Argh. Snapped a plastic on Fish Tales, just because I was moving a little too fast. Glued, and non pinheads won't see it, but I know its there. The good thing is I have a replacement ordered. We're only human...so fess up and tell us what you broke.
I/we didn’t technically "break" something, but more like screwed something up very badly this past weekend.....I got a Dungeons & Dragons pin a couple weeks ago.....in amazing shape except the previous owner ripped the mylar off and took most of the insert art with it (and left the glue behind). After spending 3 days removing old glue and leveling the inserts, my amazing artist wife spent another two days painstakingly repainting all the inserts from scratch, and they looked perfect!! I then cleared over her work with automotive clear (fast drying touchup, i use it all the time).......let it dry for a few days and then yesterday played about 10 games on the machine. I quickly started to realize that all of her touchups were starting to "disappear". The paint and clear was plenty hard and dry, I’ve used this method for years with no issues.....
Then in bed last night it dawned on me why it was happening.......like an idiot, after i removed all the glue, in my excitement to see how nice i could make the playfield, i waxed the crap outta it with Carnauba BEFORE she did the touch ups. 4 coats!!! So all that hard work is coming right up because it's sitting on a bed of wax. My plan is to just let it get as bad as it is gonna get (i don’t wanna scrape off the "original" artwork trying to remove the fresh stuff that way she still has a go by underneath) and then she's gonna do it again AFTER a wipe down of isopropyl this time! Thank god she loves to do touchups; I still feel horrible though!
I broke the huge plastic in the too left corner of volcano by removing backglass with playfield glass off. My elbow landed up in the plastic and I heard a crack. D'oh
Bow & Arrow EM - game basically works 95% I picked it up from a widow who's husband had passed and he has a small games room.
Collect bonus hole isn't kicking out the ball, with the help of a friend traced it to switch stack 7 switch D that controls that and 2 other things on the score motor reel.
Tried giving the switch a file and spraying with electric spray as per suggestions but instead just made it worse, kickout hole still doesn't work and now the 2 other items that switch controls (the top collect hole and the kicker that kicks the ball into the shooter lane) are acting intermittently/not working at all. Back to the drawing board...or a new switch is in order.
Did a full restore on my funhouse. Airbrushed and clearcoated the playfield, added a whole bunch of new things like new ramps and plastics.
At the moment the playfield had to meet the cabinet I was alone and my wife, son nor one of my friends weren't around to assist and being a dumbass I tried to place the playfield into the cabinet myself. Needles to say that this failed big time because the hinges weren't lined up causing the playfield to sail to the bottom of the cabinet resulting in a large scratch on the inside of the cabinet and the skillshot ramp now to miss a corner. (Fortunately not visible).
Man......
Tried "clearing" some plastics with the peroxide/oxyclean approach. Had access to strong (35%) Peroxide, unfortunately I was a bit off on my mixture ratio with the oxyclean resulting in an out of control chemical reaction. It melted the bag they were sunning in and part of the plastics themselves. Things looked normal when I placed them outside and walked away, when I poked my head out the shop door I saw a column of smoke and heard a bunch of bubbling and hissing. 
New set on order, lesson learned.
Also managed to crack the plastic backing on a coil while trying to remove a stubborn sleeve. Both on the same day. Pinball parts suppliers love me.
Quoted from TractorDoc:Tried "clearing" some plastics with the peroxide/oxyclean approach. Had access to strong (35%) Peroxide, unfortunately I was a bit off on my mixture ratio with the oxyclean resulting in an out of control chemical reaction. It melted the bag they were sunning in and part of the plastics themselves. Things looked normal when I placed them outside and walked away, when I poked my head out the shop door I saw a column of smoke and heard a bunch of bubbling and hissing. New set on order, lesson learned.
Whoa, first time I've heard about that happening.
One of those dumb tabs that hold Gottlieb score reels in. Seems like nothing but you try to figure out how to keep a reel in place once it happens.
I once snapped a GNR ramp in half by lifting the playfield. I think it was the G.
Quoted from Archytas:Tried giving the switch a file and spraying with electric spray as per suggestions but instead just made it worse,
Whoa. What idiot "suggested" you use "electric spray" on your Bow and Arrow? You are lucky the game didn't explode. Don't ever, ever use that again.
Suggestion: Ignore any further advice from whomever told you to use "electric spray."
