Hey everyone,

It is with a heavy heart that I share that we lost Mike Chestnut yesterday in a motorcycle accident.
On behalf of the family I wanted to let you know this and they have asked that we please help others in the community to know not to place any other orders for things and if you have an outstanding order we will do our best to find that.

ORDERS:
if you do have an outstanding order that has been paid for, please email me what that is and we will be looking for it and the paper trails that go to it. Mike did a pretty good job of writing things down but we will have to figure all of that out. I would not expect this to happen quickly. It will take a great deal of time to get all of this sorted out.
My email: [email protected]

The family appreciates all your thoughts and prayers during this time. I will post any arrangements as they decide what to do.

Mike had such a great impact on many of us and this hobby, he will be greatly missed by so many of us. I know I am still just in shock.

I expect to hear from his parents today about arrangements on any kind of service. I will keep everyone posted when I know for sure what's going on with all that.

Also, I have received info on MANY, MANY orders he had outstanding. More than I would have guessed. To be clear, I didn't work for Mike, I'm just a friend who also has a side biz in this hobby and I am helping his family begin to think through this stuff. Mike worked alone for the most part, so WHEN his parents are ready to begin to deal with all of this stuff, then we will begin the process of trying to figure it all out. I want to do right be them, that's what I'm most concerned about. Secondly, is caring for the folks that trusted in Mike with their parts the way Mike would do so.

Please hang with us as I assume it's going to take some serious time to figure it all out, but I want to help get folks taken care of. When you do email me with anything, include actual emails (forward if needed) of agreed on items/prices, that will be helpful and I am filing all that stuff away for the moment we begin going through things.

My email again for outstanding orders is: [email protected]

Thank you to everyone for your kind words, I will be sharing these things with his parents. This has been really hard on them, they are at a total loss as Mike was their world. He was their only child and never married and never had kids. He's it for them. I've not talked to his dad once since where tears were not involved. Keep them in your prayers, they are sweet people who are hurting badly.

Ok pinheads, it's time to show your true colors. I know many of you loved Mike and cared for him very much as so many of us did, and he has made an impact on your life. But maybe you don't live around the Nashville area and it's not in the cards to attend the funeral. If that is the case I would encourage you to go to the link below and leave a note. Keep it PG for his family to read, but share those stories, memories and let the family know you are praying and or thinking of them during this time. I know it would be a huge encouragement for them. Would be awesome to see what we are capable of through this medium.

Leave a note here:
http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Michael-Chestnut&lc=4880&pid=179897999&mid=6917866

I know many of you have been waiting for funeral arrangements and here they are. Please feel free to share this thread and/or information around to let others know.

Funeral Arrangements:
Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens
1150 South Dickerson Road, Goodlettsville, TN 37072 | 615-859-5279
http://www.dignitymemorial.com/forest-lawn-funeral-home-goodlettsville/en-us/index.page

Monday May 9th, 2016 (all one day)
Visitation will be from 12-2
Service will be at 2pm.

Again, thanks to everyone for your support of the family. Go to that link above and share something if you have a few minutes.
On behalf of the family, thank you.
Chris

I shared in the service yesterday that family and loved ones (family already had been) to come here and see this thread and the things people were sharing. It was a great service and I really do feel that the family has been helped through this to learn more about Mike and all the people that cared for him. We had a time in the service for people to share stories and memories. It was awesome how many people shared about Mike and his impact on their life.

On another note, I am hoping to begin working through the orders outstanding this week, it's really at his family's description when they are up to beginning this, but I think later this week we will be able to. I will post when we begin fulfilling orders and and be emailing those specific with anything else needed to help fill them. There's a bunch of them .

We will also be talking about if they would like to keep this aspect of his plating business going. As I have shared with many others, we are prepared to help them do this if they wish to do so and it still benefit the family monetarily, which I think Mike would have loved. This would be using Mike's guys and contacts and so forth. I will not recommend to them that we do unless it's known for sure that we can do it with the same integrity and quality that Mike did it. I have a fair amount of knowledge of the biz from being around Mike and his willingness to share so much of it with me over the last couple of years, and from being a gearhead and having many things plated over the years for hot rods. If we can do it as he did it, and they would like that to happen, then it's game on. If not, then I know there are others waiting in the wings as there always is when money is involved.

I want to thank everyone again for their patience with all of this. Yesterday was a tough day, but also an encouraging one. Grateful for the outpouring of love and care from our fellow pinheads. Hold your loved ones tight and spend time with those you care for. You never know what tomorrow brings.

