Fish Tales owners - Help required

[David_Vi]

Since getting my Fishy from Moose a few weeks ago, I've rerubbered it, cleaned it, decorated it with glass, popped a Pin2dmd in and now I've been trying to dial it in and find that sweet spot (maybe @Lecari will actually like Fish tales then?)..

One part I'm having an issue with is the eject from the reel in multiball.
The ball flies off the wireform and hits the left ball guide under the sling shot, often bouncing over the flipper and sdtm.

I've tried moving the wireform to no success.
Could those with a fish tales compare the end of their wireform with mine?



I get the feeling the piece of metal that sticks out and has the mounting part on is supposed to he bent towards the side wall slightly.
At present it seems my ball flies and drops off that part, giving it a pot of left hand spin.

I saw one photo from a member of pinside where his was bent, so would like to confirm with any other owners.
Appreciate any photos to compare to


Exaggerated slightly but this is how I think it should be.

 

[M4carp]

I’ve had mine a long time and did/does the same, I have tweaked it as much as I can and it will hit the flipper 9 times out of 10 but does still hit the ball return guide.
I now think it must also be to do with how fast the ball is slung from that catapult so maybe changing the coil is the way as well?
When I ended this game one of the locked balls came out and hit the return guide
2 separate videos on one game.
View attachment trim.EE8457EE-EBFF-43DC-A0AF-360964E88396.MOV
View attachment trim.95728E59-F4D4-44FE-B477-D55C430C83A6.MOV

 

[Garry Sp8]

This is mine. It always hits the left flipper.
You can adjust the position of the end on the fixing under the plastic but I’m sure you know that already!

 

[David_Vi]

I’ve had mine a long time and did/does the same, I have tweaked it as much as I can and it will hit the flipper 9 times out of 10 but does still hit the ball return guide.
I now think it must also be to do with how fast the ball is slung from that catapult so maybe changing the coil is the way as well?
When I ended this game one of the locked balls came out and hit the return guide
2 separate videos on one game.
View attachment 153682
View attachment 153683

Wow yours really bounce!
The end of your wireform Is bent at the end, I can't tell if it's supposed to be like that or someone's done that. Gary's below is straight, which is like mine, so might prove otherwise.

This is mine. It always hits the left flipper.
You can adjust the position of the end on the fixing under the plastic but I’m sure you know that already!
View attachment 153690

I've moved mine in multiple ways to no success. What pitch is your game at?

Cheers for all the pics folks!

 

[paddythegreek]

Mine is bent slightly towards the center of the playfield. I have no problems whatsoever

 

[M4carp]

I think the strength it gets thrown out effects it as well, I was messing with mine earlier. Now adjusted so it hits near the end of the flipper with no annoying return lane hits.

 

[David_Vi]

I think the strength it gets thrown out effects it as well, I was messing with mine earlier. Now adjusted so it hits near the end of the flipper with no annoying return lane hits.

What did you change?
Is there a way to adjust the strength?

 

[M4carp]

What did you change?
Is there a way to adjust the strength?

No I just drilled another hole so the tab that is screwed down is touching the metal guide.
Roll the ball down at different speeds and you will see it lands in different places, you could change the coil for a different strength. Weaker should land on the flipper.

 

[David_Vi]

No I just drilled another hole so the tab that is screwed down is touching the metal guide.
Roll the ball down at different speeds and you will see it lands in different places, you could change the coil for a different strength. Weaker should land on the flipper.

I've got another hole drilled and still the ball somehow makes it to the left ball guide...

I'll check the coil for the catapult and see if i can do anything there. Maybe it's not the correct one! That would be an easy solution

 

[M4carp]

I've got another hole drilled and still the ball somehow makes it to the left ball guide...

I'll check the coil for the catapult and see if i can do anything there. Maybe it's not the correct one! That would be an easy solution

I had another hole drilled but put another to the right of it so the tab was right up against the metal guide.
The coil should be 23-800.

 

[David_Vi]

I had another hole drilled but put another to the right of it so the tab was right up against the metal guide.
The coil should be 23-800.

It is 23-800



View attachment VID-20211126-WA0034.mp4

 

[M4carp]

Yeah that’s got a bigger kick to the left than mine when it comes out, you are going to have to do some careful bending I think.

 

[M4carp]

Did this earlier when checking.
View attachment trim.10A20D25-7F3A-4DD9-9BD7-3C202DF17805.MOV

 

[David_Vi]

Did this earlier when checking.
View attachment 153766

Any tips for bending? I've tried pliers with a cloth so I don't scratch or mark the metal but haven't had much luck yet!

 

[M4carp]

Any tips for bending? I've tried pliers with a cloth so I don't scratch or mark the metal but haven't had much luck yet!

That’s how I’ve done it, was pretty easy. Grab on the end bit by circle and bend it to the right a bit. Like a twist motion.

 

[David_Vi]

Madness, I bent it and still, hits the ball guide... I do not understand

 

[M4carp]

That’s annoying, think there must be a small kink at the end making it kick out to the left then.
Try taking the screw out and holding it so the tab touches the metal rail then send one down via the catapult.
If that works, drill a smaller hole than the screw then put the screw in.

 

[David_Vi]

That’s annoying, think there must be a small kink at the end making it kick out to the left then.
Try taking the screw out and holding it so the tab touches the metal rail then send one down via the catapult.
If that works, drill a smaller hole than the screw then put the screw in.

I moved it to the other hole and it hits the flipper now. But strange considering with the bend it didn't. I had to use two extreme measures, yet so many people do not.

It's only a screw and washer holding it into the playfield at that location isn't it?

Only did a quick test so will have to do some more tweaking but it seemed ok.

 

[M4carp]

Yes just the one screw.
If it works job done and forget about it

 

[Smraedis]

I've had quite a lot of 'fun' with this in the past, cleaning the rail made the ball go faster and even further away from the centre...
I know the bouncing into the centre can be a pain for some, there is an adjustment to give a ball back if this happens when out of multiball though, something like Ball Lock Save Time.

 

[VeeMonroe]

My FT is now working - so I'll try to get a photo and a video of mine when I'm not at work.

 

[Monkeyboypaul]

better late than never

 

[David_Vi]

better late than never

Interestingly yours has been moved to a new hole further to the right! But not bent at all.
Glad to know it's a common grievance

 

[M4carp]

better late than never

How many years did it annoy for as I’ve had mine about 12 years, I put new cliffy return lane guides in and thought better sort it before it damages that one too

 

[VeeMonroe]

This is my wireform and a short video (I couldn’t for the life of me get a multi ball).

 

[David_Vi]

This is my wireform and a short video (I couldn’t for the life of me get a multi ball).

View attachment 153964

Yours does what mine used to do, hits the metal ball guide and not the flipper. I suppose it's common, I would assume you can trap the ball and it doesn't bounce right over the flipper?

 

[VeeMonroe]

Yours does what mine used to do, hits the metal ball guide and not the flipper. I suppose it's common, I would assume you can trap the ball and it doesn't bounce right over the flipper?

Yes, mostly. It never occurred to me that there was a problem TBH.

In general, my FT flings the ball around in a crazy way (the slingshots are also hyper powerful) and I see that as part of the fun.

It plays a bit like a fish-themed version of TNA…