Big Bang Bar

[BBB94]

I just got back from three days at the intergalactic headquarters of Big Bang Bar.

The good news: Productivity was sufficient to accomplish most of the (sub-assembly/pre-assembly) projects that they had lined up for volunteers. Accomplished on day one what was expected to take most of the weekend - and don't worry quality was not sacraficed for speed. I think the big one that's left is the pre-assembly process of putting the flipper rubbers on the flippers.

The bad news: TOG needs to compile a new to do list before the next group of volunteers arrives.

I needed to catch up here at home (and I'm exhausted), which is why this is so short. I will try to post detailed info and probably photos (after Gene's okay) in the next few days.

Teaser info: I can't freakin' believe how nice the cabinet art looks.

[latecomer]

Thanks for the update, and for the teaser!!!
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Vegemite Nick #123

[BBB93]

Wow, great to hear that things were moving faster than expected Thanks for your time at the "intergalactic headquarters of Big Bang Bar".
I signed up for the draft but I guess my number hasn't come up yet, really hoping I can go up for a few days and lend a hand.

Looking forward to more details.

Bob Stemmler #93
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Belly-Up To The Big Bang Bar ©

[Kronis]

Thanks for the update.

I appreciate all the hard work you're doing. Of course, I'm not sure I want an "Inspected by No. 94" sticker hidden on the interior of the cabinet...
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BBB #21

[runner1717]

So did I miss the "Contact Information" thread? I haven't seen any way to contact anyone to help..........
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Mike
#61

[BBB94]

Runner1717: I decided to take the initiative to call down there, and eventually TOG called me and it happened. I didn't want to post the info I had received, because it was not my place. I think several other people called, I must have just been first.

Kronis: Duhhh... Had I gone that route I would have done "Inspected by BBB No. 94". But it seemed much better to just sign the front of all the cabinets - "BBB94 was here". ;-)

BBB93 and all: I did not have time to download my pics before leaving town again, but I've been able to shorten my trip by a day, so I should be able to get to my good post before the end of the week.

[Kronis]

[PINBALL WITCH]

To all that are able to volunteer PLEASE sign and date the inside of my cabinet, you will recognize her by the playfield hanging off of the side and she has a big K drawn on the inside back of the cabinet.

thanks,

kim

[unigroove]

Now how am I gonna do that Kim?

[awarner]

[PINBALL WITCH]

Or you and nitro just hop on a plane fly into bloomington, hitch a ride to pmi, sign my machine, pick up some reeses peanut butter cups, a few hugs, (not my niece ) and fly back home. SIMPLE.

miss you guys,

the witch

[pinsane]

Thanks for heading out there BBB94. As always, kudos to the team for keeping this thing moving.

So I'll ask the same question that didn't get answered from the last update...

...How does it play??

Is it smooth like the original Capcom prototypes? Any SDTM problems from the ramp or other shots? Since PMI changed the forumlation on the drop targets are they just as snappy as the original Capcom drop targets, and are they more durable?

steve SDTM

[BBB94]

[BBB94]

Friday night we got a tour of the facilities and unloaded parts from the truck.

Saturday we started on pre-assembly work, which was putting together rubber, metal, and plastic post kits for each machine. The purpose of this is so that the assembler simply needs to go to a bin and grab three bags instead of counting numerous parts. Quality is not essential to the success of this process, because if there are too few parts, the assembler just needs to go get more. However, despite this each plastic post and metal kit was weighed to help ensure that the parts count was accurate. The rubber parts were not weighed because the smallest rubber rings were 0.0008 lbs. each – too light to register. In total approximately 23,000 of these parts were hand counted and bagged to make these three different kits. This was expected to take most of the three days – we were done before the end of the first day.

Here is the rubber kit (40 pieces) shown laid out and in bagged form.


Here is the metal kit (40 pieces) shown laid out and in bagged form.


Here is the plastic post kit (42 pieces) shown laid out and in bagged form.


Late Saturday, Sunday, and into Monday was the backboard subassembly (19 pieces total - goes on the playfield across the back). This involved the insertion and machine pressing of ten T-nuts into the backboard; six on the front, four on the back. I literally just got feeling back in the tips of my thumbs yesterday from setting the T-nuts. Two brackets get attached by four machine screws, but this won’t be done in advance, because that would increase the storage requirements too much.

This is me killing my thumbs and TOG machine pressing the t-nuts.


Here is TOG and I horsing around, errr, um, I mean…me inspecting the backboard and TOG trying to remove a t-nut that got stuck in my hat – yeah that’s it.


Then attaching a metal plate to the back with two machine screws and a plastic on the front with four self-tapping screws. This made me dizzy, because I had to blow on each self-tapping screw while installing it to make sure that particles of the board did not stick out from under the screw head. The blueprint calls for the placement of the plastic to be approximate. Despite that I made a cardboard template, so that the placement of each plastic was nearly identical and could be done quicker. Amusing fact related to this: the blueprint called for the plastic be “Approx. 1.313”” from the bottom. I know this is 1-5/16”, but it is pretty funny when you see thousandths in an “approximate” measurement.


Here is the finished product close-up and the pallet of them completed.



The next subassembly project was the backbox fluorescent “socket”, which Mrs. BBB94 mostly did. Five wires had to be stripped on the wire harness. Each of these wires had to be tinned, which I did. Then the wires had to be inserted into the fixtures and connectors of the socket assembly. Finally the assembly got three more wire ties to keep it all tidy.


Through most of this “Mr. Floppy” was working on grinding and polishing the rivets on the main ball guides. This was to address the much talked about rivet problem, where the wrong rivets were sent to the assembler. He was quite stressed by the end of the weekend, trying to get through nearly 600 rivets and not scratch any ball guides.


We did other odds and ends throughout the weekend.

Gene, The Other Guy, and Kim were all very nice. I really enjoyed being down there and helping out. The work was fulfilling, if tedious at times.

Oh, yeah and since I mentioned the cabinets:

[latecomer]

Thanks BBB94 - that certainly ranks up there in the "Best Update Ever" stakes!
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Vegemite Nick #123