So here's my new plan.. and it's based on the fact that cutting playfield geometry on a playfield sucks so I'm trying to eliminate as much of it as possible when I start fresh. That includes cutting the groove of the shooter lane, the complicated cutout of the old single ball trough I have. I also don't want to restrict myself to the geometry based on off the shelf parts. That being the ball trough and the stock williams or SEGA lane guides.
1. Ball trough - I'd like to 3d print this. This allows me to control the ball path. The trough itself costs me about $4 to print (once I design a scoop to direct the ball into the shooter lane), but of course I also have to add switches, and a vuk coil. It will still be far more cost effective than off the shelf, and based on the initial sample I printed, I don't see any issues of it breaking or wearing (at least not on the low plays a homebrew pin will get). If it does break, I can always reprint it.
2. Inlanes - outlanes - You'll notice I have 2 inlanes and an outlane on each side. That's accomplished by making the shooter lane also the right outlane. If someone should plunge light and drain, I'm certain I can include script that says "if player scores nothing, give the ball back". You'll also notice the lanes look strange. In order to optimize enough space for this many lanes, typically Stern has to go back to wireforms (those U-shaped things that shove right into holes on the playfield). This takes precison, and even when you have precision it's a pain to stick those in or take out when you need to shop out a playfield. My design mounts from the top using the 3 posts from the slings. I 3d printed a single piece (which in itself isn't terrible, but the walls are slightly flimsy). On the real version I intend to use PETG sheet on the top, and the walls will be bent pieces of aluminum that will secure using screws. I'm expecting this to be plenty stiff, especially if I anchor the cottom corner.
3. Apron - Though you can't really see it now, I'm going to be borrowing the design from Bally Spectrum. It technically has no apron, it simply has walls, and then a piece of plastic shaped like an apron that mounts to bosses. I like this for 2 reasons:
A. It means you can have the apron off, and still function because all the walls still remain
B. The top just being a cover (which is clear), I can print whatever decoration on the inisde
So the left outlane now becomes a direct path to the lower playfield, and it comes back up a hole next to the ball trough. I'm going to start cutting this new lower half soon.
