(Topic ID: 185792)

SOS in NJ - help needed after flood

By Otaku

6 years ago


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  • Latest reply 6 years ago by spfxted
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    There are 399 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 8.
    -1
    #1 6 years ago

    This was a now-closed fundraiser with good intentions. I asked for free manpower help too, which many people responded positively to as an alternative, but when the time came nobody showed up FWIW. Thanks to all who donated!

    A little backstory: My home with my parents back in PA is an apartment, my grandma's home where I spent about 40% of the time out here in NJ has a big basement - long story short, it is the base for my collection and I now of course spend about 50-60% of my time here and live here half the time. Well, I was out in PA for a little while and just got back to NJ to actually drop off another game I found out in PA (frequently going back and forth allows me a much larger range for seeking out games as I can come and go as I please, so while where I picked up my game would be 4 hours each way from here in NJ, it would only be an hour and a half from PA where I can come home and rest and sleep until I want to make the rest of the trip back to the collection or for when I was going to anyways - usually weekends)...

    Half of the basement's floor filled with water with the big rain on Sunday and by the time I got back here today (Wednesday) it was still very apparent but a lot of it had likely also evaporated. I had a few heads on the floor there and one whole pinball machine laying down flat on floor in the area that got flooded and while the heads are upstairs drying, the pinball machine didn't fair so well. Although it was probably my least favorite machine and least valuable machine but as involved and invested both physically and mentally in this lovely hobby as I am you can imagine how shocked and crushed I am to come back to see half of my adored machines' feet sitting in water with the leg levelers beginning to rust and leave marks on the floor let alone one machine's cabinet basically destroyed. I am so thankful the water did not reach the other half of the basement nor did it seem to rise all the way up to touch the bottom of the cabinets of the set-up machines. Thank god.

    I spent the last of the money I had on a dehumidifier tonight to hopefully save the slow decay of my playfields, backglasses, and inner contacts from the intense humidity currently inside of my basement. More heavy rain is coming soon as we come out of the winter season and I am honestly not prepared. My late grandpa used to raise canaries in our basement in ceiling high cages called "flights" he built and for this reason he removed the sump pump and filled in the hole this house came with - it has been gone for 41 years and I should have known better and done it sooner as I started collecting but I didn't have the bulk amount of money for a pump and installation.

    I am asking for help. I do not like being a charity chase but I do not have much else to do right now both in regards to money and manpower. If anybody nearby can make the time I would like to disassemble and move 9 of my machines upstairs to get them out of harms' way but more importantly getting them out of the way to install drylock on the walls (I already did the other half a few months ago) and also hopefully come up with enough for a sump pump and installation or try to figure out how to put the work in and do it myself.

    If anybody is nearby and wants to help out please send me a PM. I had plans back in PA and was supposed to go back tomorrow morning but now I will wait until at least another heavy rain passes tomorrow to go home but hopefully I can get some machines pulled out of there. I have moved as many games as I can myself and have two machines shoved in the aisle between other machines on the dry side of the basement but there are still more to go.

    I try to help out as much as I can on the forums and give back to other friends and collectors as much as I can and I would prefer to stay on that side of things rather than asking for help but I am all out of options for the near future.

    If you would like to help contribute to the sump pump fund (my bank is nearly at 0, I didn't realize how expensive dehumidifiers were) my PayPal is [no longer accepting donations, thank you all SO MUCH!] although I am ashamed to even offer it as an option. I hope it is not asking too much. I will be calling around for quotes soon but if anybody else here has experience in that area please let me know. Again I am sorry to ask. I hope my case is somewhat worthy. Thank you so much.

    Steven

    I will post pictures soon. After vacuuming up as much water as I could and installing the dehumidifier I am hoping the future looks brighter than it does right now.

    If you can't offer either kind of help I fully understand. Please keep me and my games in your thoughts... if there's a will there's a way.

    #2 6 years ago

    Sorry to hear about your mishap...asking for manpower help is one thing and if I lived nearby I would pitch in,however these sort of go fund me threads for this type of stuff never go well for the OP...don't get me wrong I read a lot of your posts and admire your passion at a young age for these classics and I mean you no ill will, just prepare for some folks here that will criticize ...

    #3 6 years ago
    Quoted from cosmokramer:

    Sorry to hear about your mishap...however these sort of go fund me threads for this type of stuff never go well for the OP...don't get me wrong I read a lot of your posts and admire your passion at a young age for these classics and I mean you no ill will, just prepare for some here that will criticize ...

    Thank you. Yeah, I'm prepared. Although I am not the guy asking for help buying a pinball machine.

    If anything I would appreciate the hard labor more than the money. Pizza would be in order if I can set something up! My uncle also works for Budweiser so the house is filled with free beer...

