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The old Stairs question

S

Schnibs

Registered
Joined
Apr 23, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Preston
Hi all im quite new here. Been lurking a while picking up info here and there.


Been considering getting a pin for some time now, my main problem being i live in a sort of upside down Town house with Narrow stairs that wind up.
I don't think theres a chance of getting one upstairs as is, as theres just too many turns but im aware you can strip these down.
Im just questioning how easy it is to handle a machine thats had the backbox, playfield removed. Assuming theres not too much weight left in an empty cabinet and playfield for 2 to easily carry the bits up the stairs? even considering a Wideboy?
As i only have limited space i don't plan on constantly changing machines etc, so im looking at machines like Dredd or Blackrose that can stay a while if im going through the hassle.


From what i can gather it also doesn't seem to taxing to dismantle a machine, i work in Manufacturing so im kind of used to dealing with wiring looms etc. Isn't it just a case of disconnecting the main loom, remove backbox, remove playfield?
 
I'd guess an empty box is not too heavy at all. But would carrying it vertically instead make it easier to get around the corners? You could possibly put it on a sack truck with pneumatic tyres.
 
JT. said:
I'd guess an empty box is not too heavy at all. But would carrying it vertically instead make it easier to get around the corners? You could possibly put it on a sack truck with pneumatic tyres.
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I don't think theres enough room for it to turn the corners, it would have to face the same direction the whole time making a truck hard work. I reckon it could be lifted a step at a time but i still think its too heavy perhaps
 
An empty cabinet is not too bad , I was lifting my cabinet in and out the house by myself , so with 2people it should not be a problem , it is more the awkwardness of the shape and where to grab hold of
 
I've had to move many cabs up and down stairs on my own before now, and yep, the way to do it is take off the head and take out the playfield, the empty cab will almost slide up the stairs.

If there are 2 of you, take the head off and then leave the front 2 legs on, it makes pulling the cab up much easier
 
If you strip it down , like you have already said into three, cabinet, backbox and playfield then you shouldn't have any problem in getting it up stairs.
Just need to make sure everything goes back in the same place, Mark up the loom when dismantling and you should be fine.
Great choice of machines by the way, should give you endless fun. Both by the same designer as well.
 
Got Fish Tales up here in 3 bits, head, play field and cab, just label all the wires so you know where they go back. Rest of them are in the garage as its a two man job to get them up here.

IMG_20140526_213700.jpg
 
cooldan said:
fish tales up in 3 bits you say?
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The width of the stairs wouldn't allow it to go up with the head on, removing the playfield just makes it more manageable and if the heads off, its not much more effort to remove the playfield entirely.

If anyone gets a pinball machine will all the connectors tagged with zip ties, you know its been in my care :p
 
Carl Spiby said:
Got Fish Tales up here in 3 bits, head, play field and cab, just label all the wires so you know where they go back. Rest of them are in the garage as its a two man job to get them up here.

View attachment 7612
Click to expand...

Ohhh pics, looks like my stairs but with less turns.

replicas said:
If you strip it down , like you have already said into three, cabinet, backbox and playfield then you shouldn't have any problem in getting it up stairs.
Just need to make sure everything goes back in the same place, Mark up the loom when dismantling and you should be fine.
Great choice of machines by the way, should give you endless fun. Both by the same designer as well.
Click to expand...

It sounds easy, still on the fence to pull the trigger but im sure its possible. i'd hate to make a mess of a pin
 
What is it about those damn Fish Tales? I lent mine to a friend a little while back and it had to go up a very steep set of about 5 concrete steps into the back of his garage (which is on a slope.) There was four of us, and we decided to keep the legs on and just lift. Needless to say the bottom of one of the leg levellers got stuck under the overhang of the last step as we tried to lift it, and then the whole machine started tipping sideways. For what seemed like eternity we battled to stop it from capsizing and crashing down about a metre and half, and I was looking at the very real possibility of my FT turning into matchwood. We did eventually get control again but then of course the bastard head wouldnt fit through the door becasue we couldnt get a straight run up.

Finally got it in safely, but its front of my mind at the moment as I have to go and collect it in a day or so. Reading this thread has convinced me that the head has to come off, so I am going round tomorrow with a bag of brown card luggage labels to mark up all the connectors.
 
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Mfresh said:
<snip>
Reading this thread has convinced me that the head has to come off, so I am going round tomorrow with a bag of brown card luggage labels to mark up all the connectors.
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I use a sharpie to label the connectors, you can usually fit enough info on the side of the connector plug ("J119" or whatever fits fine) - tags etc can easily come off during a move.

Regards,
Dan.
 
I used a sharpie on TAF and CFTBL but noticed it was coming off in places. Plus I noticed some connectors were in the wrong place on TAF so will now forever have the wrong information on them.
 
I considered the contradicting information as I was posting. But it is a case of only some wiping off and others that are wrong not wiping off. Maybe they are different connectors??
 
In summary, take photo's of backboard, cabletie/tag the connectors with relevant pin number (exa J119 etc as mentioned), remove the backbox, remove playfield(carefully), drink a can of redbull,enrol a friend and get lifting.
In all honesty, u could probably do this yourself, tho an extra pair of hands will certainly make the experience easier.

If you let us all know where you are, perhaps there's a member nearby, please don't say Cheltenham lol :D

You'll be fine, and enjoy pinball :)

Si
 
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