Quoted from twitami:I have about 20 cocktail pins
I didn't know there were 20 different tables. I can think of about 5-6 (Roy, Eros, Take 5, Joust 2player, Night Moves...that's it for me.)
(Topic ID: 179489)
St Louis, MO
Quoted from VacFink:I didn't know there were 20 different tables. I can think of about 5-6 (Roy, Eros, Take 5, Joust 2player, Night Moves...that's it for me.)
There are 39 listed on the IPDB.
Quoted from CactusJack:20 Cocktail pins? Its sounds more like you have an illness and your home should be quarantined so as not to allow Nic to spread your disease to other pinsiders. LOL
I am already infected.
I have owned just about every cocktail pin made at one time.
Exceptions being Midway Rotation VIII and Viza WAR
Owned two CoffeeMat Star Battle plus 3 Night Moves and two Caribbean Cruises
Regarding the ALI/FII pins
I had no Flame of Athens but did have Eros One
Had Roy Clark,2ea Circa 1933, Star Shooter, Take Five, Hearts Spades, Disco79
On Game Plan I had Vegas , Lady SharpShooter and Star Trip,
but no Family Fun or Chuck-a-Luck
No Camel Lights or Black Velvet but had 2ea Foxy Lady.
Also owned a NIB Valley Spectra IV
Added over 6 years ago: Correction
I did own a Game Plan Family Fun
forgot about it.
Quoted from twitami:I have about 20 cocktail pins (10 or so Allied Leisure machines in fact). Want to come fix some more of them?
Do you want any parts for an amazing price? I parted a damaged "Getaway" early this year
Quoted from pinwiztom:Also owned a NIB Valley Spectra IV
Sadly, I still own a specta IV disassembled and scattered around storage.
Quoted from NicoVolta:Pardon for the delay... have been in Disney World enjoying the first-time splendor of a Dole Whip.
TOTAL YUM
Roanoke update enroute...
The only thing I like about Disneyland is the dole whip.
Basingstoke
Quoted from PoBoyPinball:So nicovolta my pinball Jedi EM training has served me well. And to all did you know your front load washing machine has pinball technology in it? So after some good old Google searching I found my issue and with the help of the magic brush and some points adjustments (applying my training) my washer is fixed.
That made me laugh, I was using my dremel sabre to clean switch contacts on my dishwasher. Not fixed yet but we await our jedi training in Europe.
Quoted from vicjw66:The only thing I like about Disneyland is the dole whip.
Go round to the back side where there is hardly ever a line even though 30 people are lined up for the front window. Then go in and watch the tiki show for punishment.
Quoted from xsvtoys:Go round to the back side where there is hardly ever a line even though 30 people are lined up for the front window. Then go in and watch the tiki show for punishment.
My wife Loves the Dole Whip but to get it, she must endure a round of the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room!
Quoted from xsvtoys:Go round to the back side where there is hardly ever a line even though 30 people are lined up for the front window. Then go in and watch the tiki show for punishment.
Hey, keep that under your hat.
Quoted from vicjw66:Hey, keep that under your hat.
Secret hint courtesy for pinsiders only!
Quoted from NicoVolta:Pardon for the delay... have been in Disney World enjoying the first-time splendor of a Dole Whip.
TOTAL YUM
Roanoke update enroute...
Did you have a adult beverage in EVERY country in Epcot? Was there in 2008 and was fortunate to see the last night launch of the Space Shuttle from Epcot.....daughter still talks about that trip!
I need a Spectra is anyone has one (or a few) for sale. And I never said I had 20 DIFFERENT cocktails...lol. But I do have some variety. I need my own guy with a truck to just send all over and pick them up for me--finding a lot I want, but all far away. And shipping is usually a lot more than these things are probably worth.
Quoted from twitami:I need a Spectra is anyone has one (or a few) for sale. And I never said I had 20 DIFFERENT cocktails...lol. But I do have some variety. I need my own guy with a truck to just send all over and pick them up for me--finding a lot I want, but all far away. And shipping is usually a lot more than these things are probably worth.
I think you're supposed to leave enough room around each one to be able to sit down and play.... 