    #4 6 years ago

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    #5 6 years ago

    Too bad I did not know.... I just drove through NYC tonight. I did a day trip from Philly to Boston. I have a humidifier I would donate to your cause. I do not know if it was one of the brands/models subject to the dehumidifier recall. It's about 4 years old and was only use regularly for about a year. It was probably $150 to $200 new. However, I am very exhausted from my trip and can't really consider delivering it to you, but Google says I'm 67 miles from Union, NJ. Maybe there is some option you can think of. Otherwise, check local Craigslist. Guessing they resale for cheap.

    #6 6 years ago
    Quoted from tbanthony:

    Too bad I did not know.... I just drove through NYC tonight. I did a day trip from Philly to Boston. I have a humidifier I would donate to your cause. I do not know if it was one of the brands/models subject to the dehumidifier recall. It's about 4 years old and was only use regularly for about a year. It was probably $150 to $200 new. However, I am very exhausted from my trip and can't really consider delivering it to you, but Google says I'm 67 miles from Union, NJ. Maybe there is some option you can think of. Otherwise, check local Craigslist. Guessing they resale for cheap.

    Thanks, I actually picked up a good model from Home Depot, one of the first things I did after vacuuming up as much as I could. Unfortunately that ran me dry, pun not intended.

    #7 6 years ago

    Use a good powerful fan if you have one set up away from but aiming towards the dehumidifier. It will dry it out faster.

    #8 6 years ago

    If you need any advice on the pump part, I am a plumber. If I were close, I'd install it for free but it's a bit of a drive from texas. Feel free to PM me. It shouldn't be a difficult process to do yourself. Good luck

    #9 6 years ago

    Discovered the other side leaked too but didn't notice as it was behind the games and behind the heater behind the games. Looks like a internal french drain will be needed. So, tomorrow one by one up they come.

    I am curious though, while the internal french drain to sump pump seems like the best solution and is basically a catch-all, how the foundation will fair without one outside. That option does not seem as good and due to the major excavation is much more pricey too. The concrete blocks inside of the basement on the side that usually gets wet already seem to have some blocks that you can touch and small pieces will fall off... I believe it does leak from the walls but this time it seems to be leaking from the floor/wall seam (which is apparently common too) instead of the walls themselves. And this time seems worse than any time I can remember except after Hurricane Sandy which was before I started collecting pinball machines.

    At this point I can probably convince my family whatever is needed is needed for the sake of maintaining the home as well (considering the expensive heating system is surrounded by water) so hopefully due to the majorness of the situation it won't land on my plate after all.

    #11 6 years ago

    Sorry to hear about your troubles, it would be a nightmare scenario to come home and find my pins in feet of water. Dry lock is a waste of time and money, you would need to tar the outside foundation walls to really have any long term effect. Obviously, that's really expensive to do. Hydrostatic pressure will come right through dry lock. You need a sump pump, and preferably one with a battery back up. ground water levels in nj, especially your area, are high right now so the water is coming up from the floor. My guess is with today's 1-2" of rain, it will flood again. If you do get a sump , Make sure it drains far away from the house, 25 ft if possible, and make sure your gutter leads are far away too. Honestly, I would not have any pins down there if there was a threat of flooding. A sump pump Installed by a plumber will cost you about 1500-2500, diy would be about 300-500. Get a good pump with a lot flow, not a cheap piece of junk.

    50
    #12 6 years ago

    your profile shows that you have 29 machines? sell some to finance the needed repairs instead of asking for "donations"
    you are asking for money because you don't want to spend the money you have.

    #13 6 years ago

    If you haven't already done so, check where the gutters drain and make sure the water is actually going away from the house. About 15 years ago, my ex-wife's brother was downstairs furiously pumping water out of his basement and couldn't figure out why it was coming in so fast. His drain was running the water from the roof, down a little hill, and directing itself back towards the house. 1 cheap black corrugated pipe later, he had very little issues.

    I've also done the same thing with my house. Moved the drains further away and directed further out. Haven't had any moisture since then.

    #14 6 years ago
    Quoted from boilerman:

    your profile shows that you have 29 machines? sell some to finance the needed repairs instead of asking for "donations"
    you are asking for money because you don't want to spend the money you have.

    He's asking for money because he needs it NOW, not in days or weeks. Selling them is a fine idea but the time required won't help him solve the immediate problem.

    29
    #15 6 years ago

    That sucks! Water and pins == the worst combination I can think of (and I live meters below sea level so I can relate).

    Let's show some support to our youngest EM collector, Pinside. Let's get this guy a sump pump. I'm throwing in 50 bucks to get started! Who's with me?

    10
    #16 6 years ago
    Quoted from YeOldPinPlayer:

    He's asking for money because he needs it NOW, not in days or weeks. Selling them is a fine idea but the time required won't help him solve the immediate problem.

    then he should be asking for a loan until he could sell a few machines.
    i am a very generous person if someone needed help like this i have sump pumps and dehumidifiers they could use for as long as needed
    his immediate problem is drainage issues. they can not be fixed in a day or two.

