Freshening a pin up just sucks

[Steelhorse]

Shopping pins is well worth the time invested IMO. After cleaning, rubbering and waxing you put it all back together fire it up and have a pin that looks and plays like it should.

Thats when I smile crack a beer and rip out a high score

Thats when I smile crack a beer and rip out a high score [/QUOTE]


Ya! Nothing better then that. Beer goes so well with pinball, and on a clean fast playing pin that you labored on. That beer will go down smooth and taste so well, another job well done.

 

[WadeLanham]

Getting paid $10/hr to do something you absolutely love and can do at your leisure > getting paid 3x as much for doing something 10 hours a day that you despise.

I guess. So you'd rather work "at your leisure" 8 hours a day and still be below the poverty level, than live comfortably doing a job you don't like? I think I'd suck it up and take the better paying job.

Like I said, it has to be a labor of love. I actually enjoy my day job more than I enjoy shopping pins, and it pays a lot better too. I have to really be motivated to shop a pin, and it takes a lot to make that happen these days.

Wade

 

[mdrago]

I absolutely love it when I trade out pins at work when income slows on them so I get to clean them up. It's so cool to see what they look like when I bring them back and then spending a couple of hours cleaning them up. I did a Creature a couple of weeks ago that was pretty much completely black and it came out gorgeous. I didn't even strip it all the way down. I like cleaning up videos as well cus its need to see how clean they can actually get. I hate doing dartboards though cus of all the smoke. It's just gross to me.

 

[shardian]

I guess. So you'd rather work "at your leisure" 8 hours a day and still be below the poverty level, than live comfortably doing a job you don't like? I think I'd suck it up and take the better paying job.

Like I said, it has to be a labor of love. I actually enjoy my day job more than I enjoy shopping pins, and it pays a lot better too. I have to really be motivated to shop a pin, and it takes a lot to make that happen these days.

Wade

At your leisure and '8 hours a day' - misnomer much??

By 'at your leisure' I mean that I'll spread an 8 hour job over a few weeks. Then in the end I get paid for a $10/hour job that I really only did for fun. The time was so broken up that I didn't even notice. That is why getting paid to do this stuff rocks. I guarantee you that if my day job was shopping pins that I had no interest in for 8 hours, I would HATE it....


....maybe.

 

[stevenp61]

OK, I got snagged into this. Needed a new Ringmaster WOW sticker for my Cirqus Voltaire; decided to order some plastic protectors too, and what the heck, some target decals. But I'm not even on that project yet.

I also ordered a few boxes of bulbs because I had crushed one under the CV sling. I was down to just a few very old bulbs (#44), and realized I had no #555s at all, so I ordered a few boxes of each. Today, playing my Lost World: Jurassic Park, I noticed the slings were dark. (Probably have been for a long time.) The game was NIB and still plays perfectly--the active lighting is all good. But as I looked closer, I found many GI bulbs out. So, I'm spending the entire evening (with beer!) removing ramps/plastics to get at the burnt-out bulbs underneath. The ones that go out are in the worst possible places! Need to go under the pf for a few. And I'll give the pf a good cleaning while I'm at it. Although this game plays TOO fast when cleaned. Seriously the fastest pin I've ever played, anywhere. All stock too.

On the bright side, later tonight I'll be playing a brighter, faster LW with a few beers in me!

 

[pacalman]

OK, I got snagged into this. Needed a new Ringmaster WOW sticker for my Cirqus Voltaire; decided to order some plastic protectors too, and what the heck, some target decals. But I'm not even on that project yet.

I also ordered a few boxes of bulbs because I had crushed one under the CV sling. I was down to just a few very old bulbs (#44), and realized I had no #555s at all, so I ordered a few boxes of each. Today, playing my Lost World: Jurassic Park, I noticed the slings were dark. (Probably have been for a long time.) The game was NIB and still plays perfectly--the active lighting is all good. But as I looked closer, I found many GI bulbs out. So, I'm spending the entire evening (with beer!) removing ramps/plastics to get at the burnt-out bulbs underneath. The ones that go out are in the worst possible places! Need to go under the pf for a few. And I'll give the pf a good cleaning while I'm at it. Although this game plays TOO fast when cleaned. Seriously the fastest pin I've ever played, anywhere. All stock too.

