(Topic ID: 216367)

Cabinets still splitting WTF

By john041160

5 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

You

Linked Games

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

F55864EE-EE45-4274-926A-4249085E796A (resized).jpeg
CCF37193-5589-4D9C-B42D-5AB33B61C454 (resized).jpeg
19A4FD04-1FAB-49EE-9E4B-E0726275E168 (resized).png
CE034493-26C7-4364-BFF3-F7B3A68130F4 (resized).png
Dscf6648 (resized).jpg
IMG_2384 (resized).JPG
IMG_5897 (resized).jpg
2018-sea-doo-rxp-x-6_1600x0w (resized).jpg
653CD45B-FC4C-4779-93FB-82C9D473C5E5 (resized).jpeg
4A84D65D-5B16-4E60-944D-A1F8F16C1CA9 (resized).jpeg
B123870D-9981-4319-9D57-910131519F22 (resized).jpeg
5D7514DB-8259-4B61-81A6-2EC24EAECC4A (resized).jpeg
4BBF4298-9FFE-44DD-995A-D0AF4A2107F1 (resized).jpeg
FB985E4E-4338-4706-90B1-13CE52F5C26D (resized).jpeg
818695EB-F386-43F7-A82C-67AE5A5772B6 (resized).jpeg
1E88541D-4910-4C4D-821B-3960E8B32DB6 (resized).jpeg

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider pinmonk.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

#28 5 years ago

It's not so much a design flaw as another Stern overly aggressive cost reduction. Crappier cabinet wood + cheap, underpowered brackets = more potential to split cabs where they're stressed - all to save less per machine than we'll pay to reinforce the cabs with the proper leg brackets anyway. It's stupid.

14
#29 5 years ago
Quoted from foureyedcharlie:

Somebody show pictures of at least 5 games with split cabinets. So far this seems way overblown. I've heard of two games so far.

Seems excessive, but okay, here's some of them (nowhere near all reported)...

maidencab1 (resized).jpgmaidencab1 (resized).jpg
maidencab2 (resized).jpgmaidencab2 (resized).jpg
aero-cab (resized).jpgaero-cab (resized).jpg
bm-cab (resized).pngbm-cab (resized).png
aerocab2 (resized).jpgaerocab2 (resized).jpg
gb-cab2 (resized).jpggb-cab2 (resized).jpg
gb-cab (resized).jpggb-cab (resized).jpg
gbcab4 (resized).jpggbcab4 (resized).jpg
gbcab3 (resized).jpggbcab3 (resized).jpg
gbcab7 (resized).jpggbcab7 (resized).jpg
gbcab6 (resized).jpggbcab6 (resized).jpg
gbcab5 (resized).jpggbcab5 (resized).jpg
gb-cab9 (resized).jpggb-cab9 (resized).jpg
gbcab10 (resized).jpggbcab10 (resized).jpg
gbcab8 (resized).jpggbcab8 (resized).jpg
gb-le-cab (resized).jpggb-le-cab (resized).jpg

#38 5 years ago
Quoted from foureyedcharlie:

Yes, we know they,'ve had problems in the past..... and some people got new cabs. I have seen two Maidens with splits, both were at a pinball show.... are there more Maidens split?

Given that it's only been out a couple weeks, to have two already is not great. Time will tell if we get more, but the point is it's still happening, we just don't know how widely yet. It's why I upgrade all the Sterns with B/W legplates now as a preventative measure. Plus when you see firsthand things like the Stern leg plate strip installed backwards and shipped (as in the B/W leg plate step by step I did) - it doesn't inspire confidence in Stern QA.

#67 5 years ago
Quoted from PanzerFreak:

I wonder what the difference is between the cabinets Stern is using today and then those from the LOTR / Pirates era? Lower quality materials, different cabinet corner brackets? Issues like this were not being reported 10 years ago. Something changed.

