No updates for a long long while but after Christmas, New Year and arrival of new grandchild I've managed to have a good go at the machine after work on a night and last few weekends so I'm calling it done - albeit I intend to add more tables as and when I remember I like them and haven't already got them
Since my last post on Christmas eve I have:
- Installed a pac drive and 2 x relay boards for feedback devices
- Took out all of the mini 12v solenoids that were in the machine and replaced with much more robust, far better sounding/feeling car starter motor solenoids
- Taught myself how to set up the feedback devices
- Installed new PC on/off button to base of cab
- Replaced the originally installed square launch button with a real plunger connected to a 10K sliding potentiometer for an authentic plunge effect
- Installed a new, circular, launch button (that lights up when it's time to launch a ball) beneath the plunger for an authentic launch effect on those games that have a button rather than a plunger
- Installed a set of coin door buttons (the coin door did not have a bracket on so I mounted the buttons to the base of the cabinet directly behind coin door (need to tidy the mounting up at some point - only did it last night so I could get some coin door buttons working))
- Fitted a new lockdown bar locking mechanism - it originally just had a lockdown bar which was locked in place by reaching under playfield and rotating a couple of bits of angle iron
- Fixed in the printed perspex "Visual Pinball" panel with colour changing LED bar underneath
- Painting all visible parts of inside of cabinet and black parts of backbox in...black
- Installed and configured 103 tables
Like I say, other than loading up more tables and sorting out the shabby mounting for the coin door buttons I'm done.
I've had some great support on here as I did last time so thanks one and all for your tips and advice - you know who you are.
My total build cost on this one has been around £1,900. I'm sure I could have done it cheaper if I had bought an empty cabinet, especially since as I ended up taking out and/or replacing a lot of the stuff that was in there (ipac replaced with pac-drive, new relays fitted, backglass monitor replaced with bigger model, cheap 12v solenoids replased with car starter motor solenoids, independent PSUs fitted for everything, old PC and graphics card swapped out) but the machine is fully working and 4K when before it was non-working and only HD and far better build quality (IMO!)
I really do like the machine and the feedback devices make a hell of a difference. It's not real pinball of course, but it's pretty darn close , look, feel, sound wise.
The only thing I'm not entirely happy with is the placement of the TV. As with the last one I did I mounted the TV towards the back of the cabinet playfield. I did this mainly to avoid the real plunger. However, although I fitted a panel to the gap between the lockdown bar and the TV, it does look a bit off and I can see why others mount the TV closer to the front of the cab.
The tables have come on a long way since 2020 and I have nothing but admiration for the people that put all the time and effort to program the tables. Although no one sells their table creations comercially I'm sure plenty of them could and I intend to make more than a few "Buy Me a Beer" contributions to table creators on VPUniverse.
I've attached some photos of the latter stages of the build (not in any order - sorry!).
This build was just as painful and brain aching as the last one. I'm sure if you do them on a regular basis it does get easier but to have to re-learn stuff I last did 3 years ago and, in the case of the feedback devices, learn new stuff takes a lot of time and effort. But a great challenge so on to the next one...
Oh and if someone is interested in buying a ready made 4k virtual pinball machine with feedback devices, I'm open to offers on this one
Some links that others might fund useful:
12v car starter motor solenoids I used:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GSR4LTL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Relay boards I used:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Q28PH5Y?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Pac-Drive (special version where relays do not fire upon start up):
https://www.ultimarc.com/output/led-and-output-controllers/pac-drive/?variation_id=381