Sparkman machine - Need a bit of help

[RiVenoX]

Last month I went to Katsucon and they had a bunch of pachinko machines. Mostly newer modern machines, one vintage, and one older modern machine. I played most of them, but won HUGE on "Parasol Man" (the only name I can find). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGs0AZ_peVM
I had a blast. I was up around 26,000 balls when I called it quits.

I've spent the last month hunting down a machine, and picked one up on ebay, "Sparkman" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5IrjUUP3cI
After I got it home, I noticed a host of issues with it, most have been resolved. The reward hopper wouldn't load one side. unscrewed it, cleaned it up, both lanes feed now. I think some of the balls I got were bad. I've had 2 get stuck (between pins, and in the feature reward slot). That's just going to be a matter of figuring out which of them get stuck and discarding them. Some of the LED's wouldn't light up, but after reseating a bunch of cables, all the lights in the center feature work. I know there are supposed to be more lights coming on (the yellow "SANKYO" bumpers on the side, the top prize trays, the ones running around top and right side, the green and red piece up top), But I think they may all be incandescent bulbs, which could mean they've burned out. I'd like to get it up and running 100%, but those bumper lights seem like they're part of a PCB, and don't come out simply, and I'm not even sure how to access the bulbs from the back. It looks like I might have to pull the whole thing apart to get to them. I really want to get this machine going at 100%.
It also seems like the launcher mechanism opens out from the front, as I see a hinge, but I can't figure out how to actually open it. Any advice would be appreciated. I'll try to update this with some photos, but it's kinda late right now.

Also, is there a specific name for these types of early modern machines? the ones without slot reels? These seem more fun to me.
Except maybe an Eva machine. I might break down and pick one of those up at some point...

[luckydog]

your best bet would be to clean the balls in some hot water with Dawn, rinse and towel dry. some may be oversize and usually are easy to pick out once they are cleaned.

some lights only come on during reaches or when in a fever.

if you just open the glass part of the door, there is a latch near the bottom to open the bottom part of the door.

[lotsoballs]

Last month I went to Katsucon and they had a bunch of pachinko machines. Mostly newer modern machines, one vintage, and one older modern machine. I played most of them, but won HUGE on "Parasol Man" (the only name I can find). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGs0AZ_peVM
I had a blast. I was up around 26,000 balls when I called it quits.

I've spent the last month hunting down a machine, and picked one up on ebay, "Sparkman" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5IrjUUP3cI
After I got it home, I noticed a host of issues with it, most have been resolved. The reward hopper wouldn't load one side. unscrewed it, cleaned it up, both lanes feed now. I think some of the balls I got were bad. I've had 2 get stuck (between pins, and in the feature reward slot). That's just going to be a matter of figuring out which of them get stuck and discarding them. Some of the LED's wouldn't light up, but after reseating a bunch of cables, all the lights in the center feature work. I know there are supposed to be more lights coming on (the yellow "SANKYO" bumpers on the side, the top prize trays, the ones running around top and right side, the green and red piece up top), But I think they may all be incandescent bulbs, which could mean they've burned out. I'd like to get it up and running 100%, but those bumper lights seem like they're part of a PCB, and don't come out simply, and I'm not even sure how to access the bulbs from the back. It looks like I might have to pull the whole thing apart to get to them. I really want to get this machine going at 100%.
It also seems like the launcher mechanism opens out from the front, as I see a hinge, but I can't figure out how to actually open it. Any advice would be appreciated. I'll try to update this with some photos, but it's kinda late right now.

Also, is there a specific name for these types of early modern machines? the ones without slot reels? These seem more fun to me.
Except maybe an Eva machine. I might break down and pick one of those up at some point...

Yeah, they are called "Hanemono" (wing type) style machines....I agree, they are more fun and require more skill than a regular digipachi (with reels) which is more pure luck like a slot machine. They also are much easier to get a fever on (at least both of mine are) once you learn the machine and maybe adjust certain key nails if they were set too tight in the parlor.

[emmadog]

Unless the balls that got stuck were super rusty, it's probably the pins that need adjusting.

[lotsoballs]

Oh yeah, my Orochonpa II Sankyo (1991) is the same frame I believe....all the lights work on mine, the upper red and green, the yellow side bumpers and all sorts of LEDs all over the play field and center feature. 90% of them do not come on until you either get a ball in the "1" or "2" pockets or you are on a fever round.....then they all light up like crazy. (Have you gotten a fever yet?)


As for opening the door to the launcher mechanism, first you have to open up the glass door from the frame, (a latch sticking out on the back usually marked with yellow paint) then theres another little latch to push down to open up the ball feeder area to the launcher (in case something gets stuck down there). Hope this helps...

[Moparformances]

if there is something on your macine that is missing i have a spark man that is a parts machine..

post pics of what your looking for or make me an offer on the whole machine.. mine is missing shooter

and of course

Welcome to Pachitalk

[RiVenoX]

Grabbed some photos: http://imgur.com/a/POUjC
I'm trying to figure out what the little button by the launcher does. Can't figure that one out...

Luckydog: Great! I'll try to clean them up. Yeah, even in fever a lot of them didn't light. I just poked around and kept reseating connections, now 90% come on reliably during fever.

Lotsoballs: Thanks! I had heard the term before, but thought that referred to the old vintage tulip style machines. I'll definitely keep an eye out for those in the future
The FIRST thing I did was open up the front, and figure out HOW to enter fever mode. Started tossing balls into pockets all over
Thanks for the help finding the launcher release. I found a volume control in there, my family is much happier now that I've turned it down hahaha

Emmadog: Some of them are pretty bad. The nails I can adjust, but the slot in the center feature, not so much. I'll probably do a bit of pin bending where needed, though. Thank you!

Moparformances: Thanks! I'll let you know if I need one

[pachiwall]

The button by the launcher is to pause the shooter without losing the "sweet spot". On the "reel" type (slot machine) machines, when you hit the start pocket, the reels spin. if you hit the start pocket while the reels are spinning, a light near the reels lights up and when the reels stop it starts spinning again and the light goes out. Known as "in the bank" or "banked". You can bank usually up to 4 "starts". If you have 4 in the bank, and hit the start pocket, you win the 3 or 4 balls that "start" pays...but get NO spin for it...a fever chance lost! SO...if you have 4 banked, you press the button with your thumb, and pause the shooter for a couple of spins, then release the button. All without changing position of the knob. If you had a sweet spot that balls were going toward the start pocket, when shooting resumes...you will not waste any balls trying to regain the sweet spot. Not to mention the balls wasted by falling into the start pocket when the bank is full. Not sure when it is used on a "wing type" machine.
It doesn't mean much for home use when you just reach around for more balls...or better yet, push the button on the front to dispense more balls, if you have a CR machine with a Daverob dongle. In a parlor, however, when you are renting the balls at one price and selling them back at about half of that price...it becomes very important.