Wood is just cheaper/crappier/softer. It seems to have happened (or taken another drop) around KISS. You can FEEL the difference of the screws biting into a current Stern vs a KISS machine or before.

11
#72 5 years ago
Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

Ok so if I buy a new Stern I now have to install additional cabinet braces now.... NIIIIIICCCCEEE. Has anybody actually confirmed that tightening the leg bolts too tight might be the problem? There should be a torque setting. Next thing you know we will need torque wrenches to assemble these machines.

Unless you're using massive force, tightening bolts real snug is not the problem. That design has been the same for a long time (even with the underpowered inside leg plates), people torqued their bolts plenty tight, and never this many reported Stern cabinet splitting issues. What's changed? Stern doing a hidden cost cut to use crappier cabinet wood. <---the answer

If you buy a lot of pins to get a decent sample size, it's pretty clear that around KISS timeframe the wood in the cabinets changed for the worse.

#79 5 years ago
Quoted from gmkalos:

Like Stern cares they already have all your money! lol Node board issues, recalling mpu's, horribly dimpling clear coats, inserts cracking, poor engineering, shotty playfield layouts and now the last thing to break the cabinets. I would never own a Stern past Whitestar sys, never ever pay for one NIB, they depreciate worse than a new car off the lot. lol

Well, let's not get carried away. Stern has their hits and their duds. Many hold their price and some appreciate. The car analogy doesn't work.

#81 5 years ago

I don't understand why you say this. I've taken a leg plate off on an Addams I had to re-do. The glue toughens the wood around the screw, but it doesn't work like loc-tite on a machine screw into a threaded nut or something. It's trivial to remove the screws back out, make the change, then put the screw back in with some more glue if need be.

#87 5 years ago
Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

Is Stern going to warranty these games that have split cabinets? If I received a NIB like that I would demand a replacement.

Depends on how badly it's split, but even if they do, it's still a MUCH bigger hassle doing a cabinet swap then taking an hour or less to upgrade the leg plates for less than $30.

#129 5 years ago
Quoted from drsfmd:

I can't think of any examples of this other than Simpson's Pinball Party, which is Stern's finest moment.

Tron LE. Back in Black LE. For Those About to Rock LE, amongst others. All sell for more still than they originally cost.

#132 5 years ago
Quoted from Kawydud:

The swap out is simple, a few bolts and remove the playfield. I don't believe they want the cabinets back.
These games were setup by the distributor who brought them to the show, they weren't dropped at all, games were split when they took the box off.

Are those the two that had pictures posted already? If not, please post pics of the splits.

#140 5 years ago
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:

I think you're right. It's the wood, or joint method, or glue. What changed starting with Kiss? This is where Stern needs to look.

Pretty sure Stern knows what changed, they like their savings and will be keeping them.

#141 5 years ago
Quoted from RC_like_the_cola:

Dang, I'm a bit concerned now about getting a new Stern. I'm supposed to be getting a new one at an upcoming show. It'll be unboxed and played all weekend, then I take it home. I sure ain't taking it if the show traffic causes a cab split.

Big picture it's not that large of a deal, especially if you're getting just one machine. The odds are it will be fine out of the box. Then, spend $30 and upgrade the leg plates in an hour to make sure the odds of not getting a cab split stay in your favor.

#143 5 years ago
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:

Could it be all the old games have their legs bolted directly to the cabs, so the more you tighten the leg bolts the more it presses the corner together against the legs, Stern cabinet splitting seem to have started since they have been using those decal protectors with the legs spaced away from the cab's with a smaller surface area against the leg.
The more you tighten the legs, the more you seem to be pulling the wedge piece of wood against the corner joint from behind.
Factor in nudging &amp; the legs being spaced away from the cab can put more torque/twist on the smaller surface area.

If that were true, then JJP, CGC, and all the old B/W games that were upgraded to those standoffs would have splitting cabs too, but they don't. It's the wood Stern cheaped out on around the timeframe of KISS. Cheaper or different glue might be a secondary factor.