On the way to the NOLA PinChurch and WDW, I stopped by @jahpinwizard for a few fixin's. Got some nice pics of his place coming up soon.
In the meantime, if you're looking for a Christmas gift for a pinball buddy... the Pincaddy 2 is a good choice. It's not an essential piece of gear but it sure is a nice tweak. Especially if one already owns a Hakko FX-888 solder station which it was designed to fit. I find myself using it often for playfield work.
Saskatoon, SK
apparently when the cat is away working, the mice will play. This thread needs to be retired, and a new one for each trip created. Thus keeping the doldrum posts (and whining about them) from happening between significant and related posts.
what make you think the sidetrack posts will stop with a new topic post started?
Quoted from SuperDaveOsbourn:This thread needs to be retired, and a new one for each trip created. Thus keeping the doldrum posts (and whining about them) from happening between significant and related posts.
I've got a few more entries waiting to be added & frankly if we closed every thread which went slightly off-topic... well... we'd have to close pretty much all of 'em, wouldn't we? :p
Best to keep it all in one thread. I have all of the key topics marked on page one for easy indexing.
In the meantime... the tour is beginning to wind down. I will gradually reveal the Exciting New Plan the closer we get to TPF.
By the way... y'all coming? A TON of people across the world are making the pilgrimage in 2018.
Quoted from NicoVolta:In the meantime, if you're looking for a Christmas gift for a pinball buddy... the Pincaddy 2 is a good choice.
No cup holder for my Jack and Coke? Sorry, I'm out.
Quoted from SirScott:No cup holder for my Jack and Coke? Sorry, I'm out.
Actually it does have a flat circular tumbler-sized cutout. Thanks for the suggestion... gonna give that a try. *hic*
Quoted from NicoVolta:On the way to the NOLA PinChurch and WDW, I stopped by jahpinwizard for a few fixin's. Got some nice pics of his place coming up soon.
So after you left I got that roll over cleaned up and no longer sticking. Used some Awesome orange followed by a warm water rinse them some LA's totally Awesome followed by a warm water rinse. Let it all dry and all is good.
Almost ready with the next update. In the meantime we need to begin a new countdown to the Next Big Thing, so let's get rolling!
It won't be Puerto Rico. But hey, that was easy... it's not one of the 50 states. So let's knock off what might have been a potential candidate...
Vermont, I hardly knew ye. Didn't have time to pass through so much as an inch of your thickly forested splendor during the pinball tour. But I have listened to at least one Phish album in its entirety (Junta), enjoyed your maple syrup, and of course plenty of Ben & Jerry's ice cream over the years. You are a quirky, progressive state with unusual laws such as prohibiting billboards yet also lily-white in terms of ethnic diversity (i.e. not much). Yet that sameness doesn't necessarily imply stagnation in your case... Vermont is rated one of the happiest, smartest, and healthiest states to live in. How 'bout that?
Vermont, with enough blankets and scarves it might have worked out. It would certainly have made an easy commute to Burdick Chocolate and Funspot in nearby Laconia. Hmmmm... I'd better move on before I talk myself into it!
'Lil Carolina Run visit #5 -> The Roanoke Pinball Museum
The subjects: Grand Prix, Spin-a-Card, Target Alpha
The Roanoke Pinball Museum was supposed to be a stop on the original tour but the timing was off. Now that the news had spread, they were already waiting for me…
All I can say is that it must have been a slow news day in Roanoke. Three news crews that day! But hey, if it’s good for pinball, it’s good for all of us.
Grand Prix was the first game to get some attention. Sometimes, it really is “just a fuse”.
The motor was making an awful crunchy sound, as if it hadn’t been oiled or cleaned for centuries. I did my best to service it in place… but it really needs to be rebuilt at this point. Alas, no time for that.
Beer and pinball go together like peanut butter and jelly. Same for doing pinball work under the warm-white glow of the NEEWER CN-216 light kit. A great last-minute Christmas gift for your pinball buddies.
I rebuilt a good portion of Spin-A-Card and got the spinner ratcheting with glee again. The spinner is an important part of what makes this game so fun.
