TAG - Thunderbirds Pinball - parts update thread

[pinnies4me]

A completely different design, but they remind me of how bullet proof the system 1 and 80 Gottlieb flipper mechanisms are, which is a good thing!

[Homepin]

A pic of some work coming out of the machine that will laser cut the proto parts for the TAG topper.

This is a sheet of 1/2" steel plate and it cut these parts out in about five minutes - just amazing!

My job was up next so I stayed around and watched.

[ddstoys]

That's going to be a huge topper Mike lol

[baoyar]

This looks like a fantastic effort so far! Even as a new pinball fan I feel like this will be a really fun pin to play. Thanks for all your great work Mike.

[delarge]

Was speaking to my father tonight and we always talk pinball and the next machine we're cleaning up. My dad's gripe with pinball machines: "You get an old pinball machine and the bottom is all scraped. There's splinters of wood everywhere. Why didn't they put metal/some kind of protection on the base of the cabinet or at least the edges for when machines were being transported?"

I agreed and said that cabinet protectors on the base of the cabinet would be a good idea for operators or home users transporting their machines and sliding them in and out of vehicles. I then said "I'll suggest this to Homepin for his Thunderbirds machine and see what he says!"

Mike, why didn't they put cabinet protectors on the base of machines and is this a viable option/idea for future Homepin machines?

Cheers!
Adam.

[Homepin]

Hello Adam,

I agree entirely. We will have slide rails (probably pine or similar) under the edge of each side that the machine will slide on when dragging it into and out of trailers and utes. Imagine a piece of 2 x 1 inside the egde running the full lenth of the machine. These pieces could be easily replaced should it become damaged without affecting the cabinet artwork.

I could never work out why no other manufacturer doesn't include this as most arcade cabines do???

Thanks for the input.

Cheers






\

Was speaking to my father tonight and we always talk pinball and the next machine we're cleaning up. My dad's gripe with pinball machines: "You get an old pinball machine and the bottom is all scraped. There's splinters of wood everywhere. Why didn't they put metal/some kind of protection on the base of the cabinet or at least the edges for when machines were being transported?"

I agreed and said that cabinet protectors on the base of the cabinet would be a good idea for operators or home users transporting their machines and sliding them in and out of vehicles. I then said "I'll suggest this to Homepin for his Thunderbirds machine and see what he says!"

Mike, why didn't they put cabinet protectors on the base of machines and is this a viable option/idea for future Homepin machines?

Cheers!
Adam.

[Homepin]

There has been an amazing hive of activity in the Homepin factory over the past few weeks. We were interupted for a few days by massive storms that flooded the small village near us and I allocated several staff to go into town and help the locals with the clean up efforts for a few days.

The bad weather also delayed delivery of a couple of new pieces of machinery and the installation of air conditioning in our new expanded R&D room to accomodate the three new engineering staff. This should be completed this week and I want them all to be in the new room by the end of the week.

I have received two sample motors built to my specifications by an electric motor factory for the TAG shaker motor. I will also be selling these as an after market add-on with a universal driver board so they should suit must electronic pinballs and will be practically a drop in replacement for most late model Stern machines. I don't have a final sell price yet but we are aiming for AROUND $170~190 including post.

The motor is of the absolute highest quality with replaceable brushes (motor life is 5000 hours so I doubt they will ever be needed) and a roller bearing each end of the shaft instead of the usual bushes. These motors cop a real hiding driving offset weights and the strain on the bushes is VERY high - that's why I specified roller bearings.

I contantly amaze myself with just how stupid I can be - my draughtsman drew up the five metal brackets for the motor mount to my "hand scratched" drawings and emailed them off to the laser cutting factory to have a sample set cut in 1mm stainless steel. This morning I realised I hadn't allowed enough room for the weights by about 3mm - so back to the drawing board and throw away the sample set that hasn't even been picked up yet!!! AAARRRGGHHHHH...............

[ddstoys]

Shaker motor for under $200 delivered ill be grabbing one for sure.

     3mm doesn't sound like much but it's enought to completely stuff you up

[Homepin]

This label will be screen printed onto the top of the shaker assembly. I didn't like the idea of a sticker that might fall off over time so we will screen in yellow and black.

[spacejam0]

This label will be screen printed onto the top of the shaker assembly. I didn't like the idea of a sticker that might fall off over time so we will screen in yellow and black.

ouch...lucky that's not a flipper button finger

[Homepin]

ouch...lucky that's not a flipper button finger

Gets the message across don't you think........

[joele]

Gets the message across don't you think........

yeah, if you mess around with this part Homepin is coming to your house to cut off two of your fingers with a big friggen knife... 

[Freiherr]

I have a similar sign on my ride on mower.

[Retropin]

Should read.. WARNING - never f*ck around with a  cockney

[Strangeways]

I've never seen fingers referred to as "end covers" before 

All your fingers MUST be intact to operate this machinery.