I still wonder if Ron didn't slyly substitute a nice playfield in place of the mess that I shipped him! Amazing work.
That sentence made me laugh and actually chased my blues away because there is some truth in a job I did like 8 years ago. It could be more or less, I am loosing the years.
Back when I was still restoring, I was doing a job for one of the "original gangster" pinball restorers on the east coast. It was my first job for him. From what I remember I accepted the job on a deadline, or one came up I dont remember. It was a AFM resto, and when it got here, I gave it a good look over and I had a couple used AFM pfs that were in better shape. So I used one of mine to save me a couple days work.
I am horrible at deadlines, especially since in theory, as it pertains to my job, they just dont apply. Its all done when its done, and there it is.
So as the deadline got closer and closer, it was a matter of doing less perfection so that the job would be done 4 days earlier. In my mind it makes no sense to suck up the job for 3 or 4 days or a week for that matter. What I didnt realize was the customer was going to take it to a show to sell it, and it sounded like if he cant take it to the show it wont sell. (maybe he wanted people to see the quality that is hard to describe in a for sale post).
It came to a phone call, where I let him vent about his disappointment, and loss. I just listened and was very empathetic but after 45 minutes of getting humbly drilled, I finally said, something like, "you are just repeating your self. I know I screwed the pooch".
Come to find out he had a feeling I wouldnt make the deadline and bought a repro or nos pf and had it installed, and I think was mostly worried about the money that was going to be wasted on my job. (this was the first job I did for him). So I said. I have your original pf right here untouched. I will pay for shipping no problem. Rather than being relived, he was convinced I was pulling some shady crap on him, and said he couldnt understand why I would switch his pf with a nicer one. to me it made all kinds of sense. If I start with a nicer pf I will have a nicer finished pf. I had 4 or 5 used afm's and not only less work, a nicer finished pf, but faster. whatever. I am a crooked pf restorer I guess. I totally understand him being skeptic. There are so many rip offs in pinball, and he didnt know me well enough to know that if I am going to hurt someone it would never be for money. I really look down on people who will screw anyone for a buck, when they all ready have plenty! Its like ,money is so unobtainable here is my chance to make it big, one last job and I am out. ha I learned a bunch of lessons from that job. Most of the time when I have bought a game, and I get home and there are a bunch of hidden surprises that were never mentioned, the seller had a sweet crib, always a nicer pin collection, and a job making lots.
In the end, it worked out really good for me, and not too bad for the customer, I am guessing, since he got the repro installed and his old pf back. I was able to sell the completed AFM pf within 24 hours of completion for a lot more than I would have made on the resto. The customer is well known, and didnt get on the computer and trash me out or anything. He always seemed cool before I worked for him, and I had no issue with him, and I have never held any bad feelings for him. No idea what he feels for me, he rheemed me out for 45 min, but I understand. So I learned years ago about swapping pfs, or trying to do favors in business, and not taking on other peoples deadlines, I have too many of my own. That was the job that I decided that I will not guarantee a date or even give one. Right now there 37 jobs in the studio!! about half of them have some surprise that is going to take more time, it adds up. Not to mention, I have to answer all of the emails about jobs and pfs for sale, or questions about installing or whatever. Packing and shipping, maintaining the studio, cutting firewood for heat, getting materials, billing and receiving, plowing and shoveling/cutting grass, looking for pfs for customers and to sell. Once in a while I like to eat also. poor poor pitiful me
I didnt realize how long it would take to tell that story, maybe I will swap out some pfs tomake up for the lost time.