Helms Deep RH Flasher

The "helms deep" RH Flasher assembly appears to tilt backwards. The LH side seems more flat compared to the return lane plastics.

Why did they use such a long nylon spacer there? Maybe the reflector is "aimed up" at a figure when installed- Aragorn on horseback?

• Changed it over to a slightly smaller 1" spacer and it looks right to me now.
• The two 7/8" spacer supports (dual-locking) which clip at the back of the RH yellow flasher snap into the top plastic better.
• Added a new acorn head hex nut to the top of the post with swapped spacer. Could use a shorter 6/32" screw, but can't be arsed to take the whole thing apart.
• Put 4 acorn nuts on the hilt of the sword-lock, looks like a jewelled hilt now. It's little things that make a difference.

A Warning for the new Stern owner

You need to be really careful raising and lowering the playfield with the slide & pivot brackets or you can scratch the siderails ! Who invented that mechanism?

Make sure the playfield is squared up before moving it. First Stern I owned, both my TZ and AFM had better solutions to that problem 15 yrs ago.

Discovered that some of the carriage bolts listed as "Gold" (Brass) in the manual, are actually Black on my LE:

• Securing the backbox light brackets (4),
• Securing the hinge to backbox (4)
• and securing the Slide & Pivot Brackets -as you know, "I hate the design of these" .
• I guess (since Elvis Gold?) Stern have saved money where they could. Not an issue, as it looks OK as is.  Just interesting. Brass is not a hard metal anyway and can strip threads.

Tried putting two "high output" 4+1 LEDs in the Helms Deep Spotlights, Left and Right. One fell out during DTR, so went back to using #555 bulbs.
     Bought the LEDs from Cointaker. Plan to revisit that mod when the AOME figures are added.

 Checking out the cool LOTR stuff at Pinball Life again I order:

• Stern Shaker Motor Kit (Rev B) $165 (wiring harness exists in the LE game). Should come free from Stern with any LE game. DE's had them from factory.
• Sword Ramp Ball Lock Guide $6.95 (the original one) and some other bits -plus postage and packing.
Remembering back to when the game first came out- the sword lock was clean looking. Not on the later games, so a good HUO mod for the price.

Problem or a mod? Mod or Problem?

Hate the (horrible) metal washers under slingshot plastics. Have some laser cut 7/8" Clear PETG washers.  Pinball CPR from Classic Playfield Reproductions. Good stuff.

The ball will get dinged on the metal washers, that's not good. Stern could supply 4 x "unbreakable plastic" washers, which you can choose to fit. IMHO.  Changed out:

• 4 x metal washers under slingshot plastics,
• The metal washer on hex spacer behind the palantir,
• and the horizontal one sticking out to the left of barad-dur.

They do the same job and look way better.

Cabinet Protection

Need some cabinet protectors for the flipper buttons and start button.  Read RGP warnings that if the Stern cabinets wear, they can't be repainted as they are silkscreened.

Made them from thin mylar without adhesive, installed underneath the flipper buttons.  Used a tiny bit of tacky adhesive on the edges of the start button protector.
Here's a cutting template (PDF). The inner circle is for placing under flipper buttons, the outer circle should work for going around the buttons without needing to remove them.

You can buy mylar ones from Terry at Pinball Life for $3 if you want.  I'm cheap and didn't want to stick mylar directly to my cab.  (Looking back later they wrinkle and move under your hands - so may make some from adhesive mylar after all. -RH 06 Feb 2010)