    #17 6 years ago

    Sorry to hear. Flooding has got to be one of the worst things than can happen to a machine. I sent some lunch money your way. Hope it helps.

    #18 6 years ago

    How can I help you? Send me a text.

    #19 6 years ago

    Wow sorry to hear this. Had a similar experience when storing games at my grandfathers garage over 20 years ago. So I know how it sucks. After that I rented a large storage unit that was dry and high on a hill. Had to sell off a game every now and then to pay the bill but was worth it. A little advise from someoneelse with a large collection. Sometimes more isn't always better. If you don't have proper storage you might want to start selling until you can. Best of luck getting your basement dry and games taken care of. If this was closer I'd be in my truck and on my way to help already. ~~~~Scott

    25
    #20 6 years ago

    Otaku, I sent you a paypal gift to help you out. I matched robin donation and I offered a little extra.

    I hope that when you are older, and in a position to help someone in a similar situation, you do not hesitate to help if it is within your means.

    Pay it forward. Not back.

    Good luck.

    Marcus

    #21 6 years ago

    Sorry to hear - everyone dreads this kind of thing.

    Simple advice.

    Sell some games to raise funds. Sometimes less is more and a good anti-dote to the addiction/obsession of pinball collecting

    And hopefully people local to you can help out with sorting out the underlying issues. The biggest issue we all have with pinball collecting is space and the 'right' space as well.

    #22 6 years ago

    I've been reaching out to a few NJ collectors I know, but it looks like a lot of folks are leaving for spring break. Poor timing, unfortunately.

    It sure seems like there's a number of collectors within a half-hour drive. I hope there's a few nearby who can lend a hand. Many hands make light work, as the old saying goes.

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    #23 6 years ago

    As I told ForceFlow, I'm slammed until at least Monday. But I can offer my Escalera to make the moving job easier if someone is heading your way to help out.

    #24 6 years ago

    If anyone wants to buy this or any of the other parts I have listed for sale I will donate the funds minus shipping to this cause.

    https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/46827

    Best of luck I wish I were closer I would be there in a heartbeat to help you out. What you are doing for EM's in this area is fantastic!

    15
    #25 6 years ago
    Quoted from Otaku:

    If you would like to help

    Name some pins to sell with condition and price...I can f&f paypal now and pick up some other time. The offer is real.
    -Mike

    #26 6 years ago

    I would also recommend taking a look at the gutter system. One of my businesses is a gutter company, you'd be surprised how often a proper working gutter system eliminates a person's water problem.

    Good luck to you

    #27 6 years ago
    Quoted from robin:

    That sucks! Water and pins == the worst combination I can think of (and I live meters below sea level so I can relate).
    Let's show some support to our youngest EM collector, Pinside. Let's get this guy a sump pump. I'm throwing in 50 bucks to get started! Who's with me?

    Wow what a community we have here. Everyone is willing to help out a fellow pinside when in need. I glad to be part of it

    #28 6 years ago
    Quoted from Mfsrc791:

    Wow what a community we have here. Everyone is willing to help out a fellow pinside when in need. I glad to be part of it

    I look at it the other way. Look at the map ForceFlow posted. Where the hell is everybody???

    #29 6 years ago
    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    I look at it the other way. Look at the map ForceFlow posted. Where the hell is everybody???

    Well it was posted not to long ago so how many of those people have been online in the last 12 hours from NJ, plus of those people how many see the post and actually click on it, then respond. Not everyone can be as sweet as you boob

    #30 6 years ago
    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    I look at it the other way. Look at the map ForceFlow posted. Where the hell is everybody???

    Sorry.

    I was just in Toms River this AM trying to track down Mike Ducker of MAD on behalf of another Pinsider (Lukas) and have my daughter's recital this afternoon.

    15
    #31 6 years ago

    And we wonder what's wrong with the youth of today...

    Here is a kid with 30 pinball machines that is in need of some quick cash.

    Rather than figuring it out on his own, selling some pins, or finding another avenue to earn some quick bucks, he comes here and holds his hand out. What's worse is people are actually throwing money at this kid. I don't think we are teaching him any valuable life lessons here. Shame.

    11
    #32 6 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    And we wonder what's wrong with the youth of today...
    Here is a kid with 30 pinball machines that is in need of some quick cash.
    Rather than figuring it out on his own, selling some pins, or finding another avenue to earn some quick bucks, he comes here and holds his hand out. What's worse is people are actually throwing money at this kid. I don't think we are teaching him any valuable life lessons here. Shame.

    Agreed, the guy is sitting on funds and he doesn't want to sell so he asks for a handout. It is their money to give, and good for the op, but this is a load of bull.