Upstairs, a Target Alpha loomed in the project queue. I spent a day rebuilding the entire motherboard… it needed it.
A common issue on Gottlieb score motors: Worn switch dog. They lift the switch stacks as the motor turns… but can act like a brake if a groove is worn through as pictured here.
Ideally, the solution is to replace it with a new part (Pinball Resource has them – part# A-1451). But in a pinch they can be smoothed out with the Dremel sanding flapwheel to prevent them from seizing the motor cam as it spins.
Nearby, other tasty projects await including a Hi-Deal, Out of Sight (one of my favorite Gottlieb multiplayers), Trident, and a Kings of Steel.
What might this curiosity be?
Aha! A future interactive museum exhibit. Looks like this one is set up to ring the bell from Gottlieb’s Central Park.
Next to it, a Williams Space Mission-themed cabinet awaits completion.
It appears to demonstrate different lighting effects by pressing the flipper buttons.
During lunch, I found a Mediterranean restaurant offering this inviting drink. Typically, lemonade is a dubious beverage made from corn sugar and artificial flavoring… a concoction which deserves your scorn. But not this! Fresh mint and citrus fruits took this lemonade to another level… yum!
And *bam* just like that it was over. Three games, two days, and it all flew by in a flash.
I’ll have to stop by Roanoke again the next time I’m passing through to visit Jeff and the Crabtowne guys. It’s a neat little city with a growing pinball scene… and they just got Amtrak! It stops a mere two blocks from the pinball museum. Can’t beat that for convenience.
Next stop -> A fourth encore?!? Yes indeed… with Richard Rickman (fumbleflippers) in Cordova, TN
Quoted from NicoVolta:Almost ready with the next update. In the meantime we need to begin a new countdown to the Next Big Thing, so let's get rolling!
It won't be Puerto Rico. But hey, that was easy... it's not one of the 50 states. So let's knock off what might have been a potential candidate...
Vermont, I hardly knew ye. Didn't have time to pass through so much as an inch of your thickly forested splendor during the pinball tour. But I have listened to at least one Phish album in its entirety (Junta), enjoyed your maple syrup, and of course plenty of Ben & Jerry's ice cream over the years. You are a quirky, progressive state with unusual laws such as prohibiting billboards yet also lily-white in terms of ethnic diversity (i.e. not much). Yet that sameness doesn't necessarily imply stagnation in your case... Vermont is rated one of the happiest, smartest, and healthiest states to live in. How 'bout that?
Vermont, with enough blankets and scarves it might have worked out. It would certainly have made an easy commute to Burdick Chocolate and Funspot in nearby Laconia. Hmmmm... I'd better move on before I talk myself into it!
if you do wind up at Funspot do let me know. 
only a little over an hour drive for me.
Quoted from NicoVolta:'Lil Carolina Run visit #5 -> The Roanoke Pinball Museum
Nic, Thanks for the update I'll have to add it to my list of places to check out for a road trip.
I'm getting to feel like I know a celebrity with all the media attention; I'm sure the owner like the free publicity.
Quoted from NicoVolta:Almost ready with the next update. In the meantime we need to begin a new countdown to the Next Big Thing, so let's get rolling!
It won't be Puerto Rico. But hey, that was easy... it's not one of the 50 states. So let's knock off what might have been a potential candidate...
Vermont, I hardly knew ye. Didn't have time to pass through so much as an inch of your thickly forested splendor during the pinball tour. But I have listened to at least one Phish album in its entirety (Junta), enjoyed your maple syrup, and of course plenty of Ben & Jerry's ice cream over the years. You are a quirky, progressive state with unusual laws such as prohibiting billboards yet also lily-white in terms of ethnic diversity (i.e. not much). Yet that sameness doesn't necessarily imply stagnation in your case... Vermont is rated one of the happiest, smartest, and healthiest states to live in. How 'bout that?
Vermont, with enough blankets and scarves it might have worked out. It would certainly have made an easy commute to Burdick Chocolate and Funspot in nearby Laconia. Hmmmm... I'd better move on before I talk myself into it!
