded manufacturing, the price per unit is extremely low. The most significant costs are the setup costs. As more parts are produced, the price tends to drop drastically. Once the initial costs of fabrication have been paid, the profit margin can be quite wide. This makes financial sense in the business front, so long as there is a demand to satisfy the production.

Low scrap rates

Unlike traditional manufacturing processes, where a substantial percentage of an original block or sheet is cut away during production, injection molding cuts with accuracy and waste plastic usually come from overflow material that leaks out of the cavity. It can also come from runners, sprue, and gate locations.

Repeatable and consistent

As a process used in high-volume production, injection molding is ideal for producing practically identical parts. Each part produced is going to be the same as the first one, which is important for consistency and reliability.

Of course, injection molding is not perfect. But its benefits often outweigh the disadvantages.

A major challenge in injection molding is designing a mold. The main focus is usually on the finished products, but no part would be made without the mold from which it is formed. The design aspect of a component is often overlooked, but it is the most important.

Thanks for reading

Injection Molding DIY & Process

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

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Process of Manufacturing A Pinball Machine

Andrew MacBain — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 01:00:34 +0000

Curious about the process of making a pinball machine? Look no further, Pinball Adventures is here with some information

Process of Manufacturing A Pinball Machine

Design

While a new pinball game took only 20-30 hours to manufacture, the design process was far more protracted. Designing a new game took a team of professionals from 12-18 months, and the investment cost could run up to a million dollars. Games were designed by teams, with members taking on specialized tasks. The team included a game designer, who came up with the game concept and generally organized the other members; a software developer; an artist to come up with the backglass art and playing field graphics; a mechanical engineer, responsible for the design of all the gadgets on the playing field; a sound designer to create the music and other sound effects for the game; a mechanical designer, who brought together the drawings and designs from other team members; an animator to animate images on the scoring display; an electrical engineer and a cable designer to work out the circuitry and wiring; sculptors and model-makers to build the prototype devices for the playing field, and a publications writer to write the technical documents and manuals. The team might include other people, as well, such as someone who kept track of the cost of materials, and people working in marketing, sales, and licensing.

The design work starts with a concept, which might be an original idea or might come from a licensed product, such as a movie. After the concept is agreed upon, the design team works on the layout of the playing field. Designers fiddle with placements of any special elements the game will have, and try to work out how the player will make shots leading to the element. The placement of ramps, flippers, kickers, tilt mechanisms, and such is planned out, while the mechanical engineer produces prototypes for the special elements.

After the playfield design is more or less completed, the team then produces what is called a whitewood version of the game. This is a bare plywood prototype of the

A. Playfield. B. Flipper mechanism. C. Pop bumper.

playfield. The designers use computer assisted design (CAD) software to record their plans, and this software is then used to control a computer-driven routing machine that cuts the board. The game elements for the whitewood are made by hand and glued on. Lights, ramps, and flippers are added. The whitewood may go through many revisions, as placements are changed or elements taken off or added. When the design seems satisfactory, the whitewood is wired to make it playable. Meanwhile the software developer has been creating the unique software to control the game. Williams, the last major American pinball manufacturer, had developed its own proprietary pinball operating system so that a basic framework could be used for each game, simplifying the design process. The software developer also works with the lighting and sound designers and animators to run all these effects. At the whitewood stage, the designers can actually play the game they have created, and work on developing rules.

Meanwhile the artist creates sketches for the backglass. If the game is based on a licensed theme, the artist needs to submit sketches for approval to the licensing agency. When the whitewood is near its final form, the artist makes sketches for the playfield. Pinball artists in the 1990s utilized traditional media such as pen and ink and paint, as well as computer graphics.

While the game is in development, team members keep constant track of how much the game might cost to make. If parts need to be ordered from an outside vendor, the team needs to retrieve estimates from the suppliers. The game has a total budget, and sometimes the cost of one spectacular effect means that other game elements, such as lighting, have to be redesigned to make them cheaper. The design team also creates a bill of materials, listing every part needed to make the game. Parts are ordered so that everything is in place when the game is ready to be mass produced.

After the design is finalized, workers at the plant assemble 10-20 prototypes. These are completely finished games, just like ones that will eventually be sold. The prototypes help the production plant determine that all the parts fit together, that the suppliers have sent the correct parts, and that mass production will go smoothly. Any glitches in the assembly are caught at this stage. And if any part of the manufacturing process needs to be modified, it is discovered now. The prototypes are also used for testing.

Raw Materials

The raw materials for pinball are not extraordinary. Inexpensive, sturdy plywood is used for the playfield, wiring boards, and cabinet. Metal parts, such as screws and springs, are made out of a variety of common materials, such as stainless steel and aluminum. Special elements on the playfield may be of molded plastic. Manufacturers require vendors to supply parts exactly to specifications, and to hold down production costs, which are considerable, the cheapest materials possible may be used.

Process of Manufacturing A Pinball Machine

Pressuring the playfield

1 Almost all the production of a pinball game is done by hand. The exception is the manufacture of the playfield. The design for the playfield is programmed into a special machine. Workers load plywood into the machine, and it squeezes each board under high pressure. The pressure incises each side of the board with marks, which show where all the assembly units go.

Screen printing

2 Pinball backglasses and playing field art are made by the silk-screen printing process, also called stencil printing. This is usually done by an outside vendor. From the artist’s design, the printer makes a series of patterns called stencils that break down the design into four colors. That is, all the red parts of the design are isolated on one stencil, all the blue on another, and so on. Through combinations of four colors, every possible shade can be made. The stencils are made of a sieve-like fabric. Ink will pass through the open weave of the fabric and adhere to the material being printed. The printer lays the stencil, which might be a thin, plastic laminate, down on the material. An applicator sprays the color. Then the stencil is lifted, the material briefly dried, and the next stencil laid down. After the fourth color, the design is complete. For a backglass, the whole design could be screened as one piece. For the playfield, the artwork is broken up into small sections. At the pinball factory, workers punch out the sections and adhere them to the playfield. This way, the artwork is made to fit around the holes for the targets and other mechanical parts.