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Whoa. What idiot "suggested" you use "electric spray" on your Bow and Arrow? You are lucky the game didn't explode. Don't ever, ever use that again.
Suggestion: Ignore any further advice from whomever told you to use "electric spray."
Waiting for the first person that says they accidentally set a game on fire...which would likely make the top ten.
Left a catch towel on the bottom board, turned the machine on and started a game... then spent about 15 minutes gently untangling the towel from the score motor (and adjusting a switch or two).
I blew out a transistor replacing the coil on The Simpsons Pinball Party, TSPP garage door. There was a service bulletin to use a different coil, which I wired in the same way that it was, not realizing the new coil had the diode going the other direction. Thankfully had one on hand and was able to repair the board.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Whoa. What idiot "suggested" you use "electric spray" on your Bow and Arrow? You are lucky the game didn't explode. Don't ever, ever use that again.
Suggestion: Ignore any further advice from whomever told you to use "electric spray."
Actually I believe it was contact cleaner, or is that the same thing?
Quoted from Archytas:Actually I believe it was contact cleaner, or is that the same thing?
Yes.
Keep it the hell away from your pinball machine and never listen to the person who suggested it again about anything. You are lucky you didn't create a fireball that torched all of your wiring.
here is some very helpful info on contact cleaner or "electric spray.":
http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm#lube
Contact Cleaner & WD-40 are BAD for EM Games.
WARNING: DO NOT USE CONTACT CLEANER OR WD-40 IN EM GAMES!
Sometimes first-timers will use contact cleaner on the switch contacts of an EM game (somehow they think a chemical will solve a mechanical problem!) DO NOT SPRAY EM GAMES *ANYWHERE* WITH CONTACT CLEANER! Spraying switch contacts with contact cleaner or WD-40 does some really bad things, AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. It is also guaranteed to make the game fail and not work as time progresses.
Contact cleaner is made for LOW VOLTAGE situations. Low voltage means +5 volts. EM games are HIGH VOLTAGE. Contact cleaner is *not* designed for high voltage, and does *nothing* to fix or clean a high voltage switch! Contact cleaner was designed for gold or tin low voltage (+5 volts) switch contacts, not the silver or tungsten high voltage contacts used in EM games. Again don't try and use a chemical to solve a mechanical problem.
Also contact cleaner and WD-40 are *extremely* flammable. I have seen people spray it in a game, turn the game on, and the game burst into flames! Because of the high voltage and the switch arc, the contact cleaner explodes into a ball of fire. Typically this will start the cotton cloth wire insulators on fire too, rendering the game unrepairable. (After the fire is put out!) All that is left is bare wire with no insulation.
Often the over usage of these spray materials get into the bakelite switch spacers, the wire insulation, and the plywood around the switches (the bakelite switch spacers can shrink with contact cleaner, changing the gapping of the switches too.) This provides a constant source of the spray product, and causes even more problems down the road. After the user thinks it's all clear to turn the game on, BOMB it bursts into flame (again!)
Contact cleaner lights up BIG with only a spark!
The Coin unit on the bottom panel of an EM Gottlieb that was sprayed with
contact cleaner. The game started a fire, burning all the wiring and the Coin unit
itself! This is just ONE reason why you don't want to use contact cleaner.
If this is going to be fixed, ALL the burnt cloth-covered wire in this area will
need to be replaced. Also the bakelite plates on the Coin unit will also probably
need to be replaced too, because they will be very brittle.
Also, contact cleaner in the presence of an electrical arc (which is seen on all high voltage EM switch contacts), causes a chemical reaction. This reaction produces phosgene gas (COCl2 ) and free chlorine. The free chlorine attacks the silver EM switch contacts and makes silver chloride (an insulator). The game now has this white, insulating material on the switch contacts! Once this happens, the switches will not work. It's like putting a piece of tape between the switch contacts.
Silver chloride (an insulator) is completely different than silver oxide, which is a conductor. Silver oxide is the black dust normally seen on switch contacts (the black dust is not necessarily a bad thing).
There is no reason to use a chemical for a mechanical problem. Dirty and mis-adjusted switches is a mechanical issue. Don't solve this type of problem with a chemical.
If you insist of having to "clean" out your game, the best I can offer you is to do it this way: Take the entire bottom panel out of the game, and bring it outside. Stand it on end and use some compressed air to blow off the dirt and crud. That's as far as you should go when "spraying" the switch contacts on a game. I know a guy that takes each part off the bottom panel and puts it in an electrosonic cleaner. That works too, but it's a lot of work, and it's certainly not worth all the trouble in my eye.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Yes.
