Here is The Shadow machine fully installed and ready to go... Read below how to get there.
The back of the machine. There is a latch that snaps in place securing the backbox and cabinet together. It prevents the machine's backbox from falling down when the machine is shaken or nudged while bieng played. Some machines do not have this latch or have a different locking mechanism, like Data East and so on. Your machine will arrive with backbox folded down.
Raise the backbox and secure the latch.
Same thing when lowering the backbox.
Coin door. You will be provided with the key.
Open the coin door.
Inside the cabinet, there is a latch that's securing a lockdown bar in place. Grab it.
Move it to the opposite side.
Take the lockdown bar off.
Very CAREFULLY slide the playfield glass out. Please be careful, do not use force by pulling it out, rather "guide it and slide it" out gently. Althought, not very expensive, about 40 bucks or less, it is a mess if it breaks (it is a tempered glass) and could cause injury. Be slow, methodical, gentle and with steady hands. Put glass safely to the side, make sure it's stable and it doesn't fall.
If your game has been fully refurbished by TXPinball (mostor all of them are), all you need to do is slide the glass and put pinballs in. Just pull the playfield glass 5, 6 inches out and dump the balls onto the playfield from the top, then slide the glass back in, put the lockdown bar back, secure the latch, close coin door and play. That's all there is to it. Then enjoy your game.
If you are messing with playfield assemblies UNDERNEATH the playfield for some reason... Raise the playfield STRAIGHT up and use 2 handles underneath the playfield. Some games might have different handles then those pictured, or none at all, depending on the vintage and model of the game. Most games have a setup exactly like this or very, very similar to it, so you are easily able to follow along.
Move it towards yourself ALL THE WAY and let the handles rest on the cabinet. Do not forget to remove the balls from the ball through or they may crash downwards and break playfield plastics or toys.
You can raise it all the way up, and use the prop rod located on the bottom of the cabinet. At 45 degrees, there will be a circular notch in the wood underneath playfield that prop rod goes into. It's sorta stable, sorta not, so don't use prop rod for a very long time if you really don't have to. You can raise the playfield all the way up (90 degrees) and let it rest against the backbox. This is more secure. Just remember to take the balls out of the game, or they'll come crashing down onto your playfield!
Playfield resting on the prop rod. Useful if you quickly have to change a bulb underneath, for example.
Opening the backbox, if you need to. This is the heart of the game where all the electronic circuitry and boards powering the game are located. You will be provided with the key. Twist it around.
Lift the backglass and translite straight upwards, then out, until it's free and out of the black rails it slides into. Then take it out.
Put it aside.
The "brains and heart" of all pinball machines are behind this wooden panel with illumination lights.
Open the latch on the wooden backbox panel. It should swing freely when done so.
You gained access to the heart of the pinball machine and its boards. Modern pinball machine is essentialy a computer, just like your PC. Well, a proprietary and a little different computer than Windows or Linux, but a computer with a pinball operating system nevertheless.
IMPORTANT!
If you had your game shipped to you, now when you have the backbox exposed is the best moment to look around inside your game... Due to vibrations and handling during transport, some connectors might have fallen off or have become loose during transport. Remember, when the game is shipped, drivers picking up the game from us and guys delivering it to you are not the same the same persons. The game might have been moved through 3, 4 or more trucks and as many warehouses before it finaly reaches your place.
It takes only a minute or less to push each and every connector in inside the backbox. Then, after doing this, dump the balls on the playfield and turn the game on. This step is HIGHLY recommended in every instance when the game hasn't been delivered by us but shipped to you.
To remove display assembly lift it up then out. There are 2 hinges in the back of the assembly that attach to the wood. Move it straight up and out. Let it rest on the playfield glass.
On the right side of playfield, just by the shooter lane, sometimes there is an angle bubble adjustment device. Some games have them, some don't, again depending on model and vintage of the game. To properly pitch and level the game (recommended is 6.5 degrees). The bubble should be just above the 2nd notch. You don't have to mess around with this stuff, we properly pitch and level the game for you before shipping. This bubble (unfortunately) is not THAT accurate. Just follow these guidelines. If you have a small angle finder put it on the playffiled itself (not glass!) The playfield should be 7 degrees steep from top to bottom and zero degrees from side to side. Easiest way to accomplish this is by manipulating the leg levelers when you setup the game for the first time. Front legs by the coin door, levelers go all the way in, back legs go almost all the way out.
Bolts for the legs. Again, do not overtighten and don't go medieval on them. Nice, tough and tight and secure, but not too tight where you strip the metal.
Leg levelers. If your game is not leveled correctly, this is how you adjust it. Always remember that front legs and their levelers go all the way down. You adjust the pitch and angle of the game by manipulating height of 2 legs and levelers in the back.
Here is the illustration from Bally/Williams manual about setting up the game, levelers and pitch...
This leveler in the back is set at manufacturer recommended exactly 6.5-7 degrees, as verified by our Angle Finder (Inclinometer). If you set it up steeper, the game will play faster, and the opposite is also true, less than 6, it plays in slow motion (we do not recommend this at all).
Cable in the back of the machine, lower right, one side inside the machine, other side goes into your electrical wall outlet.
Bottom right of the cabinet is the switch on/switch off button. It is virtually always on the right front and bottom side of the game on every game regardless of vintage, model or manufacturer.
IMPORTANT! -When not playing the game for extended periods of time or calling it a night, please turn it off. You preserve the machine's life, lights, display and your own house electricity bill by turning it off.
All set up and ready to go.
Press Start button and you're on your way to be a Grand Champion and put your name on the score board!
If you have any questions, or are unclear about something, we're here for you. Just a phone call away at (713) 686 6995 or email us, and we'll gladly help to get you going. Have fun playing pinball! There is nothing else like it!
