New here, please help!

[jammindj1]

Fronzdan,
Have you ever done that before? I just don't want to damage anything... I guess it depends on how hard you bang the living @#$^ out of it... Gravity would be working in my favor...
Jim

[luckydog]

if the ball dump didn't help, one of the pachinko tech told me to try that also.

just tap lightly on each side of the top while holding upside down .

[Eddie]

There is a problem with turning the machine upside down can cause balls to jam in other parts of the machine.

Take as many balls out of the machine that you can first by releasing the ball dump lever.

Then take off the parts required for access to the jammed balls.

Its much easier than you may think if you go slow.

You can put each removed screw on a piece of paper with the outline of the part drawn on it and place the screws where they would go on the paper. A 3d map if you will.

Or as I do, simply remove the screws in a clockwise manner counting the first screw removed as screw#1 and continue removing the screws. As you remove each screw just line them up in a box in the order they were removed then all you have to do is remember which was the position for the # 1 screw on the part.

I also place each removed screw back into the removed part it came from as a way of keeping them in order.
IF the screw cant stay in the removed part then I place the screw into the mounting that the part was attached to.
I prefer this way best even though it takes a little bit longer. But the amount of time it takes to put each screw back into the parts and taking them out is much less then trying to remember where they came from and which screw went into which hole. Also if the screws are put back into the holes that they came from you wont loose them.

Remember that the screws are usually mounted in plastic housings so the threads are plastic as well. These parts are old so it is easy to strip the threads. Take the screws out SLOWLY ! I take them out as if using a Tap. Unscrew just a bit then turn it back in a bit then back it out more then turn it in a bit etc.
This is especially true for when you put the screws back in their respective holes as some plastic material from the threads may have come loose and be inside and can block the hole a little bit causing the area around the threaded hole to crack or split.

Finally DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN the screws they only have to be JUST SEATED.

Remember for the most part the screws just hold covers in place, the screws are not under stress or subjected to any real loads so be gentle and use a light touch.

[fronzdan]

Sure, taking it apart is the proper way, but how will that pachinko learn anything. It lacks discipline. Show it who's boss.

You really don't have to hit it hard since, as you say, gravity is on your side. It's always good to have a telescoping probe with a magnetic tip to extract a pesky pachinko too.