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2nd Hand Pinball Cabinets - Worth While?

Dunc

Dunc

Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
367
Location
Derbyshire
Mid way though my playfield restore of my corvette pin, im looking at my cabinet and it really is on its last legs. It has clearly been stood in a damp atmosphere (basically got flooded) and its pretty much knackered and colapsed! the Head is ok, but the main cab needs replacing.

Now i could go and buy a new cab, but these as you know are loads of pennies! So my thoughts have gone to a 2nd hand cabinet which i could restore.

This would also mean i can leave items in my existin cab, and transfer them as and when ive cleaned/restored them and use the old cab for reference.

Seem a good idea? Do 2nd hand good cabs ever come up?

Dunc
 
Yes sometimes manny selling a couple

i.ebayimg.com_images_g_NakAAOSwNuxXYwp2_s_l200.jpg

Look at this on eBay
Original Bride Of Pinbot Pinball Machine Cabinet & Backbox

Or some people make there own, there was talk at one point of someone doing a kit it might have been @replicas ? But I'm not sure

Or I think someone built there own for a whitewater refurb?
There's this on eBay to give you a flavour

i.ebayimg.com_images_g_fZgAAOSwQNRXMD4D_s_l200.jpg

Look at this on eBay
Williams Widebody Pinball Cabinet Full Size Digital Pinball

Just a note of caution some cabinets are different sizes I.e. Super pin wide body's and there may be slight differences between manufactures etc then there are slight differences between shooters etc..

So might better to get the same cab?
 
Yeah, as already mentioned they do come up from time to time.

In fact my old cabinet looked like this.

2014-09-10 23.05.25.jpg

When I got it @cooldan had fixed up the back end with a piece of MDF and it looked ok. But the OCD in me wouldn't let me leave it alone so I wanted to sort it out. I spoke to a few local joiners but they either quoted me stupid money to fix the problem or didn't want to take on the work. So in the end I got this replacement from Manny.

2014-10-23 11.52.55.jpg
2014-10-23 11.53.18.jpg

Even so, it needed a bit of work because I wanted to use some custom decals i'd had printed. So after a lot of sanding, painting and applying of decals I ended up with this.

2015-08-04 19.45.59.jpg
 
Ahh yeah, remember following your Rocky & Bullwinkle resto! Hows it going?

@Tony , yeah id seen that cab manny is selling and also that other cab. The new cab im not keep on. Don't like the white plastic brackets inside! but cheers tho :)


Just so you know...this is what i am contending with....as you can see, the bottom has fallen out and thats just the start of what would be on the "to fix" list!

Dunc

20150917_200058.jpg 20150917_200103.jpg
 
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Dunc said:
Ahh yeah, remember following your Rocky & Bullwinkle resto! Hows it going?
Click to expand...
Very, very, slowly. Although I don't think it is quite yet the longest running shop log it must be heading that way.

We had a wedding and honeymoon to get out of the way so work on R&B has largely ground to a halt over the last 6-8 months. I'm hoping to drop the playfield to Chris tomorrow though so hopefully it'll be full steam ahead again in the next few weeks.
 
Ahh nice one! Congrats on Wedding!

I need to really crack on with my Corvette restore! Taking too long!

Dunc
 
Or perhaps the local joiner guy i know could make me a replacement bottom and rear panel? as the front of the cab isnt bad really....hmmm what to do!

Dunc
 
I'd definitely talk to your joiner.

I think in my case they had too much work on so they either weren't interested or priced it high to deter me from going ahead.
 
Some of this depends on what you're starting with, your attitude and aptitude to restoring, and what level of finish you aim to achieve. I patched up my Hook using advice and techniques learnt off this forum, enjoyed the process and was pretty happy with the results. Why not post some pictures of what you have?

WP_20150318_18_24_16_Pro.jpgWP_20150923_10_07_17_Pro.jpg
 
If there's timber there and it's a case of building it back out and smoothing it down then I think i'd be inclined to give it a try. But so far as I can make out the only way to replace that bottom of a cabinet is to actually remove at least one of the sides because the bottom is actually fitted into a number of grooves and then gussetted as well to keep it strong and in place.

That isn't the sort of job i'd want to undertake given how the cabinets are often pinned, glued and screwed, but a joiner might have a crack at it for you?
 
Wiredworm said:
If there's timber there and it's a case of building it back out and smoothing it down then I think i'd be inclined to give it a try. But so far as I can make out the only way to replace that bottom of a cabinet is to actually remove at least one of the sides because the bottom is actually fitted into a number of grooves and then gussetted as well to keep it strong and in place.

That isn't the sort of job i'd want to undertake given how the cabinets are often pinned, glued and screwed, but a joiner might have a crack at it for you?
Click to expand...
It's a bit hard to tell from the pic ,but to me it does look like the groove has gone ,if that is the case ,buy a second hand cab, it will save you a lot of time in restoring it .
 
Time versus money scenario

Two part filler, enough new plywood, paint, decals will fix virtually any cab so it looks right on the outside

Your corvette cab looks well gone. I would buy a used one, ideally from a similar era game. I would not buy a repro cab, unless it has known pedigree, especially not that ebay one with the white blocks everywhere. A strange looking cab could ruin resale potential

Doing a lovely decal job is a mass of work, the end product must look right or future buyers will discount the price if you ever sell

I bought a used scared stiff cab from manny, and will use this for my existing scared stiff. Manny told me that cabs for different titles have different features so putting game x in game y's cabinet can throw up issues
 
Yeah it really is a time v money scenario!

Im going to get some bettwe pictures tomorrow of the cabinet for you all to have a look at! I'm starting to feel a replacement 2nd hand cab from the same era maybe the way forward

Dunc
 
OK....looking at my cab I'm gonna need a replacement lol

How much am I looking at for a 2nd hand cab to suite a 94 bally corvette?

Dunc
 
Rarely seem to come up. Complete guess but 100 to 150. Upper end for a good one.
 
I could be wrong here ,but I think it does not matter if the 2nd hand cab was a corvette .
What you are looking for is one that fits the bill ,meaning ,the front of the cab have to be the type which has a plunger !,
Plus the playfield on a corvette pulls out then clicks to place then lifts up !!
So in essence a TAF cab is no good ,but a CFTBL cab does in fact fit the bill
Hope I am right :hmm:
 
@Dunc

I am just over the border from you in nottinghamshire. I bought a used scared stiff cab and set of decals from manny. I did so to make my job easier - I can just swap parts over without all the photos, labelling, bagging up, parts lying about the place etc. especially if the job overruns, like my funhouse did.

Manny is selling a bop cab but is on the south coast so a 6h plus drive or £85 plus waiting time for Martin. I think it very unlikely that a corvette cab will come up anytime soon

I should have done my decal job within about a month. Have been putting it off. BUT 'er indoors being away for a couple of weeks gives an opportunity. So i will be selling this soon

I bought it from the forum ...

http://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/scared-stiff.32792/#post-155546

D
 
Cheers for all your replys people. Even if there are subtle differences between cabs, surely they cannot be that much different?

@DRD that would be brilliant! If you are swapping out your cab, then I would deffo ur old scared stiff cab!

Will PM you now for details!

Honestly, the help and replys on this forum is awesome! Cheers all!

Dunc
 
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