HEP This Week 9-18-23

2

#12451 4 months ago

jrcmlc

Gotta really respect how open you are about your "secrets" and business....it's interesting without knowing exactly how the sausage is made, but getting more info is really great. I still can't do what you do, not if you spent 10 years teaching me, and it actually makes me understand EVEN MORE how complicated and meticulous the process is. Thanks.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
I have a really large sink
Put the wires in there spray them with a variety of cleaners and soaps.
Brush them with a stiff bristle brush.
Rinse under high pressure with hot water.
Wipe dry.
Hang and blow off with compressed air.
Dishwashers ,ultrasonic cleaners etc.
I have had and used those at times but find the method outlined above the easiest and most effective as well as efficient.
[quoted image]

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1

#12452 4 months ago

CDG

Tophervette

Pinside+ Frequent

3y 81,800 1,088

I have sink envy now....

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1

#12453 4 months ago

MMR

mmr61184

Pinside+ Frequent

Fairfield, CT

9y 56,800 1,478 5

Quoted from jrcmlc:
Gotta really respect how open you are about your "secrets" and business....it's interesting without knowing exactly how the sausage is made, but getting more info is really great. I still can't do what you do, not if you spent 10 years teaching me, and it actually makes me understand EVEN MORE how complicated and meticulous the process is. Thanks.

Even with knowing the secrets a lot of what Chris and some of the other restorers like him do is super time consuming and takes a level of skill that unless you have the experience it would be very difficult to replicate. Sure if you have the time, do your research and are the least bit handy you can do a basic restoration but it’s the extra special attention to details that makes the difference.

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7

#12454 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

TZ playfield sanded and polished.
I should wrap this one up in the next couple days.
The corrosion has been very time consuming on the back end but it’s turned the corner

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3

#12455 4 months ago

LTG

Pinside member

Hopkins, MN

11y 176K 53,776 23 7

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
The corrosion has been very time consuming on the back end but it’s turned the corner

Some of the restorations I wonder if you have enough parts left over to put the old one back together.

This TZ might have been the closest. Except playfield and cabinet.

LTG : )

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#12456 4 months ago

MMR

mmr61184

Pinside+ Frequent

Fairfield, CT

9y 56,800 1,478 5

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
TZ playfield sanded and polished.
I should wrap this one up in the next couple days.
The corrosion has been very time consuming on the back end but it’s turned the corner
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Damn that thing looks beautiful

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2

#12457 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Quoted from LTG:
Some of the restorations I wonder if you have enough parts left over to put the old one back together.
This TZ might have been the closest. Except playfield and cabinet.
LTG : )

It can be a stretch but I always find a way.
Some of these games lately have really been taxing my “infrastructure “
I think we are starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel on some of these base games.
Not all but I am often surprised by the starting platform more frequently as of late.
Whatever it is to start with the end result needs to be the same just takes a lot longer to get there.

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#12458 4 months ago

MSW

ToucanF16

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 119K 5,109

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
It can be a stretch but I always find a way.
Whatever it is to start with the end result needs to be the same just takes a lot longer to get there.

At some point you’d think economics would warrant a better base pin. But hobbyists (me included) don’t always make rational economic decisions).

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7

#12459 4 months ago

ETC

ecurtz

FAST Pinball

Olympia, WA

11y 53,900 721 2

Quoted from mmr61184:
Even with knowing the secrets a lot of what Chris and some of the other restorers like him do is super time consuming and takes a level of skill that unless you have the experience it would be very difficult to replicate. Sure if you have the time, do your research and are the least bit handy you can do a basic restoration but it’s the extra special attention to details that makes the difference.

It reminds me of the Teller (of Penn & ...) quote, "Sometimes, magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect."

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#12460 4 months ago

AJZ

jrcmlc

NO GOUGE PINBALL™

<1y 62,050 1,689 6

I've not heard that before but I like it.

Quoted from ecurtz:
It reminds me of the Teller (of Penn & ...) quote, "Sometimes, magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect."

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6

#12461 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

HEP weekend furniture factory is back in action.
Found my exact model bed (had it since 93) not too far away.
It’s the wrong stain. IMG_6603 (resized).jpeg
Fixed that. IMG_6606 (resized).jpegIMG_6605 (resized).jpegIMG_6613 (resized).jpeg
Recleared just the tops of last weekends work.

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4

#12462 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

While the doors are off and my bedroom is under renovation I painted them

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7

#12463 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

TZ cabinet is full wired.
Lots of extras to get in there neatly.