#148 5 years ago
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:

Never seen a B/W pinball with those standoffs? Do JJP,CGC use plastic or metal standoffs? It may have been when Stern went to the plastic standoffs, AC/DC had metal, never seen a spit AC/DC cab.

I said upgraded. I've installed those standoffs on a number of B/W games including Addams, MM, and MB - never a problem.

And AC/DC was before KISS. Around KISS forward is when the wood for the cabinets got noticeably crappier.

#149 5 years ago
Quoted from Richthofen:

So Stern contracts out the cabinet construction to Churchill cabinets right? I mean it sounds like a vendor effed them over, they got the vendor to correct, but now the vendor is failing again?
How Stern can Q/A this for the customer is beyond me. What are they supposed to do, put 100 games on your game and nudge the crap out of it? Not saying its acceptable but it seems like a more complicated problem than "Stern is using cheaper wood/glue/atoms because COST CUTTINGZZZZ"
Rhode Island Pinball's Aerosmith had the cabinet splitting. They got a new cabinet from Stern. Hasn't been swapped in yet because its a ton of labor.

Stern pays for the cabinet they want. They give the specs and are quoted a price. If they wanted to have better cabinets and pay for it, Churchill would make them however they want. It's just that Stern has been focused on squeezing more costs out of the machine - that's their main focus. Crappier cabinets, ghosting/chipping playfields, and a wimpy, underpowered Spike system are the result.

#165 5 years ago
Quoted from IdahoRealtor:

Kiss Premium at our location split.

That might have been the transition machine where part of them still had the older, sturdier wood until that was used up, then they transistioned to the crappy cabinet wood we have now.

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
From: $ 11.00
6,300
$ 427.00
Cabinet - Sound/Speakers
PinWoofer
Sound/Speakers
$ 20.00
Playfield - Protection
Pinhead mods
Protection
From: $ 8.00
Cabinet - Other
NO GOUGE PINBALL™
Other
$ 19.95
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
ULEKstore
Toys/Add-ons
$ 10.00
Cabinet - Other
NO GOUGE PINBALL™
Other
$ 94.99
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Lermods
Toys/Add-ons
From: $ 72.00
Cabinet - Armor And Blades
arcade-cabinets.com
Armor and blades
8,495
Machine - For Sale
West Chicago, IL
$ 26.50
From: $ 82.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
arcade-cabinets.com
Toys/Add-ons
From: $ 75.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
arcade-cabinets.com
Toys/Add-ons
$ 8.00
Cabinet - Other
Pinball Fuzz
Other
$ 29.99
Cabinet - Sound/Speakers
PR Mods
Sound/Speakers
$ 15.00
Cabinet - Sound/Speakers
Gweem's Mods
Sound/Speakers
$ 130.00
Flipper Parts
Pin Monk
Flipper parts
$ 6,999.00
Pinball Machine
Classic Game Rooms
Pinball Machine
$ 69.95
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
Hookedonpinball.com
Toys/Add-ons
From: $ 6,999.99
Pinball Machine
Pinball Pro
Pinball Machine
6,300
$ 100.00
Playfield - Toys/Add-ons
JuanSolo's modshop
Toys/Add-ons
$ 54.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Lighted Pinball Mods
Shooter rods
$ 34.00
Playfield - Other
Pin Monk
Other
$ 76.00
Lighting - Backbox
Arcade Upkeep
Backbox
From: $ 35.99
Cabinet - Other
Bent Mods
Other
From: $ 8.99
Cabinet - Other
NO GOUGE PINBALL™
Other
$ 5.00
Cabinet - Decals
Pinball Fuzz
Decals
From: $ 35.00
Cabinet - Armor And Blades
arcade-cabinets.com
Armor and blades
Hey modders!
Your shop name here

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider pinmonk.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cabinets-still-splitting-wtf?tu=pinmonk and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.