Skee-Ball notes...
Picked up one for the game room at the last auction. It's the short lane version and I thought I'd post the notes I have from working on it. (Thanks Eric - Cointech - for some pointers!)
Overhead flood lights in the back box are small, 30 watt flood lights and are easily replaced with the EcoSmart 8-Watt (50W equivalent) Bright White PAR20 LED flood lights. (Home Depot Store SKU # 866623) This reduces the heat generated in the back box and still provides nice lighting.
Bulbs for the score and ball displays are tiny, type 73 bulbs (GE-73), which are also used for ashtray lights in cars and may be found (for a HIGH price) at your local auto parts store, if needed in a pinch. Pinballlife.com has them for a MUCH better price, if you can afford to wait for them to be shipped. I couldn't, so I bought a bunch at Tanner Electronics, a local Dallas area store.
The sockets can be fragile, so take care when adding/removing bulbs. If the bulbs are good, but only light when pulled partially out of the socket, then gently clean the wires on the bulb base with VERY fine grit sandpaper (800 or higher) or replace them with new bulbs. DO NOT mess with the sockets.
The token mech on this one used the smaller .900 tokens and could be replaced with standard .984 token mechs *if* the exit chute where the coin switch is mounted was modified. I trimmed off the edge of the chute that is away from the switch with a nibbler tool to remove the bottom half of that side. If the coin mech you choose has the side mounted lever at the bottom exit which is used to keep things from being pushed upwards through the coin mech, remove it as it will interfere with the coin travel through the exit chute.
If you must drill out the locks, do NOT misplace the hook for the lock mechanism that locks the lid to the coin chute as it's a special shape.
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Next up:
- Replace the beacon light on the top of the back box
- Figure out how to properly fasten the marquee to the back box
- Drill out the ticket dispenser lock
- Install new locks on ticket dispenser, coin box, and coin mech access door