Cabinet #2 - Ball recycling wall mount

[JACKSJE4]

Thanks to all of the wonderful ideas and discussion posted in this thread, I was able to create a manual ball recycling cabinet for my 'motorized' pachi so that I could get it up off the floor and contain the little steel balls that seem to be multiplying in every nook and cranny of my home.

You will notice that I have leveraged many ideas that others have posted, as well as implemented a few of my own. I used solid oak for the entire cabinet, as that is what our furniture and decor require (according to my wife). If only she know how 'affordable' it is - NOT! So much for my annual Pachi budget!!

Again, the assignment was to get the Pachi up off the floor and furniture, but keep the cabinet small and simple looking (i.e. she didn't want it to make a "statement" on the wall). Since this is a motorized Pachi I wanted to make sure that balls could be recycled easily during a fever without interrupting play.

Unlike the other pachi I mounted on the wall, I had not replaced the original wood frame with oak, and doing so would have been a nightmare on this one. So I decided to create a cabinet that I could just insert the machine and existing wood frame into.

Below are photos of the frame in progress.

Jeff

[JACKSJE4]

To complete the ball recycle feature, I used 1/4 inch plywood pieces wrapped in felt to form a 'V' in the top compartment so that the balls poured in would funnel to the center. I then used a bar sink drain and cut out the bottom stopper catch with a dremmel. I found a chrome plated PVC drain fitting that screws onto the bottom of the bar sink drain and cut it so that it would direct balls into the jackpot payout tray without letting them spill over the edge. As the jackpot payout tray empties, more balls from the top compartment fill it. No slide levers needed.

For the losing balls I created a 'funnel' of sorts using more of the 1/4 inch plywood and I lined it with felt. This funnel directs all of the losing balls through a hole in the bottom of the cabinet which fills a tray accessible from the front. My neighbor who works in plastic fabrication is creating a "valve" for the bottom hole so that I can close off the bottom drain when I need to empty the lost ball tray into the top bin to keep the game going. I will have a knob on the left side of the cabinet that will work the valve, since you will need to keep your right hand on the shooter knob during a fever.

I also lined the inside of the cabinet with carpet strips I had laying around to help dampen the noise the machine makes during play.

Now, if I could just figure out a way to add a simple motorized ball lifter, life would be perfect!!

Jeff

[millermaster1]

Hey Jeff, Nice Job!

How do you plan on collecting the spent balls? I don't see a way for the balls to pass through the shelf?

I'm looking for new designs myself, so any help would be great!

[birdbrain]

"no slide levers needed." the slide assy you refer to is actually to stop the flow of balls so the machine can be opened without having to empty the whole upper feed tray. Not to assist the feeding of balls into the machine.


that is one of the nicest cabinets i've seen!

[millermaster1]

Perfect photos, we were typing at the same time!

[DrDark]

Jeff, WOW! Great cabinet, I'm lovin it.
Watch out for the felt and the carpet though, loose fibers will certainly cause annoyance.

[JACKSJE4]

Thanks for the info! I used the same type of felt that they put on pool tables. It's pretty durable and doesn't shed much. I wanted to make sure that fibers didn't get tracked through the machine.

Jeff

[Moparformances]

nice and clean looking

nice finish work on the oak as well

a gem in any house Norm Abrahms would be proud

[monkeyboy]

Nice looking cabinet.

Did you just use glue to hold the parts together?

[sharmoni]

That's beautiful! I really love the quality of your craftsmanship.

[JACKSJE4]

Nice looking cabinet.

Did you just use glue to hold the parts together?

I used wood glue and nails. The nails really just hold it together until the glue bonds.

[Youngjedi]

Machine and cabinet look very classy hanging on the wall...Great job!

[pinball wizard]

another nice cabinet , jeff.

[Jon]

Hi I have a Jaws Pachinko and want to make a cabinet for it! would you share your plans at all and also once the cabinet is made how do you mount the pachinko in? Do you screw it in is there away of it staying in without having to screw though the machine? sorry for the questions and thanks Jon

[Moparformances]

not sure how most do it but im going to use short screws from the inside of the machine threw to the inside of the case/frame.. that way the screw heads don't show

just my two cents

[chmer01]

Hi I have a Jaws Pachinko and want to make a cabinet for it! would you share your plans at all and also once the cabinet is made how do you mount the pachinko in? Do you screw it in is there away of it staying in without having to screw though the machine? sorry for the questions and thanks Jon

You never have to be sorry about asking questions. That's what were all here for.

[MrGneiss]

I used screws from the outside of my cabinets into the pachinko frame..just make sure your screws are not too long!!

you can sort of see in step 3

Pachinko_Page

[yamaha]

Very, very nice cabinet, my compliments, you gave me some ideas for my new wallmounted cabinet.