• We have upgaded to the latest version of XenForum and the process finished without any errors!!!! Enjoy the new forum!

The Pinball Diaries (what did you do today?)

DRANO

Super Member
Nov 15, 2012
2,827
519
113
Mississauga
Unloaded some container pins last night! Woo-hoo!
Hoping to set up my first Zaccaria in the next couple of days.
 

Menace

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
2,440
255
83
Santiago de Aurora
Worked on a Rollergames last night, ended up fixing a busted ramp divertor (broken plunger spring which is common on this game) and disassembled the 3 bank drops for a good cleaning as they were all gunked up from a previous "tech" oiling. UGH! When will people learn that for the most part oil / grease has no place in a pinball machine?

Today I had a broken weld on the ball lock wireform repaired, so tonight I'll re-install that and button the game up for pickup on Saturday.

D
 

mwong168

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
6,679
1,450
113
46
Toronto
Finally got to pick up my SM shooter rod this weekend from Brock and installed it last night before I went to bed. Just kidding about the "finally" part as I haven't even had the game in my collection for a month yet so very happy Brock was able to make me one in such a short period of time given his busy schedule. Thanks man and here are some pics and looks like I have to straighten the shooter housing tonight and install my PoTD mod on my LOTR.

8507685824_fec027fd09_c.jpg
 

brewmanager

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
629
111
43
Scarborough, ON
Attempted to improve the kickback on my High Speed, as I've noticed a marked weakening of the kick. After cleaning it and replacing the coil sleeve, I noticed no difference whatsoever. I decided to order a new armature for the kicker, as I noticed a lot of wear on the nylon.

Hopefully that'll do it. When it arrives. Someday. Soon I hope.
 

g-man

Member
Nov 19, 2012
250
0
16
Brampton / Caledon
Ancient Games said:
In my new hobby I changed multiple poopy diapers. Fed and burped them many times. Drove home. What is pinball? I've forgotten. :)

LOL...good one Mike. I'd like to say that I miss the poopy diaper days, but I just can't.

Today i spent a couple of hours (again) touching up a pooched Playboy playfield. I'm going to post pictures later on to show the progress.

Also went out to dinner and ate some birthday cake. Why birthday cake , you ask ? Cuz it's my freakin' birthday !! Whoo hooooooo !!
 

brewmanager

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
629
111
43
Scarborough, ON
Hey Mike - you're in for years, and it gets a lot more interesting than just diapers.

For example, my very soon-to-be 5 yr old spent the evening complaining of stomach pain, finally got her to sleep and crept downstairs. Blood-curdling, someone being murdered screams followed shortly afterwards, and I ran back upstairs just in time to see her puke all over the place (not the bathroom - I'll leave it at that.)

She fell back asleep during the clean-up, and I proceeded to take the day to spend with my poor sickie.

I'm bleary and destroyed - she's perfectly fine, perky. Doesn't even remember puking - although she did ask why we changed her pyjamas. Never fails.

Luckily, she likes "helping" with the pins, so I've spent the day puttering in the basement, waxing and tweaking, getting ready for a few friends on the weekend.

My reorganization downstairs is nearly complete. I didn't like the arrangement of 7 pins at first, but its growing on me, plus there is plenty of room for toys. In fact, if I could figure out where to put all the kids books, this room would be perfect.
 

WARLOCK

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
1,824
208
73
54
The Bluffs, Scarborough
Played some pinball @ Brewmanager's today with our kids. Good times. Worked on his BK for a bit as well. We both decided we have a pin or 2 each to sell.
We need to get ready for the next pin in line down the road. With my current sell 2 to buy 1 policy still in effect, I face tough choices while still thinning the herd out. I need space to work on my next project and my next shop job though, so looking forward to it.
 

Monkeybug

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
577
122
43
Stouffville, ON
I realized today that Shadow is one of best 90s DMD pinballs created. I always wonder what Brian Eddy might have done, given a chance with Stern.
 

Menace

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
2,440
255
83
Santiago de Aurora
I literally just finished buttoning up a Who Dunnit? that is being picked up next Saturday. She plays night and day compared to when she arrived in my shop.

Now I can begin tearing down another clients Funhouse this week and start compiling a list of parts it's going to require.

D

(and yes I concur Shadow is one of the best 90's DMD's created)
 

brewmanager

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
629
111
43
Scarborough, ON
Warlock and I ventured out on a service call tonight for a friend of his, who had a smoking hot Austin Powers. Unfortunately, it wasn't smoking in a good way. :)

He'd had it for 3 years, playing it nearly daily, and clearly hadn't done any maintenance whatsoever. My hands will be blackened for days. Anyways, I believe we've successfully diagnosed the problem (burnt trough vuk coil), and once we get our hands on the new coil will see if we are indeed getting better and better at this.

