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In Progress Snackbar Mod & Open Sign

swinks

Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Messages
243
Location
Newcastle, Australia
Alias
Swinks
Some of you may have heard of the Snackbar Mod and my work over the years. I am an Aussie downunder creating mods and reproduction pinball parts. I am a mechanical engineer by trade and worked in the aircraft and CNC industry for many years but now off the tools and in the office in asset management in a different field. I wanted to keep up my designing skills & tinker around and in 2010 finally got a pinball and from there got a 3D printer and the fun began.

I have a website where I list mods but also alot of reproduction parts that are no longer available avilable to order direct from Shapeways (The Netherlands and USA).
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CFTBL was my first DMD which I owned for 9 years and only just sold it a week ago sadly but family first, lack of room, renos etc etc.

I started the Snackbar Mods about 5 years ago and I have been a regular poster on Pinside and sold quite a few through there and then had a few UK guys reach out for one and they educated me about Pinballinfo so here I am to share with you my latest and final limited number of Snackbar Mods.

This is Version 5 as over the years I tweaked the design to improve it and make it better each time. I have a manual for each version on my website and in the recent v5 manual explains the differences with each one. Some people may fall over with the price but many would admit and share that it is well engineered and high quality and adds a nice feel to the game - that should of been there from when the game was manufactured. Even Trudeau reached out years ago and complemented me on a well thought out mod that compliments the game. The 3D printing is done with professional printers in Singapore and from there are holes tapped, mulitple coats of paint added, accessories fitted etc etc. The 3D printing is solid and no partially hollow home prints as well as a custom stainless steel mounting plate designed and made, magnets, decals, wiring, lighting and hardware - and surprisingly there are 44 parts to just this one mod.

In this latest edition it has a unique magnetic release system where the base plate is fastened down to the game but the top is magnetised to the base plate meaning if a globe goes out it is a 3 second removal to fix.

This is my last ever run of 50-55 mods (I am vague there to cover myself for a bad plate or decals when full assembled) - aiming for 55 units but confident of at least 50 units. I will not be making anymore in the future so this is the last ever run.

I keep a list of interested parties - so to get on the list send me your:
- full name
- email address - for group updates
- country
- and no money down until the mod is ready to ship.

Once the list is full with 50 people the list is closed and will only reopen for the remaining units available as I don't want to disappoint people. A thread will go up at Pinside in a days time and sure it will fill up fairly quickly as the list already has 22 people on it from those hassling me to do another batch over the last 6 months.

I make 12 at a time over a 5-6 week period and when ready I then contact those 12 people waiting and send out the payment options.

Units 1-4 - protos - have been made and sent out
Units 5-16 - 3dprinting being made and everything else in stock so ready in about 4-5 weeks

The mod is $350 AUD + postage (charge the raw cost + box cost) - no packing fees etc.

The mod is fitted with Comet Pinball led lighting that is fed from the feature light and a GI socket so is hassle free and no need to connect to the backbox boards.

Also this mod will accept @stumblor awesome lighting upgrade if you wanted to take the mod to a awesome new level.
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this shows the ramp side of the mod which you can see fits amongst all the various components of the game
 

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v1 - had el wire and while looked cool was power hungry
v2 - had acrylic neon looking light blades which were brighter and looked the part but people wanted a more rounded look and v2 had the original classic red dome built into the mod but this was removed on v3
v3 - had resin neon light blades and the top now had a Snackbar Sign styled similar to the playfield art which was a great addition but people still wanted the top decal lit up so came up with a rear mounted bulb which was semi effective.
v4 - had the better lighting of the top as well as the new magnetic mounting system but was a very short run of 16 units to use up stock. 10 of these units had RGB lighting in the neon tube section but the signage always stayed on
v5 - has small improvements to the top as well as a matching Stainless Steel plate and some other tweaks. The only thing I never achieved was lighting up the letters and stoked that @stumblor achieved this.

here are 2 photos of a 3 led strip fastened to the underside of the ramp lighting the top in certain modes and looks great. 1 photo is light off and 2nd is light on.
 

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here are some of the modelling images as I design everything in 3D and then test assemble in 3D to ensure everything fits nicely. The v5 even has Snackbar v5 and Swinks engraved and embossed in it to ensure it is an original and not a copy as it has happened.

The decals are just black panels but gives you a rough idea.
 

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lastly here is the manual to see how it is fitted and I encourage anyone interested to read the manual to aid in deciding.
 

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Nice one Jady, really enjoyed working with you on this. The swinks snackbar mod is a stone cold classic, and achieves something that not many mods do - to look as though it should have always been there. It's been a privilege to be allowed to go wild on it (just a little bit).

Bit sad knowing that its the final run but good to go out with a bang 🎉

Looking forward to more projects in the future.
 
On my return to the forums this was the mod I was most excited about and thought I had missed my chance. Such quality work, something that could have been there from the start. The tie in with Stumblor just show the great work when we collaborate with each other.
 
@swinks I hope that, since you are advertising on this site, you will contribute, like all the other people who wish to do so have done, else this post will be removed.
 
This is my fault, when we messaged Swinks, I didn’t mention anything about a site donation but you did contact me before you posted.
I missed out telling Paul, sorry for any confusion.
 
I was once I actually sold something but if you want to make a threat in public, remove the thread

I beg your pardon??

There's LOTS of people who have donated to the site so that it gives them the rights to sell - and it's only fair on them that you are aware too since it applies to all. It WAS a friendly shot accross the bows - if you want that to escalate then thats fine by me...
...and i'll make that threat wherever i feel like it - it was in public so people know you have been advised...

People who know ne know that i'm very chilled and relaxed, however that rapidly changes when people get chopsey....
 
This is my fault, when we messaged Swinks, I didn’t mention anything about a site donation but you did contact me before you posted.
I missed out telling Paul, sorry for any confusion.

Likewise with me. Jady and I have been discussing cross promotion for weeks on pinside and here and it was something that totally slipped my mind, so apologies from me also.

I know both these fellas reasonably well now and we're all cool. Let's chalk it up to 'its only pinball' - Peace and love
 
Maybe next project is a Donut Heaven version for Getaway HS2? Just a suggestion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Paid up

though I will say I am more old school and value old school ways of approaching people directly about an issue, but I get your stand point @Paul

in reference to how I work for those watching this play out - I take pride in what I do and take my time and I will not take a cent from anyone until their mod is ready to mail out, my website has heaps of reproduction parts not available anywhere else and do it to help people and the hobby and only make a small commission from Shapeways making the parts with many of the items technically still in the red but I like to help. Places like marco and pinball euro now purchase and sell some of these.

thanks @stumblor and @Calimori for the support to encourage to come over here and share, and you are right @Fifty my bad day was yesterday
 
And it's good to have you here too Jady. The site and the pinball scene in general is all the better for having people such as yourself making beautiful things that serve no other purpose than to bring joy and amusement.
 
No:5 Mod left today and here are the other 11 mods (No: 6-16) ready for their owners - so for those that I recently contacted I will send payment details tonight

Tomorrow arvo will be starting the next 10 units - kits, plates etc and 20 tops are coming from overseas and will start the painting process when they get here.
 

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