Photo: robin
  1. » Forum
  2. » All Pinball
  3. » "Nic's North American Pinball Tour" (aka I'm coming to fix your games!)
(Topic ID: 179489)

"Nic's North American Pinball Tour" (aka I'm coming to fix your games!)

By NicoVolta

7 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 2,359 posts
  • 287 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 3 years ago by pinwiztom
  • Topic is favorited by 144 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    tiltpic (resized).jpg
    pinballpeople (resized).jpg
    82AEE677-99AB-4A06-88A1-AC46A83934EF (resized).jpeg
    E7F956A9-A133-49D5-837E-2E60D848B928 (resized).jpeg
    BEC68D50-0F81-45CE-8DB4-923B9BB92E4F (resized).jpeg
    0D22BACD-6C20-4EFC-9566-72C275C7A0E9 (resized).jpeg
    KVIL poster (resized).jpg
    CA49040D-6630-4A45-98EC-098A17B1BC1E (resized).jpeg
    5BF19104-DCAB-43FB-8061-580F76A59EEB (resized).jpeg
    7635D833-0BF0-4A15-8D04-D5018215C5CC (resized).jpeg
    B353F092-BEC0-4EEA-9E80-4D958D496017 (resized).jpeg
    D197D070-C43D-4F3B-B4DC-6930AE040CD6 (resized).jpeg
    30AF8562-5B01-48D9-B9E3-07ADE8DFDE9F (resized).jpeg
    519741C7-0D7D-4E9B-B73B-5D622A352BD4 (resized).jpeg
    08E3B205-7BC0-417C-8C93-E12F0EF5F0B2 (resized).jpeg
    EADCF2A6-148F-4FFB-B852-3C9EDC8A5C67 (resized).jpeg

    Topic index (key posts)

    93 key posts have been marked in this topic, showing the first 10 items.

    Display key post list sorted by: Post date | Keypost summary | User name

    Post #1 NNAPT - Nic's North American Pinball Tour - The big plan Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #90 Nic's background and how he got into the pinball hobby w/photos Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #117 Key posted, but no summary given Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #152 The map of the cross-country pinball tour is posted Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #208 And so, the 15,000 mile, nearly 4-month trip begins! Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #215 Visit #1 - Tony Macevicius (Tmacev1) in Lindale, TX (Atlantis) Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #218 Visit #2 - David Yopp at The Retro in Millington, TN (Grand Prix) Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #234 REGION 1 (Southeast bound) tour map - March 28 - April 17, 2017 Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #245 Visit #2 update - video footage of The Retro pinball tournament (spoiler: Nic wins) Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Post #251 TPF high school video interview w/Nic (skip to 6:07 for the pinball portion) Posted by NicoVolta (7 years ago)

    Topic indices are generated from key posts and maintained by Pinside Editors. For more information, or to become an editor yourself read this post!

    You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Pinzap.
    Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

    0
    1
    1
    #58 7 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    Quoted from NicoVolta:

    Canada is looking likely indeed!

    Nic... While on you're way to Canada, I'd be a perfect stopover. I'm in central MN and am acquiring a 1958 Gottlieb Picnic tomorrow in decent shape but currently not working. Will be my first EM and I'm as nervous as I've ever been about pin repair. Sign me up for a day if you make it this way. I'm self employed, so a full weekday and accommodations for the night wouldn't be a problem with a little notice. Not sure if you're PM'ing people after you get your route setup, but feel free to reach out anytime.

    I love this idea and the timing of this thread with my upcoming EM acquisition.

    1 week later
    0
    0
    0
    #91 7 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    Quoted from NicoVolta:

    Appreciate the offer, Senor Grumpy! Just zoomed into MN (which I have never visited) and wow it is lakey! Lots of waterfront properties around there, eh?
    I don't know if the route will take me that far north. I have a lot of responders in lower Kansas and the central midwest but aside from Whysnow and a couple of others not many takers where you are. Absolutely none in the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming which is a biiiiig 'ol stretch. Thus, Chicago is a major point of divergence right now... but time will tell. I'll keep the news rolling...

