POTD Lane Diverter (by Pinwest) Added

OK. On my POTD the ball almost always goes down lane 2.  I figured out you can nudge fairly hard to sometimes get to lane 1, but I have another solution I'm ready to try.

Pinwest (David Eisner, CA) made a plastic diverter and this was sold for a while by BAA.  See: LOTR parts tab.  This has nothing to do with the ball falling off the end of the POTD.   This mod is designed to help "even out" the selection of lanes 1 and 2.

The parts used:

Defector and longer screw are for the top of the POTD
Clear post goes at the bottom of the POTD to replace a metal post  previously installed, which bumps the ball into the wireform some of the time.  This means the "Shire Hole" VUK switch and wood get hammered less.  See: LOTR Blog from 13th April 2010

POTD Lane Deflector Installed 

You can see the ball will hit at an angle, and doesn't actually touch the 3 posts.  Once it is adjusted tot he right angle, the selection of lanes 1 and 2 are more even.

Here is a link to the installation instructions which contains some extra pictures.  This could be useful if you decide to try and make one yourself:
POTD Lane Defector Installation Instructions

LOTR Eye Flasher Kit Added

Played no pinball for a month in the USA, had planned a visit to an arcade but didn't get there in the end.  The only game even seen (at a small Pizza place) was Indiana Jones (the newish Stern).  That game didn't get my money.  Last time there, perhaps a year ago, they had a POTC which I played.

Didn't want to reinvent the wheel this time, so bought the Pinbits "Lord of the Rings Backbox Flasher Kit"  With LED Color : Yellow for $22.50 while in the USA.  Installed it which was very easy and it's a fun mod.  Added my own "reflector" and lens from a flashlight to increase and concentrate the flash effect.  It's mounted to the base of the LED with a rubber ring.  The Eye Flasher and my backbox warming filter is in the picture.  Right click and save the image to your computer if you want to zoom up to a higher resolution.

There is also a DIY flasher mod I found at: Habos Arcade LOTR

The  real source is at Bob's Pinball Mods.  Bob Frysztak has published some nice LOTR Mods including the  LOTR DIY Flasher  This one suggests to connect the flasher to J6 pin 3 which is Coil #27, the Back Panel flasher (Eye) hiding behind the Barad-Dur tower.  This makes sense to me.

Be aware that following the instructions which comes with the Flasher Kit will connect the flasher to J6 pin 2 which is Coil #26 the Ring flasher!  This means the Backbox Eye and the Ring both flash each time you hit the spinner.  I put an amber flash lamp behind the ring which looks cool, and coil is probably used more often during the game.

Haven't had much to say recently, going on holiday for a month

Taking a break for my vacation in the USA.

Not near my LOTR LE from start of July, back in early August.
Headed for Boston area and then to Cape Cod, MA.

Diverter Gate in front of Orthanc wouldn't return to rest position.

This happened before on the 12th March.  Same problem. Playing a game and the diverter in front of the Orthanc tower stuck and wouldn't return.

• Looked under the playfield at flipper mech for diverter gate. Spring wasn't  able to return the gate to "home" (closed). 
• Binding somewhere at the coil or plunger.  Had the coil moved in the stop? Was the plastic flipper bushing that goes through playfield broken or worn? There didn't seem to be too much "slop" when I wiggled the gate around.
• Rotated the screw for the link connection and the gate could then snap closed.  So it looks like the link to the plunger was binding, 
• Does the metal link bushing needs to be replaced? Maybe, but I reason unlikely given how many times the gate is used compared to flipper flips, so more likely that it was over tightened.  Got a hex key set and loosened the bolt slightly to help avoid binding in future.  
•  Followed instructions to adjust the "Diverter Gate" properly (again), this is found on the inside front cover of the LOTR manual.  Also shown in Service Bulletin #147.  
• Diverter working correctly.  

