For those of you with several pins in your collection (Lucky You)...

How do you people keep track of those minor, but irritating little faults that you discover while playing the machine? I'm talking about niggly things such as switches occasionally not registering, worn/dirty rubbers and flickering displays, not major faults that ruin gameplay. Things that you will get around to doing one quiet Sunday afternoon when you are cleaning and tweaking your machines.

Always write them down straight after a game.

My aim is for 100% working in all my pins.....never get there!

I repair all issues right away. They flat out bug me. My Shadow for example seems to have a frickin issue everytime I go to play it, but nothing major.

I bought dollar store notepads for each machine so I could log what I did and when, but I don't update this as much as I should, but I believe that is a good idea.

It's also good to use the first page for battery changes, so you know when to replace.

Pinhead software... google it.

I agree with Craigmack. It's a very nice tool. Use it for all my machines. Wife loves to be able to track what I spend on each machine

But this also helps me track it as well, since I always seem to forget what was spent on some of them

http://www.cenobyte.nl/pinhead/index.html

my OCD keeps track of the faults very nicely thank you.

In fact sometimes it creates even more faults than there actually are

I fix them, and if I can't remember the issue, then it isn't that big of an issue.

I voted for option 2, but in fact our gameroom has a "public whiteboard". Anyone can report issues on this, be it a broken lamp or a weak flipper. This works pretty well, although we do get the occasional drunk 'graffiti' on there as well

What minor faults? Mine never have any!!

LOL

I also voted for option number one. With only six games, I can usually keep track of what's wrong. For example, right now I am having an issue with the left VUK on my STTNG, there is an intermittent trough switch problem on my TZ, and the coin slot lights are out on my Tommy. That software seems intriguing, though. I'll definitely check it out.

every time i play a game, i notice any little thing that may be out of whack. i'll usually check wires first, then go to diagnostics, then pinballlife or marco...
my memory works pretty good though, hell, usually those two little switches or things to fix are all i think about! must fix machine....

way2wyrd said:

my OCD keeps track of the faults very nicely thank you.

In fact sometimes it creates even more faults than there actually are

OCD and pinball do not make a great mix

I voted for option 2 when I first posted the poll, but I must admit I often fail to write the fault down, and then promply totally forget about it - until I play that machine again.

That Pinhead software looks awsome, I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting about it.

Too late now, as I can't alter the poll, but maybe I should have included a sixth option: Switch the machine off and repair the fault immediately: all my machines run perfectly all the time.

This works pretty well, although we do get the occasional drunk 'graffiti' on there as well

I thought that was what drunk people were for...

Or you can take things to the next level on your MM, for that bare right slingshot!

(Hey, someone's gotta fight the dragon... )

The Pinhead software looks pretty cool - thanks for the link! It would be nice to be able to keep track of what you put into each machine ($ and parts) and maybe even give a potential purchaser a list of all the things touche done to a machine and when you did it, kind if like selling your car and showing the buyer the maintenance log to prove you took great care of it.

Craigmack said:

Pinhead software... google it.

Looks awesome. Gonna install that when I get home.

I'm sorta OCD. If I notice a problem I can't get it out of my head until I fix it.

we use google docs that way multiple people can collaborate, places orders together etc - Its three of us and all our machines, want lists, when batteries were changed, parts lists etc.

this is just a small screen shot the list is very long and big

I fix problems ASAP. They are usually so few I can remember them.
For newly purchased, unshopped games, I write down all the parts I need then start searching.

Another in the "fix it right away" camp.

I try to remember them but without sucess. I have problems that my son tells me are there and a year later he asks when i am going to fix it. . My reply is usually, "what problem?"

Tried to make notes but they end up in a pile in the carboard box I use to store stuff in. They are usually found years later. Working on that problem. I am thinking a dry erase board near the pins might work.

I am simply impressed that you assume we all know what "eidetic" means....

which, oddly enough, spell check doesn't recognize...

The_Gorilla said:

I am simply impressed that you assume we all know what "eidetic" means....

I do not, i was going to look it up and saw another set of boobs.

i fix them as soon as they occur (gameplay has to be 100%). seems i've been so busy with work lately i'm getting lazy though... :(. thanks for that pinhead software referal btw!

Outlane-Avoider said:

How do you people keep track of those minor, but irritating little faults that you discover while playing the machine?

Turn up the music!

I also use the Pinhead software, heck, that's why I wrote it

I usually have a piece of paper laying around (to prevent me to have to use the laptop in "wet" conditions when beer is flowing ) and I add the things to the software the next day.

Great thing about Pinhead is that you can also add the small things, just like the TS mentioned. You don't have to fix these issues, but it's always nice to have them written down somewhere for when you have a spare evening but forgot what all your issues were (and they will stick their head right up on moments you DO NOT have spare time to fix it )

The_Gorilla said:

I am simply impressed that you assume we all know what "eidetic" means....
which, oddly enough, spell check doesn't recognize...

Medical term for photographic memory.

I usually fix any problem right away. However, when I'm planning to rotate out a game and it developes a problem, I write the problem on the playfield glass with a felt pen. That way, when I stand up the game again later to play or sell it, I know what I need to do. Writing stuff down on paper is a waste of time for me, I'll lose it before I need it. I might add that using a felt pen on PDI glass is probably a bad idea.

_{Post edited by blownfuse : adding info}

Fixing small or not so small issues on pins is normally a weekend job around here...so I have pads of sticky notes laying around in various spots...if I play a game and find an issue, I sticky note it to be fixed when we get a chance. Likewise if friends are over, they grab a sticky note and write down any issues that they find. Then when the issue is fixed, we throw the sticky note away! It works nicely around here...

