Not sure you can just say its pinball. I think if you look at video games too you will find it a Male dominated activity.

Its true, but I can tell you that there are a lot of amazing female players in the Seattle and Portland area. I don't know where else has had a womens only "Powderpuff" tourney, but the two I watched at Shorty's were 20+. I just don't think many of them would consider buying games a priority...

I tend to skin and clean my pins actually. I do the playfield teardowns around here.

Out of the 9 pins my boyfriend and I own, 5 are "mine" and other than the first which was a gift to him, I have been the main instigator in the rest of our purchases. The only work I won't do on them is board work, which I have done before but it makes me nervous, the engineering boyfriend gets to do those. The restoration process is what I love. I don't think we have yet to buy a game that didn't need work. More fun for me. I'm not that great at actually playing them, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying it, and me having fun is all I care about.

My game choices are really based on how much I like the game. We're really lucky to have a large amount of A-List games. They have not been purchased because they're popular, but just because they're really fun games. If I don't enjoy it, I don't want to own it just because it's popular. I'm really happy with our line up, and I enjoy every game we own.

My games are:
TAF: I love the game. I love the theme. I love everything about this pin.

Dr. Dude: It's goofy, but think the art is hilarious. The game isn't that spectacular but I enjoy it.

FH: Funhouse is my favorite pin. Not the best, not the most fun, but I have put so much time into this pin that I had to own it. Funhouse really got me into pinball, so it really makes me feel warm and fuzzy every time I play it.

WW: I'm a huge Pat Lawlor fan. I love the game. Found a project ww with a good playfield and it's my learning toy for board troubles and cabinet repair.

TOM: This is the newest one. Still being shipped. We went to Vegas for my birthday and I played it at PHOF and had such a good time on it. Came back and found one for sale, I can't wait to put more time into it.

For the record our other machines are BK, FGY, Hyperball, and Sound Stage. We both enjoy each other's games and pick them out together but they have distinct owners. Sadly i'm the opposite of most of the people I read. I have to pass more pins by the bf and for some reason a larger house for more pins won't float.

Flake,

Sounds like a great collection! Great also that you are diving in on the resto part of the hobby. Restoring games to their former glory is also a big part of the hobby for me, so I know where you're coming from there! Have you tried clearcoating yet? Big job, but very rewarding!

I'm also getting a Funhouse this spring and I can't wait!

Pete

Thanks! We're really happy with it. The restoration is really the most fun for me. My summer project purchase is going to be an airbrush to start repainting. Clearcoating scares me a bit, I will admit. That's a project for the soundstage. I'm repainting and clearcoating the playfield this summer. It was cheap so i'm not too worried if I ruin it. Playfield restoration is the only thing that makes me nervous since they're not always easy to replace.

That's gonna be a fun spring Pete. Funhouse is just an amazing game. Rudy got a new playfield for Christmas this year and that machine just flies now.

There's seanymph. She posted recently. Toughgirl too.

I really loved Bride of Pinbot. I was kind of surprised how much I liked it. I hope I get another chance to play it soon.

I'm a bit surprised too. I guess we are rare.

There was a girl from Arizona restoring games on Youtube for a while. She had some awesome older SS games and she did some extensive playfield touch-ups and Varathane clearcoating. Pretty sure she did all the board work as well. Sadly she took down all her pin videos, and only posts her other passion which is playing guitar in a metal band.

The Shorty's PowderPuff tournament is happening May 22 this year:
http://www.skill-shot.com/content/shortys-powder-puff-tournament-2,699

The other ladies are trying to talk my wife into playing this time around.

Incidentally, it's been observed that the SPL does have more ladies as members than any other pinball club. There's a few ladies in Vancouver, BC and a few in Portland, including the incredibly intelligent super-engineer Jeri Ellsworth!

I am late to this post, but I am still playing/ collecting away. I recently met another chick who played pinball when she was a teenager in Argentina and she totally rocked! I couldn't believe it! She's my age now- mid forties- but I guess there are a few girls out there. I suppose pinballs are just harder to collect than shoes or purses? I don't really know why more girls aren't into it..... Especially around here in Utah. It's kind of a repressed state.