Keep it the hell away from your pinball machine and never listen to the person who suggested it again about anything. You are lucky you didn't create a fireball that torched all of your wiring.
here is some very helpful info on contact cleaner or "electric spray.":
http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm#lube
Contact Cleaner & WD-40 are BAD for EM Games.
WARNING: DO NOT USE CONTACT CLEANER OR WD-40 IN EM GAMES!
Sometimes first-timers will use contact cleaner on the switch contacts of an EM game (somehow they think a chemical will solve a mechanical problem!) DO NOT SPRAY EM GAMES *ANYWHERE* WITH CONTACT CLEANER! Spraying switch contacts with contact cleaner or WD-40 does some really bad things, AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. It is also guaranteed to make the game fail and not work as time progresses.
Contact cleaner is made for LOW VOLTAGE situations. Low voltage means +5 volts. EM games are HIGH VOLTAGE. Contact cleaner is *not* designed for high voltage, and does *nothing* to fix or clean a high voltage switch! Contact cleaner was designed for gold or tin low voltage (+5 volts) switch contacts, not the silver or tungsten high voltage contacts used in EM games. Again don't try and use a chemical to solve a mechanical problem.
Also contact cleaner and WD-40 are *extremely* flammable. I have seen people spray it in a game, turn the game on, and the game burst into flames! Because of the high voltage and the switch arc, the contact cleaner explodes into a ball of fire. Typically this will start the cotton cloth wire insulators on fire too, rendering the game unrepairable. (After the fire is put out!) All that is left is bare wire with no insulation.
Often the over usage of these spray materials get into the bakelite switch spacers, the wire insulation, and the plywood around the switches (the bakelite switch spacers can shrink with contact cleaner, changing the gapping of the switches too.) This provides a constant source of the spray product, and causes even more problems down the road. After the user thinks it's all clear to turn the game on, BOMB it bursts into flame (again!)
Contact cleaner lights up BIG with only a spark!
The Coin unit on the bottom panel of an EM Gottlieb that was sprayed with
contact cleaner. The game started a fire, burning all the wiring and the Coin unit
itself! This is just ONE reason why you don't want to use contact cleaner.
If this is going to be fixed, ALL the burnt cloth-covered wire in this area will
need to be replaced. Also the bakelite plates on the Coin unit will also probably
need to be replaced too, because they will be very brittle.
Also, contact cleaner in the presence of an electrical arc (which is seen on all high voltage EM switch contacts), causes a chemical reaction. This reaction produces phosgene gas (COCl2 ) and free chlorine. The free chlorine attacks the silver EM switch contacts and makes silver chloride (an insulator). The game now has this white, insulating material on the switch contacts! Once this happens, the switches will not work. It's like putting a piece of tape between the switch contacts.
Silver chloride (an insulator) is completely different than silver oxide, which is a conductor. Silver oxide is the black dust normally seen on switch contacts (the black dust is not necessarily a bad thing).
There is no reason to use a chemical for a mechanical problem. Dirty and mis-adjusted switches is a mechanical issue. Don't solve this type of problem with a chemical.
If you insist of having to "clean" out your game, the best I can offer you is to do it this way: Take the entire bottom panel out of the game, and bring it outside. Stand it on end and use some compressed air to blow off the dirt and crud. That's as far as you should go when "spraying" the switch contacts on a game. I know a guy that takes each part off the bottom panel and puts it in an electrosonic cleaner. That works too, but it's a lot of work, and it's certainly not worth all the trouble in my eye.
Well it won't be getting used again, I'll either be replacing the switch in the stack or going some other route. I will give the compressed air a go though, that was not something I thought of and good advice.
To clarify it wasn't used in a huge abundance, it was lightly sprayed then left to dry for a considerable amount of time. I have a fire extinguisher on hand but in 5 years of having games I've not had any catch fire yet (touch wood).
I’m always losing tiny screws, bolts and nuts to the game. I start every job by repeating, “be careful, go slow and for the love of God don’t drop and lose any parts”. It never works.
Quoted from Archytas:Well it won't be getting used again, I'll either be replacing the switch in the stack or going some other route. I will give the compressed air a go though, that was not something I thought of and good advice.
To clarify it wasn't used in a huge abundance, it was lightly sprayed then left to dry for a considerable amount of time. I have a fire extinguisher on hand but in 5 years of having games I've not had any catch fire yet (touch wood).
