The weekend just past was Mikes 50th Birthday party and he wanted to hire a few pins. Slot car racing, mame on screen gaming and 2 pins.
I took along my taf and afm 2 of his faves from the past. Both were cleaned and inspected prior to a short road trip and play tested.
Both were fully working once setup in the noon prior to the evenings celebration.
At half 7 I arrived and turned on the machines. A quick game of taf and all present and correct.
Fire up the ball on afm and after entering the scoop nothing
A ball search later and up it fires. Hmmm maybe the opto is dirty? The ladies queuing behind me enquire what an opto is? Balls out glass off switch test mode. Opto switch is working hurrah.
Balls in glass on the game is back working. Well for 2 balls! Again it’s stuck down the vuk. Lots more of the 80 people have now arrived and oooh look pinballs.
Glass off play field up in the air what’s this collection of broken bits in the deck?
A pop bumper has sheared its holding down bolts and shed the insulator. I have a row of switches on the test page going berserk. I figure with the insulator missing the spring is shorting against the switch. So with no tools in semi darkness and an iPhone torch I manage to rebuild the solenoid so that the insulator is in place and hey presto the short has gone. Cack how can I stop it falling out again with no securing screws. Snap the bloody wire off that’s how.
Balls in glass on, game on
Well for 10 mins
Now nobody can start a game. Press. Press.
Press. Nothing.
Glass off balls out flaming thing in the air to access the switch. Wires all present and correct. Switch look pretty ropey though. No tools no spares. Bollox.
Press ever so gently. Game on.
By now my stress levels are through the roof and I need a pint.
Fortunately afm soldiered on for the rest of the night with only a few people having to be shown the gentle touch for starting up a game.
Taf. Never missed a beat.
Pinball hire not likely again
I took along my taf and afm 2 of his faves from the past. Both were cleaned and inspected prior to a short road trip and play tested.
Both were fully working once setup in the noon prior to the evenings celebration.
At half 7 I arrived and turned on the machines. A quick game of taf and all present and correct.
Fire up the ball on afm and after entering the scoop nothing
A ball search later and up it fires. Hmmm maybe the opto is dirty? The ladies queuing behind me enquire what an opto is? Balls out glass off switch test mode. Opto switch is working hurrah.
Balls in glass on the game is back working. Well for 2 balls! Again it’s stuck down the vuk. Lots more of the 80 people have now arrived and oooh look pinballs.
Glass off play field up in the air what’s this collection of broken bits in the deck?
A pop bumper has sheared its holding down bolts and shed the insulator. I have a row of switches on the test page going berserk. I figure with the insulator missing the spring is shorting against the switch. So with no tools in semi darkness and an iPhone torch I manage to rebuild the solenoid so that the insulator is in place and hey presto the short has gone. Cack how can I stop it falling out again with no securing screws. Snap the bloody wire off that’s how.
Balls in glass on, game on
Well for 10 mins
Now nobody can start a game. Press. Press.
Press. Nothing.Glass off balls out flaming thing in the air to access the switch. Wires all present and correct. Switch look pretty ropey though. No tools no spares. Bollox.
Press ever so gently. Game on.
By now my stress levels are through the roof and I need a pint.
Fortunately afm soldiered on for the rest of the night with only a few people having to be shown the gentle touch for starting up a game.
Taf. Never missed a beat.
Pinball hire not likely again
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