Hand assembly

3 Most of the remaining work is done by hand. Some of the small parts, such as spring-loaded bumper mechanisms, may have to be put together at the factory from components parts. Then these parts are assembled on the board. The wiring is very complicated. Workers painstakingly connect the wires, using screw drivers and soldering guns. The cabinets are made as rectangular hollow boxes. Workers screw rails on to hold the circuit boards and playfield. The screened art for the backglass is inserted in the backglass assembly, and that part attached to the main cabinet. Each game has close to 1,000 parts. The whole game takes from 20-30 hours to finish, and the factory itself requires about 1,000 workers.

Quality Control

Most of the quality control in pinball manufacturing is done before mass production begins. Individual parts from vendors are inspected and measured to make sure they are to specification. But the main check the manufacturer has on total product quality is in the prototypes made after the design process is complete. These 10-20 prototypes are tested in a variety of ways, including playability, general safety, and ability to withstand shipping. One is played on regularly, for field testing. One prototype is tested for sturdiness during shipping-this suffers a drop test. Another is sent to a private laboratory for a safety test, to make sure players could not be injured by the game. Other prototypes are used for publicity photographs, for the rules or manual writer, and perhaps for display at trade shows or promotions. Even after the prototypes pass inspection, the manufacturer might make a small run of some 50-100 games, just to make sure that everything is set in the production room for a bigger batch.

Thanks for reading the process of manufacturing a pinball machine!

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

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New Westminster Arcade Hosting Private Parties

Andrew MacBain — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 22:21:34 +0000

New Westminster Arcade Hosting Private Parties

Industry Arcade is open for private parties up to 10 people! This arcade is located in New Westminster, Canada and is COVID friendly with sanitized machines and social distance is required.

Sessions are 2 hours, 10 people max. Your group gets our FREE PLAY arcade to yourselves. Starting at $200. They are located beside Another Beer Co in New Westminster. No booze is allowed, pre and post beers are available at Another Beer co just 5 seconds from them

Industry Arcade has a big variety of games to pick from, including pinball, pac-man, car racing, skee ball and more!

Pinball

Over 20 modern and classic pinball machines, all fully serviced and ready to rock. Many new releases such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, TRON, Ironman, Walking Dead, Black Knight, Spider Man, Game of Thrones and classics like Attack from Mars, Addams Family, Taxi, Dirty Harry, Funhouse, Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2, NBA Fastbreak, Party Zone, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Sharkey’s Shootout, Monopoly, World Cup Soccer and more!

Arcade

Lots of killer arcade games to choose from. Ms Pac Man, Street Fighter 2 +3, Mortal Kombat, Frogger, Bubble Bobble, Tapper, Simpsons, NBA Jam, Tetris, Metal Slug, Puzzle Bobble, Centipede, Frogger, Galaga, Marvel vs Capcom, Super Monaco GP, Super Gem Fighter, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros, Donkey Kong JR, Double Dragon, Robocop and more.

Skee Ball

Everyones favourite, the classic Skee ball. We’ve even got it to dispense tickets if you get a high score. Win a ticket, get 10 bucks off a shirt!

Bubble Hockey and Foosball

Super Chexx Bubble hockey is the best Bubble Hockey available. Our commercial grade Foosball is backlit with LED lighting for maximum action.

Pac-man Battle Royale

A modern take of the classic Pac Man, up to 4 players can play this fast and super fun game!

Racing

Rush the rock is known to be the best driving game in history by many. They even feature a 4 speed manual transmission.

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

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3 Greatest Older Pinball Machines

Andrew MacBain — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 21:36:39 +0000

3 Greatest Older Pinball Machines

PINBOT (1986)

Pin-Bot is a pinball machine released by Williams in October 1986. It was designed by Python Anghelo and Barry Oursler

PINBOT was one for the ages. PINBOT was, as far as I could tell, a malevolent robot intelligence that has taken over the world (Your mind? Your room? Your arcade?), and you must use your pinball skills to give him eyes and a soul to talk him down from his automated destruction. Or maybe that was just the narrative I constructed in my mind while playing. Whatever the reason, PINBOT was way fun.

PINBOT also had a robot voice that would, once you gave him eyes, declare creepily “NOW. I. SEE. YOU.” When you’re eight years old, and you’re playing pinball at your local Yellow Balloon waiting to get your hair cut, and a pinball machine declares that it can see you… Well, let’s just say that your haircut will not be the more memorable part of that halcyon 1980s afternoon.

FUNHOUSE (1990)

FunHouse is a pinball machine designed by Pat Lawlor and released in November 1990 by Williams Electronics. Starring a talking ventriloquist dummy named Rudy, the game is themed after the concept of an amusement park funhouse.

Williams’ Funhouse was a mainstay in most arcades, and was always in high demand. Pinball machines started going electronic as far back as 1978, but Funhouse seemed like a bizarre watershed moment in pinball tech. It was the first, at least in my hazy recollection, that had voices and sound effects. It was the first to have such an elaborate ramp system. After Funhouse, pinball machines only exploded in complexity and enjoyment.

What most people remember from Funhouse, however, is that creepy, creepy ventriloquist doll head prominently displayed in the play area. It was about the size of, well, a child’s head, complete with swiveling opening eyeballs, and a creepy mouth that would open and swallow up your ball, were you a skilled enough player. To this day, Funhouse is one of the more coveted machines. Who would have thought a creepy doll head would take you so far?