Rhode Island is still in the running, fingers crossed! My Target Alpha and Rack-A-Ball await!
Christmas reminder: Don’t forget to tug every solder joint as you go! Especially on those late 1950’s-early 1960’s Gottliebs.
Something was definitely off in the solder assembly line. I have found... many Gottliebs... where the wires pop right off during those years...
*pop* *pop*
Nic, you will be happy... i just picked up my 2nd em and it is going in the full restoration cue. Fireball 
Quoted from Whysnow:Nic, you will be happy... i just picked up my 2nd em and it is going in the full restoration cue. Fireball
Taking the Bally path, eh? You won't be disappointed.
The cold solder joints are a dime a dozen for sure as usual suspects. We all know you are heading to WA state, so what about another kick or two of 2-3 states off the 'family feud board' of options...
Quoted from NicoVolta:Christmas reminder: Don’t forget to tug every solder joint as you go! Especially on those late 1950’s-early 1960’s Gottliebs.
Something was definitely off in the solder assembly line. I have found... many Gottliebs... where the wires pop right off during those years...
*pop* *pop*
So true.
Had a Flipper Parade that would drop wires off if you looked at them wrong.
Quoted from SuperDaveOsbourn:The cold solder joints are a dime a dozen for sure as usual suspects. We all know you are heading to WA state, so what about another kick or two of 2-3 states off the 'family feud board' of options...
I did enjoy the Pacific NW quite a bit! But to be fair I found lots of good places all over the map. And let's face it, PacNW in June is kind of cheating...
Every Friday I'm going to eliminate a state. That would put the reveal just before TPF 2018... immediately after which I plan to make the move!
Quoted from Arcade:So true.
Had a Flipper Parade that would drop wires off if you looked at them wrong.
One of our members at VECTOR has a Flipper Parade and a lot of the joints were popping off like that. Same year as my '61 Flipper Fair which was also doing it. Coincidence?
I don't think it's merely age-related. Something must have been amiss on the Gottlieb factory floor during that period of time. I've had my hands on at least a few hundred machines by now and Gottliebs of the late 50's/early 60's have always been the ones with the most consistently shoddy solder joints.
I just rebuilt a Flipper Cowboy over the holiday weekend. At least a dozen solder joints popped off. Also found several floating contacts. Year of manufacture? 1962. Yep, right on schedule.
Could be a series of coincidences... but my gut feeling says Gottlieb was having problems.
I too have seen more than 50% of the tug-a-war-failures on GTB, no question there is an issue with cold solder.
You, Me, others that have been around for dozens of years prior to our being alive have said the same.
Now, lets hold our breath for the
Nic,
I hope you enjoyed the Southern Hospitality we had for you in Louisiana, but I’m sure you we can check LA off of your list as when you stopped by it seems like you already had your new plans or were close to locking them in, but wouldn’t reveal them. Any way you are always welcome to stop back in if you are passing by or just want to hang out and eat a home cooked meal and play some pinball.
Also I'm Looking at picking up another EM and giving it the full Nic treatment on all the mechanicals.
Quoted from NicoVolta:Almost ready with the next update. In the meantime we need to begin a new countdown to the Next Big Thing, so let's get rolling!
alliance13 (resized).png
It won't be Puerto Rico. But hey, that was easy... it's not one of the 50 states. So let's knock off what might have been a potential candidate...
WI did not even make the list 
Granted it is -8 in Madison today so I cant say I blame you...
Quoted from Whysnow:Fireball
How do you keep finding these games!
Nic-
Thought I would let you know your knowledge is being put to good use. Fixed Old Chicago, Surf Champ, Grand Prix for myself. Fixed a Pro Football for a local. Taught a class/fixed a game for a pinsider that was late to catching your tour. And tonight i'm going to (hopefully) fix a Chicago Coin game for another local.
I still do a fair bit of fumbling around studying schematics and probably cleaning way more than necessary. But, I also realized, if you want an EM to function Really Well; it all needs to be cleaned anyway.
Quoted from brenna98:How do you keep finding these games!
same way you do
wait, watch all the usual spots, and be ready to haul ass when one comes up.
