VIA Products

[vinson]

Just checked out the VIA pinsetters and productline and they have a nice set up. The pinsetters are 82-70s with some changes. The links (070-002-767,768,769,770 are steel not alum. The cups are alum but they are smooth and finished nicely no ridges, motors are about 1/3rd smaller than 70s,pinwheel area is similar,there is a guard in the pinwheel opening that when you remove it, a cutoff switch shuts the machine down. The really neat feature is the ball return assembly, the ball rolls into the exit triggering 2 release switches,( a pin in the exit could hit one switch not both) which tips the ball forward into an accelarater that shoots the ball straight out,no lift belts.Also it has the light ball sensor from the pbl's and to work on it the whole assemby unhooks and slides out on wheels and you slide a new assembly right in. They will be supplying a line of parts for the 70's. Very good safty features extra guards other machines dont have. They have a complete line of ureathane glow house balls,for those that can't find them.
I am on the install crew for Seattle to install these new machines if I have time I will come back with photos to post and be able to answer any questions .

[8270king]

Re: VIA Products

Switches in the ball exit area.....I bet they never break....

Guards all over.....just more stuff to take off to fix that Asian junk.

Jerry

[John_Galt]

Re: VIA Products

Don -
I wonder what your boss Tom Stahl thinks about this...

[ModelTech]

Re: VIA Products

Hi guys!
Our 24 lane 82-30 house just put in 2 VIA MC-2's on 23 & 24. Everything's Chinese. No manual, no ideas WHERE all those ladders and guard rails go. And METRIC. Anybody else frustrated by metric stuff (two different toolboxes!)?

Absolutely LOVE the subway-level ball return!

Just wish I could find line drawings, so we could put all those "extra parts in place!

Doug

[Lampie]

Re: VIA Products

Originally posted by StucKInThePit:
And METRIC. Anybody else frustrated by metric stuff (two different toolboxes?)

Doug[/QB]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I also received some spare parts from VIA, it did take some time before I discovered my 1/4" wrench was useless to adjust a respot cell(I had to make a thin 7 mm for it).
They are crazy(Although I live in a metric country 6*6*6 KM).

Martin

[ModelTech]

Re: VIA Products

Anybody know where I can download a picture or two of the MC-2? We need to start installing this stuff soon, and we can't, until we know WHERE these safety guards go.

We have a LONG ladder, and a short (two step) ladder. LONG rails (question-mark shaped) and a BUNCH of guards that look like miniature chain-link fence.

NO idea where all this stuff goes. The Chinese apparently don't use installaton manuals.

Help, preese!

Doug's stuck-in-the-pit!

[DetroitSignal]

Re: VIA Products

I saw a pic of this thing once. I think the big ladder goes on the side of the END machine for access from the side.

[vinson]

Re: VIA Products

First Chad, get off the rag, Tom Is to supposed to come out to Springfield to check out the operation and maybe dist. parts for them , its being checked out. Pit, I will see if I can get you some kind of manual for the pinsetters,anything else you need?
Did anyone see the stubby ball return on the Tacoma show? custom made for the show because the outlay of the building was short. The show went pretty flawless,machines ran perfectly. Installed the lanes, lined up the pinsetters and had to make no adjustments all weekend,Norm Duke-300, 40 hours for the crew to install, 8 hours to pull out and load up the trucks,next setup will be in Detroit,March. World wide VIA has a lot of install going on and some going in in the states this year. The parts are all finished very nicely ,no sharp edges, they like everything nice and smooth and good looking. The steel used seems to be of a higher grade than some companies,I checked on that,no soft steel.One thing that I found funny though is that they left the mount for the gripper protection switch on the frame even though there is no switch or wiring for it The ball track to the front is all suspended so there is no noise or rumble of the ball coming back

[Kat]

Re: VIA Products

Originally posted by 82/70 king:
Switches in the ball exit area.....I bet they never break....

Guards all over.....just more stuff to take off to fix that Asian junk.

Jerry

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Switches in the exit area...no different than the AMF 8800 Gold. BTW, what ever happened to that machine anyway? Was it a flop or something? [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif[/img]

Guards: Just like any other pinsetter out there, there to protect you. One could always leave them off if they annoy you, as many mechanics do.

[DetroitSignal]

Re: VIA Products

Originally posted by vinson:
next setup will be in Detroit,March.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Vinson-

Where in Detroit??? Downtown at Joe Louis Arena?? I would really like to see the installation because I can get there very fast from where I live (15 min.). If possible I would like to bring my boss, the head tech with me. We may be looking for new machines in the near future.

[vinson]

Re: VIA Products

Arena finals at Taylers sportsplex

[ModelTech]

Re: VIA Products

Vinson said:
"Pit, I will see if I can get you some kind of manual for the pinsetters,anything else you need?"

Thanks! No, I can't think of anything else, right now. I'm just itching to break open those crates out in the trailer, and begin installing those MC's!

I have to admit, I have an affection for those 50-yr old 8230's. I've been called a retro-grouch, and rightfully so. They're still running (albeit a bit shaky). Only two of the 22 remaining machines have loose key channels in the lift shafts.

Thanks again, Vinson!

[ModelTech]

Re: VIA Products

Oh, and just in case anybody asks, let it be known that I LOVE the new MC2. IMHO, it's the best 82-70 machine I've ever seen. Mechanically, it looks perfect. Smooth cups, pretty green carpet, subway-level ball return that rolls right out for service or replacement, pit weldment moved back (so mechanics don't get their head chopped off by the table, LOL!), safety guards (optional), just an all-round better machine.

Heck, Brunswick thought so, just take a look at the GS!

Doug