Calling Centaur Owners

[DRD]

My Centaur is pretty tired so is getting some tlc and amongst other things, I have rebuilt the flippers, new cab flipper switches, new eos switches, new plungers, coil stops, liners etc.

Are you able to backhand this shot from the right flipper, the white "spots 1-4 drop targets" ?

Mine is better than it was but still pathetically weak. It makes the shot about 1 time in 3, but the ball is crawling when it gets there ...



Thanks

 

[Ruk]

I've just tested mine and it hits that target really hard with the right flipper. I don't know what it was like before I got it but I fitted new flipper kits (not new coils) as part of my recent playfield swap. I'm no expert at all as this is my first machine and almost complete rebuild but I do know that the EOS contact setup was important as was the flipper bat alignment.

 

[DRD]

I rebuilt the flippers with a new set of pre-linear mechs used in the earlier games like Paragon

I fear that to hit this shot you need the linear mechs in unfortunately, I do have a new linear kit that I may have to try

Linear v non-linear is an old chestnut I know

 

[Ruk]

I take it mine are the standard factory fitted linear mech as per in the manual?

 

[DRD]

Those are beautifully clean linear flippers!

Where did you get the eos switches from pls ? Those look just like the original ones fitted 25 years ago

The pre-linear flippers are lighter - they have a lighter plunger so are more responsive and snappier, but this makes them harder to aim shots and catch balls on. It is also easier to do tap passes with linear flippers

You can easily swap between the two different types if your startng point is the linears. Swings and roundabouts. But if you raise the subject it gets bitter, like Brexit debates, very quickly

 

[Ruk]

The switches were included in the rebuild kit from Pinball Mania, Andy may stock them on their own... not sure

...and they are quite clean because all the crud can be seen caked on my fingers... it also went halfway up my arms and other several other places when I stripped and hand polished all of the mechs

 

[DRD]

That shiny is putting you in @Nedreud territory.

Have you got a tumbler ? That is the lazyboy way of going to town on the shine.

 

[Ruk]

No tumbler.. I was even solvol bashing the gate wires earlier this week... and polishing the screw heads on a buffing mop. One of my bikes is a 1971 Triumph Bonneville so I'm used to spending endless hours getting stuff shiny. I actually had my first ever game on it this week since getting it a short while ago off a forum member. Feels good

To be fair I wanted to do all this work to bide my time until the weather gets better then I'll be out riding all summer.. although I am now thinking of getting a stable mate for the Centaur... crackers

 

[Nedreud]

Hello everyone

Lovely shiny flipper mechs there @Ruk! Almost a shame to hide them away inside the cabinet! Makes me want to put glass panels in the sides so you can see them. No need to replace coils unless they're deformed from over-heating or dead. They don't wear out. New sleeves, of course. Why not complete the look with some new coil wrappers? I printed my own on self-adhesive paper (old-style flipper from my PARAGON):

Linear v non-linear is an old chestnut I know

Yeah, we've been there before! I'm not an ultra-purist but do try to keep things original. There is a difference in the feel and play of the old-style vs. linear flippers, but from my experience you should be able to tweak them to get similar levels of power. I think if a game was designed with linear flippers then they should stay. I understand they're a bugger to service because the nylon "buttons" are only available in the US, but I managed to very successfully make some from nylon rod for my GOLD BALL restoration:





It seems to be this part that is the key component in fixing a sloppy linear flipper (after replacing the coil sleeve and nylon bush, polishing the plunger, and resetting/replacing the EOS).

 

[DRD]

In any b1tch fight over who is shiniest, my green is on @Nedreud

 

[cooldan]

Nedreud would win in any shiny-off

 

[Nedreud]

Ooh, I don't know fellas... Manny was a devil with the polish. He made lock down bars look like they'd been re-chromed!

But thanks for the kudos I do like a bit of shiny