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Very Sad Meteor, will one day be very happy Meteor


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One of the classic Sterns I did like, Big Game was the other. Sorry not much love for Stern in those days. Your old playfield looks OK especially for a Meteor being a high played game. Where exactly is it worn warrenting a new playfield?

 

I might be looking for an old meteor playfield...;)

 

 

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One of the classic Sterns I did like, Big Game was the other. Sorry not much love for Stern in those days. Your old playfield looks OK especially for a Meteor being a high played game. Where exactly is it worn warrenting a new playfield?

 

I might be looking for an old meteor playfield...;)

 

 

Just noticed you asked a question :rolleyes

The original playfield is in great condition for it's age, but, it has extra holes in the playfield where a single wireform was replaced with two, there is wear up the top of the playfield arch, it has chips of artwork missing, original clear missing, cracking in the artwork, damage to ply where the METEOR targets reset, discoloured and sunken inserts, paint missing around the inserts and generally filthy on top and underneath.

This isn't me saying it 'warrants' a new playfield, but she's getting a full ground up resto.

She will look and play better than new when finished.......well that's the plan.

 

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just a couple of pics.

 

this may be common knowledge, but anyone notice the 2 holes not used in the first pic?

the dimples are there.

 

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......................................................................................also the rollovers, looks to be original.

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loom stripped of all switches, then in the laundry sink with hot water and some sugar soap, let it sit for about 20-30 mins, give it a few swirls, a good scrubbing with a kitchen sink brush for the cables and a paint brush for the connectors, more swirling, drain the dirty water, a soak then rinse in hot water then outside for a blow off with compressed air and left to hang on the clothes line.

a few hours later off to hang in the shed for waaaay later.

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regarding post #9......there are actually 2 extra holes drilled out in the new CPR playfield, at the underside of both the 1 & 3 drop target banks, then i noticed 2 holes that were empty on the original playfield, one near the non return ball arch placement and the other on the opposing side near the ball bounce rubber arch placement, anyone know why? Trivia time :unsure

like were they done on original Stern playfields and not LAI ones?

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You want to be careful soaking wires in water. Due to the capillary action water can get drawn up between the plastic insulation & the copper wire causing corrosion over time.

 

....... but there's nothing in the wire or at the ends to cause the suggested possible capillary action, if anything due to the grime at the ends of the wires this will repel any water.

the looms were hung out to dry in a way that any possible water would 'drain out' due to gravity.

the wire strands are tin plated to prevent corrosion.

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regarding post #9......there are actually 2 extra holes drilled out in the new CPR playfield, at the underside of both the 1 & 3 drop target banks, then i noticed 2 holes that were empty on the original playfield, one near the non return ball arch placement and the other on the opposing side near the ball bounce rubber arch placement, anyone know why? Trivia time :unsure

like were they done on original Stern playfields and not LAI ones?

 

Not unusual to stop installing every GI socket as the machine goes through production. Usually because the bulb was being broken by the ball but not always. Williams Firepower prototypes had two bulbs under each flipper return lane rail but production machines only had one under each. That would have been cost cutting as neither of those bulbs would ever get smashed in that location.

 

As far as I know LAI were only assembling not manufacturing a couple of Stern SS machines and this was because it was cheaper inporting parts and spare parts over fully overseas built machines back then. This was the case in many countries and may help to explain why machines were assembled in many other countries. The factory basically supplied Ikea style machines that required a bit of assembly before becoming a sellable finished product. Very similar to what we did a Taito Australia with the video machines.

 

As for your Meteor, here are a couple of suggestions to improve that machine some we did back in the day but others that were simply not around back then.

 

The posts behind the top target bank, replace the posts and post screws with Large Williams twin rubber Tee nut posts and bolts and use twin rubber rings if the drop target bank will allow. If you have to use post screws as Tee nuts simply won't fit because the drop taget bank mount is in the way, Gottlieb siamese posts....

 

https://www.thepinballwizard.net/images/products/preview/plpt-0058.jpg

 

Now you have two screws holding down each post and I have never seen this setup fail. Use original playfield post screw hole to hold one screw in the siamese post and turn the siamese post 90 degrees to the rubber and put another screw in so the post is no wider than original, it just has another screw behind holding each post and you won't see it as it is under the plastic cover.

 

As for weakening the top flipper so the drop targets don't break as often, set the EOS on that flipper to kill the pullup winding power much faster in the stroke of the flipper mech.

 

The flipper mechs themselves. If you are hell bent on using the Stern flipper mechs, either design, (I didn't find either as good as what Bally SS offered to tell you the truth), at least use Bally SS flipper mech black hex head bolts to hold the coil stop and coil mount brackets. That stops the brackets from cracking between the mount holes and the the Bally bolts don't shear off either.

 

Personally, I'd swap the whole mechs for Bally early SS, not Bally SS linear. Bally simply used better quality metal and the bolt holes are less inclined to strip out of the base plate and are bolt for bolt near identical to the Sterns. Bally also had better end stops. The Stern backstops had a habit of not only bending and cracking but the plunger stop on the back stop comes loose, the brass insulator fails and the plunger backstop becomes magnetic as a result or the stop falls completely out.

 

I'd also be using Williams early, (up to around Getaway), WPC EOS switches, cabinet switches and to get even longer life out of these switches, caps across the EOS switches.

 

Whether you choose to do these changes, do some of them or leave your machine totally stock is up to you. I for one would still play it as I did like Meteor. Loving your thread as it brings back memories.

 

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These are the side mount drop target switches.......all four banks use them, but there is a problem, or two.

 

I've searched the internet and come up with nothing.

 

I can't find a part number, the same nor an equivalent for these switches, or just the angled blade alone.

 

These switches by Stern are shorter than the Bally ones.

 

Have considered making them from blank leaf blades but I believe these are a spring steel.

Thought of covering with a heat shrink, but that will wear away, as will an epoxy.

 

May have to offset the switch so the link doesn't hit that particular spot....but still don't like that idea, just a last option.

Possibly just make that angled piece and glue it over the top?

 

Can anyone help out here please?

 

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