Wanted pinball cabinets any condition as i have a friend who is excellent at woodwork and just starting out in the business so he would be able to remake any bally,70s, dataeast,system 11,wpc
Pinball info
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Wanted pinball cabinets
- Thread starter paul parker
- Start date
Will he be making them to sell?
Someones been there done that and does it no more, namley Manny, guess the bottom fell out the market.
Or his cabinets!!!
They are not as easy to make as people think due to the differences from game to game
2nd that
MANNY's Cabinets were/are very accurate to the originals..
The amount of work that went into them...
What sort of price is your friend thinking of?
MANNY's Cabinets were/are very accurate to the originals..
The amount of work that went into them...
What sort of price is your friend thinking of?
Type Pinball into gumtree and there is a guy there that says send him your old battered cabinet and he will copy it exactly to original for 420 pounds , he has pics of his work
That's one he has done for me
Hi there yes he will to order
Yes he will he will just need your battered cabinet to pattern
is it £420 no matter what Cabinet it is?
Doesn't matter what pinball cabinet all you have to do is paint and decal if it's any easier you could contact him via gumtree then you could deal direct all he needs is your old cabinet to pattern
Is that cabinet and backbox or just cabinet?
Hi there that's for both parts of the cabinet but he will need your one to copy then after that he will have the pattern should you want any more if you go on Gumtree and search pinball his work is on there as he has done a seventies gottlieb cabinet for me and his contact details
My understanding is that Manny priced himself out of the business. Quality, yes, price point, no.
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I think someone could maybe make some extra cash offering this service in the UK. I don't think the scene is large enough to sustain a full time business though.
How many people actually *need* a brand new cabinet ??
How many people actually *need* a brand new cabinet ??
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You get what you pay for 
Truly beautiful but way out of my price range.
I am thinking about doing a complete Congo restore but Mrs Tox has planted a seed of doubt in my mind. How many original cabinets remain and if you sand it and put new decals on it will the original be lost forever.
I don't know weather to re decal or make/ buy a new cab and put Congo in there?
I am thinking about doing a complete Congo restore but Mrs Tox has planted a seed of doubt in my mind. How many original cabinets remain and if you sand it and put new decals on it will the original be lost forever.
I don't know weather to re decal or make/ buy a new cab and put Congo in there?
Imo only but I would think even with a new cab you would still need to sand down and fill before spraying, definitely would if using cans. Without his prep I think the finish you'd get on the paint would be poor and very dull. It would be better using a good quality spray gun you may get a reasonable finish. I've not done a cab yet that couldn't be restored and I've had a few very rough ones!!
Point being that Congo was produced in very small amounts compared to a lot of games and when you have covered the original graphics from the factory they are gone forever....
Yeah, I personally don't think that matters in pinball world. I know in certain hobbies (classic car resto) that would be sacrilege but a 90's DMD machine with minty fresh decals is far more desirable than a faded old battered one.
I wish the caninet maker well. I would suggest that £420 is a lot of cash though. When you overlay the cost of decals or stencils at say £150. It is getting very expensive imho
To soften the hit, might it be worthwhile for the cabinet maker to install the decals ? There is a knack to this. He/ she would rapidly learn it. And once the cabinet is smooth, it is not a complex task. A new, decalled cabinet may feel like better value to the buyer. Especially as sending the cab away to a second person to do the decal job would be even more painful.
To soften the hit, might it be worthwhile for the cabinet maker to install the decals ? There is a knack to this. He/ she would rapidly learn it. And once the cabinet is smooth, it is not a complex task. A new, decalled cabinet may feel like better value to the buyer. Especially as sending the cab away to a second person to do the decal job would be even more painful.
All I'm trying to do is to help a friend get going as he is good at what he does
Hi does any one old cabinets lying around that he could make up and then try fitting decals
£420 isn't a lot of money at all. There's a lot of wood in the cabinets and then the labour plus heaven forbid the guy making them should want to make a bit of profit! Why do people want others to work for nothing?
Ask him how long it takes to make one from start to finish take out the materials cost then work out his hourly rate. Most tradesmen work on at least £120 day rate.
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People don't expect anyone to work for nothing.£420 isn't a lot of money at all. There's a lot of wood in the cabinets and then the labour plus heaven forbid the guy making them should want to make a bit of profit! Why do people want others to work for nothing?
Stuff costs what it costs. The fact is not that many people want or need new cabs enough to pay out money for. People often say they do, but how many actually would ? We've been here before ....Just ask Manny ..... just set aside about 6 hours before you do
Wish the chap all the best, and great if he does this, but the reality of the market needs pointing out.
But there are people out there who want them. I would like a new cab for my Drac, and maybe JM too.
The price of the job is offset by the value of the pin with the new cab.
If a TAF with a decent playfield and a shagged cab will fetch about 3.5k nowadays, there's a good chance you'd get 4.5k for it with a brand new cab.
The price of the job is offset by the value of the pin with the new cab.
If a TAF with a decent playfield and a shagged cab will fetch about 3.5k nowadays, there's a good chance you'd get 4.5k for it with a brand new cab.
Well £420 I think is a good price. IF its ready to decal (ie sealed and painted).
It also depends what part of the UK he is in, as it would surely need collecting.
Reason:
Cost of ply wood....
Cost of CNC router and other tools.....
COST OF LABOUR.
We all have to earn a crust.
Mannys' work was great - but I am going to throw a spanner in the works. On a WPC cabinet, was it a good design? How many cabs have the joints fail and widen?? I have repaired loads of these before decalling. With CNC routing today someone could make these cabs with perfect dovetail joints.
You can also repair your old cabs unless they are really bad - fill all the damage and after you paint the inside and put graphics on - I am sure nobody will tell the difference between a Manny/this guys work/original cab repaired well.
Repair work does take time. If you do this as a hobby - then great. But I certainly could not spend a week repairing a cab, I would pay someone else £420 - but I would never pay Manny's prices. But that is my personal choice. You do not need to be a talented craftsman to make a pinball cabinet.
Your pal could also make flat pack kits for the visual pinball crowd. These will sell well.
ALSO - if he ever makes a Pinball 2000 cab - I would buy one without any buttons routed.
It also depends what part of the UK he is in, as it would surely need collecting.
Reason:
Cost of ply wood....
Cost of CNC router and other tools.....
COST OF LABOUR.
We all have to earn a crust.
Mannys' work was great - but I am going to throw a spanner in the works. On a WPC cabinet, was it a good design? How many cabs have the joints fail and widen?? I have repaired loads of these before decalling. With CNC routing today someone could make these cabs with perfect dovetail joints.
You can also repair your old cabs unless they are really bad - fill all the damage and after you paint the inside and put graphics on - I am sure nobody will tell the difference between a Manny/this guys work/original cab repaired well.
Repair work does take time. If you do this as a hobby - then great. But I certainly could not spend a week repairing a cab, I would pay someone else £420 - but I would never pay Manny's prices. But that is my personal choice. You do not need to be a talented craftsman to make a pinball cabinet.
Your pal could also make flat pack kits for the visual pinball crowd. These will sell well.
ALSO - if he ever makes a Pinball 2000 cab - I would buy one without any buttons routed.