Phoebe

If the problem does not take away from the playability of the machine, I will generally look the other way. If it DOES affect how I play the game (say for instance the yellow light for the bunker scoop on JP isn't working, that can severely cripple you), I will nearly halt the game entirely from being played until I fix it.

Perfection is my enemy. Little things aren't a huge deal.

Butterflygirl24 said:

Fixing small or not so small issues on pins is normally a weekend job around here...so I have pads of sticky notes laying around in various spots...if I play a game and find an issue, I sticky note it to be fixed when we get a chance. Likewise if friends are over, they grab a sticky note and write down any issues that they find. Then when the issue is fixed, we throw the sticky note away! It works nicely around here...
Phoebe

Well damn with 45 games, I'd be happy my sanity would even be in one piece :P. Three alone can keep me moving, but 45... ?? Kudos to your for your bravery or insanity - whichever you want to call it ;).

Outlane-Avoider said:

For those of you with several pins in your collection (Lucky You)...
How do you people keep track of those minor, but irritating little faults that you discover while playing the machine? I'm talking about niggly things such as switches occasionally not registering, worn/dirty rubbers and flickering displays, not major faults that ruin gameplay. Things that you will get around to doing one quiet Sunday afternoon when you are cleaning and tweaking your machines.

My son keeps track, he tells me the game has a glitch or a bulb out and I fix it.
None of my games have errors or bulbs out and are like Paulie's grandfather, they are very clean.

Yes I can't help myself I keep track of even the minor flaws. I don't need a list they seem to stick around in my head until I get them fixed.

I usually use the "Notes" app on my iPhone to keep track of each pin's errors & parts to be ordered. I reckon it's workin' perty good so far!

fix it as I find it... Virgo syndrome

I fix them immediately. All my pins work 100% all the time. If I can't fix it right away then I swap it into my shop and put another working one in my gameroom. I have a three pin overflow.

One wall is a chalk board with scores, points, and problems with games. Kids can also draw on an area

the_pin_family said:

Medical term for photographic memory.

"While a person with photographic memory will precisely recall visual information, a person with eidetic memory is not limited to merely visual recall – theoretically they can recall other aspects of the event including sensory information that is visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory, as well as other dimensions."

Ive reached a point where I have no issues on any of my machines for quite a while now. Mostly I remember what needs fixing but I also save needed part numbers/descriptions in the note pad on the iPhone.

My pins are perfect and I've never had an issue with any of them

kmoore88 said:

the_pin_family said:Medical term for photographic memory.

"While a person with photographic memory will precisely recall visual information, a person with eidetic memory is not limited to merely visual recall – theoretically they can recall other aspects of the event including sensory information that is visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory, as well as other dimensions."

I read that also but figured if he wanted a medical lesson he would have googled it. Here's the link. Guess google sent us to the same place.

http://qna.rediff.com/questions-and-answers/do-you-have-photographic-memory-btw-what-is-phot/21685358/answers

Glad to see you here Cenobyte. I sent you a message when this went around the first time hoping you would find your way here.

I have been using Pinhead for seven months and really love it. Thank you.

that is freakin funnny NimblePin!

My memory is iron clad =-)

Unless waiting on parts I just attempt to fix asap.

The_Dude_Abides said:

Yes I can't help myself I keep track of even the minor flaws. I don't need a list they seem to stick around in my head until I get them fixed

I'm with The Dude on this one. That's pretty much how I roll, plus I don't usually wait around to fix things. Games less than 100% drive me nuts.

A whiteboard works great for me

absocountry2 said:

Glad to see you here Cenobyte. I sent you a message when this went around the first time hoping you would find your way here.
I have been using Pinhead for seven months and really love it. Thank you.

Thanks! I really like keeping track of stuff and the Pinhead software helps me with that. I can store repair costs, part costs and I'm considering adding man hours so you can see how many hours and funds you've spent on a machine. It also helps me to make notes about ongoing (more difficult) repairs, like when I spent 8 months looking for an electrical gremlin in my ST:TNG
I just like having a history on my machines. I run Pinhead from a Dropbox folder so I can use it on my laptop and on my iMac with a synced database.

I also use Pinhead to record high scores of my most used arcade games. I run these games on two Mame arcade cabinets and they do not store high scores. It can also come in handy with the older EM machines, I guess?

And Pinhead helps me remember when I swapped out batteries in my pins, so I'm not going to get surprised by some green stuff when I check my batteries

Cenobyte said:

I'm considering adding man hours so you can see how many hours and funds you've spent on a machine.

I know I don't want to know the answers to these questions.

Honch said:

I know I don't want to know the answers to these questions.

That is the truth. You can fix them right away if you have the parts. I try to keep parts but I never have the ones I need and I cannot afford to place an order everyday i need a $0.50 part. Shipping here kills us. A piece of playfield glass is $170 for shipping and machines are around $1200. Even a small order is usually $12-20. The flat rate boxes have helped but I need to save a list and place orders that are bigger and further apart.

The pinside program lets me save the stuff I need and track costs for each machine as well. It gets harder the more pins you have, and now my son is getting into arcade machines.

I think a spreadsheet is most useful (though not necessarily convenient while in the basement). I like to track my expenses (parts i've put into a machine, my time, etc), then subtract game plays, subtract general 10% depreciation, and get a true value of what I should sell a pin at (if I were to do so). That way even if I don't profit, I know I'm not getting screwed. Also when somebody goes to buy it, and they try to talk me down, I can pull it up and go "See all these costs, yea.. stop trying to lowball me"