    #33 6 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    he comes here and holds his hand out.

    Kick him while he's stressed and down? You are an ass!
    Sometimes you have to suck up your pride and ask for help.
    I haven't forgotten where I came from or the stresses of managing this life.
    I hope some local guys can help Steven with manpower, my offer still stands solid!
    -Mike

    #34 6 years ago
    Quoted from Grizlyrig:

    You are an ass!

    Well that's sweet of you.

    Hey, I am all for the guy asking for help with manpower and moving pins. But to come here and ask for money when you are sitting on 30 pins? Give me a break. You are the one that posted earlier that he should sell pins to get money right? I agree that is what he should do, or find a different way to EARN the money not just come here and ask for a handout.

    #35 6 years ago

    It's easy to criticize when standing on the sidelines.

    #36 6 years ago

    He never said he didn't want to sell and when you guys say he is sitting on funds, you make it sound like he has $2k in the bank. He has assets but not liquid cash,big difference.
    -Mike

    #37 6 years ago

    How is he supposed to try to take time out to sell pins that are sitting in standing water with more rain potentially on the way? It's a pinball "crisis" and he's asking for help. If you don't agree thats fine but I don't know that he deserves to be criticized and labeled for his approach. There is no time to try to get a paper route going, lol.

    #38 6 years ago

    I hope the guy gets the help he needs. Truly I do. I just don't think he has tried all things possible to earn the money before coming here. Maybe I am wrong. OP, have you tried to sell a pin or 2 to get the cash you need?

    I just hate seeing people (especially young folks) asking for a handout before doing everything in their power to earn the money. I would hate to see the OP end up like one of these guys on the street corner holding up a sign instead of actually getting a job.

    Back in my day... but seriously.

    #39 6 years ago

    Some help sent your way via Paypal. Good luck, man. Save those pins!

    #40 6 years ago

    When are you planning to move? I'm 35 min from Union....

    #41 6 years ago

    Just sent some funds your way via PayPal also. Hopefully it helps.

    Steven is a good kid. I sold him a Devil's Dare as one of his first pins two years ago, and he still has it to this day. I gave him a ridiculously great deal on it given that he was only 17 or 18 and diving hardcore into pinball....and he could have easily flipped it and made out like a bandit. But he didn't.

    Selling pins is a valid suggestion, but even when we are in a pinch and need money there is no guarantee that will happen overnight. Good luck with the repairs, and just don't put any pins back down there until the issues are rectified. Good luck!!

    26
    #42 6 years ago

    You guys sound like you have issues with people who have more pins than you do. Would you be pooping in his Cheerios if he had only 2 or 3 low-priced machines? It just sounds like jealousy. And this has nothing to do with his age or generation (trust me...I live with one that would put anybody's entitled kid to shame).

    He's less than half my age and has 3x the number of my machines, and I don't give a crap. It's about helping out another person. If you don't want to give cash, don't. If you don't want to help him out in person, don't. If you don't want to lend him some equipment to make it easier, don't. You can always just opt for option number four and shut the f**k up.

    #44 6 years ago

    Well my mind is blown by the reaction to my posts. I I guess I was raised differently.

    "You want something? Work hard to earn it."

    -2
    #45 6 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    "You want something? Work hard to earn it."

    ...and "No harm in asking."

    #46 6 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    Well my mind is blown by the reaction to my posts. I I guess I was raised differently.
    "You want something? Work hard to earn it."

    I actually agree with this, but I think the argument is apples to oranges. For instance, if I worked hard (and I did) to get everything I did, and I had damage and asked for help, would you just say "forget him...he's got more machines than me, he can fend for himself?"

    I just can't. And I don't care if he's 19 and working at McDonald's (he's not, btw), or a billionaire. It's about being human.

    #47 6 years ago
    Quoted from beelzeboob:

    You guys sound like you have issues with people who have more pins than you do.

    I have an issue with that map versus my local map. Dang. I apparently need to move.

    Good luck to Otaku, and hopefully you can get something figured out.

    Pinsider map (resized).jpgPinsider map (resized).jpg

    #48 6 years ago

    He doesn't WANT something, he is asking for HELP
    -Mike

    #49 6 years ago
    Quoted from blondetall:

    I have an issue with that map versus my local map. Dang. I apparently need to move.
    Good luck to Otaku, and hopefully you can get something figured out.

    Really. Who the hell would live in Tennessee? Grab a bottle of Jack, a giant-assed plate of BBQ, and get the hell out of there!

    #50 6 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    Well my mind is blown by the reaction to my posts. I I guess I was raised differently.
    "You want something? Work hard to earn it."

    I agree with this but given the circumstances and the hectic / time sensitive nature of the situation I'm not sure this applies directly.

    There are 399 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 8.

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