Author Topic: STERN STARS (Read 9183 times)

smartbomb2084 · « **on:** June 27, 2013, 08:54:34 pm »

I am fortunate to have this beautiful gem cross my path....

It is not without issues however...got a lotta work to do...

Here is some of it...

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2013, 08:58:51 pm »

mmm toasty corrody!

ChadTower · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2013, 09:29:40 am »

Looks a bit time consuming but salvageable... don't see any obvious trace destruction there.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2013, 07:58:45 am »

Yeah... the lamp board is borderline but worth the time... I just loathe using aftermarket boards for some reason so I gotta try and save it..

I'll probably have more invested in time and parts than the price of a replacement one.

Been working about 3 hours on getting the GangGREEN under control on the Lamp and MPU boards...still got a ways to go...

Ken Layton · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2013, 02:21:00 am »

Big Daddy sells repair kits for those boards.

http://www.bigdaddy-enterprises.com/

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2013, 09:13:03 am »

Ken...you must be psychic...

I have an order from Big Daddy for the parts on its way...

ChadTower · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2013, 05:13:10 pm »

Nice, good start.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 03, 2013, 09:20:20 pm »

Got another 4+ hours into this...

Worked on the Sol Driver Board.. all that's left is a header for J4 and a new fuse....

Spent some of the time on the Lamp Board too...slow and methodical...

Ken Layton · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2013, 12:40:52 am »

Both boards are already looking 100 times better than they were!

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:17:01 pm »

You know what you're doing. Don't forget to coat the unmasked plane and traces with clear nail polish or something.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2013, 03:02:25 pm »

Got about 8 more hours on this game into the rectifier board.

New headers, fuse holders, bridge rectifiers (35A/400V), CR1-CR4 (now 1N4007), and R3 (1/2 Watt).

All of the upgrades were done too.

Before and after pics...

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2013, 03:14:07 pm »

make sure your new connectors are compatible with locking headers. not all molex housings are.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2013, 03:37:50 pm »

The NON-locking OEM connectors (which are being re-crimped wit new contacts) work fine on these locking headers. When you use Locking connectors with these headers you practically have to rip the pins from the board to remove them.

I like to use the locking header with the OEM non-locking connectors because it helps to eliminate mis- connections by acting as an additional 'key'...that is... you can only put the connector on one way even if the connector key plug is missing.

Does that make sense?

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2013, 09:33:14 pm »

That works if you repin them upside down. I hate locking connectors too and they're not original to bally -35. no biggie,you're on top of it. just looked back at the op and realized you weren't asking for help. TJC out!

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 20, 2013, 08:49:31 pm »

The Lamp Board is done now... another 4 hours... that makes 3 out of 4 boards complete.

Still working on the MPU...

Here's a pic of the Lamp Board component side.

New headers and new MCR-106's.. also 12 new 2N5060's... and 4 resistors.

Plenty of Clear Nail Polish covering the exposed traces...Thanks TJC...

If this board works ... it'll be a small miracle. Stay Tuned....

ChadTower · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2013, 11:51:11 am »

That's nice work.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2013, 09:28:43 pm »

THANKS for the positive nod, man...I appreciate it.

I know everyone around here hates me... but I am trying to make amends...please ignore my sarcasm if it offends.

Got all the connector contacts re-crimped (another 5 hours)..all, that is, except for the display connectors..

That still adds up to about 300 crimps...I think I am going blind...

Got some time on the cab and playfield too..as 'methodical' as I try to be... I still tend to work on several things at once...I have learned to 'go with the flow' and do what 'I feel like doing' because it 'all needs to be done' eventually anyway and the working regimen is all up to me.

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2013, 08:57:38 am »

No hate here - I know I have given unwanted advice in the past so I try to be careful, even when I get excited about a pinball situation I can help with.

I've got boards that need the same treatment and I'm not motivated to dive in because I know they are not going to work right away If i go in and replace all the components.

Crimping 300 pins in a session is rough. I bet you did it standing reaching into the backbox too. My legs get stiff from standing still so long.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 24, 2013, 08:35:04 am »

Pinball advice is always welcome in my book...NOBODY knows EVERTHING and advice and ideas from others is a way to learn some of what we don't know. Not just for the people replying to the thread but also for the people who are just reading it.

I have learned things here and hope others here have learned from me...that's what it's all about.

I understand the trepidation upon giving advice sometimes though...look what happened to me with that whole GI debacle a little while back...I am still a little upset about it.

Just for the record, I crimped contacts in four separate sessions...when it felt right to do... instead of forcing it because when we force things that's when mistakes happen.

ChadTower · « **Reply #19 on:** July 24, 2013, 11:13:18 am »

By about pin 200 I'd be sitting there mumbling things like "I really should buy the @#$@##$# ratcheting crimper" and "no tv and no beer make Chad something something".

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #20 on:** July 24, 2013, 11:19:35 am »

MMMMMM. conductor and insulator crimped at one time. very tasty.

I don't like how wide you have to open the handles on those ratcheting ones though.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 26, 2013, 09:37:35 pm »

I need to make a clarification here....My math is fuzzy and suspect...

Upon looking at my notes for this game I realize that...

300 crimps is WITH the display contacts included...Which have NOT been done.

It is a little over 200 crimps WITHOUT the display contacts for the rest of the board interconnects.

