I have been talking with Andrew since we met at Pinball Expo 2013. There has always been a core group of people in Halifax & across Canada interested in building custom pins. So with the start of 2015 we will start a volunteer skunk works mainly based with me in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We will build a variety of different themed pins, with many different ideas. The goal for us is to be able to produce proto type pins either 1 or a few for the participants. It will be like a co-op for us towards build. We get to use parts, design work & the operating system that they have invested in at a reasonable cost.
Heighway Pinball will be able to use some, all, or none of our ideas. It will be another independent source of ideas. At first it looked like about 15 people interested, now it looks like more want to join in. I will act as the volunteer director, people will be signing NDA's for Heighway Pinball. Their future projects will remain confidential, & we prefer to find out like everyone else.
Everything is in place to do this, & there are a number of technical people in Canada willing to volunteer. Who wouldn't want your own very limited pin or 1 off game. The realistic goal is to have a few or a bunch of pins ready for the Fall of 2015.
There are different groups that are interested like our local Hal-Con Show for 2015 & a number from: http://halifaxmakerspace.org/ So far there are 3 or more cnc shops to cut playfields & cabinets. I have the printing & access to a laser cutter for plastics. A shipping crate will be going to/from Marco Specialties for parts also. So far we have a few software guys, & artists lined up. Many mechanical assembly people use to working with pinball playfields & games.
I just want to finish by saying this group will not be using Classic Playfield Reproductions for any work. They are way to busy & should focus on their core production.