Tubeboard knocking over pins...

[Candlepin_Guy]

Me and the head mech are confused about this. It kinda looks like the tubeboard is lowering on an angle so when it comes back up it's hitting the top of the pins (mainly the 7 pin) causing it to fall over. We've got it to settle down a bit but we can't seem to get rid of the problem entirely. What makes it more frustrating is that it's inconsistant, for example on one cycle no pin wobbles at all, next slight wobble, then no wobble again, then they all wobble quite a bit, then the next the 7 pin falls over. Guide rod sleves are tight, tubeboard is level... Could the guide rod sleves be crooked? is it possible to give them a slight shim then tighten them back up without it causing wear and other problems?

Any help?

[mr.badwrench]

The first thing I would do is add grease to the guide rods. Even if they look like they have plenty of grease. The guide rods should only get sloppy if they wear, not crooked. Then it's time to look at the cables or chains and pulleys. Do you still have cables or has this pinsetter been upgraded to roller chains? Next, if you have chains the chains themselves might need some oil. What kind of latch finger unlatching system do you have? If you have the rod up through the upper deck, it might need grease.

[Candlepin_Guy]

Thanks badwrench, we do have our tubeboards on roller chain and our finger release is the plunger system from the bottom of the tubeboard. I tightened up the guide rod sleves, leveled out the tubeboard and took back some of the spring tension on the finger release to help reduce "Kickback" when they release to tame the shake the "kickback" causes when the tubeboard raises. It seemed to help. We're down from pins falling (mainly 7 pin) 5-6 times in a league match to 1 or none... Which is acceptable, but I'm picky and want it perfect... I'll slap some more grease/oil like you suggested and hope it helps even more.

[Candlepin_Guy]

Here is what I'm talking about badwrench...

[mr.badwrench]

The video looked like the pin moved up a little as the tube deck started to come up. I had one some time ago that a bolt or nut or some other piece of hardware was on the tube deck and sometimes kept the latch finger assembly from moving all the way back. It would still go almost all the way back and only hang onto the 3 pin. Other possibilities include pins that are not the same diameter and something different about that #7 tube. The tube might be smaller in diameter or not quite round or have a dent or rough spot that hangs onto pins.

[House]

Maybe the top board where the chains/pulleys connect to are sagging or wood deteriorating?

I had a bad top board section that cracked right behind the one pin. It made the tubedeck run higher in the back side (normal height), and the front side was lower when the tubedeck spotted pins. The deck naturally would pick back up at that angle it lowered, and would wobble or knock over pins.

Whole host of problems that day, including pins knocking over. Though i'd share, and hope it helps.

[mikey]

what kind of pin deck do you have? ive see it on old tp decks where not every pin would fall over or wobble on the spot. if its bad, i filled it with epoxy problem gone. even steel or phenollic finishes will wear on that spot. you could even have a little bit of dirt build up there as well.

[Candlepin_Guy]

Hey mikey, pindecks are synthetic panels. I see no noticable wear and they are cleaned twice a week.

Nick