DR DUDE AND HIS EXCELLENT RAY (1990)

Dr. Dude and His Excellent X-Ray is a pinball machine designed by Dennis Nordman and released in 1990 by Midway (under the Bally label). The theme of the game revolves around gaining coolness.

Dr. Dude represents a strangely pure version of what every child of the 1980s wanted to be: Preternaturally cool, equipped with cool shades, big hair, busty nurses, and a hip-talking patois that only the elite (and kids from Capri-Sun commercials) could understand. Indeed, Dr. Dude even had his own backstory, as seen on the comic strip backglass of the machine pictured above.

Dr. Dude and His Excellent Ray is a weird peek into the mindset of 1980s and early 1990s cool. He’s like the logical conclusion of a journey that begins with Bill & Ted. Oh yes, and the game is also plenty fun, featuring ramps, habitrails, and, most amusing of all, a magnet to hold your pinball in place.

SOURCE

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

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Pinball Playfield Repair And Restoration

Andrew MacBain — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 21:12:01 +0000

Pinball Playfield Repair And Restoration

TO HELP WITH NAVIGATION
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When repairing / restoring a playfield there are 2 sides that need to be addressed. The top side, or rather, the play area you see as a player and the underside that you don’t see; but contains all the mechanics that keeps the top side functioning correctly.

It’s paramount that both topside, and underside are rebuilt, restored, and cleaned at the same time, or unbalanced operation will result. Also, if you clean the topside, and not the underside, you’re wasting your time. During game play all the carbon dust, and grime still on the underside mechanics, will quickly transfer up to the topside, through vibration, and ball movement. Many pinballs from 1988 on have under-playfield ramps, most are made from clear plastic, just like the upper ramps.

The Playfield – Topside

For repair and restoration of the topside to be done thoroughly, and correctly all components on the topside must be removed. Likewise, any components jutting up into the playfield from below must be dropped. Finally, the playfield rails should also be removed

At this point the playfield can be easily examined for defects, such as missing paint, loose, sunken, or raised lamp inserts, metal posts broken flush with playfield surface, screw holes that should not exist. I classify missing paint, and raised lamp inserts to be Major repairs, and the others minor.

Now, if the playfield does not have, any major defects it can be de-waxed, cleaned, and re-polished, or prepared for clear coat. This is the best time to clean all the through holes. These are machined holes in the playfield that allow switches, drop targets, and the like to protrude to the upper playfield. Over the years they usually become an ugly black. This is due to cleaners and wax running over the edge and down the side, then it becomes coated with carbon dust, from the high voltage switches. A damp soapy rag pulled through the hole, will clean the bulk out. This is followed with a very light sand with a rotary tool attachment. Now if the playfield is being clear coated, the wood grain will be sealed looking fresh. If the playfield is just being power polished, I seal the fresh wood grain with old school hair spray.

The playfield ready for re-polish will have one of three finishes, screened ink on wood, ink on wood with a factory applied mylar overlay, or ink on wood with a protective clear coat finish. Regardless of the existing finish, the playfield is re-polished using a powered 3-step cut, polish, finish, process The only variation is different abrasives, &/or polishes used to match the existing finish. The following are some photos of playfields that have had existing finishes re-polished. Here are others that were clear coated

Each pinball playfield restoration is a unique process, as there are many variables that can determine the degree of restoration required. Ideally knowing what you want helps. Some people want a showpiece, like a show car, rarely driven, usually moved on a trailer. Others want a player, where small imperfections can be overlooked, providing it looks fresh, and plays properly.

I will not go into detailed techniques of lamp insert repair, or playfield paint matching and touchups, as who wants to read through 40 pages. Sometimes a playfield can have so many issues, that once a cost analysis is done, the least expensive avenue is to install a new aftermarket replacement.

Whatever degree of restoration / repair you are after, it can become a reality here.

Now on to explaining what happens to all the parts that were removed from the upper playfield. As the playfield is stripped, all the metal parts, such as lane guides, machine screws, gates, nuts, washers, are segregated . They are put into a tumbler /polisher unit with a special dry medium, and run continually for about 7 days. Usually after this term all the metal parts look new, any that don’t are then hand sanded, or replaced.

The plastic parts, such as support posts, lane guides are put into another tumbler. These run in a special wet medium for about 2 days, fluid changed, then another two days. They emerge sparkling clean. Any cracks are now visible, and bad pieces can be replaced.

All the larger metal & plastic parts have to be polished by hand. This can be quite a process. Machines from eastern Canada, or that have been in cold storage for many years, have just ugly metal surfaces. This can be corrected with sandpaper, and power tools. It’s very time consuming, and for that reason only topside playfield metal will be done, unless special requests are made.

Artwork plastics are polished on a buffing wheel, ramps by hand. Any paint touchup required to art plastics is done at this time.

Playfield edge rails. are often an overlooked item. Most are black in color. I will paint them, many times with a new color, using automotive paint with a clear coat finish; they can really make a playfield stand out.

That is about it for the reader’s digest version of upper playfield restoration, Oh! Yes, now it time to reassemble, but not until the underside is completely rebuilt.

The Playfield – Underside

The rebuilding of the underside of the playfield is just as vital as the topside, as located here are all the mechanical components that provide you the player with the interactive experience with the upper playfield. When I start on the underside the topside has already been stripped, and all components protruding up to the topside have been dropped. All major assemblies such as flippers, slingshots, vertical up kickers, drop targets, stand-up targets are hanging, or removed by this point It’s very important to clean the complete underside playfield, if not all the oils and carbon dust will quickly transfer to your just restored / cleaned topside through vibration, and ball travel. Most 12 year and older undersides will look like this when I receive them, and when done will look like this

As I start rebuilding the underside, I usually start replacing / cleaning all the smaller items first, such as lane rollover wire forms, lamp sockets, and lamps, switches, and standup targets. These are done first as the major assemblies are already removed. Once they are back in place, many smaller components cannot be accessed.

