Pinball - proper spring launcher - anyone used one on their cab?

[uptown47]

Hi all,

I read somewhere on the internet about people using genuine pinball "ball launch" springy-handles on their cabinets.

Anyone heard of this? I'm thinking it could work if the pull handle was tied in to the keyboard encoder and it would add an extra level of authenticity to playing Pinball FX (or any other pinball game you fancy)?

Has anyone done this? And, if so, where did you get your pinball launcher from and how did you connect it up? Was it straight-forward?

Cheers :-)

[Titchgamer]

Never seen it done on a cab but I have seen lots of people do it on virtua pins.

[uptown47]

Thanks Titch (sorry - was typing on the phone and it autocorrected!)

Do you know if there's an actual plunger that is designed for arcades? I'm thinking of asking the lads at work to knock one up if not. Maybe a normally closed leaf switch that is held closed by the spring on the plunger. Then pulling the plunger is like pressing the button to launch the ball. ?

[BadMouth]

When I first joined this forum a decade ago, people were putting a long lever microswitch (using the normall opened tab) or coin door switch at the end of the plunger.
The problem with it was that the emulators base things off how long the plunger is held back, not how far the physical plunger is pulled back.
There were some analog commercial products available, but I don't know how well they worked. 
I experimented with analog joystick hacks, but never achieved a 1:1 ratio with the on screen plunger and it never did feel right.

I remember a few people who started out with a plunger switching to a button or Terminator 2 launcher because they just couldn't get the plunger to feel right.

As more time passed, people also came to the conclusion that pinball just doesn't work that well on an arcade cabinet so the issue hasn't come up as often.

[uptown47]

Thanks BadMouth

I play pinball a lot on my existing cabinet and love it.

I was thinking something like this for a plunger (not analogue - just digital).

Just a basic sensor or something at the end of the plunger. Doesn't have to be anything fancy but thought it might be a nice touch. I'll maybe knock something up and see what it's like in practice.

Cheers :-)

[Mike A]

I'll maybe knock something up

Phrasing.

[Mike A]

You could look at what this guy did and improve on it.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Desktop-Pinball-Controller/

[PL1]

Here are two DIY options that act like a button press (digital) and a 3rd option that is analog.

DIY option 1:
Many builds have used a leaf or microswitch with a plunger, but the switch can take a pretty bad beating, depending on how and where it is mounted.

IIRC one build used a fender washer mounted on the tip of the plunger using a cotter pin or two through the plunger shaft.

When the plunger was pulled back, the washer would press the lever arm of the microswitch until the plunger was released.

There were also blocks that kept the washer from pulling back so far that the switch would be damaged.

Couldn't fnd any photos of that build, but it was somewhat like this diagram.


------------
DIY option 2:
An optical circuit like this.
------------
Option 3:
Last time I looked on the VP Forums, the VirtuaPin™ Digital Plunger Kit v3 was a pretty good option.




Scott

[BadMouth]

Looking at your drawing and thinking about recent 3D printed projects on here...
a long hex bolt with a long smooth shank and a 3D printed handle would make a pretty good cheap plunger.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Could you put a flat plate on the end of the plunger, you could measure the distance it travels with something like https://www.sparkfun.com/products/15569 connected to an arduino like https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11114, then run that Xbox controller emulator software on it to map the position of the plunger to an analog control?

[Mike A]

I think he just wants a plunger that acts like a button. It is going on an arcade cab.

[Ond]

Yes.  I made a pinball style plunger for a (digital) pinball switch for my RoToron machine out of odd bits and pieces I had lying around.  See the below pics.

I made that years ago but it still works just fine.  It's been sitting boxed up waiting to go into my machine.  The video shows how I put it together and the plunger action.  Sorry for the poor quality video.  It was shot in the dark ages.

[uptown47]

Wow!! You lot are awesome!! Some brilliant ideas and execution there.

Love the LED surround Ond!!!

Brilliant idea with the hex bolt BadMouth.

PL1, newmanfamilyvlogs, Mike, thanks for the great ideas!

I've got plenty to go on there. I'm definitely doing this!

Thanks again folks!!

Cheers :-)