    Sad to hear that. Posted early on and PM'ed you (central MN)... but I completely understand if it's a bit out of the way. As for the lakes... if you're dead set on working on pins the entire trip, the lakes won't make a difference, but if you want to get out sailing or any other water activity, I'd be happy to host that as well.

    1 month later
    0
    1
    1
    #167 7 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    You know, Nic, you've just given me a wonderful idea. When I retire in a few years, I'm going to do the same thing. Except since I have no marketable skills whatsoever, I'll just crash at different people's houses around the country for a night and clean out their refrigerators. After all, who wouldn't want to play with a Boob for a night?

    If you follow Nic's route you can crash at my place. And to answer your question... nobody.

    0
    4
    4
    #168 7 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    ...I'll just crash at different people's houses around the country for a night...

    Nic, I think you started something here. We already have VRBO, HomeAway, and most recently Airbnb. I think I'm going to rush out and register the domain PinBNB.com to make these random trips around the country easier to plan. And in the true American spirit, I'll only take 20% off the top after I act as an escrow between traveler and pinhead with an empty couch/bed.

    1 month later
    0
    1
    1
    #348 7 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Nic, this post embodies everything that is so awesome about your tour!! Not since Breaking Bad have I been so caught up in waiting for the next "episode" of an adventure.

    0
    3
    3
    #352 7 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    Yeah...looking at these posts, I just realize I have GOT to get myself fired from work so I can try this out myself.

    Was thinking the same thing til I realized I'm self-employed... and then I realized I also have no fix-it skills of which to speak.

    1 month later
    0
    1
    1
    #690 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    I will comply without delay as soon as the restored backglass arrives. Thanks again Nic for the great information you imparted during your short stay with me. I have a feeling there will be a few more EM's joining my collection as soon as I'm done getting Picnic up to speed.

    0
    0
    0
    #699 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    If you hadn't said that it was in your "wish list" I was definitely going to guess "Sweet Hearts"...

    1 week later
    0
    1
    1
    #809 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from BanditBoy:

    Anyone fancy taking in an immigrant from England???

    Quoted from BanditBoy:

    My other love, brewing beer.... 13 uk gallon brewery in my shed.

    You're making a pretty good case for me to open up my guest room to you for an extended stay!!

    2 months later
    0
    1
    1
    #1215 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Nic... just missed you as I was in Franklin, Ky just a bit east of you. Awe inspiring view for sure!!

    I really wish everyone could have seen this in person, because I agree with everything you said. I read somewhere that anyone experiencing 99% totality or less had an experience similar to getting 5 out of the 6 winning lotto numbers on their ticket. Makes for a cool story, but not the same as winning.

    1 week later
    0
    2
    2
    #1253 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    You're lucky that people actually want 4 of you. Nobody even wants one of me.

    Well, pretty sure I want two boobs. Oh wait, I mean I could handle two boobs..... Ummm, damn, never mind...

    1 month later
    0
    0
    0
    #1343 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Along those same lines? And should fit into dremel... but possibly still too large?

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/18mm-Brush-Diameter-Steel-Wire-Pipe-Tube-Cleaning-Chimney-Brushs-2pcs/159628540

    2 months later
    0
    0
    0
    #1488 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from WarLokBlackOut:

    And a tip, next time do a trip in the Netherlands alone. Still enough EM games (mostly 4-player) and our country fits almost 232 times in the US alone.

    Oooh, oooh, oooh... Nic... if you do a trip in the Netherlands and need a personal valet to help you carry that cordless dremel or anything else, please look me up. That would be a fun trip!!

    3 weeks later
    0
    0
    0
    #1549 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    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.