Rollover wire forms are one of the first components reinstalled. All receive a hand polish with a special metal polisher, to bring back their original look. All of these activate a blade switch. At this point each has the contacts cleaned, and solder connections checked.

Next all fixed mounted under playfield switches contacts are cleaned, & solder points checked.

Then, all switches that protrude through to the upper playfield are cleaned / fixed, or replaced, and reinstalled. This includes slingshot activation, standup targets, spinner arms and the like. It’s at this stage when you really see all the broken switch blades, solder lugs, and missing diodes. All switch blades are cleaned, but those that are highly visible to the player, such as slingshot are polished to look new, or replaced. Many of these switches over time start to look very unsightly. You don’t want them put back into a game that’s just been restored!

Now that the wire forms and switches are done, it’s onto the lamps, and lamp sockets. I always remove all old lamps, then bend back the lamp socket to reveal the lamp insert This lamp insert is what allows the lamp light to shine through to the playfield. Over the years this insert’s ability to allow light through degrades from a build up of kitchen grease, nicotine, and carbon dust clinging to the former At this point each individual lamp insert is thoroughly cleaned from the underside. Each lamp socket is checked for tightness, and solder lug connections. Over time the isolation material used on the lamp sockets shrink, or the load spring gives out. These lamp sockets have to be replaced. Some are so bad you can tell with a visual inspection, others that are borderline have to be diagnosed after the pin is booted back up. On a Sterns Stars pin I had to replace 28 lamp sockets. All new #47 lamps are installed.

As the underside inspection continues it is also cleaned. The wire harness is cleaned as well. The wire harness is also tidied up, as over the years it gets “opened up” as people trace wiring trying to sort issues. As a tech, it’s very annoying to work on a pin when the wiring is always in the way, so this is addressed.

Fuses located underside have their values checked for correctness. I always write the fuse value directly onto the wood with a sharpie, as over time the original value stickers fall off, due to the glue drying out.

Now that all the smaller parts have been addressed I move to the larger solenoid assemblies. One of the first tasks is making sure the solenoid rating in each assembly match what the original manual called for. I have found it’s very common to find incorrect solenoids installed. This goes back to operators using whatever was on hand to keep the pin earning quarters. I have seen my fair share of pinballs with totally smashed plastics, ramps, drop targets, and metal posts bent over because someone put the wrong solenoids in the flipper assemblies.

Each solenoid assembly is stripped apart one by one , rebuilt, and reinstalled.

Most pop bumper upper playfield parts are just replaced with new. This includes the main body, metal rod & ring, and skirt activator, as most of these parts are broken, and at the very least cracked

Slingshot armatures many time are broken and need replacing

All solenoid assemblies share most of these common parts, a coil, plunger with link, plunger sleeve, spring, and coil stop. Some of these parts at the very least require service, and a few just need to be replace.

The plunger link is either made of fiber or plastic and it’s a very important part. Over time slop will develop where it connects to the plunger with a roll pin. If you rebuild a solenoid assembly without changing this component, well it’s not rebuilt, as this is the weak “link”. If it shows any signs of slop, I change it.

Return spring should always be changed, just based on it’s current age.

The plunger link and coil stop smash into one another each time the solenoid is activated, this leads over time to a mushrooming effect on both If the damage is not too bad they can both be filed back to original shape, or changed.

The coil “sleeve” in all cases is changed, as the plunger and stop smash into each other inside this sleeve which scores the inner lining.

Examining all these parts indicates the solenoid assembly has been completely disassembled; during this time the main base frame is cleaned. Many times I will find stress and /or fatigue cracks on the assembly mount structure itself, at that time it’s replaced

The flipper assemblies are an extra special case, as they have some unique parts such as the flipper body, flipper bushing, the crank, and the switches More times than I can count I find large wood screws forced into the metal machine screw holes that hold the coil stop in place. Sometimes this hole can be tapped back to proper use, and other times the whole flipper body base needs to be replaced due to the damage done

The flipper bats, if original, are usually cracked at the cross bracing point. If they are cracked they will not absorb ball hits correctly, and feel weak. These cracks can only be seen if the flipper is removed and turned over

Many people ignore the first switch that starts the flipper process, and that’s the cabinet switch on the left and right inside of the main cabinet body. This switch has evolved over the years from a straight contact, to powered optic eye; either way it needs attention.

Well there are many other components on the underside of the playfield such as resister boards, diode boards, relays, motor starters, and much more.

I just provided you with a very condensed version of what must happen under there to provide you with years of trouble free pinball play.

SOURCE

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5 Pinball Games From The 90’s

Andrew MacBain — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:24:38 +0000

We’ve done games from the 70’s & 80’s and now its time for 5 pinball games from the 90’s that we like! Keep on reading for more information on these games

5 Pinball Games From The 90’s

Creature From The Black Lagoon, 1991

Creature from the Black Lagoon is a pinball machine designed by John Trudeau (“Dr. Flash”) and released by Midway (under the Bally brand name). It is loosely based on the movie of the same name. The game’s theme is 1950’s drive-in theater. The pinball game was licensed from Universal Studios by Bally so that all backglass and cabinet artwork and creature depictions would resemble those of the original movie

The main objective of the game is to collect the four letters in F-I-L-M to activate the game’s wizard mode, Rescue the Girl. They are, from left-to-right:

F: Shoot the ball into the left K-I-S-S scoop four times to collect the letter F. The letter F can also be collected on the skill shot.

I: Light the four menu targets to open the Snack Bar and collect the letter I. Menu targets can also be lit by shooting into the Snack Bar.