First off, I'm a gamer, always have been. Grew up in the 70's and early 80's, so obviously I was right in the heart of the gaming explosion. As for restoring machines, my boyfriend started that. We restored antiques and cars, and built models in the past, so he wanted something bigger than a model and smaller than a car, that's where the pins came into place. We he bought the first machine, I wanted to cry. It looked like it was under the ocean for a few years, completely rusted, cabinet was beat up, coin door and front of the machine were pried open and destroyed. But he's the type that has no fear of anything and just completely tore everything apart and started sanding, polishing, and painting. Unbelievably it turned out looking brand new, and after I saw that I became interested in restoration. Through time, and his connections, we're learning. Pretty much everything that can break, has broke. So we research on-line, or call a friend and get it fixed or replaced. When we work on the games, we work together, so we both learn as we go. Things that seemed very hard, like stepper units, have become pretty common repairs. We both work on the art, I do the stencils, he does the painting or airbrushing. He used to work in bodyshops when he was a kid, and has a degree in graphic arts, so he's very good with painting. I have degrees in aerospace mechanics and avionics, so EM pins aren't the hardest things I've worked on, it's just a matter of learning. As we are going we're acquiring more tools to help us along, like the vibration polisher we just ordered.
Now we both have very different tastes in games, I like newer machines, but he's sticking with old Em's and that's been ok with me so far. Although we are picking up a Gorgar machine that I want, and he's cool as long as we stay in the 70's, but he prefers really old woodrail machines and 1940's flipperless games. He definitely loves working on them more than playing them, and I love playing them. Now we're planning out 3 customs pins, one to keep and two to sell. I think his ideas are really interesting (in a dark, non-cute way) and hopefully we can aquire the machines we want and start them this fall.
Yes, this is a very male dominated hobby, but who cares? I just do what I like and we've become friends with some great people in the hobby. And there are lots of girls that love pinball, 99% of the friends that come here to play are girls. I'm going to take a picture next time everyone is here, how often to you see a row of pinball machines with all girls playing them? However, I haven't met any other girls that will get dirty and restore a beat down machine. To us it's a great hobby and a wonderful way to spend quality time together. So when other friends of ours are out drinking, we're buying pinball machines. I think it's a better choice of how to spend our money in the long run.

Usually, I found that the group that goes out drinking (twice a week) at the end of the year could of had 3-6 pins restored and ready to play! So I am with you on that Toughgirl. I am glad that you are with us on the forums! Your arcade sounds like a great time! We (Pinsiders) would love to see a row of girls playing pinball (yes, even fully clothed BD !).
Looking forward to it!

I am abstaining from drinking/eating out for the rest of 2011 to make way for a shiny pair of TRON/WOZ(EC)!
I hope it is worth the sacrifice...

We (Pinsiders) would love to see a row of girls playing pinball (yes, even fully clothed BD!!).

Of course we would. Once and still married here and my wife took my virginity. But since then it's been a nice ride despite all the troubles and tribulations that still keep coming every day. It's good to see lady pinsiders on the group who help out and post. We could use a female moderator IMHO.

despite all the troubles and tribulations that still keep coming every day.

That is the beauty of pinball. Once we get behind our beloved pins and the "flowzone" (Patent Pending!) starts working. The problems we had during the day, get more miniscule with every million-shot made!
And to brokedad...
I was not trying to scold your shenanigans BD. I "heart" brokedad is going on a shirt one day! I am always glad to have you and your input/views in the pinside mix. Don't ever change! So I edited the !! with to clarify my intentions of the previous post.
Great job on keeping the marriage going. I am also still on #1 after 15 faithful years!!
Pinball hasn't driven us apart... Yet. (knocks on side of cabinet...)

No offense was taken NimblePin. "I am what I am" so to speak. I wish I could share the information I have on WOZ (real) and Tron proto fun work but I can't break those promises. I know Robin can't/won't either.

It is okay BD! I love surprises anyway. It is funny though, that Stern has no postings on Tron, but the Northwest Pinball and Gameroom Show already has "The making of Tron Pinball.." Q&A already posted on their site! Sometimes I just want to unplug my computer and just enjoy the future pins sight unseen. Yeah, that will happen!

You could always PM me those spy photos!!
I am good for it!

Edit: at least BD I know that TRON's Translite is in good hands!!

I want a brokedad t shirt.

I want a brokedad t shirt.

I "heart" brokedad on the front, choice of pinbabe on the back? I think we might be onto something here...

Fantastic! Co-ed hobby, this is a first of mine...

I want a brokedad t shirt.

I guess I will get to work then...

See it roaming around at CA Extreme and PPE11!
I will either go with a Femlin on a pop bumper or possibly a Pin; brokedad's "Seal of Approval" is always a good option as well (with your approval BD of course!)...
Maybe even "The Brokedad Abides" theme would be good..? "That Gorgar (insert fav pin here) really tied the room together did it not?"
I will tinker a bit.

Sorry for the derailment Ladies!
Let us return to the original thread...