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7

#12464 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Topside of the TZ is coming together.
This one drug out so much longer just trying to get all the metal looking good again one way or another. Onto other underside.

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#12465 4 months ago

RON

NYP

New York Pinball

Smithtown, NY

12y 67,800 1,334 6 1

I remember you went through the trouble of transferring the white plastic backbox tubs to wood so wanted to bring this to your attention.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/wpc95-insert-panel-project#post-7535053

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#12466 4 months ago

AJZ

jrcmlc

NO GOUGE PINBALL™

<1y 62,050 1,689 6

Curious what brand nut drivers / screw drivers you prefer for this work? I have always used wiha, kit unhappy, just curious what the experts like?

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1

#12467 4 months ago

MMR

mmr61184

Pinside+ Frequent

Fairfield, CT

9y 56,800 1,478 5

Quoted from jrcmlc:
Curious what brand nut drivers / screw drivers you prefer for this work? I have always used wiha, kit unhappy, just curious what the experts like?

Not an expert but Klein are magnetic and that is a huge help especially the long ones

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#12468 4 months ago

GCS

GCS2000

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 67,050 1,171

Quoted from mmr61184:
Not an expert but Klein are magnetic and that is a huge help especially the long ones

Klein is great but not cheap. Being magnetic is a huge help though.

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5

#12469 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Quoted from jrcmlc:
Curious what brand nut drivers / screw drivers you prefer for this work? I have always used wiha, kit unhappy, just curious what the experts like?

Whatever’s in the drawers in the room I am in. I have three workshops plus a warehouse that each have tool boxes so it’s a lot of both variety and carryover.
Tools are funny though because I have certain ones I have had for over thirty years that just “feel right” and gravitate towards sometimes no matter if I have a newer or better one in those drawers.

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#12470 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Copied this IMG_6645 (resized).jpegIMG_6643 (resized).jpegIMG_6644 (resized).jpegIMG_6642 (resized).jpegIMG_6640 (resized).jpeg
Over to here. All new parts nothing there worth salvaging.

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7

#12471 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

It’s been a three day wiring marathon.

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9

#12472 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Finally the playfield is ready for the cabinet.

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#12473 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Playfield is in and TZ lives again.

image (resized).jpg

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1

#12474 4 months ago

GER

hisokajp

Pinside+ Frequent

Redmond, WA

8y 80,800 1,804 41 11

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
All new parts nothing there worth salvaging.

so pretty much a scratch build at this point?

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#12475 4 months ago

AJZ

jrcmlc

NO GOUGE PINBALL™

<1y 62,050 1,689 6

Man... Makes me want TZ even more.

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20

#12476 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Twilight Zone JA finished.
Cabinet

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Key post

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#12477 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

TZ JA playfield.

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10

#12478 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

TZ JA inside.

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1

#12479 4 months ago

GER

hisokajp

Pinside+ Frequent

Redmond, WA

8y 80,800 1,804 41 11

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#12480 4 months ago

SAM

smassa

Pinside member

San Diego, CA

12y 86,900 6,002 8 67

Stunning!!!

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#12481 4 months ago

AJZ

jrcmlc

NO GOUGE PINBALL™

<1y 62,050 1,689 6

Really looks good.

Where does one buy a new cabinet that's likely to be mostly free of defects and not shit?

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#12482 4 months ago

JW

JWJr

Pinside+ Frequent

Ellicott City, MD

6y 61,300 738 4 7

Truly, truly beautiful.

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2

#12483 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Quoted from jrcmlc:
Really looks good.
Where does one buy a new cabinet that's likely to be mostly free of defects and not shit?

I wish I knew. I have used all the builders out there and there is always going to be work to do to make them either correct or ready to use.

Kirk Weaver has all the Williams files,operates at a reasonable pace and prices the cabinets fairly.If there is an issue he makes it right not excuses.

There will be work to do and you need to scrutinize everything but it’s been the best fit for me after my local builder retired.

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#12484 4 months ago

AJZ

jrcmlc

NO GOUGE PINBALL™

<1y 62,050 1,689 6

I'm not really in the market I was just curious. I did a search for kirk weaver and found an entire website dedicated to shitting on him about a pinball sale gone wrong lol. Interweb never forgets.

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
I wish I knew. I have used all the builders out there and there is always going to be work to do to make them either correct or ready to use.
Kirk Weaver has all the Williams files,operates at a reasonable pace and prices the cabinets fairly.If there is an issue he makes it right not excuses.
There will be work to do and you need to scrutinize everything but it’s been the best fit for me after my local builder retired.

