The Pinball Diaries

Replaced switch #26 (left return lane) and #48 (right top lane).

Resoldered the White-Yellow wire to switch #44 (castle lock). Had to remove the moat to do it.

Test Report:

CHECK SWITCH 26 LEFT RETURN LANE
CHECK SWITCH 44 CASTLE LOCK
CHECK SWITCH 45 LEFT TROLL
CHECK SWITCH 48 RIGHT TOP LANE
CHECK SWITCH 51 LEFT SLINGSHOT
CHECK CASTLE GATE STUCK CLOSED
CHECK L. TROLL UP SWITCH BAD
CHECK R. TROLL UP SWITCH BAD

Going over each switch:

• #26, Left Return Lane – Switch only clicks when roll-over wire is pushed below the surface of the playfield. Easiest thing will be to just replace the switch and leave the roll-over wire.

• #44, Castle Lock – Took a look at this one and the White-Yellow row wire had broken off. Should be simple to resolder.

• #45, Left Troll – Since the left troll was busted and not popping up, I imagine this switch is fine and just needs to be tested and played.

• #48, Right Top Lane – Switch no longer clicks at all. Need to replace.

• #51, Left Slingshot – When I took apart the left slingshot I noticed the rubber ring around it had popped inside the head of the kicker. Not sure if the slingshot switches were stuck closed or were never getting activated. Either way, I think this one just needs to be tested and played.

All but one back box light is out.

Replaced all but the one, as well as 3 of the 4 #906 flashers.

Also replaced the two #89 flashers under the base of each ramp.

Several bulbs under the playfield are out:

• Joust Victory
• Right Ramp Jackpot
• Damsel Madness
• Left Ramp Jackpot
• Catapult WHAM!
• King of Payne Castle
• Earl of Ego Castle

• Battle for the Kingdom

I started replacing them and then noticed that some just needed the black sockets to be wiggled on the circuit board contacts. Ug. I couldn’t get the ‘Catapult WHAM!’ to make good contact. Need to find a fix.

I also used up all my packs of #555 bulbs and had to use ones I pulled out of Hurricane. Heh.

Figured out how to mount the operator switches, at least until I find something better. Attached the switches to a block of wood, attached the block of wood to a simple corner bracket form Home Depot, attached the corner bracket to the floor of the cabinet.

Extremely krufty, but it’ll do for the time being. The beauty of it is I was able to use one of the two T-Nuts in the front of the floor of the cabinet (presumably for screwing down the coin box) to mount the thing, so I didn’t need to make any additional holes in the cabinet.

I also finished cleaning the playfield with Millwax. While I was at Home Depot I bought a box of vinyl gloves. Much easier on the hands when working with cleaners.

Cleaned all of the #44 bulbs under the playfield. That was a pain since each socket had to be unscrewed to access the bulb.

Started getting the operator switches ready to go back in the machine. Clipped all coin-mech switches and illumination wiring on the coin-door, then removed the corresponding pins from the connector that attaches to J5 on the ‘Coin Door Interface Board’ (WMS #A-20580). Did the same with the slam-tilt switch since I don’t think I’m gonna be needing that.

That left me with a nice cable with just the operator swtiches:

The ground cable looped around to everything I removed, so that’s the only thing that needs to be soldered.

Cleaning and new sleeve (WMS #03-7067-5) for up-down post (damsel). Cleaning and new sleeve (WMS #03-7067) for castle actuator.

Decided to install one of the blank coin doors I had ordered. The one on Medieval Madness wasn’t too bad but figured I do it while I had it open.

Before:

After, with the fresh blank one:

While I was at it, I removed the padlock-bar brackets. A bit superfluous at this point.

The new door looks really nice, me thinks. Now I just need to figure out how/where to mount the operator switches.

Cleaned dragon diverter. New coil sleeve (WMS #03-7066-5).

Got my latest package from Bay Area Amusements.