L: Complete the P-A-I-D rollovers at the top right of the playfield to collect the letter L. The letter L can also be collected on the skill shot, by shooting the ball into whichever rollover is flashing.

M: Shoot the ball into the Slide (right scoop) to collect the letter M.

F-I-L-M letters can also be collected as Snack Bar rewards. Once the four letters in F-I-L-M are collected, shoot the ball into the left or right scoop to begin a 2-ball multiball. The Creature will randomly hide the girl in one of three locations: the left scoop, the Snack Bar scoop, or the right scoop. Shooting the ball into the correct scoop, then into the Snack Bar scoop, then again into the Snack Bar scoop, scores a Jackpot. The Jackpot value starts at 40 million, but increases with each jet bumper hit. Once the Jackpot has been collected, after a certain number of jet bumper hits, the Super Jackpot will light up. Shooting into the Snack Bar scoop will score a Super Jackpot, whose value is twice the current Jackpot value, multiplied by the field multiplier currently on the board.

Additional scoring modes or methods include:

Snack Bar: When the Snack Bar is open, shooting into this scoop gives a random reward.

Mega Menu: The four menu targets are lit. These targets are worth 5, 10, 15, and 20 million.

Playground Award: The game activates one of the following three modes at random.

Unlimited Millions: The left ramp is worth 3, 6, 9, … million until the timer expires. This mode lasts for 25 seconds.
Fighter Jets: The jet bumpers are 1 million per hit. This mode lasts for 25 seconds.
Intermission Time: Both ramps are worth 5 million each. This lasts for 15 seconds.

Big Millions: The right ramp is worth 5, 10, 15, … million. This lasts for 10 seconds.

Move Your Car: After a certain number of center shots, Move Your Car is activated. A score on the display starts at 8 million and decreases rapidly until reaching 2 million. Shooting a center shot scores the current score on the display and starts a 15 second timer. Successive center shots score 2x, 3x, and 4x the score of the first center shot.

Double Feature: Shoot the left ramp several times in succession. The Double Feature score starts at 500,000 and doubles up to a maximum of 16 million for each consecutive left ramp shot. Shoot the center ramp immediately afterwards to score the Double Feature.

Snack Attack: After shooting the right scoop 4 times, Snack Attack begins. A score on the display starts at 20 million and rapidly decreases. Shooting the Snack Bar scores the amount shown on the display.

Video Mode: After shooting the right scoop 8 times, shoot either the left or right scoop to begin Video Mode. In this mode, a peeping Tom appears, and the player must engage the left or right flippers to punch the peeping Tom a certain number of times.

Super Mode: After shooting the right scoop 12 times, a 12 second timer starts. Shoot the Snack Bar scoop to begin Super Mode. In Super Mode, the Mega Menu, Big Millions, Snack Attack, Unlimited Millions, and Intermission Time scoring modes are activated. This mode lasts for 25 seconds.

Super Creature Feature: During Super Mode, shoot the ball into the left ramp within the first 10 seconds. This will send the ball into the whirlpool. Each spin in the whirlpool is worth 5, 10, 15, … million up to a maximum of 35 million.

2. Stark Trek: The Next Generation, 1993

tar Trek: The Next Generation is a widebody pinball game, designed by Steve Ritchie and released in November 1993 by Williams Electronics. It was part of WMS’ SuperPin series, and was based on the TV series. It is the only pinball machine that features three separate highscore-lists

The game features seven “missions/episodes” the player must complete before entering The Final Frontier:

Time Rift
Worm Hole
Search The Galaxy
Battle Simulation
Q’s Challenge
Rescue
Asteroid Threat

There are various marked targets around the playfield with the Star Trek insignia. Different combinations of these are lit for different modes, indicating which shots the player needs to make. These modes are not stackable, meaning the player must complete one mission before starting another. There is a hole in the center at the top of the playfield labelled “Start Mission” which will start a mission at any time if the player makes the shot. In addition, hitting the lit “Command Decision” Target allows the player to select which mission to attempt, including already attempted missions (marked as “rerun” missions; varies from no allowable “reruns” to unlimited “reruns”, depending on the machine’s settings).

In all missions except Q’s challenge, if the player fails to complete certain objectives by losing the ball to the drain, Data will say, “Had you projected the ball along the proper trajectory, you would have been rewarded.” Pressing both flippers during this line activates an Easter egg, in which Picard will interrupt Data and say, “Thank you, Mr. Data.” The Easter egg also adds 10 million points to the score.

3. Super Mario Bros, 1993

Another pinball from the 90’s is Super Mario Bros. a machine from April 1992, manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Co.

Super Mario Bros. is a pinball machine licensed by Nintendo and developed by Gottlieb. It was released in the U.S.A on April 25, 1992 and a total of 4,200 units were manufactured. The machine is designed by Jon Norris, with artwork by David Moore and Constantino Mitchell. It was the first pinball machine produced by Gottlieb to use the Dox Matrix Display; a screen on the bottom of the lightbox which keeps track of the current score and can also display various animations during gameplay (such as Mario running towards a Castle). Despite the name “Super Mario Bros.”, the machine appears to share a majority of its artwork with Super Mario World, released two years before. A second pinball machine in the Super Mario Bros. series was released in June later in the year under the name Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World, which seems to be based on Super Mario Bros. 3.

4. The Who’s Tommy: Pinball Wizard, 1994

The Who’s Tommy Pinball Wizard is a pinball machine from February 1994, manufactured by Data East USA, Inc.

The Who’s Tommy Pinball Wizard is a pinball machine based on the rock musical The Who’s Tommy. The machine features twenty-one songs from the musical sung by original Broadway cast members. The machines were designed by Joe Kaminkow, Ed Cebula, Lonnie D. Ropp, and Lyman F. Sheats Jr.