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2

#12485 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Quoted from jrcmlc:
I'm not really in the market I was just curious. I did a search for kirk weaver and found an entire website dedicated to shitting on him about a pinball sale gone wrong lol. Interweb never forgets.

Lol!
Did I write it?
Seriously he is fine.
Back in the early 2000s he used to import containers of pins from abroad and sell them pretty much as is on EBay.
Doing something like that is bound to cause you some headaches eventually but I have never had a problem with him.

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2

#12486 4 months ago

MMR

mmr61184

Pinside+ Frequent

Fairfield, CT

9y 56,800 1,478 5

Quoted from jrcmlc:
I'm not really in the market I was just curious. I did a search for kirk weaver and found an entire website dedicated to shitting on him about a pinball sale gone wrong lol. Interweb never forgets.

I saw the same thing you did. I have seen mixed reviews on Kirk. I think if you know how to correct or look for things to correct like Chris is able to, then it’s fine I think off the rack with no additional work sounds like it might depend on cabinet by cabinet basis.

I have also seen a negative review or two with another cabinet maker that I know is highly respected across the community and who is making a cabinet for me. I talked to others around on here that I know have used his products and spent an hour on the phone with him. I think bottom line is nobody is going to have everything dead nuts perfect. Also I doubt off the factory floor pumping out games they were dead perfect too. For almost all of us that are doing restorations on our own it’s probably fine and you may never even notice it. When you have a perfectionist like Chris that has a high end reputation to uphold and commands the prices his restorations cost then you need everything dead nuts perfect. That’s my .02.

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#12487 4 months ago

AJZ

jrcmlc

NO GOUGE PINBALL™

<1y 62,050 1,689 6

Lol. That's basically what I read.

Is the virtuapin solution worth entertaining for someone not great at filler, body work, decals, etc do you think? Looks like they will ship you a brand new fully decaled entire cabinet and back box ready to have stuff thrown in it?

OP
Quoted from High_End_Pins:
Lol!
Did I write it?
Seriously he is fine.
Back in the early 2000s he used to import containers of pins from abroad and sell them pretty much as is on EBay.
Doing something like that is bound to cause you some headaches eventually but I have never had a problem with him.

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1

#12488 4 months ago

LTG

Pinside member

Hopkins, MN

11y 176K 53,776 23 7

Quoted from jrcmlc:
I did a search for kirk weaver

I had a couple dealings with him in the early 2000's. Easy to deal with. Game packaged good, shipped fast.

The only thing I learned is if a game was missing a backglass. An auction before or after might have it. No biggie, in his auctions you knew what you were buying.

LTG : )

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#12489 4 months ago

MMR

mmr61184

Pinside+ Frequent

Fairfield, CT

9y 56,800 1,478 5

Quoted from jrcmlc:
Lol. That's basically what I read.
Is the virtuapin solution worth entertaining for someone not great at filler, body work, decals, etc do you think? Looks like they will ship you a brand new fully decaled entire cabinet and back box ready to have stuff thrown in it?

That is who I was talking about in my previous post I really liked working with virtua pin through the ordering process. Paul spent about an hour talking to me about my order and pinball in general. I have not received my cabinet yet, he is I think at a 4 month lead time which I know can turn people off but I am in no rush. He too has had somebody rip into him on here which is why I don’t take one bad review as gospel, and asked around with some of the well respected restorers on her that have used him numerous times and told me I wouldn’t be disappointed.

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3

#12490 4 months ago

BRI

sfspanky

Pinside+ Frequent

Portland, OR

6y 44,050 100 14

Paul (VirtuaPin) is a great guy. Yes, all of it takes time to do well. Many are not patient. Paul is worth the time if you plan ahead. Highly recommend. Please plan ahead and add 30% extra time to your quote.

A lot of this is through the love of it all. Let’s remember we are lucky to have many who keep the torch burning.

Peace

B

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5

#12491 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

Closing in on the final leg of yet another IJ.
Interesting choices on this one. Wants it to look factory but wanted the inside art

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3

#12492 4 months ago

F W

AUKraut

WilliPinball

6y 111K 2,776

"...like pasties on a stripper!"" I LOL'D!!!!!

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4

#12493 4 months ago

OP

HEP

High_End_Pins

HEP

Matthews, NC

11y 142K 11,850

IJ playfield is coming together 70655497761__279E48B8-C8E9-4CDA-A167-42C4E1071AF1 (resized).jpeg
TZ JA is ready to go just waiting for the call. IMG_6826 (resized).jpeg
Prepping a MM and a STTNG cabinet. IMG_6830 (resized).jpegIMG_6832 (resized).jpeg
Those are ready to prime.