Fitted Plastic Figures to my LOTR LE game

The LOTR LE did not come with AOME plastic action figures, the earlier versions of this Stern Pinball game did.  I wanted to add back all the original figures to my game.

Finally went ahead and fitted the figures with a Pinbits LE mounting kit. Very much worth the $15, some of the plastics are not needed on an LE (* means duplicates of the small ones included in the LE "goody bag". As some folks like to leave the goody bag intact, it's a nice touch. I got in my Pinbits set:

• 2 x sling protectors with the holes cut for Sam,Golum,Frodo (right) and Merry,Pippin (left),
• 4 x Clear washers, there are very important as I found out the hard way.
• 5 x small circle mounts (the original plastics if you are using cable ties) #28(S*), #33(G*), #31(F*), #28(M*) and #28(P*).
• 1 x Mount #39 (* Ugluk Uruk-Hai with sword and severed Goblin head). Stands at the back next to Barad-dur tower.
• 1 x Mount #50 Long pointed mount (* Mauhur and Uruk-Hai with Helmet).  Stand along shooter Lane.
• 1 x Mount #36 Mount for Ringwraith. 4 x Cable tie holes for base of figure.  I replaced existing plastic with this one.
• 1 x Mount #?? Clear plastic for mounting Gandalf behind Balrog.  You may need to ask Pinbits for a "Gandalf on Shadowfax" clear plastic if you need that.

On to the fitting, no real problems others have documented with Pictures.  Closest to what I did is in the middle of this slideshow.
Cable tied Saruman, Ringwraith (Dark Rider), Aragorn and the Ugluk Uruk-Hai.  When it came time to fit my Gandalf on horseback, just couldn't find him.  Must have hid him good, so used Gandalf the Grey standing for now. Just like the story, guess he's off fighting the Balrog.  When I'm good enough to defeat the Balrog, Gandalf the White will return on Shadofax and will belong on my game.  Funny how life imitates art.

Two points worth a mention:

1. Left the little swords off the characters on the slings, and Saruman dropped his staff right away.  Waiting for some "4 oz. museum gel" to arrive and don't want to lose the swords. Amazing stuff! One of the brands is called Quake-hold, because collectors use it to hold down glassware in case of an Earthquake.  It holds fast, comes right off when you need it to. Steve Marsh advised me that he is sticking many of his figures down with "Museum putty"- a similar product.  Army of the Dead to the PoTD, and even figures on top of pop bumpers!



2. Didn't put the 4 x washers that came in the pinbits set.  Already put clear plastic defender washers under the sling plastics when the metal ones were removed.  So I didn't need them.  Big mistake!

Half way through the first game after my figures were added, a sling arm stuck out. I thought a coil had "locked on" and switched the game off.  Looking underneath, I could feel it was binding.
But it took a while to understand that the feet of the figures were pushing down on the sling plastic.  The sling kicker was binding on the screened plastics! ARRRGH!  Fitted the 4 x washers between the sling plastics and pinbits mounts.  Didn't crank the nuts down as tight as before.  But now I have some lovely "lines" on my screened plastics where the kickers rubbed.  Not getting new LE slings in a hurry, so  will have to live with it.

What I like about the figures.
They really help tell the story, especially the Ringwraith was missing from his platform.  What was the point of the flashing Red light without a figure there? I also like Aragorn charging at the Uruk-Hai warriors,
and the funny shaped plastic on the shooter lane that makes sense next to the horse's leg.  There probably are other points of interest, but overall it ties the game together.
Haven't fit any figures that weren't factory (yet).  But there is a Ringwraith standing in my spares, he might look good somewhere... :o))