(Topic ID: 120644)

Could I fix an EM machine, if I need to?

By scrappybadger164

9 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 22 posts
  • 17 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by Wickerman2
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

You

Linked Games

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

#20 9 years ago

I bought my first EM machine around 2001 for $25.00. Stumbled onto PBresource and marvin3m by accident, watched a couple of the TOP DVDs, and within a few months, turned a piece of trash into a working machine. Was it perfect? Not at all. I made mistakes along the way, screwed up some contacts, did stupid things like adjusting the bottom of a switch. We all have and things still stump me sometimes (right now I have a score reel that doesn't always carry over that I can't get adjusted perfectly, for example).

I'm by no means an expert and still feel like a newbie when it comes to fixing these machines. Gottlieb schematics still look like hieroglyphics to me for the most part, and I would never work on someone else's machine for fear of doing more harm than good.

If you're somewhat mechanically inclined, EMs aren't all that hard to figure out. You can diagnose many problems with your eyes. If you know how to solder (I still suck at soldering, but can solder a wire), know what a DMM is, don't mind doing a ton of cleaning and are okay with having to make minute mechanical adjustments, you can do it. Getting something that's been rotting away in a barn working again after 30+ years is a very rewarding experience.

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
From: $ 12.99
Cabinet - Other
The Pinball Scientist
Other
$ 12.00
Tools
Nezzy's Pinball Prints
Tools
From: $ 1.00
Playfield - Other
Rocket City Pinball
Other
From: $ 3.00
Cabinet - Other
Space Coast Pinball
Other
From: $ 4.99
Cabinet - Decals
The Pinball Scientist
Decals
From: $ 5.95
Playfield - Protection
The Pinball Scientist
Protection
3,100
Machine - For Sale
Forest Hill, MD
Hey modders!
Your shop name here

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider jjpm.
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/could-i-fix-an-em-machine-if-i-need-to?tu=jjpm 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.