3D Printers and Pinball

[necro_nemesis]

For anyone posting stl files it appears to me that Thingiverse no longer provides 3d rendering for part inspection prior to download, a major setback in capability in my opinion. Github has this ability to check over the part rendered in your browser prior to downloading it. Maybe we should start a repo for Pinball Revolution 3d printed parts and stuff can get added via pull request so it's all kept in one spot.

 

[necro_nemesis]

GitHub - necro-nemesis/pinball-3d-printer-files: Bits and pieces for pinball machines

Bits and pieces for pinball machines. Contribute to necro-nemesis/pinball-3d-printer-files development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

done.
If you want to add files to it send me a PR.

 

[mwong168]

I printed this for my friend who I sold my Stern Insider connect kit to from my Godzilla. Since his stock apron on his Iron Maiden didn't have cut out he just has scanner dangling inside his coin door. Now he can use this bracket and put in place of the blank plate usually reserved for other devices like a card scanner like you see on all games at Dave and Buster's.

There seems to be two different versions and this one here has options for audio jacks.

Stern Insider Connected Coin Door Mount by MisterBlik

The Stern Insider Connect kit is great! The achievements and ability to connect your game to the internet is a long time coming. However, I don't particularly like the camera (with the light always on) right there on the game apron. I also prefer the original art that's on the original apron...

www.thingiverse.com

Here is the one I printed but needed to add supports.

Stern Insider Connected Coin Door Adapter Plate by joetechbob

[Here's a flush mount version as well: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5199964]Install your Stern Insider Connected QR code scanner to your coin door by replacing the blank dollar bill acceptor plate.Use 2 wood or sheet metal screws to attach the QR code scanner to the 3d printed plate. Buy a...

www.thingiverse.com

 

[necro_nemesis]

I attempt to model with the intent of not requiring support. I don't like post processing clean up. Some details like lofting are evident but I will also incorporate tiny layer level details to span and build a lattice work in areas that would seem impossible to print without support until close examination in the slicer reveals these details. If support is inevitable I will then generally model it rather than leaving it to the slicer to resolve.

 

[pinballjah]

I printed this for my friend who I sold my Stern Insider connect kit to from my Godzilla. Since his stock apron on his Iron Maiden didn't have cut out he just has scanner dangling inside his coin door. Now he can use this bracket and put in place of the blank plate usually reserved for other devices like a card scanner like you see on all games at Dave and Buster's.

There seems to be two different versions and this one here has options for audio jacks.

Stern Insider Connected Coin Door Mount by MisterBlik

The Stern Insider Connect kit is great! The achievements and ability to connect your game to the internet is a long time coming. However, I don't particularly like the camera (with the light always on) right there on the game apron. I also prefer the original art that's on the original apron...

www.thingiverse.com

Here is the one I printed but needed to add supports.

Stern Insider Connected Coin Door Adapter Plate by joetechbob

[Here's a flush mount version as well: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5199964]Install your Stern Insider Connected QR code scanner to your coin door by replacing the blank dollar bill acceptor plate.Use 2 wood or sheet metal screws to attach the QR code scanner to the 3d printed plate. Buy a...

www.thingiverse.com

Great idea if you don't like that ugly thing on your top apron. Don't plan to use IC on my games as it may mess with the custom music/video changes to the SD cards.

 

[necro_nemesis]

What's that, a groin height camera? QR code scanner or semi covert networked peeping tom device?

 

[Perry L]

Anyone with one of these 3D printers interested in making a Sparky head for a shooter rod for my Metallica?

 

[necro_nemesis]

Would need some design work to use for that purpose.

 

[necro_nemesis]

 

[Perry L]

That looks awesome! Maybe there is hope. I would compensate with cash if it can be done.

 

[Chris Bardon]

So I actually made a pinball thing! I wanted to set up IC on all my spike2 games, but didn't want to buy a kit for all of them. The features are cool, but not $700 cool. Ended up doing it for a $25 switch, 2 $12 microSD cards, and some reused ethernet cable. I designed and printed a bracket for the manual switch that mounts on the bill acceptor hole on the coin door:




I ended up making the tolerances a little tight, so I needed to break out the drill/dremel to get the switch to fit, but I'd rather it be a little tight than wobbly. I just printed the label on my color laser using basic mailing label sheets, but I might do something nicer later on.