There are three skill shot bonuses possible on the launch of each new ball. Two of which award increasing point values, and the third initiates a multiball if lit. The main game modes of the table are accessed by lighting the entire Union Jack on the playfield’s center. There are 12 mini-games in this mode based on various scenes and scores from the musical. Completing these 12 modes unlocks the Pinball Wizard multiball of six balls. By lighting the letters to spell T-O-M-M-Y then hitting one of two scoops. Depending on which scoop activates the multiball, the player is given either 3 or 4 balls. This mode has multiple subsequent stages, each awarding greater point values as jackpots

source

5. Batman Forever, 1995

Batman Forever is a pinball machine released in June 1995 by Sega Pinball. It is based on the motion picture of the same name.

The game uses the 192×64 “supersize” dot matrix display with a Motorola 68000-based 16-bit controller. It features several electric-green wireform ramps with the “Batcave” escape ramp extending down behind the flippers and over the playfield apron, releasing balls up the playfield during multi ball. The “Batwing” cannon rotates & aims across the playfield and fires the ball with a pistol grip on front of the machine. Speech clips from the film are used. Additionally, the game had a video mode in which the Batwing is guided over rooftops, dodging obstacles to earn bonus points.

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New Led Zeppelin Pinball

Andrew MacBain — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 05:47:25 +0000

As most people may know, Stern has just released their newest game, The Led Zeppelin Pinball! Keep on reading to find out more information!

Led Zeppellin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham.

With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, although their style drew from a variety of influences, including blues and folk music. The band have been credited with significantly impacting the nature of the music industry, particularly in the development of album-orientated rock (AOR) and stadium rock. Many critics consider Led Zeppelin one of the most successful, innovative and influential rock groups in history. Source

New Led Zeppelin Pinball

The Led Zeppelin pinball machines will be available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models.

In this high energy rock and roll pinball concert experience, pinball and music are fused together. Players are transported back to Led Zeppelin’s early days and tour the world from 1968-1980. As if players were members of the band playing its music, their play updates game features at the start of each verse and chorus of ten iconic Led Zeppelin songs:

Good Times Bad Times
Whole Lotta Love
The Song Remains the Same
Black Dog
Trampled Under Foot
Ramble On
Kashmir
Immigrant Song
Rock and Roll
Communication Breakdown

The Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models all feature a custom-molded Hindenburg Zeppelin toy, based on the iconic imagery from the Led Zeppelin I album. When lit, the Zeppelin toy scores speed locks on the player’s musical journey to Zeppelin multiball. A custom Swan Song Records trademark Icarus sculpted leaper toy takes flight when smashed by the chaotic pinball. A 3-bank of drop targets, 3 custom steel ramps, and 3 flippers keep the pinball action rolling.

The Premium and Limited Edition models feature an innovative interactive Electric Magic toy. This device is a unique motorized toy which rises from below the playfield to create different magical pinball experiences. An optical spinner charges the Electric Magic magnet, capturing and making balls disappear. The Electric Magic device also converts into a physical pinball bash toy capable of locking a ball or launching a ball around the playfield.

Pricing and Availability:

Manufacturer‘s Suggested Retail Price:

MSRP for sales to USA end-users, before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes.

Pro Model:                                                      $US 6,199
Premium Model:                                             $US 7,799
Limited Edition Model:                                    $US 9,199

Led Zeppelin pinball machines and accessories are available through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world. Source

Check out their video here!

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Why Pinball Machines Cost So Much

Andrew MacBain — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 07:13:28 +0000

Ever wondered why pinball machines cost so much? Keep on reading!

Why Pinball Machines Cost So Much

Planning The Circuit Sheets

Somebody needs to plan the circuit sheets that will enable the machine to do what it needs to do.

These board sets will be utilized as a part of a wide range of titles before they are updated. There is additionally a cost to the sheets themselves, and the greater part of the segments they hold. source

Miles of Wiring

You’re utilizing miles of wiring to achieve the greater part of the knobs and systems in a pinball machine. Not just that, you have to procure somebody to locate the most productive approach to run those wires, and somebody to really introduce them into the amusement!

The Importance of Advertising

There should be somebody to elevate the machines to people in general.

Gathering Parts To Make a Pinball Machine Complete

You require general workers to collect the majority of the parts of your machine to make it complete.

There are a critical number of individuals required to do this in a productive way. Considering that these machines are amassed in America – that is not a little cost

Diversion Plan

One of the most critical things about an amusement that will separate itself from different titles.

Architects are paid pay rates to conjure up one of a kind outlines for their titles.

The playfields themselves should be made out of superb materials and will have CNC machines course their gaps for things like embeds or openings for instruments.

Permitting

Almost all cutting edge diversions are authorized.

You require somebody to address permit holders, arrange contracts, and ensure that your outline meets all the required terms of the permit.

Craftsmanship Like No Other

Another immense piece of the diversion.

Specialists will be expected to make the amusement engaging inside the limitations of the permit.

Cupboards

Games are as yet held in extensive physical boxes.

The outline of these cases has gone generally unaltered, yet the cost to deliver them (and store them) is as yet noteworthy.

Modern Building

Someone needs to outline how these machines will meet up, where parts will be found, what kind of creation stations will be utilized, and so forth.

They additionally need to figure out what requirements to change with that plan starting with one title then onto the next.

How Enormous is a Pinball Machine?

Measurements of a run of the mill pinball machine gathered with legs on are: 29″ (76 cm) wide, 76″ – 80″ (190 cm – 200 cm) tall, and 56″ (140 cm) profound.

Inexact measurements collapsed up on its back are 29″ (76 cm) wide, 30″ (76 cm) tall, and 56″ (140 cm) profound (measurements are without wrapping materials).

Contingent upon the producer or machine, the normal weight of a pinball machine is: 250 – 300 pounds (113.5 Kg – 136 Kg).