On the bright side, later tonight I'll be playing a brighter, faster LW with a few beers in me!

I just did about the same thing sat. night. all new bulbs and rubber. but i was drinkin coke.

 

[Deadly]

I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon putting on Cliffy Protectors. I have to admit it was fun. The wife and kid went to a friends house for a super bowl party and I had a party with me and pin heh. Never fails I pull the glass and she's up my ass wanting to play. So glad the wife and kid are enthused about the purchase. I guess it helps ease the pain.

And Metahugh mentioned Illiniois Pinball having new tables so I did contact Kim and round numbers $675 shipped. Sure beats the turds on eBay and MArco trying to charge $1000 without shipping - yikes.
It was also interesting talking with Kim. Pay attention to #2. QUOTE:
"
1. The clear coat that is used is called Cross Link and there are several layers put on each playfield.

2. We no longer rate playfields as 1st or 2nds since due to the silk screen printing process, we have yet to produce what we would consider a 1st playfield every playfield has some type of issue.

3. Are these going to be for route games or for an investment games? Yes we will have extras but depending what he is placing the playfield in will depend on the price. (More issues = less expensive)"

 

[WadeLanham]

At your leisure and '8 hours a day' - misnomer much??

By 'at your leisure' I mean that I'll spread an 8 hour job over a few weeks. Then in the end I get paid for a $10/hour job that I really only did for fun. The time was so broken up that I didn't even notice. That is why getting paid to do this stuff rocks. I guarantee you that if my day job was shopping pins that I had no interest in for 8 hours, I would HATE it....

....maybe.

You said:
"Getting paid $10/hr to do something you absolutely love and can do at your leisure > getting paid 3x as much for doing something 10 hours a day that you despise."

Kinda sounded like you were comparing a laid back low paying job you love, versus a real job you don't. I mean, otherwise you're comparing an optional job with no deadline, versus a real job? Well yeah, who wouldn't prefer that?? I guess if I could have an optional job and no deadlines all the time, sure, I'd take that too, but then how would I get food??

I can be motivated to work on pins. It's just been a long time. Never really gave that WH2O and Whirlwind the love I intended to. It was sad because I was really pumped when I first got them, but the timing was bad and eventually the drive faded. I think I'm just losing interest in working on games.

Wade

 

[shardian]

Sounds like you almost understood my point there.

I'll rephrase it again. Getting paid ANYTHING to do work on my hobby kicks ass. Even if it just covers my expenses (or just a portion).

You said:
"Getting paid $10/hr to do something you absolutely love and can do at your leisure > getting paid 3x as much for doing something 10 hours a day that you despise."

Kinda sounded like you were comparing a laid back low paying job you love, versus a real job you don't. I mean, otherwise you're comparing an optional job with no deadline, versus a real job? Well yeah, who wouldn't prefer that?? I guess if I could have an optional job and no deadlines all the time, sure, I'd take that too, but then how would I get food??

I can be motivated to work on pins. It's just been a long time. Never really gave that WH2O and Whirlwind the love I intended to. It was sad because I was really pumped when I first got them, but the timing was bad and eventually the drive faded. I think I'm just losing interest in working on games.

Wade

 

[stevenp61]

OK, so I got carried away a bit tonight. Had to remove some ramps and stuff to replace bulbs on Lost World, so I cleaned the pf and ramps everywhere. (I rarely do this because the game gets too fast--never saw faster full-length ramps anywhere.) All GI is good now, and LW is almost too fast to play.

