# battling pinball games



## brown down (Nov 6, 2015)

I can't take credit for this game I saw a pic of it somewhere on the web and drew up plans on CAD. these are ridiculous fun, tho I still haven't won a game yet lol

this one is Walnut/Maple frame and curly maple and cherry burl for the flappers and goals! I have 3 out of 5 done for xmas presents this year.

If anyone is interested in drawings for this I can post them as soon as they are final just let me know

Reactions: Way Cool 9


----------



## brown down (Nov 6, 2015)

this was the first one I built after the prototype and had some major changes on the flipper. was a pain re drilling the holes plum while maintaining the angle of the ramps! I still need to add a stretcher on the bottom to help support the piece from the kids beating on it! this one is poplar and walnut with curly maple and walnut flippers and goals!

Reactions: Way Cool 6


----------



## Final Strut (Nov 6, 2015)

That is very cool. I would love to see the plans when you are done.

Reactions: Agree 2


----------



## CWS (Nov 6, 2015)

Looks like a fun project.


----------



## Mike1950 (Nov 6, 2015)

Very Cool Jeff- Plans please.


----------



## NYWoodturner (Nov 6, 2015)

Thats the coolest thing I've seen in years Jeff.


----------



## ironman123 (Nov 6, 2015)

Jeff, those are cool. Make great gifts.


----------



## brown down (Nov 6, 2015)

thanks. these are a lot of fun to build now I fine tuned all of the issues. I will take a lot of pics on the next two I do 

I will get the ramps done tomorrow. here is the side views. if I missed a measurement or you need a different view let me know

side view dimensions
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtYmd0NG52TV9TRk0/view?usp=sharing

mortise for ramps
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtNnZsTEJHMDlPM0E/view?usp=sharing
I didn't add a ball drop on both sides. its a pain to fine tune one to drop both on sides let alone dealing with two of them
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtdXFHeXQ2VEFINjg/view?usp=sharing

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Nature Man (Nov 7, 2015)

Great idea! Possibly a good way to get younger folks involved in woodworking. Chuck


----------



## brown down (Nov 7, 2015)

Here are the pdf's of the ramps! I don't have a digital protractor for my table saw so I got it as close to what I could and hand planed the angles to fit. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtTkRLYWNOaVU4WkE/view?usp=sharing

top view 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtZ0NLN3dPbjkzc00/view?usp=sharing


----------



## Kevin (Nov 7, 2015)

I agree this is super cool Jeff! Perfect for my twins. Is there any way you make a short video of it being used? I can't get my head around it quite yet.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Wildthings (Nov 7, 2015)

Ball is dropped in through the hole in the side at the middle. Since the playing field is peaked in the middle the ball may go either way. Then you push on the flippers to send the ball up and over the peak to the other side and GOAL GOAL GOAL cuz it went between the flippers into the goal area..unless of course it hits one of the two triangular rubber band bouncy thingies...... but we still need a video

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## brown down (Nov 7, 2015)

Barry nailed it but If I can figure out how to upload a video I will surely do so. those rubber stoppers can be a killer trying to get it out of your end which makes it so you can score a point for the other person when it bounces back into your goal.. I am building the next one now out of black locust and walnut and have all the pieces milled and will take detailed pics especially of the flippers. I will draw up pics of it but I think pics will explain them easier. they were a pain to get working but they are working very well now...

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## NYWoodturner (Nov 7, 2015)

Its the ultimate pinball game IMO. I was never into the bouncing, dinging and flashing.. the true test was at the flippers. This is All Action Pinball  
Head to Head one on one Pinball combat lol

Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


----------



## brown down (Nov 7, 2015)

here are the dimensions for the top holes. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtY2ZFRlo3UWczT0U/view?usp=sharing


measured and drilled from the top to minimize tear out...












I forgot to countersink the holes underneath that will be screwed for the dowels 


 





I am using an 11/64 drill bit for a number 10 tapered machine screw to hold the flippers in place 


 


 


 





This one was ¾ thick but I maintained the .125 shoulder from the TOP so not to change any of the other heights for the plungers or the ball drop! this is getting a thicker tenon and deeper bottom shoulder is all

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Kevin (Nov 7, 2015)

Keep the pics coming this is great.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Wildthings (Nov 8, 2015)

Did I miss it? What's the hole diameter for the 6 dowels that hold the rubber bands


----------



## brown down (Nov 8, 2015)

so had a little mishap overnight. the black locust cupped ever so slightly on me, so I put in in the vice to see if it would deflect enough to get into the mortises and I exposed a hidden weak spot and the board snapped lol so I milled more wood today and have them gluing up now! as for the holes for the dowels the drawing is in this thread above but they are ¾ dowels! I am waiting on cutting the mortise until the tenon is done on the new ramps.. I will have more pics this afternoon once the glue dries!


