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.

Back after a visit to the USA for nearly a month.
Went to see the Ironman2 film at the Imax the weekend it came out, and my brother took delivery of a Stern Ironman at his house near Chicago.  Had played it during the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown RMPS tournament in Golden Colorado. I'm not in the same league as the serious tourney players there.

IM is a fun game, but more random than LOTR due to the two playfield magnets and a "war machine" kickback.  It could easily kick my arse, nearly every time!  I only once got to the final "do or die" mode, after making all the other modes, and then drained trying to make the shot as it counted down from 50Mil (I think).  I think I like slower paced games, although the theme is great.  Great sounds and light show, should earn well on location.

Back to LOTR LE, I fitted the Shaker Motor today kit (502-5027-00 rev B.) and it was fairly easy to do.  More on the shaker later once I get my shots back and can get further into the game.

A couple of points if you fit a Shaker to a LOTR LE:

1. The tiny PCB (printed circuit board) needs to go somewhere else than where the instructions show, or you need to mount the shaker motor further away from the side of the machine towards the coin box.  Otherwise you can't get the cover off the shaker motor without taking out the PCB.  No big deal.
2. The #8-32 screws that hold the cover on didn't fit.  I think they weren't tapped out correctly  on the motor.  I just changed to some self tapping machine screws.
3. The BRN-GRY wire didn't exist on my LOTR LE harness.  The only wire in the back of the cabinet that looked correct was BLU-YEL.  It did have a center connector on the same size molex plug, so I went for it and it worked.

The shaker "blips" when you make certain shots, like adding the FOTR characters and making the right shots during modes.  The choreography of the game play and the Shaker Motor is outstanding, like when the doors shut at the beginning of the "Gandalf vs. Saruman" mode.  This is a great add-on for the price.  About $170 at Pinball Life, if they have them in stock.  Costs more from a Stern distributor, e.g. pinballsales.com quotes a RRP of $290 for the same shaker motor kit but have decent  prices on NIB Stern games.

Flasher changes:

Bought some 4+1HP flashers at RMPS from Cointaker.com.  Amber Flasher LED in the two "helms deep" flashers.  Trying an Amber one in the backboard ring flasher, and I may put one under the sword lock when I can get to it.  Yellow/Amber #906 bulb for now.  There's also an Orange LED flasher behind the Eye at the top of Barad-Dur.  About the only original #906 flasher left will be under the playfield at the "DTR" insert. 

I also bought a slower color-changing #44 LED for the Palantir, but it doesn't work on the game.

Away for a while in the USA

I'm leaving tomorrow, if I can fly out from London (UK) to Denver, CO.  They closed UK airspace for about 6 days, and it's just getting back to normal.  Perfect timing for me, I hope.

Itinerary:  Golden, CO.  Santa Fe, NM.  And then on to Chicago, the windy city.

Heading to the RMPS in Golden, CO.  A really fun pinball show and not too big, still has a family atmosphere.  Unlike Expo '09 in Wheeling, IL near Chicago.  You also get an added benefit of the crisp clean air of the Rocky Mountains, with a Coors brewery tour not far away.


Colorado, where the air is cold and thin, and the beer is colder and thinner.

Will rent a car and drive to New Mexico, where I was born.  I have some business to sort out while there.

Next I'm flying to Chicago, the home of pinball.   My older brother lives there and perhaps I will get to see something new coming from Stern.  It certainly should be a chance to pick up some parts locally.  May find time to blog from there on this site about what I find out.


I won't be modifying my LOTR LE game (or playing it) so not many posts about that until I'm back.

Defeated the Balrog today

That's it, won the FoTR MB.  I can do all the elements of a good game: DTR, win FoTR or other MBs, get to TaBA.  But "putting it all together" in one game is still a challenge for me.  See abbreviations list if you can't understand my geeky jargon.

Really happy with the wood rail protector/ PoTD post combination mentioned recently. Doesn't change gameplay, but helps with the flow.