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New addition to the Pinball Cave

Andypuk

Andypuk

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 12, 2013
Messages
499
Location
Birmingham, UK
Finally after missing out on a few GnR tables recently I managed to snag one!

Am now very :)

Being my first Data East table I was completely shocked and then totally appalled by just how bad the playfield lifting mechanism is. Well, i say 'mechanism'....theres not really much to it is there! I particularly enjoyed the part where when you bring the playfield back down you have to lift the back of it up to get it down on the rail again!

GunsNRoses table.jpg
 
Nice machine. Always enjoyed a bit of GnR. probably Data Easts finest hour.

The lifting mech is also similar on Sterns where you have to lift the back of the PF back onto the rail. My Tron also had the added bonus of some utterly crap pair of 'legs' that you rest the front of the playfield onto the lockdown mech. The first time I lifted the field the PF almost dropped onto the cab floor.
 
Thats what I was thinking was going to happen. Only had Bally/Williams tables before - really thought it was all going to collapse on me!

Am enjoying playing the table tho - its a tough game....well for me at the moment!
 
There is a technique to replacing the playfield. It involves leaning down on the front of the apron so that it pivots the back up.

Have to admit, I also fumbled around lifting the back of the playfield up for years until I was shown the technique.
 
You do have metal supports at the front of the playfield....i'm guessing it takes a fair amount of force tho
 
Nice score on the GNR. Great machine

I'm clearly in the minority with the lifting mechanism. I actually quite like it. As long as you've got space at the side of the machine to stand. Certainly a lot less to go wrong than the Williams mech.
 
Andypuk said:
You do have metal supports at the front of the playfield....i'm guessing it takes a fair amount of force tho
Click to expand...
Not as bad as you might think. One arm across the apron (as if you're leaning against it), and the other hand under the apron (as if you're picking the playfield up) just to steady it. Then lean down.
Will have to do a video demo if this doesn't make sense!

Carl Spiby said:
You surely can't do that without Williams style metal supports?
Click to expand...
It works on most DataEast/Sega/Sterns with the possible exception of the stupid new 'Pro' edition Sterns and their goofy prongs. Talk about making a bad idea worse...
 
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I am sure the Tommy I am babysitting appears to be missing some stands at the front so you can't rest it like that. I need to write a list of bits for it when the weather stops being nice.
I am testing this technique on A13 and it just about works for me so a video might make it clearer.
 
I suspect you'll be missing these Geoff: http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/535-0005-00

My Rocky & Bullwinkle didn't have them either and apparently it's quite common for them to get ripped off by people pulling the playfield forward without first lifting it clear. Marcos now stock them thankfully - I had to track down a supplier for mine and the name of the people who reproduce them actually escapes me. The newer ones are a bit better as they have more screw positions so they're not so easy to rip off.

But yeah the rail system on the DE tables is a little precarious to say the least. It's nice that they mount the flipper board directly below the supports too so if you do manage to twist the playfield and it drops then there's a good chance it's going to take the flipper board with it too. :-o

@Wizcat Would love to see a video of the technique as I still haven't managed to do it on mine.
 
Many a time I've seen a GnR playfield propped up on the drop targets before now, hence many GnR drop targets don't work properly thanks to bent drop target mechanisms... :rolleyes:
 
Nice snag, let's just hope you won't need to be lifting the playfield to often.
 
So, you need those 'normal' playfield brackets to do that trick. Guess im out of luck with Tron and its crappy stilts. :(
 
Yes , don't try and do it with the crappy threaded bar surports. You'll do more damage than good.
 
replicas said:
Yes , don't try and do it with the crappy threaded bar surports. You'll do more damage than good.
Click to expand...


I have learned to incorporate a form of yoga into my pre-pinball warm up routine purely in case I need to lift the playfield on Tron. :D. One hand under the plastic flimsy apron that is bound to snap on me one day, and the other under the playfield at the back. I'm at full stretch doing that so the strain on my lower back requires an enthusiastic rubdown afterwards too.
 
More trouble than what's it's worth.
For what these machines cost you would have thought Stern might have come up with a system that works.
Billy/Williams managed to come up with a great system that worked really well.
If you do have the misfortune of owning a cost cutting Stern , then prey for a reliable game and not one you are constantly having to lift the playfield to fix something.
 
replicas said:
More trouble than what's it's worth.
For what these machines cost you would have thought Stern might have come up with a system that works.
Billy/Williams managed to come up with a great system that worked really well.
If you do have the misfortune of owning a cost cutting Stern , then prey for a reliable game and not one you are constantly having to lift the playfield to fix something.
Click to expand...

Tron for example?

Saying that, LOTR was pretty reliable too.
 
LOTR didn't have stupid cost cutting on it, thank God.
And yes, I suppose Tron is one of the more reliable games so happy days there then.
 
replicas said:
LOTR didn't have stupid cost cutting on it, thank God.
And yes, I suppose Tron is one of the more reliable games so happy days there then.
Click to expand...

I say Tron is reliable. The other night the standard rubber disc finally flew off and left lots of lovely black rubber smears everywhere. It did give me the chance however to use that as an excuse to buy the clear rubber for it which I hear is supposed to make the ball fly around the table with much more gusto. :thumbs:
 
All depends on what you've been eating.
That dodgy kebab you rammed down after 16 pints isn't going to hang around, it's coming out like an express train.
Sorry for the toilet talk but I didn't start it.
 
This guy loves 'em: :rofl:


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