----------



## brown down (Nov 8, 2015)

so I was really tired last night when I got to laying the mortises out and it didn't look right to me w... good thing I waited to cut them out! instead of going up from my 1 ¾ mark I went down as you can see! no big deal you won't see those lines but would have thrown off the rest of the marks. 




 


 





 

made a new set of ramps, Man these are eating up my timber fast lol well that and my screw ups 


 

shot of the slight angle where the two ramps meet in the middle 


 


I have half of the other mortise done and will get it done tomorrow. I should be able to get to the flippers tomorrow when this thing is gluing up. oh I also forgot in the drawing which I will fix I put on the last one a small stretcher under the ramp which really helped make it solid as a rock!


----------



## brown down (Nov 9, 2015)

drill a ¾ hole for the ball drop as dead on center as you can and straight.. this will save on headache of getting the ball to drop on both sides consistently without having to rasp the hole. you will have to trim with a chisel where the two ramp boards meet in the middle which is where I fine tune the ball drop.



\

 


below the ramps make sure you have a nice clean knife mark to line the ramps when you assemble 


 

I went a hair smaller on the holes for the flippers! instead of 5/16 I found a bit that was slightly larger than ¼ which is what you use for the rods. I don't know what number drill bit this is but Its .2625. you want a little play so the rods don't bind with the wood while playing. I don't know which will work better over time. both hole sizes seem to work well


 


I came up ⅝ from the bottom and laid my tenons out. I still have to peg them from the bottom 








goals and flippers are coming up 


 \

Reactions: Way Cool 2


----------



## brown down (Nov 9, 2015)

I take a 2 ¾ by 2 1/4 x 2 thick block and cut it from corner to corner which gives me 2 sets of flippers. I then mark from the bottom 1 ⅜ up and ⅜ over and drill a small hole all the way through the block. rip that in half on the bandsaw. I then counter sink the top for the screw head. I flip it over and use a ⅜ drill bit and drill up ⅜ for the nylon spacer.



 



 



here are the spacers I am using 



lightly tap the space into place and cut off flush with the bottom. use the other half for the other side so one pack will do one game 



 


 

you will have to drill the bushings out with a 11/64 for the bolt 


 
measure to center. the goal is 3 wide and 1 inch deep. you want to drill a ¾ hole ⅝ in and ⅜ off the the side lines 



 

what it should look like 


 

sand out the rough marks


----------



## brown down (Nov 9, 2015)

I was wrong on the size for the number 10 bolt. its 3/16 

the bolt is 2 in long and you need the teflon lock nuts. run the nut up tight and then back it off until the screw spins freely! 



 



 


the nuts lock the bolt in place with the wood allowing the flipper to spin on that spacer and the nut also acts as a spacer off the ramps 


 

I am prob going to countersink a hole to expose a few more threads. this ramp is ¾ thick instead of ½ 


 

so I don't remover more off then I need to I round the corners on all and then fine tune them to get them just to clear that dowel with rubber bands on it


----------



## brown down (Nov 9, 2015)

I ripped a shim to keep the flippers ¼ off the goal and ripped a ¾ piece to space the flipper off the plunger guide 





 

screwed in place not glued yet. you want to leave these kinda floating so you have some adjustment on the depth of the flipper. 


 


¾ dowels cut to 2 ¼ long drilled and glued in place 



 


 


I had to countersink the bottom deeper to make up the difference in ramp thicknesses! 


 

I am out of ¼ steel rod I have to run to the store tomorrow. the handles for the rods are just round cabinet handles drilled out to 1/4

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## brown down (Nov 10, 2015)

this isn't the one I have in this thread but they all work the same, that one is getting the score board glued on 

@Kevin here is a short video of the game in action sorry but its upside down I can't figure out how to edit it 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziOgBopm_BtNWw4NEdHdG5BVWs/view?usp=sharing


I sprayed all of the steel rods and where the rods insert through the wood with teflon spray as well as the bolt head area on the flippers! you will want to tape off the area around the pieces so you don't get white powder all over the wood like I just did 

Where the plunger meets the flipper, I waxed them to help keep them from binding together





With the shim in I measure over to the side of the guide block in this case it was ¾. I drilled a smaller diameter hole than ¼ and lightly tapped a ¼ rod in place with my mallet! I then chucked that in my cordless drill and took it on my belt sander and slowly turned it round! I could have turned these on the lathe but that was more effort than was worth it. I epoxied the knob on first so I don't get any on the springs and when thats dry I assemble everything springs and washers and glue the plunger tip on.












here are the springs I used for the ones on top connected to the flippers


----------



## justallan (Nov 16, 2015)

Jeff, very cool project. Great job.


----------

