Pinball parts guide

[SithMaster]

Im thinking of getting into pins and whenever i try to find a indepth guide on playfield parts i only get parts for sale.  i want to know how each part works and so far ive only found the pinball wiki useful.

does anyone know of a link that shows how each part is put together on the playfield.  ill try rewording my searches but if someone has one already itd be appreciated if youd share.  thanks.

[ChadTower]

The playfield isn't all that hard to figure out by looking at one.  You're going to want to learn the electrical architecture of a pin.  That is what is important.

Here.

[SithMaster]

i did look at several pics of playfields but when i looked at a site that sold parts and i checked bumpers there were several parts for one and im not sure what each does or how they would all fit together.

ill try looking at some restorations and the like for some being partially disassembled.

edit-i should let you know im looking for making a scratch built.  i read the topic on the possibilities of one being built and im thinking of trying a really simple one that has no moving parts that need power.  eventually i can make my dream pin  but with my abundance of ideas i can try a simpler one.

but your right ill need to know power requirements and such.  thanks for the link.

[ChadTower]

For that your best bet is to get one and go to town on it.  It's the best way to learn.

Power requirements aren't going to help you if you don't understand the wiring yet.  Power isn't any different than a vid, it's just a transformer, bridges, and filter caps.

If you're looking for a pin with no moving parts you're just talking about bumper pool or pachinko.

[SithMaster]

problem with going to town is there arent any being sold near me.

i do want moving parts but i dont mean moving toys and the like.  i need to read up more before actually starting and making a vp table wouldnt hurt.  for my dream pin i wanted moving parts so the playfield would shift and ramps would move.  thats what i meant by moving parts.

but i do want stuff that can be hit by the ball and slide.

[ChadTower]

That's a tremendously large project.  Larger than you think, I suspect.  Vids are mostly software, not that hard.  When you start playing with physics life gets harder.

[SithMaster]

well i can at least make the cab for the pin.  but everything else is complicated i get that.  ill definitely be planning it for a while.

but what i mentioned before is not for now.  i plan on something that has some bumpers, slingshots, and a ramp or two.  seems fancy for a first time but it shouldnt be ridiculously hard.  i just want something thats fun and works.

[slycrel]

If you want to learn some more about pinball Chad is right -- get yourself a game and tinker with it.  If you keep your eye on local classifieds and craigslist you should find an older one for a few hundred dollars.

You could also get one of these (around Christmas they are coming out), I was thinking of getting one for starting out.  http://www.zizzle.com/pinball/pinball.html

Also if you're going to make your own you could do something with visual pinmame to get the table concept and tweaks worked out.  Once that's done, you can then just build it, and even have a good spec to work off of.

Good luck with making your own.

[ChadTower]

He'd be able to find a beaten up real pin for the price of those Zizzle pins.