The larger part of present-day pinball machines (made over the most recent 20 years or somewhere in the vicinity) has a pivot framework which permits the backbox to be collapsed down.

How Would you Play Pinball?

Foundational Skills

Every pinball game normally comprises three balls, basically making up your three turns.

Players utilize the catches on each side of the machine to control flippers and direct the ball through the different parts of the machine.

To play, embed coins and proceed by tapping the start button.

You dispatch the ball utilizing either pulling and discharging the plunger or pushing the Launch catch on the machine.

Procedure

Playing Pinball goes beyond just flipping the balls continuously till the end.

There are also others skills you can acquire to take you from just a rookie to a pro in the game. Check these out:

For instance, on The Twilight Zone machine, the objective is to illuminate the majority of the entryway boards. You do this by hitting the lit Player Piano. It can be lit by shooting the left incline. You can likewise win an entryway board by shooting the lit Slot Machine, which can be lit by shooting the correct slope.
On the off chance that you see a far away machine with the Start catch blazing, it as of now has a credit! So surge over for your free diversion.
In the event that the ball is moving gradually around the flippers, hold one up to “get” the ball. You can enjoy a little reprieve and rearrange your technique while you hold the ball in the flipper.
In case you’re uncertain of what to do, attempt to hit any objectives with glimmering lights as a rule the lights are blazing since you’re assume to hit them!
In the event that a ball is heading down the canal, you can bump the machine a bit to attempt to inspire it to fall back in play. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you hit it too hard, the machine will stop and glimmer “tilt” on the screen
Toward the finish of numerous amusements, there’s a smaller than expected match diversion. In the event that the last two quantities of your score coordinate the number on the machine, you win a free diversion.
Try not to flip the two flippers in the meantime. Moving them freely really makes it less demanding to hit the ball and less inclined to “deplete” the ball in the middle of them
Hold one of the flippers up as you dispatch and you may get additional focuses for an ‘expertise shot.” Many machines have a particular ability shot that gives you extra focuses for finishing.

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DeepRoot Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland Update

Andrew MacBain — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 06:05:26 +0000

Have you been following the news on Deeproot? Their machine Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland is well known in the pinball community now due to their continuous delays but they are almost finished! Keep on reading to find out more!

DeepRoot

Deeproot Pinball, based in San Antonio, Texas, have been building up a teaser campaign that ultimately indicated the company would reveal the production model of their first game, Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland on Sept 21st 2020

Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland Delayed

The weekend before the appointed date, six US-based internet bloggers, podcasters and vloggers were invited to the Deeproot Pinball facility to spearhead this launch alongside Deeproot Pinball’s own social media team. Unfortunately, what this revealed was that the RAZA game and the platform on which it is built were a long way from being ready to be reveal, suffering reliability and design issues along with a number of unfinished or incomplete elements which would badly scupper RAZA’s first public showing. Source

After announcing their launch date things were going smoothly until just days before the launch they have delayed the launch for the 3rd time. Here is there statement

Latest Update

On Saturday 21st November, Deeproot Pinball placed two prototype models of their upcoming Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland (RAZA) game in the What’s Brewing coffee shop in San Antonio for guests to play.

They posted this on their facebook

“Deeproot Pinball will have the Arcade and Xtra editions of Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland at

What’s Brewing?

(138 W Rhapsody Dr, San Antonio, TX 78216) tomorrow Saturday Nov. 21st from 6pm to 10pm and Sunday Nov. 22nd from Noon to 3pm. We are appreciative for What’s Brewing hosting us and providing a fun venue for the public to play RAZA! While RAZA will be on freeplay, we request you show your support for the arcade by playing one or more of the 30+ other pins while there or waiting in line.

What’s Brewing House Rules

——————————–

– Pinball entrance: Enter through right fence gate and park behind the building

– No more than 40 people are permitted in the arcade at one time

– Non-playing patrons may be asked to step out in case of capacity issues

– No food or drink inside

– A mask covering the nose and mouth is required at all times when inside

– Use of hand sanitizer is required, and the staff performs frequent wipe downs of play surfaces

– Cash or quarters only”

Photos

Old photo

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The Largest Pinball Machine Collection

Andrew MacBain — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 06:34:38 +0000

Ever wondered who has the largest pinball machine collection? Well keep on reading to find out!

Michael Schiess owns one of the largest pinball machine collections in the world with more than 1,700 machines in one location – at the Pacific Pinball Museum. Michael plays as well performs the necessary maintenance and he is almost obsessed with the machines and his collection. With a lot of support and donations from fans, he has managed to collect some of the earliest machines from the 1800s to the latest digital masterpieces.

The Largest Pinball Machine Collection

The museum was founded in 2004 by Michael Schiess, a former museum exhibition designer. Schiess started collecting pinball machines in 2001. He decided to open his own museum after being unimpressed with the coverage of pinball history at other museums. One of his first major acquisitions was thirty-six machines in one purchase. Fourteen of them were installed in a rented room, which Schiess called Lucky Ju Ju, in Alameda and a jar was placed out for donations. In 2004 the facility expanded and became a nonprofit, renaming itself the Pacific Pinball Museum. The museum expanded in 2009 displaying forty woodrail and wedge head machines from the collection of Larry Zartarian. The museum has a gift shop that sells pinball themed merchandise. It also has a museum board, and two additional staff members besides Schiess.