But then I fingured, what the heck, tools are out. So I installed the plastics protectors on my Cirqus Voltaire. Found a couple of bulbs that needed replacing. Tested the ramp lockup and it worked perfectly. (Took out one washer when adding the plastic protector under the ramp.) Cleaned the pf. Installed the target decals and a new WOW decal for the ringmaster head. And replaced the stock flippers with purple ones, yellow rubbers. Plus one wire broke off on the VUK opto (after raising/lowering pf a few times), so I quickly soldered it back.

So now my HUO CV looks and plays even better than before. Except that now I'm too pooped to play either machine. There's always tomorrow.... And I'm all caught up on maintenance for when the LotR arrives soon.

 

[WadeLanham]

Sounds like you almost understood my point there.

I'll rephrase it again. Getting paid ANYTHING to do work on my hobby kicks ass. Even if it just covers my expenses (or just a portion).

I think my brain can't register it. I've never had a hobby that didn't suck up both time and money. As soon as I start making money, it seems like a job and doesn't seem like fun any more!! Guess this is why I can only restore keeper games. If I'm doing it for me, it's fun, if I'm doing it with any intention of selling then it just seems like work.

Wade

 

[shardian]

I think my brain can't register it. I've never had a hobby that didn't suck up both time and money. As soon as I start making money, it seems like a job and doesn't seem like fun any more!! Guess this is why I can only restore keeper games. If I'm doing it for me, it's fun, if I'm doing it with any intention of selling then it just seems like work.

Wade

Nope. It is still a blast to me. It kicks ass to get paid to tinker with arcade games for a while, then send them on their way.

 

[jar155]

I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon putting on Cliffy Protectors. I have to admit it was fun. The wife and kid went to a friends house for a super bowl party and I had a party with me and pin heh. Never fails I pull the glass and she's up my ass wanting to play. So glad the wife and kid are enthused about the purchase. I guess it helps ease the pain.

And Metahugh mentioned Illiniois Pinball having new tables so I did contact Kim and round numbers $675 shipped. Sure beats the turds on eBay and MArco trying to charge $1000 without shipping - yikes.
It was also interesting talking with Kim. Pay attention to #2. QUOTE:
"
1. The clear coat that is used is called Cross Link and there are several layers put on each playfield.

2. We no longer rate playfields as 1st or 2nds since due to the silk screen printing process, we have yet to produce what we would consider a 1st playfield every playfield has some type of issue.

3. Are these going to be for route games or for an investment games? Yes we will have extras but depending what he is placing the playfield in will depend on the price. (More issues = less expensive)"

If you're not super picky about quality, they are going to be selling some of those Funhouse playfields at shows with a big discount for ones that didn't come out quite as good. I bought one for $650 (preorder price) and it looked fantastic. Issues were very minor and the clearcoat was flat and even. I have some pictures at home that I can post later.

 

[Deadly]

If you're not super picky about quality, they are going to be selling some of those Funhouse playfields at shows with a big discount for ones that didn't come out quite as good.

Where/when might these shows might be taking place?

Notice her comment about there's no longer 1st and 2nds ..... but yet they offer others at a discount. Hmmmmm that sounds a whole lot like 1st and 2nds to me

 

[metahugh]

Where/when might these shows might be taking place?

Notice her comment about there's no longer 1st and 2nds ..... but yet they offer others at a discount. Hmmmmm that sounds a whole lot like 1st and 2nds to me

Since apparently the quality varies so much they don't like classifying them as a 1st or 2nd. The flaws are not the same on every playfield. They get a lot of snobby pinball collectors complaining about the smallest things so I think that is why they just price them accordingly and do not classify them anymore.

 

[jar155]

Where/when might these shows might be taking place?

Notice her comment about there's no longer 1st and 2nds ..... but yet they offer others at a discount. Hmmmmm that sounds a whole lot like 1st and 2nds to me

Hmmm, I'm not sure if they'll make it out to the West Coast, actually. They might get out there for Pacific Pinball Expo, but that's a ways off still. Pinball Expo in Chicago is a sure bet, as well as anything else in that area. Maybe someone that goes to one would be willing to report back about the quality of those playfields and possibly arrange a buy.