On the down side, my basement has turned into a virtual revolving door. Tron left earlier this week, and wh20 arrived. Brought up LOTR tonight....sigh. Sad it has to go, cause I think I'm starting to get it, but the combination of my 4 yr old being terrified of it and the pending roof situation...well, what can you do?

I've actually sold WW twice, but its still there.

Whirlwind came back, the very next day
Oh Whirlwind came back, we thought it was a goner
But Whirlwind came back, it just wouldn't stay away....

That's ok, actually. I hunted so long for it I'm not in any rush to turf it, and my wife will eventually get over the fact that I'm over my pin limit, right? After all, she's brought home more rugs than I have pins....or are we tied?
 

WARLOCK

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
1,824
208
73
54
The Bluffs, Scarborough
I thought you were so tired you could barely get inside and go upstairs to sleep Walt?
And here we are both at home reading, typing. We coulda been playing pinball bro!
 

WARLOCK

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
1,824
208
73
54
The Bluffs, Scarborough
Thanks for the help tonight Brewmanager. Great job diagnosing the issues. Much appreciated.
The young padawans are learning from the veterans. Thank you to our pinball mentors pushing
us to learn and fix news things every week. We are just starting to be able to help others now.
 

brewmanager

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
629
111
43
Scarborough, ON
First off, I'm really bored right now, because I rushed home to find everyone asleep. Hence the multiple posts on multiple and mundane topics.

Lots of pinball today.

First thing, was at Warlocks at 8 am to help him haul an outgoing pin up his stairs and into his van. Following that, I paid my florist a visit, then hustled off for my Saturday squash game with my defence attorney, who kicked my ass completely. Brock met me at the club, where we exchanged some parts I'd ordered on his behalf for some parts for Austin Powers that he grabbed from Starburst for me. Grabbed a Shwarma on the way home, then met McMean at my place.

At noon the buyer for WW arrived, and gave her a whirl, so to speak. I'll be delivering it next week, likely, along with my trusty sidekick Warlock.

We then ventured out to F14 Dave's, where McMean was making a service call on a cocktail 48-1 he'd sold, and I installed the new rotten dog displays that we'd ordered (thanks BAA!). Everything was working perfectly on departure, and hopefully will stay that way. That f14 has been playing blind since last summers fire, so it was nice to see it keeping score again.

Then off to Vengeance's place, definitely one of the more amazing basements I've ever been in. Met up with my LOTR buyer and handed off the machine, very sadly. I didn't have it long enough to install the mirror blades or anything else I'd gotten with it. I think the buyer was happy - I got a nice hug, and dibs on getting the machine back someday. Three Sterns in 4 months was just stupid to do - wont make that mistake again - cause now there's only one standing.

A quick visit to Menace's after, then McMean and I headed back to my place and his car. He wanted to get home to Peterborough, and I was hoping for some family time, but alas - all are asleep, and to keep my brother's wild puppy quiet we're all confined to the bedroom, so it's me and my iPad. Hence you all are forced to suffer through my endless rumblings. Must say I'm looking forward to puppy pickup tomorrow - I'm far more used to my geriatric dog not chewing everything in the house to pieces

On the plus side, McMean and I discovered some common taste in music, and enjoyed the drive up to Keswick and back very much...although blowing past the OPP cruiser somewhere north of a buck20 while listening to OPP (yeah you know me!) was a bit worrisome. That's one lead footed bass line. Luckily I wasn't going fast enough to warrant a ticket.
 

mwong168

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
6,679
1,450
113
46
Toronto
It was a great day which started out at Adam who has a very nice selection of games and I finally got to play a Radical! Such a fun game and definitely on my wish list of pins I would like to own one day. Thanks to Adam and Denise for being excellent hosts and making sure everyone was well fed and in style because I never had fish sticks and fries served in a glass before. It is also awesome that you have a wife that seems so supportive of your hobby and lifestyle.

I just got back from Doug's place now and it is almost 1am. What is funny is I shook hands and said my goodbyes to everyone at 9pm :D It was nice to finally put some names to faces and Slamma was the life of the whole party today!
 

brewmanager

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
629
111
43
Scarborough, ON
How did it take you 4 hours to get home Mike?

By the way, Menace absolutely has to do a post about the w?d I saw in his basement last night. That thing lived in my garage for a long time as a bit of a wreck - we all need to hear the tale of how it's been made so beautiful!