A slightly annoying issue that has crept into the Space Orbit machine over recent months is the game serving the ball up at game over. You don’t actually get a free ball as it’s in the game over state (so switches & flipper buttons are disabled), but the ball is served up into the shooter lane as it clicks over to game over. It’s not a show stopping issue as you just shoot the ball and watch it drain before starting a new game. But it’s an issue I’d like to get to the bottom of. As you can see here, the game is in the game over state, with the ball sitting in the shooter lane.
Pinball
Documenting my adventures into pinball repair and restoration
Over 12 months ago I purchased my first EM – Space Orbit – which is a Single player add-a-ball machine that was exported to Italy by Gottlieb. The machine eventually found its way back to Australia, changing hands via the Pinball Shed and a private collector before it reached me. For the most part, the machine has been running fine. Some initial issue with one of the add-a-ball switches requiring adjustment and the stepper unit that rotates the lit WOW lamps. But that’s about all. My intention isn’t to service the whole machine, but to look at a few issues that have either crept into the game play over time, or have been there since day one and sort them out. The first issue I want to look at is the vari-target. This is one of the main shots on the game, so it’s important it functions correctly. The idea behind it is simple – hit the ball against the vari-target arm as hard as possible to push it back – the further back it goes the more points you get. If you get it all the way back and the lamp is lit – you also score the special (or in this case WOW) – which is a free ball.
The drop target bank has waited, or more accurately, been put off for, long enough. Time to pull the assembly to pieces and clean it all. When I first got the machine home, the 6th and 7th yellow drop targets were broken. I replaced these back in update #2 so I could start a game and test out the switches. At this point, the drop target bank functions correctly. That includes all switches. So this is a good starting point. If I mess anything up in rebuilding the assembly, I’ll know it’s my fault. The plastic, posts and old rubber had been removed awhile back. This photo is also from awhile ago too as you can see all the areas around the drop targets are incomplete (but have since been finished in previous updates).
The Counterforce to do list is beginning to thin out and I’m looking forward to (hopefully) having it knocked over in the next few weeks. Although as it turns out, in this update, I do a few extra things I had originally decided not to – but it’s worth the time. First on the hit list for this update is the pop bumpers. They need a proper service. I think they are many, many years over due for one. There are two pop bumpers located on the playfield and at first glance, they have been well worn over the years. The caps have some sticky crap attached to the top of them. The decoration is wearing and there is some serious playfield wear below the (once clear) platters.
I’m close to posting my next progress update on my Gottlieb Counterforce, but wanted to do a short post about the broken display and it’s repair. When I first started the Counterforce project, I showed how on one of the displays was broken. The first leg connecting the glass to the pcb had broken away from the glass. The break occurred on the inside (or just on the edge) and I could not repair the connection without cutting away some of the glass. So this task was put on the to do list for later on.