My personal view:  Don't like the mech Stern has used much.  The main advantage is that it uses standard parts, but the spring seems weak for the task and it seems to go wrong for me occasionally.  The ramp diverter on TZ is a more elegant design.  Stern chose to use cheap existing parts vs. WMS/Bally who could do custom designs back when pinball was making money.

After coming back from the USA, I seem to have lost my LOTR touch.

Just can't make the shots as well as when I was playing almost daily.  Have watched the "Pinball 101" DVD a couple of times, which was bought in the USA.  It's great information, but hasn't improved my style of play on LOTR.


A bit OT, but I have played my AFM more lately and got to "rule the universe" early this month.  I think on the 5th.  Since then, it's been needing some love:

1. Rebuilt the 3 pop bumpers.  Hate to do that on any game.  Dropped down the whole bracket assembly underneath and replaced the coil sleeves and cleaned them up.  Someday I'll need to take the ramps off and do the pop bumper skirts on top. Way too much trouble, but it needs to be done.  Eventually.
2. Left Slingshot power wire fell off the coil.  An easy fix.
3. Right popper (the SOL hole VUK) was firing for no reason, even at attract mode.  Put it in on switch test and had a look. Shined a flashlight at the optos and it registered.  So the receiver was good.  Re soldered the wires to the transmitter and it was back to normal.
4. It has the Bill Ung Mini-Saucer LED kit fitted.  Two LEDs on a mini ship were out.  Replaced the LEDs.  I had used dots of superglue to hold them in and had to carefully break the old ones out.

Here's a link to how I have wired up my mini saucers: AFM Mini Saucers

One nice thing about the LOTR LE, or perhaps any newer Stern:

Now that it has gone through all the teething troubles, there aren't many maintenance tasks like the above lately.  Is this a direct result of how much it gets played?  Don't think so, it just seems to have become quite stable lately.  No one in my house has complained about problems and it plays well.  It's just a shame the same can't be said about me. 

Favorite mode since adding the shaker motor:  
Gandalf vs. Saurman
Already liked this mode, but love the way it starts with the doors slamming shut.  And the way it ends when you make all the shots.  Second favorite:  War of the Ents.  


Easiest modes (for me) to complete are:  
Escape the Ringwraiths and Attack of Shelob

Gold Trim on LOTR LE

Avoided this subject so far until I had more understanding of the problem.  Have heard recently of others reporting the same problems so more willing to give my opinion.  In one sentence: the "brass finish" on the lockbar and siderails tarnishes very easily.  I tried taking a picture, but because of the reflections it's incredibly difficult to document in a photo.  Found brown tarnish spots near where your thumbs rest on the the siderails and also some bad brown discoloration marks and places with 'black specks' on the lockbar.  This is within 3-4 months from NIB.  Got in touch with Stern and they offered to swap out the lockbar for another new one under guarantee.  I would have to return the original, which is fine.

So when I got the replacement, I figured I would clean it up and try to seal it.  No wax or other finish on it, and I tried Krylon "triple thick".  Did a dry coat and then one wet coat.  Big mistake,  it looked like a hammered finish and only went clear in a few areas.   I had to 'T-cut' it back off, no not with 'T-cut' !!!  I used a brass polish called 'brasso' that I like and it acted like a solvent and a slightly abrasive compound.  After a few minutes carefully cutting only the Krylon off, it was back to shiny and bright.  But I'm not sure of the long term effect of this step, seems OK and I plan to wipe it down after game use.

I learned my lesson.  It needs a lacquer of some sort and not a polyurethane.  Auto clear might be perfect, but I don't have the ability to shoot a 2-part clear at  home.  Perhaps next I will get in touch with the local metal plating and chroming shop and ask advice.

Personally, I won't be buying a 'gold effect version' game again.  Unless it really is gold plated. Brass seems to scratch and tarnish much too easily. I like chrome, which is more durable.  They actually have to nickel plate the metal and then add a chrome plate layer on top, if I'm not mistaken.