I just said this to JD, I would love to hang. My place is open as well or whatever, just be good to see everyone.

Thank you for your kind words, Bobby. I really appreciate what you said.

Thanks, Bobby. You are very kind. Prayed a lot before doing Mike's service. Not everyday I do that for a friend of mine.

Mike's business continuing on...
It looks like some things are falling into place for Mike's biz to continue on!!!
I will hopefully be posting details of this stuff in the next few days. This will be a situation with the folks Mike used to do the work to do it AND it benefit his family monetarily. I know this is what Mike would have wanted and that's worth it's weight in gold to me. Stay tuned and I'll share details soon.

Outstanding orders...
I will be going tomorrow, for the first time to be in the shop since Mike's passing, to begin dealing with the orders outstanding. We will be doing our best to put together everyone's stuff in a timely manner, then getting with them to see what they would like to do with those orders, get them plated etc.

PLEASE just keep in mind - roughly 25-30 outstanding orders of all kinds of random parts, most orders have parts for multiple titles, for about every pinball you can think of - are in the shop, OR at the plating guy, OR in the house, OR still in boxes to be opened -- so it will take some time. We just buried our friend on Monday. Please do not be pushy. I've only had a couple of folks that have been, but I'll tell you now, if you are, it will not help your cause and might hurt it if anything. 95% of everyone is very understanding with it all and we all appreciate that more than you know. We will find your stuff and we'll do whatever you want us to do with it at this point, plate it, mail it, whatever. I will be in touch with each of you personally.
We want to get everything right and will do our best to complete the orders if so desired.

I will be printing orders out today to help keep up with them while over there. As we can put the order with the parts, we will deal with it. If you sent me an email then you will have a printed out order ready for us to put with your parts. If you are one of the ones who never actually sent money in on an order for new parts, you will be last on the list. I'm determined to get the outstanding stuff done first. He kept some stock of this stuff but not tons of it at any time. You many times were getting your actual part or parts back after they had been plated. I know most of you guys understand, I just want to clearly as possible communicate how we are approaching this and hope to have it all figured out in a timely manner.

If you still haven't emailed me an outstanding order or need to email other details left out of another order do that to [email protected]

I am NOT taking new orders yet, but will tell you where to send those very very soon.
Thank you to everyone for being so understanding. Love our community of pinheads and joystick junkies.

Thank you guys for your continued love and prayers. It means the world to his family and all his friends.

Spent the morning today with Mike's parents and things are moving forward. They/we are waiting on the green light from an attorney to move forward with his business and outstanding orders. I was able to put my paperwork with orders with almost ever order outstanding in the shop, via Mike's paper trails. Much of it is at plating which we will be picking up as it is finished, etc. Mike was really quick to get orders going and all of the orders where people sent things in are out being plated now, amazing really and a testimony to his work ethic.

I've had a couple of you message me trying to figure out what's going on with the future of his plating biz....
To be clear, you will be hearing from me about Mike's business. Other posts being made are other folks looking to do their own thing and that's all I'm going to say about that. Mike's parents and brother do want to see his biz continue on and I know Mike would want it to benefit his family, as he worked very hard to build it. It will do this and that is awesome! Hang with us and we should have things up and going very soon, just trying to do everything the right way and in a way that is comfortable to his family still considering they just lost their loved one.

Thank you for your continued support and stay tuned.... there's more to come!
Chris

Hey guys, sorry about the email thing. I had a web developer friend working on my site last night, he took my real site live and that did something to my email I guess, totally not my thing, lol. I had no idea till I woke up this morning. He's supposed to have it fixed today.
And yes, I did email everyone in the middle of the night about their orders. Things are hopefully moving forward.
If you really need me call my cell listed below.
Thanks again for your patience!!
Chris
615-598-0024

Thanks, yeah, I guess that was because of what he was doing? I dunno. I'm getting old enough now I just want these dumb things to work, is that too much to ask? lol

AND... My email is back up. Sorry for the inconvenience, everyone.

I have deleted the post that was here. It makes me sick that I posted it. I'm deeply sorry. I hope it's ok that I did this. I don't spend much time on the forums and I'm sure it's probably frowned on by some to take one down, but I it's not fair in my opinion to anyone else that it mentioned for it to stay up. I am truly sorry. Especially to Ron (a fellow pinsider), I am very sorry for the post that was here.

Mike's parents hope to see his business continue on and plan to see that through. I should have left it at that.

Please accept my apology. I really just want to help the family.
Today, I'm reminded that some days I suck at life and why I need Jesus so badly.

