I would like to take a moment to hijack this thread and tell a quick story about Chris from HEP. Many moons ago (mid 2000's) there wasn't alot of reproduction playfields available, and I had attempted a restore on a FH by sanding a horribly worn field down and applying the FH overlay that was available at the time. (anyone remember the FH overlay days?) This was before the FH reproduction fields were finally made, so there wasnt alot of options. Needless to say the overlay wasnt that great, it started wrinkling around star posts etc. (maybe it was my poor install, but whatever). Now, this was also the time that PFR (playfield renovations) was in business touching up playfields. So I had the idea of acquiring a used FH playfield, and sending it off to PFR to get touched up, to replace the overlay job I did. After keeping an eye on Ebay and the newsgroup for a used FH playfield and coming up empty, I shot Chris at HEP an email to see if he happened to have a worn but restoreable field I could buy off him to send to PFR. I figured he had already done a few restores on them at this point, so what the hell, worth a shot to ask. Well, not only did he have an extra used FH playfield, he sent it to me for nothing. NOTHING. It was an incredibly nice gesture that I still think about to this day when I have an opportunity to pay it forward to someone. So, around 10 years later, let me say thank you again Chris, It was much appreciated. I still consider myself to owe you one.
As a side note to this story, I sent the FH playfield that Chris gave me out to PFR, along with a $300 deposit...and never got the playfield back...or my $300. After waiting about 6 years, I purchased a reproduction playfield that eventually went into the game. So if you think about it, the nice gesture of Chris giving me a used playfield was cancelled out by PFR basically stealing it from me...and $300. Life is funny.
Best of luck with your move Chris!
Steve (Skeets)
Matthews, NC