Collection

The museum’s exhibitions include approximately ninety pinball machines ranging from 1879 until today. They are arranged in chronological order. In total, Schiess’ collection comprises 800 machines. Those not on display are maintained at an 8,000-square-foot secret location.^] Upon paying the admission fee, visitors can play any of the machines on display. The oldest machine, from 1879, is a Montague Redgrave Parlor Bagatelle. Contemporary machines include The Addams Family and the Twilight Zone. The museum also has a transparent pinball machine from 1976 that was built by Schiess and Wade Krause. It is based on the Gottlieb “Surf Champ” game. One of the most valued pieces in the collection is a 1930s-era Art Deco machine called the Bally Bumper. The machine was seized by police in Oakland during Prohibition. The museum’s collection has also been displayed at San Francisco International Airport.

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Guide To Playing Pinball

Andrew MacBain — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 06:50:56 +0000

In recent years, pinball has become popular again, popping up in bars around the world. I started being interested in playing pinball a couple years ago after going to pinball expo. After that I became more and more intrigued with pinball and how it works. A lot of my friends don’t know much about pinball so I’m guessing that applies to a lot of people. So here’s a beginner guide to playing pinball!

Beginners Guide To Playing Pinball

THE BASICS

Each pinball game typically consists of three balls, essentially making up your three turns. Players use the buttons on each side of the machine to control flippers and direct the ball through the various parts of the machine. To play, insert coins and press the Start button. You launch the ball using either pulling and releasing the plunger or pushing the Launch button on the machine.

MULTI-PLAYER AKA PLAY WITH FRIENDS!

The other day I was with some friends playing pinball when I asked if they’d like to play multi-player. They looked at me in shock having no idea that it was possible. Every credit (usually 50 cents) allows one game. However, if you insert four credits into one machine, then push the Start button four times, four people can play at once. Each player plays one ball, then lets the next player play their ball until all players have played all three balls. So make sure to bring friends along to play!

STRATEGY

I used to think that the only skill involved in pinball was the ability to continue hitting the ball until you missed but oh, was I wrong. Each table has a strategy to learn in order to improve your score. Whether the goal is to spell something out by hitting all of the bumpers or consistently hitting the same door over and over again, learning the strategy for each machine will really up your game. Try playing on the Pinball Arcade app, which has instructions and tips for a bunch of favourite machines. Also, often the screen above the play field gives tips and instructions while you’re playing.

TRICKS

If you see a far-off machine with the Start button flashing, it already has a credit! So rush over for your free game.
At the end of many games, there’s a mini-match game. If the final two numbers of your score match the number on the machine, you win a free game.
Don’t flip both flippers at the same time. Moving them independently actually makes it easier to hit the ball and less likely to “drain” the ball in-between them
Hold one of the flippers up as you launch and you might get extra points for a ‘skill shot.” Many machines have a specific skill shot that gives you bonus points for completing.
If the ball is moving slowly around the flippers, hold one up to “catch” the ball. You can take a little break and reorganize your strategy while you hold the ball in the flipper.
If you’re unsure of what to do, try to hit any targets with flashing lights as usually the lights are flashing because you’re suppose to hit them!
If a ball is heading down the gutter, you can nudge the machine a bit to try to get it to fall back in play. However, if you hit it too hard, the machine will stop and flash “tilt” on the screen
Have fun! Source

PINBALL ADVENTURES

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Problems With Some Pinball Manufacturers

Andrew MacBain — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 02:40:53 +0000

What Are The Problems With Some Pinball Manufacturers?

Have you heard of any problems or seen some problems yourself? Read more to find out some problems we found!

The Big Manufactures

We all know who the big pinball manufacturers are. There’s Stern & Jersey Jack. These companies produce some of the top selling licensed pinball of our time. Stern has produced popular machines based on movies and shows such as The Avengers, Stranger Things, Teenage Turtles & The Walking Dead. Jersey Jack on the other hand has produced Willy Wonka, Guns & Roses, Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit etc.

Small Manufactures

The smaller manufacturers include American, Spooky, Chicago Pinball and many more. American Pinball is known for their Hot Wheels Games, Spooky is known for their famous licensed Rick and Morty game (My favorite) and Chicago is known for Monster Bash.

The Problems

I are not going to be naming each game and which company had these problems on some of their games but I will show you the problem on the playfield/game. Some problems include pooling and chipping around the posts on the playfield, clear coat denting, & coding problems

Pooling happens when the clear coat on top of the playfield has not dried completely when you insert a post on top. Which creates an affect of a pool around the post. When these clear coats do dry, The pool around the post will get crusty and easily chip off as you play the game more and more and the ball hits these areas. Some other problems are denting on the clear coat. Most companies have this issue and it feels like it is inevitable. Here at Pinball Adventures, we are trying to find a solution to this to make the playfield stronger and better.

Some of these games have an open code, which means people on the backend can change the game or add new updates. This causes many problems because sometimes they forget a code or forget to update.

PINBALL ADVENTURES

Visit our website at pinballadventures.com and also check out our new Instagram page for more updates https://www.instagram.com/pinballadventures/

The post Problems With Some Pinball Manufacturers appeared first on Pinball Adventures.

10 ARTISTS WHO DESIGNED THE BEST PINBALL MACHINES

Andrew MacBain — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 04:50:45 +0000

10 LEGENDARY ARTISTS WHO DESIGNED THE BEST MACHINES EVER

Behind every popular pinball machine is a legendary pinball designer who made a significant contribution to the development of the arcade staple today.

Every pinball machine is different. Each play field is completely unique, offering different playing experiences. Some tests your accuracy and reflexes while others are for pure fun and entertainment. Even if you are a non-pinball wizard, you have surely been curious who the geniuses behind such sophisticated creations were.

Here, you will get to know them as we list down 10 legendary pinball designers who made the best machines in history:

1. Steve Ritchie

Steve Ritchie is an acclaimed pinball and video game designer. He is the older brother of fellow pinball designer, Mark Ritchie. He is regarded as the “Master of Flow” by pinball aficionados because his games are some of the most fluid and fast in the pinball history. He designed a total of 23 produced individual games.