The thread here was to share things from the family, which I was doing here. I really don't want drama. Ron seems like a good guy and I really do wish him well in his endeavors, that's not empty talk. I had it written without a name at all at first and it just seemed childish to not just talk about it and try to be kind at the same time. I was sharing above what I have had to deal with through this and it's been terrible, mostly to watch Mike's parents have to deal with it all. And I honestly (this is me confessing) may be a little dramatic from being emotional, I'm talking with the family about every other day right now. Talked to them both today. It's hard and still not an excuse if I crossed any lines, but it's obvious to me with the six or so people I've had to explain all this too on the phone and about a dozen or more in email or messages here on, they felt led something here. I said I was clearing the air and trying to share what his dad wanted. His dad asked that I clarify the things above. His dad knows I have done my best to not say anything specific about Ron or anyone else, we've talked about that, and I didn't want to either. But felt forced to do so after the post tonight where he said the family would not be carrying on with the biz and made it sound like his dad was saying that. You may have not seen that and that's ok. I'm just trying to help protect the family. I will here and now apologize to Ron or anyone else if I offended you with the earlier post or if I have been out of line in any way. I'll take mine and be sincerely sorry for it. I hated writing the post. I hated talking to his dad about it the first time and again tonight, but I got specific with the questions I asked and what he wanted shared. If you are close to his parents then in encourage you to reach out to them in a few weeks when things settle down and ask for yourself. I do appreciate your honesty as much as I may not want to hear it. I've been emotional, angry and everything in between over some of this. Some of that not at a person, just the situation. I don't want to be and I don't want it to be an excuse. I have a lot going on in life outside of all this. It's probably all catching up to me. I'm sorry if it is and it's not an excuse. And you are right, maybe I should have gone to him first. I thought about it, but landed on the fact that I still had to address it here where it's all being talked about. I may have gone too far with some of it, I probably shouldn't have. Ron and anyone else, I'm sorry if I did.

Update: I took the post down as you can see, I hope that is ok and at least will keep anyone else from reading it. I am very sorry.

Hey everyone,
Again, let me think everyone for your patience on all of this. I know those of you that have outstanding orders would love to get you your stuff. Believe me, I'd love for you to have it and be past this part of this. I've personally emailed everyone with the last update I have, yes that was over a week ago. If you have an outstanding order (not you just wanted stuff he might have around or you kinda talked about it) and didn't get an email from me, please email me - [email protected]. Or call - I'm the most reachable guy you will find to anxiety here is unnecessary.
We are still waiting on the plater. Every order that wasn't shipped out before Mike's passing still had at least one piece with the plater - minus what I believe to be two orders and I've talked to both of you about that.

No reason to be anxious. It left Mike's hand to the guy that's been doing this all along for him. He froze up when Mike passed not knowing what to do. Mike's dad has requested he fill all of those orders (and this is before taking any new orders) which he began doing a week ago Tuesday. He was supposed to start back the Thursday before that, as he asked him to continue on that day, but he didn't out of some kind of confusion. Not sure why since his dad did ask, I was there for that phone call. But either way he's working on the stuff and there is a lot of it. Almost 30 orders worth, and as many of you know, many of those orders are large and they vary of all kinds of stuff. He did believe we would start seeing some of this stuff come back by the end of this week - as in tomorrow. But I have no way to know if that will actually happen. We are at his mercy, and therefore you are too.

I've been doing everything I can to keep up with what orders are whose and so forth, adding to Mike's paper trails/boxes/parts by printing the emails you send me. I'm not being paid to do this, I'm just helping his dad because I care for him very much and knew he would not be up to trying to handle this end of this. We really do want all of you to get every single piece that is yours, etc. I get it, I'm a pinhead and Mike did a great deal of work for me too. Just hang with us.

If you don't mind, please keep his parents in your prayers. I talk with them almost every two to three days and it's just hard, as you can imagine. I hate it for them. They struggle to go to Mike's place and deal with things, but do so as it has to be done. These orders are a part of all that pain for them, being over there etc. I mentioned to his dad doing the couple orders I believe to be done and he really just wanted to wait till we had more of them back and "make a day of it." I can't do more than wait.

I promise you all, as soon as I know something I will be emailing you, just as I have before. I may or may not be posting here, just seems like double the work when really I need to talk to each of you individually about your orders anyway. I will have some questions I'm sure on many of the orders so expect that and once we get all of your parts together we will go over final details etc. That being said, if you need me, please call or email as many of you have. Text or whatever. I'm glad to talk or whatever.
Thanks again for your patience through this. Looking forward to the day you can all post the pics of the work that was done for you as you get these pieces back.