 

[IVPinball]

So I actually made a pinball thing! I wanted to set up IC on all my spike2 games, but didn't want to buy a kit for all of them. The features are cool, but not $700 cool. Ended up doing it for a $25 switch, 2 $12 microSD cards, and some reused ethernet cable. I designed and printed a bracket for the manual switch that mounts on the bill acceptor hole on the coin door:

View attachment 22046

View attachment 22047
I ended up making the tolerances a little tight, so I needed to break out the drill/dremel to get the switch to fit, but I'd rather it be a little tight than wobbly. I just printed the label on my color laser using basic mailing label sheets, but I might do something nicer later on.

Pardon my ignorance, but what does this do?

 

[Chris Bardon]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does this do?

Shares the one QR code scanner between 3 games. The switch is a physical RJ45 switch. Hit the button, and the scanner on the Godzilla apron works with IM or AIQ.

 

[necro_nemesis]

So the "switch" isn't "network switch", it's a manual switch to swap RJ45 from input to one of the outputs? I assume the QR code reader uses RJ45 connector?

 

[Chris Bardon]

Yeah, all the spike2 games use RJ45 cabling, but it's wired closer to a serial bus between the node boards. Means they can use off the shelf wiring, but don't try to plug them into a standard network switch or you'll likely fry something. This is just a physical A/B/C/D switch that takes the RJ45 cable off the node board that's attached to the scanner and routes it to all of the games (https://www.amazon.ca/Tekit-Network-Ethernet-Splitter-Selector/dp/B07F65L4RG). I made the cables for this the same as regular gig ethernet cable using some leftover cat5e that I pulled out of an old house before I moved.

 

[necro_nemesis]

So there's one central reader that sends signals over serial adapter? Seems like something that could be implemented wirelessly with WiFi over serial using nodeMCU's or build an emulator to emulate the reader serial output and do away with the card. TBH using a card seems clunky for home use and as you pointed out is expensive. If I understand the application there's one reader located centrally somewhere and reader output gets redirected to a pin based on selection of the output? Anyway I've got enough hardware/software crap on the go so I'll just shut up now. lol.

 

[mwong168]

Picked up an Elvira House of Horrors on Saturday and started printing this for the Dead Head Crypt.

Elvira House of Horrors Crypt Facade by grabul

Replaces the crypt front plastics of an Elvira House of Horrors Stern pinball machine with a 3d printed facade. The print consists of five skull heads having leds in the the eyes.The dead head signboard is iluminated from behind by the existing led in the crypt.(Note: it seems that the download...

www.thingiverse.com

 

[Fifty]

So there's one central reader that sends signals over serial adapter? Seems like something that could be implemented wirelessly with WiFi over serial using nodeMCU's or build an emulator to emulate the reader serial output and do away with the card. TBH using a card seems clunky for home use and as you pointed out is expensive. If I understand the application there's one reader located centrally somewhere and reader output gets redirected to a pin based on selection of the output? Anyway I've got enough hardware/software crap on the go so I'll just shut up now. lol.

I've seen this implemented a few times. One "master" pin running the IC, and the rest acting as "peers". Personally I would just install the IC on the wall or a support post and BIX everything together so it's all plug and play and I don't have to remove the IC from the "master" machine if I ever decide to sell it. I'm a telecomm geek, so maybe I'm over thinking it.

 

[Chris Bardon]

I've seen this implemented a few times. One "master" pin running the IC, and the rest acting as "peers". Personally I would just install the IC on the wall or a support post and BIX everything together so it's all plug and play and I don't have to remove the IC from the "master" machine if I ever decide to sell it. I'm a telecomm geek, so maybe I'm over thinking it

I don't think I've seen anyone talk about a BIX block in a while

I thought about trying to do something that sent the scanned signal over wifi to the pin (or at least a receiver cabled into the game), but that would require reverse-engineering the protocol they're using. Not impossible sure, but also more time than I feel like spending on it right now. I'm also betting on something like this being available officially in some kind of API. Given the number of tournament players that work at Stern now, a mode where a TD can log players into a game remotely makes a lot of sense. Scorbit actually does some of this already with their own hardware.

 

[Fifty]

I don't think I've seen anyone talk about a BIX block in a while

I thought about trying to do something that sent the scanned signal over wifi to the pin (or at least a receiver cabled into the game), but that would require reverse-engineering the protocol they're using. Not impossible sure, but also more time than I feel like spending on it right now. I'm also betting on something like this being available officially in some kind of API. Given the number of tournament players that work at Stern now, a mode where a TD can log players into a game remotely makes a lot of sense. Scorbit actually does some of this already with their own hardware.

Ha ha! Ya, I'm definitely showing my age here. Let me just put away my punch tool.

Over WiFi would be the way to go. I'm sure the protocol will be reverse-engineered soon enough and something will be available to do exactly this. There are a lot of techs in pinball and a lot of ingenuity.