You should be fine if you only used it once and didn't hose the game down. I think the fires are an extreme circumstance but clearly it's a risk! And either way doesn't sound like stuff helps fix switches anyway. It's certainly a mechanical issue - use a file to clean switches that's the only thing that works.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:You should be fine if you only used it once and didn't hose the game down. I think the fires are an extreme circumstance but clearly it's a risk! And either way doesn't sound like stuff helps fix switches anyway. It's certainly a mechanical issue - use a file to clean switches that's the only thing that works.
My last reply I don't want to derail this thread too much - yeah, I have been using a file to clean it and try that method too but I'm worried I'll file away so much the contacts vanish. I'll go back to giving it a go with this method though.
i just took apart my South Park for cleaning and fixing some bad switches and broken plastics....I dropped the left ramp and snapped off the support tab at the front of the machine 
I glued it, but i havent put the machine back together yet to see how it holds up. They dont make replacements either
Gave my TAF a very quick once-over with some Novus and an LED kit before I put it on route. After reassembling, the train wreck flasher didn't work. Didn't want to mess with the ramp, instead wrestled the plastic out from under it to check the bulb connection. In the process, it scraped against the Thing ramp/scoop and put several scratches in the stone art.
The flasher didn't work because it wasn't plugged in underneath the playfield...
A few years ago, I was working on a system 80 project game. It had a lane change switch stacked on top of an EOS switch on the flipper mech. The switch stack wasn't assembled when I got it, so I just stuck a couple of screws through the stack to put it back together, and the first flip blew the CPU chip. After some troubleshooting, I found out that the EOS switch blades shorted with the lane change switch blades and sent high voltage to the CPU chip. Afterwards, I insulated the screws, replaced the CPU chip, and managed to get it working again. Lesson learned, and ever since, that's one of the things I always check before powering on a game that's in an unknown state.
A few years ago when working on my first system 3 game, I was trying to remove one of the posts, but ended up twisting it out instead. I then discovered the joys of loctite on system 3 games. 
Yay, a chance to blow off some steam!
While "I" didn't technically "break" anything, I was kicking ass on AC/DC during league this month, despite my own expectations, and was adding to my lead on ball 3, totally digging it, when suddenly the game went dead, and then it displayed the "VERIFYING IMAGE" message as though the firmware was just updated! ARGH! (Maybe it was just a simple reset with the game set to slow boot, but I don't know why it would be set to that.)
So of course we got moved to a lame early SS game, where all my balls headed straight for the side outlanes, and I wound up in last place instead of a likely first.
At least I didn't fall apart the rest of the night, closing with two firsts after that!
Quoted from Oldschool77:I/we didn’t technically "break" something, but more like screwed something up very badly this past weekend.....I got a Dungeons & Dragons pin a couple weeks ago.....in amazing shape except the previous owner ripped the mylar off and took most of the insert art with it (and left the glue behind). After spending 3 days removing old glue and leveling the inserts, my amazing artist wife spent another two days painstakingly repainting all the inserts from scratch, and they looked perfect!! I then cleared over her work with automotive clear (fast drying touchup, i use it all the time).......let it dry for a few days and then yesterday played about 10 games on the machine. I quickly started to realize that all of her touchups were starting to "disappear". The paint and clear was plenty hard and dry, I’ve used this method for years with no issues.....
Then in bed last night it dawned on me why it was happening.......like an idiot, after i removed all the glue, in my excitement to see how nice i could make the playfield, i waxed the crap outta it with Carnauba BEFORE she did the touch ups. 4 coats!!! So all that hard work is coming right up because it's sitting on a bed of wax. My plan is to just let it get as bad as it is gonna get (i don’t wanna scrape off the "original" artwork trying to remove the fresh stuff that way she still has a go by underneath) and then she's gonna do it again AFTER a wipe down of isopropyl this time! Thank god she loves to do touchups; I still feel horrible though!
The art is under the glue. how can you take the art and leave the glue that makes no sense.
Man some of these are really funny 
I had some of my paint smear on an insert i touched up. I didnt notice until i got it back from my clear coater. Not sure if i did it before i gave it to him or if he did it wiping it down before shooting it. Dead center right in the shoot again insert lol. Its very very light and you cant see it unless your looking for it but i know its there. At least its not very noticeable.
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Berea, OH
Kettering
Kalgan