Again: [email protected] or 615-598-0024

Also, on another note... to our local Nashville area guys...

I have begun talking with his dad about when the time comes calling you guys in to help with some things. The biggest of which would probably be moving the games he had over his shop downstairs to be dealt with. Still a good ways off, but it will happen and when it does we'll definitely need the help. I've moved several games down those stairs and it's not fun.

Just wanted you to know that all the offers of help you've thrown out there have not fallen on deaf ears. It's just going to be a process of dealing with orders first, then other stuff in the shop, then beginning to think about all of that stuff/games. When the time comes I will post here and on the Nashville Pinball and Arcade Facebook page. Thanks to all of you who have asked. I believe when the time comes it will be a fun time together of working but also remembering our friend.

Went to Mike's place today for a little while with his dad. Hoped to get a couple of orders out but they are all missing something still at the plater. Mr Chestnut talked to them yesterday and they said they planned to have stuff ready this coming week. I don't know if that means everything, but at least something.

Want to answer a few questions below to help everyone be on the same page about outstanding orders:

Who will get orders first as things come back from plating?
We will process orders as we have the pieces to do them. There is no order to how we will get the stuff, nor do we have control over what they do or what we get first. I just want to send it as fast as we can get our hands on it. I'm prepared to work many hours to get this done, and will do so into the night if Mr Chestnut will allow me to stay there and do so. Please understand, I'm a friend helping here, not an employee. I have two other full time jobs, I'm married and I have 5 kids ages 10 and under with one on the way. This is a big undertaking for anyone, but it's a big deal for me to try to stay on top of this. Please be patient.

How much is pricing? How much do I owe?
I just picked up invoices from Mike's for orders he shipped out over the last 2 years or so. I will set the pricing according to what I see him charging. You will be paying Mr Chestnut directly on everything after I figure out pricing on everything. I will be talking with every one of you that has an order outstanding, individually on the phone (preferred) about what is owed.

Can I place a new order?
At the moment we want to get past all the outstanding orders. Then allow the family to get their bearings on how they want to handle the future of things and go from there. They have a ton to deal with, but we hope to see the biz pick back up at an appropriate time to keep on going with all of your plating needs.

Will it help if I email asking for an update about my order?
No. It will not. It's just slowing me down to work on other stuff to answer the same emails over and over. I am updating you guys as soon as I'm at a computer to do so, as soon as I know anything different, right here in this thread. If there is something new about your specific order, you will get an email at the very least, and most likely a phone call from me telling you what I know or to begin clarifying anything I need to know from your end.

When will the plater be done?
We don't know and have no control over it. They said there would be stuff ready to be picked up next week. We hope this is true but do not know if it will be everything that is there or just part of the stuff they have there.

Can you run over to Mike's to check on something real quick for me?
Probably not. I live 40 minutes away. I am glad to do so when I am going over there to work on orders and such though.

Do you need anything else from me?
If I do not have the following from you and you have an outstanding order, email me those things at [email protected]
Please do this under the same email if we have already been corresponding. In other words, hit reply to send this stuff, not a new email thread.
- ALL of your info - name, address, phone number
- Everything that was in your order - the more specific the better, I want to get everything that is yours back to you and done right.
- Any email correspondence you had with Mike (Forward them to me)
- Anything else pertaining to the order I would need to know, anything I might not know about.

I sincerely hope all this helps get folks on the same page. It's been a pleasure talking to many of you on the phone already and can't thank you enough for you kindness toward the family. There's a long road in front of them/us to figure everything out. This whole outstanding orders thing is a heavy burden on his dad. Truth is, he doesn't know where to start with it and he's a bit frustrated we haven't gotten at leas some of the stuff back yet, I am too. We know you guys are as well. We are doing our best to get it figured out but are at the mercy of the shop that does the plating. As soon as I know anything, you will see it here. Thanks again for your patience and reach out if you need me in some way.
Chris

Good question and not insensitive.
No, he had a shop that did plating for him. I think a lot of people thought that. He had worked closely with them for years, starting with motorcycle stuff. Pinball plating stuff kind've happened by accident when he did some of his own machines, then friends asked to have him do theirs and so on. I'm sure many think/thought this and it probably is why some are not fully understanding why we are sitting here twiddling our thumbs so to speak. We are at their mercy.

If they will get us at least a good batch of stuff back this week, like they said they would, I'll take a day off work just to try to get it all sorted and worked out with the people waiting for it. Let's hope for that.