    2 months later
    0
    7
    7
    #1991 6 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    Quoted from NicoVolta:

    And now, it is time to tell the sad story of OLD FAILCAGO.
    Painting an EM pinball cabinet is a big, ugly job. A job which doesn’t like to be rushed. But sometimes, like the week before TPF, there is no choice but to hurl a Hail Mary and pray.
    It worked in 2016 with Snow Derby and 2001.
    It worked in 2017 with A-Go-Go.
    But it ain’t gonna work in 2018 with Old Chicago.
    I had planned to shoot Old Chicago with Montana White paints. However, my monitor is not color-calibrated and thus “Hot Lips” appeared far more reddish in person than the online color swatch.
    Of course, I know never to trust online swatches. There is no substitute for doing a color board in person. But... there was no time... and I guesstimated wrong.
    The guys at the paint shop told me they could overnight the remaining options (Phantom and Fuchsia)... but they were unreachable on D-Day.
    The only other option was a possible “secret weapon”: Benjamin Moore’s low-lustre DTM (direct-to-metal) acrylic enamel. I could buy a quart and color match the purple on the Bally apron... then have it aerosolized in rattle cans. Perfect!
    However, store #1 had a broken aerosolizer machine.
    Store #2 was no longer offering rattle cans.
    Store #3 only had one can left.
    Well... one can is better than none, right? WRONG.
    The color was dead-on perfect. But stencil day had arrived... do or die... and what came out of the can was a sputtery mess. In desperation, I attempted to lay it on thick and sand it flat before the can gave out completely.
    As you can see... this did not go well.
    Was it a bad can? Underpressurized? Was DTM not a good match for aerosol cans? Dunno. All I know is that today was an EPIC FAILBOMB IN A CAN.
    If you are attending TPF, and you happen to see an Old Chicago in a Bow & Arrow cabinet... well... now you know why.
    The end.

    Do I sense another t-shirt option coming our way? Possibly something along these lines in comic book style? Calling Ryan Claytor...

    Schell t-shirt log (resized).pngSchell t-shirt log (resized).png
    3 months later
    0
    0
    0
    #2178 5 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from mark532011:

    Sit a GoPro in the corner and film it, then post. No need for fancy post processing

    Although not stated, I’m assuming the school will carry with it an entrance fee, or tuition so to speak. Seems like filming and posting would reduce the demand to attend the school in person (and pay the fee). As I mentioned, I could be wrong in my assumption... I’m sure Nic will speak to this in future posts when more details come out.

    8 months later
    0
    1
    1
    #2288 5 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    Quoted from NicoVolta:

    Also... you heard it here first...
    NPBNB

    Nic's Pinball Bed and Breakfast?

    3 months later
    0
    2
    2
    #2300 4 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from djreddog:

    Will this be archived for viewing later?

    It’s facebook... I can find out what the third cousin of my neighbors dentist had for breakfast 3 years ago... so I’m guessing it’s going to be archived.

    8 months later
    0
    0
    0
    #2341 4 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    Quoted from NicoVolta:

    Hey folks... just doing a cut n’ paste from another live video. Holed up like most of you & fixing the games. Stay safe & distant!
    “Rollover reliability check”
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1515859252011820/permalink/2535181213412947/

    Seriously awesome video!! I know you mentioned that some of the info was remedial for some who might be watching... but I definitely learned a bit. PLEASE do many more of these.

    1 week later
    0
    0
    0
    #2346 4 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    Quoted from Heretic_9:

    I see that plenty of liquor stores remain open, which is a bit curious.

    Don't want to de-rail the thread, but I’ll chime in on this one because I was wondering this same thing the other day. I saw that almost all States had declared liquor stores to be essential businesses. One exception was that Colorado governor originally declared liquor and marijuana stores to be non-essential when their shutdown was announced. This lasted only about 5 hours after his original declaration where he then did a 180 and switched them both to the essential list. In reading, I believe this was primarily due to feedback from physicians who indicated that they had no capacity to deal with an influx of detox patients during a time when COVID would be stressing the healthcare system enough. Makes sense I guess when put that way.

    5 months later
    0
    0
    0
    #2356 3 years ago
     
    ZAP

    Pinzap

    Pinside+ Frequent

    7y 119K 2,013 39 34

    OP
    Quoted from NicoVolta:

    Recently roasted some marshmallows with "T-Bone" Tim Woodrum of Radio Free Roanoke 95.7FM...

    Listened to the interview... nice job Nic!!

    You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Pinzap.
    Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!

    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/nics-american-pinball-tour-aka-im-coming-to-fix-your-games?tu=Pinzap and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.