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Found it! Seeking EATPM or Fixer Upper (£1500-£2000) or loan for repairs/resto

thejefu

Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
340
Location
Glossop, Derbyshire
Alias
magicwizard
EDIT Found and delivered

Greetings

I'm a new member here and am based in the north in Glossop to the east of Manchester. By trade I'm a video game producer and I've long had a passion for pinball cabinets and playfield game design. I am dying to get my hands on a pin now I have the space of a new home.

If anyone has a bargain to send off to an aspiring pinball techy then I guess that would be okay too. I can certainly cough up £1500-£2000 for a players table.

Also, if you have an EATPM, I need it.

Short of that if anyone has a pin in need of some basic repairs or a good clean but don't have the time to do it or the urgency to pay someone, I would snap your arm off to work on it. It would be an ideal opportunity for me to flip the lid and spend some serious time on one of these things, get my fix of games and to build my toolset in dealing with these beasts. Rest assured my goal is to learn how to do the job properly and I'd be doing my research and taking my time.

I'd be happy to exchange a deposit or some such for accountability, pay for pickup and return and pay for parts (within a reasonable approximation of a rental fee). Short of that,

Thanks!

Jeffrey
 
Last edited:
Hello Jeffrey.

Probably the best thing to do would be to go to somewhere like 'Arcade club' which about half an hours drive away from you. I am unsure who runs this but someone will no doubt add to this post, and that will be a good way to learn.

You may be better off picking up a £1500 game on here and having a go at doing it up. If you do a great job - it will increase the value, and you will build up a reputation. Things like revenge from mars, party zone, doctor who are about that price for a 'players' game (meaning it is not the prettiest).

It is safer to buy on here than ebay. It is usually cheaper.

Best of luck.
Phil
 
Hello Jeffrey.

Probably the best thing to do would be to go to somewhere like 'Arcade club' which about half an hours drive away from you. I am unsure who runs this but someone will no doubt add to this post, and that will be a good way to learn.

You may be better off picking up a £1500 game on here and having a go at doing it up. If you do a great job - it will increase the value, and you will build up a reputation. Things like revenge from mars, party zone, doctor who are about that price for a 'players' game (meaning it is not the prettiest).

It is safer to buy on here than ebay. It is usually cheaper.

Best of luck.
Phil

I'll reach out to them. I was actually there recently and those tables look like they get a ton of action.

£1500 is certainly in my budget should such a table turn up.
 
Contact coinop king in chesterfield on Facebook he has lots of pinballs that would be great for you
 
@thejefu

Welcome.

My suggestion to you would be for you to buy a working, but tired game from a known individual on here.

Early solid state games (late 70s to mid 80s) have very basic diagnostics and can be harder to fix than later games.

Alphanumeric games (mid to late 80s) have better diagnostics so are a possible for you.

Your best bet is an early to mid 90s Williams/ Bally WPC era game. These have good diagnostics and dot matrix displays. Spares availability is usually good and much better than alphanumeric titles. The circuit boards are designed to be repairable. Many guys on here own them and know how to fix them so will offer advice.

More modern games will cost more and often have surface mount circuit boards which are very hard to repair.

When a pinball works and is complete you have a good starting point. By contrast if you buy a dismantled one or a dead one you have no idea how many faults it has.

20 to 40 year old pinball machines are fundamentally reliable ONCE they have been gone through by a nerd and are working.

If a game has suddenly died you probably have one fault. If an unknown game is dead - is it complete?, does the power supply work?, are the circuit boards ok?, are the connectors working?, is there continuity between the boards and the playfield?
 
@thejefu

Welcome.

My suggestion to you would be for you to buy a working, but tired game from a known individual on here.

Early solid state games (late 70s to mid 80s) have very basic diagnostics and can be harder to fix than later games.

Alphanumeric games (mid to late 80s) have better diagnostics so are a possible for you.

Your best bet is an early to mid 90s Williams/ Bally WPC era game. These have good diagnostics and dot matrix displays. Spares availability is usually good and much better than alphanumeric titles. The circuit boards are designed to be repairable. Many guys on here own them and know how to fix them so will offer advice.

More modern games will cost more and often have surface mount circuit boards which are very hard to repair.

When a pinball works and is complete you have a good starting point. By contrast if you buy a dismantled one or a dead one you have no idea how many faults it has.

20 to 40 year old pinball machines are fundamentally reliable ONCE they have been gone through by a nerd and are working.

If a game has suddenly died you probably have one fault. If an unknown game is dead - is it complete?, does the power supply work?, are the circuit boards ok?, are the connectors working?, is there continuity between the boards and the playfield?

This is BRILLIANT ADVICE !
 
I was tempted...had me look up the machine and it's very oddly compelling, I love the theme. I do however fear it might be a little too advanced a first challenge.
No worries. You can always pop in as having a visitor might actually provoke me to do it myself, and you can watch or learn or laugh or whatever.
 
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