It is a team from what I understand. I know the shop foreman was hurt a little while back, as he was plating stuff for me a few months ago and everything kind've stopped then because of that. I do know he got back to work though too.

I really am glad to help. This family means a lot to me. Mike's dad has become a good friend of mine. All of this has brought us even closer. I really just want to see this part though to take the burden off of them so they can move forward with dealing with everything else. There's a lot for them to figure out. After the orders, then many other things, then I'm sure they will look back to the biz Mike had and go from there. Hard when things like this happen in life and you don't expect it. You have to make sense of everything they had going. Not easy to do.

Just got this email today from Mike's dad:

"I talked to the plating company yesterday and was told “the order is in the process” but no sure date when the order will be done, they will call when done??"

That's what I've got. Sorry there's not more.

If that is true then it's a great question, he says in his thread he's using the same shop Mike used.... I would think they would bend over backwards to help Mike's dad considering all of the work he's done with them for many, many years. I'm open to answers if anyone has them.

And to be clear, everything was taken there by Mike himself before he passed, not myself or Mike's dad. We are at their mercy to finish the stuff and asked them to do so and help fill everyone's orders as they were initially asked to do by Mike.

I really have no idea what's going on there, but if they are filling someone else's orders then you are correct. I hope this isn't the case.

Money should not be any issue. Mike (as we will), always paid for whatever he picked up and was out the money till he was paid by his customers (all of us). Mr Chestnut is prepared to pay for whatever they finish and has been told not to come yet as there isn't enough to pick up.

Sorry to not answer sooner, took my girls to a Sounds game tonight, Nashville minor league baseball.

Ok, let me try to help a little. I have no worries that the stuff is there or not. I've never heard that Mike or the plater he used ever lost any parts. I'm not worried about that. I have a hunch that the ones that have been waiting a bit longer, couple even have most of their orders done and at Mike's house, probably had something that Mike took back to have redone, he did this a lot. I know because I would see stuff there every time I was over he had marked up to take back as it did not meet his level of expectation. The paper trails are at his shop showing he was working on these orders and that tells me the stuff that's not there is with the plater. I have been put in a strange spot here, let me paint that picture for you guys. I'm helping them (the family) - and I am the one involved in the process that does know heads or tails about the parts/pinball titles - as I'm knee deep in the hobby. I also know enough about plating to be dangerous from being around Mike with it and from 20+ years of hot rodding, and have two friends in this business.

So... what am I doing you might be asking - which is a valid question. I'm doing my best to be patient Mike's dad is the owner of Mike's biz now, it's between him and the plater to get it worked out, not my place, but I have offered to be involved if I need to be and help out however. My place here is just trying to help the family not have to figure out everyones orders when we get them, and I'm sure I will need your help making sure I have them right as well, which is why I will be talking to each of you over the phone when that day arrives. After the orders are done, I will go from there however they need my help. I am glad to say that getting all of this figured out is the priority of Mike's parents right now, they want to get past it and they want folks to get their stuff.

If anyone is worried about if Mike's dad is sharp enough due to age in seeing this thing through.... the man is one of the smartest, sharpest people I know. He fixes my boards for Hot Rod Arcade. He's an electronic genius - he'd probably kill me if he saw me say it, but it's true. He brings junk back to life for me (I'm a picker - I drag some crazy stuff out of the shadows to bring it back to the hobby) that many other very smart people in this hobby have given up on. The man brought an Omega Race back to life for goodness sakes, and he's probably helped me bring at least 100 other machines back to life over the last couple of years alone. And not just me but a couple other local guys too, and it's just because he enjoys it. Also, many may not know this, but he's the one that figured out that Bally/Williams left certain things out of the original printing of some of their boards they used in all the 90s games we love. Shortcutting to cut costs by a few cents, or a mistake one or the other, but he knows to to fix them correctly as they are shown in the original blueprints/schematics. How awesome is that! So just want to help you guys know who is at the helm of the situation.

One of the things that many are not also thinking about - and why no announcements are being made yet about the future of Mike's biz, etc, is they have been having to swim through all the legalities of how to handle everything. They have been to court a few times, many meetings with attorneys, etc, all just to get it all figured out the right way. They had some of those meetings this week. Getting past that which looks like is pretty much done or about to be is now going to allow them to really move forward with some things. Even if they were taking money/getting paid for the parts alone you guys are waiting on was a big question, who should it be paid to, etc. This they just got answered. It's been a lot of them to deal with, imagine trying to start doing that the week after you lost your son, that's where they have been and still are. So a lot of jumping through hoops. I hope that helps make some sense to what it looks like to deal with this kind of thing. And still the grieving, it's just very hard on them. Very hard even now.

