Hopkins, MN
Always buy in person. If an ad has been up for any length of time, probably a reason it hasn't sold.
Find a fellow collector to go with and help. So you don't get caught up in drag that first game home no matter what. Maybe budget more for a good working pin to get your feet wet.
Quoted from MrFancy:2. I'd like to learn how to take care of my machine, but I'm not very good at stuff like that and I don't have a good set of tools.
http://www.pinballnews.com/learn/index.html Scroll down to near the lower part. Lots of good articles on tools and soldering. Look for any by Todd Andersen. And Youtube is littered with short how to videos.
Quoted from MrFancy:are there any that are particularly easy
I'd start with the Williams DMD era pins. Lots of help available. Lots of parts available.
Quoted from MrFancy:I don't really know exactly what to look for in terms of damage, warning signs, etc.?
Get a pinhead friend to help. For a basic I like to look at hard to clean areas, if they are clean it has probably been maintained. Look at boards, repairs done with right tools and parts and skills ? Or were monkeys working on it ?
Most of all . Learn all you can, even before you buy a game. You'll be better prepared. And play the game. Do you like it ? Does everything work ?
The effort before you drag a pin home can go a long way to making the hobby a great experience for you. Or a nightmare.
Welcome my friend, and best wishes !
LTG : )