I apologize whole heartedly for this error..I will try to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 26, 2013, 09:41:35 pm »

If you are going to shine up the boards and kill the corrosion, you need to remove it from the board mounting brackets too...

Here is a pic showing one that is cleaned and one that is not...

Ken Layton · « **Reply #23 on:** July 26, 2013, 09:51:56 pm »

I use C-L-R and a brass bristled detail brush to clean the mounting bracket. Not only does it make the bracket look nice, but it also provides a good ground connection to the boards.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2013, 08:13:18 am »

I'll have to try CLR on the last one left. I have been using fine steel wool and a lot of elbow grease.

Maybe your way is less work with the same result.

Ken Layton · « **Reply #25 on:** July 27, 2013, 11:46:37 am »

Mix it 30% C-L-R to 70% warm water. Don't use the C-L-R full strength.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #26 on:** July 27, 2013, 04:24:03 pm »

Too late... I already used it full strength... the fumes from it were a little rough but no too bad.

It did a good job getting the bracket clean but I still went over it quick with the steel wool at the end for that ultimate luster. It definitely was less work for the same result.

We learned something today... Don't use C-L-R full strength.

ChadTower · « **Reply #27 on:** July 29, 2013, 10:49:41 am »

I'm surprised the board clips aren't all broken. I'm not sure I have ever gone through an old SS game that had decent mount clips. They are ALWAYS broken. Half the time they are missing and substituted with something stupid like a shoelace.

ark_ader · « **Reply #28 on:** July 29, 2013, 07:33:18 pm »

Something related I found on my travels:

http://totallycoolpix.com/2013/07/a-glimpse-inside-a-pinball-factory/

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 29, 2013, 08:54:34 pm »

The STERN facory pics are cool but where are all of the blonde haired blue eyed white guys?

Yeah...Most all of the board clips are in good shape...only the Rectifier Board clips are compromised.

Nylon wire ties through the eyelets will suffice...no need to remove the board ever again after all my hard work...

Yeah Right.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 30, 2013, 09:34:20 am »

MPU is done now too and it actually still boots.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #31 on:** August 01, 2013, 10:54:25 pm »

Put all the boards back in and they NOW all work.

I had a couple of solder flecks between connectors that I didn't see cause some initial anguish.

One on the Lamp Board causing the 9K bonus light to be on all the time. The other on the Solenoid Driver board that made the Left Sling and the Knocker fire at the same time. Spent a solid hour tracking them down.

That's what I get for being arrogant and not checking my work more closely...Live and Learn...Again.

It always amazes me how much snappier and brighter the game is overall after changing connectors and updating the Rectifier Board...This game is singing...

ChadTower · « **Reply #32 on:** August 02, 2013, 09:17:14 am »

Nice work. Cleaning up those connectors always makes the old Sterns play so much better. Doing the same to the rectifier board makes the slingshots and pop bumpers almost violent.

Did you put anything over all that exposed conductor so it won't corrode in the air?

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #33 on:** August 02, 2013, 09:27:54 am »

He used clear acrylic on the uncovered grounds and traces. +1 on the nice work. I wouldn't have been excited about replacing a ton of components to repair a board, but you've got me inspired. I may get out a toasty old gameplan MPU and see if I can get it working again. I've got a working game to test it in.

I get really frustrated when I do a bunch of board work, test the work with the mm to confirm all the associated traces are good, plug it in and something doesn t work or it didn't fix the problem. or something else breaks.

I redid the 40 pin connector on my solar fire, and as soon as I plugged it in the issues I had hoped would be fixed were all completely unchanged. and a flipper stopped working again after testing. I just had to set it aside and work on other stuff for a while.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #34 on:** August 02, 2013, 09:11:52 pm »

Get up and get going on that GAMEPLAN MPU...

Start a new thread about it so we can learn something...

Then...I might have to revisit a dead OLD CONEY ISLAND I passed up a year or so back ...armed with renewed confidence....Hopefully it is still around...

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #35 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:06:49 pm »

The Old Coney is gone... too late.

The entire topside of the playfield on this game was removed and cleaned...in sections.

Dropped every lamp socket, target and switch one at a time from the bottom of the playfield to clean and adjust.

Slingshots and Bumper are shining too..

Here's a before and after Drop Target Pic...

Working on the flippers now...

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #36 on:** August 25, 2013, 11:53:05 am »

Someone took a lighter and burned the right flipper button on this game...

I could'nt find any matching white ones around but I did find these red ones instead...

Although not original...I think they look WAY better... Nice and 'tight'.

TopJimmyCooks · « **Reply #37 on:** August 25, 2013, 11:59:37 am »

http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/C-905

red looks fine, though.

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #38 on:** August 30, 2013, 08:40:40 am »

Just about got this game wrapped up.

Since there is no Free Play on these games (without Free Play ROMs) some kind of COIN switch needs to be added.

I like to use the piggy-back method from the Clay Guides...THANKS Clay...of adding the COIN switch to the START button but I also add a toggle switch to the COIN Switch that enables you to have the switch ON--ADD Credits or OFF---remove them by starting games or to let actual coins be used for credit.

Pics of the Coin Door..Credit Swiches.. and backbox...

smartbomb2084 · « **Reply #39 on:** August 31, 2013, 07:51:59 am »

All done here... Game goes home today...gonna miss it a little.

What's next? BONEBUSTERS? JUDGE DREDD? HOT SHOT? JACKS TO OPEN?


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