It really has only been a short time, I know you guys are ready to get your stuff, I wish I could box it tomorrow for you. I would love to take that load off the family more than anything right now. We will get there, we will persevere this together. Thank you all again for hanging in there. We are not ready to give out the shops number for everyone to call and hound, I think that would be disrespectful to his dad and I do believe they will come through. They have for years for all of us. I have at least 6 machines sitting here right now with plating Mike did for me. Hope all of this helps. I will continue to update AS SOON as I know anything going on. Also, thanks to Ron for chiming in that he has seen the stuff getting worked on. That's great for all of us to hear.

Also, just a note, if you guys see a question I haven't answered after a day or half day or whatever, someone shoot me an email. I've not spent a great deal of time on Pinside before now. I do try to refresh this thread on my computer throughout the day when I've got it in front of me. In case you haven't seen it elsewhere... [email protected]
Thanks!

Also, I don't think I've typed this much since college and seminary, until this thread, lol. I'm going to post some pics as many of you have done. I keep thinking about Mike as I've been working on stuff.

So, I've been meaning to post some pics of Mike's work etc. Here are a few pics of two games. One is my Indy Jones - this is my family game, we've owned it longer than the rest of my games and my girls have asked I not sell it, etc. That being said, when I got it it was pretty bad faded. I've always been afraid of doing the art on cabs, I have friends in the hobby that do the arcade stuff for me usually and I managed to talk Mike into doing my IJ after finding the "good art" as he called it last year. He finished my cabinet first part of this year and we finished it about 2 weeks before he passed. I of course also bought all the brass for it from him as well.

The second set of pics (black cab) is a BK2000 I bought at an auction 2 years ago, and everyone assumed I was buying it to part it - not the case. I had asked Mike 10 times about the process he went through to redo a cabinet over the years. But a couple of years ago I took notes, and found them this past week while standing in Lowes looking for the right products to do it. I know there are a ton of videos out there on youtube, but guys, I'm telling you, if you've never seen one of Mike's restored games, you've never seen as nice as a pinball can be. His work was second to none. While standing there in Lowes I saw the name of something that jarred a memory. I searched my notes on my iPhone and found the notes I took that day in his living room in 2014. I bought the products and BK2000 is being our test this week.

I'm not posting it to boast - its still not as nice as Mikes, lol. I'm posting these because every step of this thing I can't help but think about Mike and I can hear him over my shoulder telling me how every little thing I didn't fix just right is going to bite me in the a**. Just seemed fitting to share both of these. I'm so glad I had him do our Indy and glad he was willing to put up with the newbs like I was years ago. We were all newbs at some time or another, I hope we can remember that when someone else wants to learn more about the hobby.

IMG_6178_(resized).JPG

IMG_6176_(resized).JPG

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A few more pics, I'll explain them a little:

The row of pins are some of my personal collection.

Indy 500 - Mike's fault I own it, as I fell in love with his. He shopped this pin for another friend in the hobby who passed a couple of years ago. I love it, had hoped to have him do the cab on it, guess we'll have to do that at some point.

IJ - already explained it above a little. But to add to it, Mike had the clear acrylic backboard on his, I loved it and did it to mine when we redid it. He also sold me the knife topper (he has on on his too) last year when I also bought his Blackwater 100 and Evel home model.

Attack from Mars - This has become my family's fav pin. And.... it was Mike's. He restored this to his amazing level of perfection, then a couple of years ago while we were hanging out he mentioned wanting to sell another pin out of his house. I begged him to sell me this one. And he did. I'm so glad we have it. I gave more for it than any other single game I have bought - and I've probably owned around 1000 games in the last 12 years. This one is second to none. He even through in the toppers - he was the king of finding things outside of the hobby that made great toppers. He painted those saucers to match the sideart - same with the ones in the game.

Voltaire - got this from a local collector/friend - it has Mike's chrome on it

Dark Knight - I have this cause I love Batman and it reminds me how much better Bally/Williams is than stern Sorry had to throw that in there, Stern has gotten somewhat better.

The other pics are just Mikes work. He just finished another set of Tapper stuff for me (pics of before and after) - one of my fav things we plated and we did 4 or 5 of them over the last couple of years. Better pics of a different Tapper and what the brass looks like when done are here if you care: https://www.facebook.com/HotRodArcade/posts/987513577943961

I've wanted a Demo for a while just because I knew it would be awesome to chrome one and so we did, just a couple of months ago.

