Topic: How to buy-pass the coin mechanism

[bbtuna]

okay, bodygroove said something this on the buy a table tread...I didn't add this because I am not super comfortable with the options and explaining it so you all can help and when i get what I need, I will add it to the other thread...I just tried telling the rail way to someone and this included a picture of the box

plugs are always an option of course but what do you think of this....I think I could take some pictures and that would help...can you imporve on this and give other options

anyway, you can do this more than one way...search on the board, it has been asked before...for now though, put 50 cents in one more time, then open up the table, prop it up
staring right at you is where all the balls sit, take the balls out and set them aside
and then, the place they were sitting in,  take out the box which they call a ready ramp

under this, you will see a rail that the balls travel on after they are scored going back to the unit that holds the balls waiting for the next release of balls...plug up the hole with a napkin or ping pong ball so the the foosballs won't roll back into the holder
 
then puts 3 or 4 balls on the rail and close the table up
 
now, you can score, and the ball will just roll down onto the "rail" and you can reach in and grab it....
 
the upside to this method is that it save using the coin op and you don't increase the coin-op game counter...downside is, you have to reach far in to get them but this is how ALL regional and major tournaments are done that have coin ops
 
okay, that was easy to say, it only takes like 30 or 45 seconds to do but much longer to write

[foozkillah]

I completely agree with BBT, don't use or wear out the often expensive-to-replace coin-op mechanism.   You don't have to stuff the inlet holes at the end of the forementioned ramp if you have at least 11 balls.  Most of the coin-ops wear out at one of the two springs on top that keep the plunger mechanism pushed out, or perhaps the mechanism's screws get loose with use.   Better to do this pretty standard way of making the table free-play, by taking out the ball tray and just reaching in a little deeper to get the balls off the end of the ramp.  You might want to put a small giftbox or something to prevent the balls from falling off the rail into the empty area inside the rack.  Prevents sometimes having to grope around  by the rail to find balls that fell off it.

In fact, most practical coin-op operators put 11 or more balls in, because the spinning rack mechanism will only take and dispense 9 or less balls each time the mechanism is operated.  But the extra balls go into the opposite 9balls rack for the next game, and you don't have to worry about having less than 9 balls if someone operates the mechanism before the last scored ball has worked its way down, or if one of the balls has gotten stuck somewhere along the ramps.

[wildcard]

I use a golf ball on the rail, it is too large for the hole and is easily removed when you do want to cycle balls through

[foozkillah]

I use a golf ball on the rail, it is too large for the hole and is easily removed when you do want to cycle balls through

Great Idea WC!   But wait!  Was it a Titleist or a no-name brand golf ball?  You know that makes all the difference!   

I've used those square or round thick promotional bar coasters with beer brands on 'em, myself.. they fit right into that slot between the wooden hole and the rack slot.  This way the whole rack of balls can be picked from when sticking that hand in there..  My OCD comes out and I can pick and use the balls evenly, so they don't wear differently.

[thebodygroove]

Thanks a lot!