Lobster ball machine fix--from too often to just right

My new Lobster Elite Liberty tennis ball machine could only deliver balls every 1 to 6 seconds rather than 2 to 12 seconds as published on the company webpage. The company said to tape off two of the feeder tray positions. That would just give the balls a place to rest and avoid flight. I didn't want six or seven balls on a merry go round without popcorn and corn dogs.
This is a practical hack that gets the balls delivered at the right rate.
The foam is closed cell foam known sometimes as minicell , secured to thin plywood with contact cement. Zip ties hold the plywood down to the feeder tray.
Having a proper delivery rate allows me to perform shadow swings between balls, giving me a better ball machine experience.