I can't look in any direction of my basement and not remember him. In talking with his dad tonight I told him that I thought he had made just as big if not bigger splash in the motorcycle hobby, he agreed and said that he had and gave me an out of this world example as to how he had. I believe we are all called to leave lasting impressions on the world around us. It's hard to remember that as we drag through some days dealing with the world around us. We have the chance to make a mark, leave a legacy, insert stereotypical saying here - but it's true. It's not the chrome we loved about Mike, but the hours he spent on the phone with us talking and teaching us. Something to think about.

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We have movement.... stay tuned. Thanks guys.

Christmastime is here....

Today we sorted through the first batch of stuff to come back. He's planning on having another batch ready come Monday. He still has ramps and wireforms among other pieces. I got to meet with him for the first time yesterday and it was a good meeting with good a conversation about the future of the business. Somehow there was miscommunication a few weeks ago when we wanted to him to go ahead and finish things up, no matter, he's on it and getting it all done. I thought you guys would like to see some of it coming in. I plan to take Monday and Tuesday if needed to begin figuring the orders out. I really hoped to today but still too many pieces missing to do much.

Here's how we will be moving forward:
As I can complete an order, I will contact the person it's going to, over the phone. I want to go over each one with them to make sure I have their parts right.
If it's complete we will get it shipped out.
This will take a little time but I'm going to do my best here. Don't be surprised if I have questions for you when I call.
I will be completing them as I have the parts to complete them, no real order here, just doing it all as fast as I can.

I did find out this morning from someone that worked for Mike that he has a ramp and a wireform. He was supposed to weld both, I asked if he would and get them to us asap so we can get them plated. I have NO IDEA who's they are - as I'm not even sure what machines they go to. I apologize if they might be yours, we will get it figured out, but we knew nothing about where they were. We also found a couple pieces in the shop that need to be redone, a IJ gun handle, a set of wireforms (not positive yet what they are to but I'll figure it out), and other pieces that we have duplicate of in stock (legs/lockbars/rails). We will be getting all of those pieces to the plater on Monday. Mike was a stickler for going over these things and finding the blemishes before shipping them. There was a lot of organization to most of what he did there, but then there are the random things he put somewhere out of the ordinary that we have found and are trying to figure out why. Hard to describe really without seeing it all. It's half pinball, half motorcycles and parts.

Once I get past church tomorrow morning, I plan to spend the day/evening schooling myself on wireforms. Just imagine, wireforms from all kinds of machines - not labeled - and I have to figure out what each one is to
For those of you that sent pictures of your items as I believe he asked most to do, good for you. It will make things much easier.
I own and have owned a ton of pinballs, but when you see a bunch of wireforms together outside of their machines it's a bit overwhelming. Either Mike had some super duper memory of what they all were or had a system we haven't figured out yet. I'm also bringing long computer cables to tie into the internet in the house while there for helping look up things while there. He did not have wireless internet, he never had a laptop or tablet, so it's been hard trying to look things up on the phone as my computer is rendered useless there.

Sit tight everyone, I will be in touch with you as I complete get your pieces together. Thank you all again for your patience!
Chris

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Got the pics, Thanks! If anyone else had wireforms or ramps that they would like to send pics of, feel free. I'll figure it out either way but I will take ALL of the help I can get.

Thanks for sending the pics, email will be best for anyone sending any. Again, I don't have to have them, but if you have them send them on, it may hurry things along. Details on anything are great.
Thanks everybody, we are excited to be getting parts back to everyone!

I have another one almost done that is for sale. I had Mike do the brass on it before he passed. They are getting as expensive as middle of the road pins.

It's pretty awesome to see, I've done this stuff through Mike before and done lots of other pieces for hot rods and the quality of this stuff is amazing. Once we get past getting everyone their stuff we have now we will look toward new orders too. It's exciting!

Worked last night in Mike's shop from 6 to midnight on sorting out orders, and will be back at it today with a little help. We have a way to go but we are making progress!!!

We all get there at times in our lives. Here's the truth, there is a purpose for your life. I know it's hard to see right now but this is a moment in time. We can all look back on our lives and see these different moments. I've had some pretty hard times, some recently. I'm glad to talk if you want, and I really mean it. Feel free to pick up the phone and call me. My contact info is all over this thread. I will be praying for you ether way. Hang in there, and fyi, it's good to talk about it. Get it out. There's a reason you posted it here and I'm glad you did.

