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Thread: Ball management - My mod to bring the balls up front

  1. #1
    Fever Hunter PachiPachi's Avatar
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    Default Ball management - My mod to bring the balls up front

    This section seems really dead! Thought I would try to revive it. Heres what I came up with the route the balls from the rear to the floor on the front (assuming its on a table).

    Hardware used:
    - Two pre cut 3' long PVC pipe at 1' 1/2"
    - Two 90 degree angles
    - One 40 degree angle

    Your pieces will vary depending on the size of the table. I did use a saws all to cut the pipe to fit. I used hot glue to put the piping together. Its what I had on hand, but doesn't create the strongest bond. Thats OK because a little movement is OK. Also, this is important, do not glue the immediate angle piece that connects to the first pipe. Not gluing it will allow you to remove the pipe so you can move around the machine. The hot glue is not a pro approach, but it worked for me. It is also somewhat reversible vs. other adhesives. The angle that meets the machine is very ugly with the hot glue. I know, but I could not think of a better approach. I bought funnels, and even with the smalles one there is not enough clearance. With the hot glue I can run a razor blade through it and clean up the excess if I need to. It also adds the necessary ability to angle the first 90 degree fixture down a little so the balls fall on an angle. Here's what I came up with:

    IMG_20130825_161628.jpgIMG_20130825_161634.jpgIMG_20130825_161645.jpgIMG_20130825_161651.jpg

    It cost about $8 and took about 1 hour to complete. Be warned, it adds extra noise with the balls bouncing around. Now I do not have to run around the machine when it goes into fever mode! I only have about 1800 balls, so it works well for me.

    Oh and yes, I keep my Eva 7 covered to protect it from dust
    Last edited by PachiPachi; 08-25-2013 at 05:39 PM.
    I am looking for a Hokuto No Ken (Fist of the North Star) Pachinko/Pachislo. If you have one for sale and are in the USA please let me know!
    Pachislo - Hokuto No Ken 2003 _ Pachinko - Evangelion
    7 2012 - Super Sea Story 2006

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    Kungishi Wayne-Ooo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ball management - My mod to bring the balls up front

    Ball management for me is pretty simple. With the large amount of balls that can be won during fever rounds, on modern machines, I always full cyclic or semi-cyclic a machine and use the trays the machine already provides. The way I look at it is, I'm not planning to open a Pachinko Parlor anytime soon and keeping the machine original makes no sense to me for playing it at home. The machine is designed for use in a Parlor and the ball management is designed for that. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against keeping a machine original, it's just moving balls from several locations isn't much fun to me and confusing to guests. Unless you have some type of ball lifter to manage the lost balls then getting them to the front of the machine is a must for home use.

    So, by getting all the lost and won balls to come to the bottom tray you have only one spot to go to and retrieve balls. (Most likely the way the machine would have been designed if it was originally made for home use). By using the bottom tray there is no need to have an extra container to catch balls while you are empting a full container. During a fever round it is easy to keep up with the balls being paid. You never have to quit shooting to refill the hopper. You can empty balls from the bottom tray, via the blast gate, into a container and with one hand reach up and empty the container to fill the hopper and your other hand never has to leave the shooter knob. During regular play if your top tray gets low you always have balls in the bottom tray that can be used to reload the top tray.

    Using a container similar in size to your hopper works well with this method of ball management. You only have to have enough balls to keep the hopper full. In other words, how ever many balls the machine holds, with the hopper being full is enough balls to play. About every five rounds of a Fever I have to empty the container and fill the hopper. (Without missing any action on the screen or discontinuing shooting).



    The cabinet I use for my machines are designed from this type of ball management method, with a shelf under the bottom tray to set the container on and a refill tray that extrudes out from the cabinet to easily refill the hopper.

    I know everyone's thought's and situation are different on cycling machines. This thread is about "Ball Management" and this is what works well for me in managing lost balls.


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    What if...​the ​HOKEY POKEY, is what it's all about?

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    Fever Hunter PachiPachi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ball management - My mod to bring the balls up front

    Thanks for the input! Everyone has their own taste like you stated. I actually enjoy moving the balls around, to an extent. I entertained the cyclic idea, and I don't think I'm going to go that route just yet. Plus, the bottom tray on my Eva 7 is very small. I'd say it hold no more than 150 before it starts getting backed up. I enjoy pressing the ball borrow button and watching them pour out just like in the parlor.

    I'm going to read this thread again later when I'm not at work. Lots of good info and I'm sure I have missed something.
    I am looking for a Hokuto No Ken (Fist of the North Star) Pachinko/Pachislo. If you have one for sale and are in the USA please let me know!
    Pachislo - Hokuto No Ken 2003 _ Pachinko - Evangelion
    7 2012 - Super Sea Story 2006

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    Fever Hunter PachiPachi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ball management - My mod to bring the balls up front

    Over three years later I ended up doing this mod again to another machine. This time I used 2" PVC (more heavy duty), and a higher quality 100 watt hot glue gun. The hotter glue, the better it adheres to the plastic. Once again, I like this approach as it is not permanent. It is very sturdy and functions very well. On the end near the floor I added a 70 degree bend to help guide the balls into the basket.

    DSC_0024.jpgDSC_0025.JPGDSC_0026.JPGDSC_0028.jpg
    I am looking for a Hokuto No Ken (Fist of the North Star) Pachinko/Pachislo. If you have one for sale and are in the USA please let me know!
    Pachislo - Hokuto No Ken 2003 _ Pachinko - Evangelion
    7 2012 - Super Sea Story 2006

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