I have about 10 games on my current ISO list at all times and just keep an eye out. The list is constantly in flux and grows shorter as more get added to the collection We are switching focus towards paying off our current home and currently working on buying a new place so we can get the whole collection on legs so the hunting has more patience for me lately and I only spring to action when it is something I really want. I have found that also means I pass and have a bit more restraint in the past year.
Quoted from NicoVolta:I don't think it's merely age-related. Something must have been amiss on the Gottlieb factory floor during that period of time.
My guess is that some on the factory floor had greasy fingers
from eating too much Chicago deep dish pizza at lunch breaks.
Quoted from PoBoyPinball:Nic,
I hope you enjoyed the Southern Hospitality we had for you in Louisiana, but I’m sure you we can check LA off of your list as when you stopped by it seems like you already had your new plans or were close to locking them in, but wouldn’t reveal them. Any way you are always welcome to stop back in if you are passing by or just want to hang out and eat a home cooked meal and play some pinball.
Louisiana didn't make it into the finals, but I really like the pinball scene there and NOLA of course. You, the PinChurch, and several other LA-state pals always make it worth stopping by. I wish I had more time during the recent trip to stop by the tourney w/TigerLaw and the others... next time, next time.
Quoted from Whysnow:WI did not even make the list
Granted it is -8 in Madison today so I cant say I blame you...
Indeed. Time to discuss.
As the seasons changed, I've been keeping an eye on the nationwide weather radar points I set up for the original big-ass-ridiculous pinball tour. Just to track how different areas respond to the temperature changes over the year.
Even though we have not yet reached the coldest part of the year... poor David Morris (@Bay78) in Winnipeg is already experiencing -17 temps... FOR THE HIGH. Not including wind chill which regularly gets below -30.
Even that, as horrible as it is, is nowhere near the bottom. Winnipeg occasionally gets colder than THE SURFACE OF MARS.
It suffices to say that this implies two things:
1 - Whenever those frigid arctic winds blow... they blow straight down the middle of the country. You can imagine Father Winter sitting on the north end of Saskatoon taking a huge icy dump as it falls down the weather map. Any cities caught in the blast without mountains or natural features to break up those winds? Yeah... tiny invisible ice daggers to the face. All day and all night. NNNNEAUX THANK YOU.
2 - This phenomenon may provide an important clue regarding the next installment of The Friday Reveal...
Quoted from brenna98:Nic-
Thought I would let you know your knowledge is being put to good use. Fixed Old Chicago, Surf Champ, Grand Prix for myself. Fixed a Pro Football for a local. Taught a class/fixed a game for a pinsider that was late to catching your tour. And tonight i'm going to (hopefully) fix a Chicago Coin game for another local.
I still do a fair bit of fumbling around studying schematics and probably cleaning way more than necessary. But, I also realized, if you want an EM to function Really Well; it all needs to be cleaned anyway.
Glad to hear it, Dave! Indeed, it's all about keeping everything clean and snappy. The main thing about EM restoration is to get your mind and fingers habituated to the process. Making the parts not only do what they want to do... but how they can do it the best they can.
The more you clean and adjust, the more nuances will become apparent. That's when process becomes meditation at which point all kinds of possibilities emerge... like building your own from scratch!
Quoted from NicoVolta:2 - This phenomenon may provide an important clue regarding the next installment of The Friday Reveal...
Never even thought we had a chance, even though listed in the original states, but thanks for the confirmation. Was -29 this morning in Walker where we took a look at that Picnic. Definitely not a great theme for this time of year!!
MN has a lot of great things going for it... and if you could just spend 2-3 months per year here, it might be a perfect state.
My Dooddle Bug, which played fine at the sellers house aside from the skill shot award not cycling, did not play fine once I got it home. I found one wire broke free at the solder point on its Jones plug. Haven’t been able to dig into it as I’m still trying to finish other projects before starting yet another, but now I fear I will have to investigate every solder point in the game.
I did buy a 443 Dremel tool, but would prefer a “for dummies” video if any of the hosts want to film Nic in action.
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