Hit me up, as I'm working through orders I'm finding stuff that needs to go to the shop to be done or go back to the shop to be redone. Might as well add some new stuff in before we do the full blown launch of taking in new orders.

Death tends to get us to reflect on our lives, where they are and such. I counsel with a lot of folks and one common thread I have noticed, especially among most adult men, is they are not where they "thought they would be in life." Things turn out differently than what we expected. Life can be really hard. I'm glad you shared and these guys too, and they are right, you need to find some folks close to you to share life and it's burdens with. They will need you to do the same for them and that's a good thing when it happens.

It's been three days in a row of pretty late nights of gathering, sorting and packing. Last two nights were in Mike's shop Monday after midnight then last night leaving at 3:30am. Tonight mine and it's almost 2:30 now, lol. Just glad to say that some of this stuff will be reunited with it's owners in the next few days! Thank you again to everyone for your patience. If you have an order with us and haven't heard from me by phone yet, you will by Friday at the latest.
Picking up more pieces tomorrow morning that were just finished and dropping off a couple to be redone. Almost there

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Hey now! lol

Thank you guys, you are both very kind. This all needed to be done. Mr Chestnut did not need to be having to mess with it and to be honest he just wouldn't know the parts well enough to put the orders together. I'm not going to lie, it's been a ton of work. I've had some of my guys that work for me help get it altogether this week. Without them we'd be in trouble, but instead we should have about 75% of the orders sent out on Monday. We packed boxes all night last night and all day today and I got them to UPS in time to see they had locked the door, so Monday they will leave! The rest is awaiting pieces being redone, shop finishing up a part or parts of orders and some of you shipping me the rest of what you want plated. I do finally feel like we can breathe a little and that's welcomed.
I believe I have talked to everyone waiting at some point this week. If I have not talked to you let me know. I don't want to miss anyone. Thanks again to everyone for hanging in there, I really do appreciate the kindness from so many and patience with all. And... I expect to start taking new orders beginning in another week or so.

If you need me: [email protected] or 615-598-0024

Many, many orders going out today... UPS kinda messed up twice now, otherwise they would have gone out Friday. But, we have added other orders so that's good. I'll keep you guys posted!

The orders we had ready shipped out today! If you are one of those you should have an email to help you track it.
Waiting on other pieces to come back from plating to finish the other orders. Just fyi, I have been visiting with the shop a couple times a week as I'm near there almost every other day these days. He's been great at helping hunt pieces down and even redoing some I've received back that were just not the quality that we expect with Chestnut's work. We will continue this level of attention on your parts in the days ahead.
I'll continue to be in touch with the ones still waiting on your orders one on one and I have talked with all of you at this point. As soon as I receive anything of yours, you will know it.
Thank you again for the kind words above, and everyone waiting, thank you for your patience!

We will be making an announcement about Mike's business continuing this week. We are all excited about it!
We also expect to have all parts outstanding back to their owners this week or next.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Independence Day!
Chris

So in the evenings, for months now, I've been working to help Mike's dad with outstanding orders after we lost Mike in the accident. It looked as if another person was going to take this biz on and run it but he eventually decided it was not for him. When that happened, Mike's dad asked if I would would be willing to take it on and run with it as apart of our biz Hot Rod Arcade. It was a huge honor that he would even ask this, as I know many of your thought as much of Mike and the work he did as myself. So today we are announcing what we've been working on.
Pinballplating.com is a domain Mike bought and never got around to using. It's an honor to see it come to life and it's been with the help of many friends that has become a reality. Out of respect to those that were waiting on outstanding orders so many were waiting on after his passing, we have waited to share this statement: that we are officially taking new orders now! Thank you in advance for your support of this endeavor!
Special thanks to Michael Rochelle, Vince Johnson and Andrew Fudge for your help in working through a bunch of this stuff to get to here. Also, special thanks to Ben Adkison for whipping together this site in literally a few days. It will have more added with a store in the future but we wanted to go ahead and get something up and going. Check it out and let us know what you think.
A very special thanks to the Chestnuts. They have become family to me and they really wanted to see this happen, if not I promise you it would not have. I'm so grateful for them and glad that this will continue to benefit them as well as all the rest of us in the hobby.

email @ [email protected] or call text @ 615-598-0024
Check out the new site and let us know what you think, thanks!
Chris
http://www.pinballplating.com

He left us doing what he loved. I'm sure he would not have it any other way. I have continued Mike's business with his family and at their wishes. Would be honored to help you with your parts.
[email protected]
615-598-0024
www.pinballplating.com