(Topic ID: 64345)

The 10 Commandments of Pinball Repair. What you should NEVER do...

By mof

10 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 169 posts
  • 99 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 years ago by Angyalpor
  • Topic is favorited by 45 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    image.jpg
    201310-10-commandments.jpg
    201310-10-commandments.jpg
    top-10-never.jpg
    P9280029.JPG

    There are 169 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 4.
    #1 10 years ago

    I'd like to set up a "10 Commandments" of things to NEVER do in pinball maintenance. Know any knucklehead that could use one of these 10-commandments hung on the wall of the game room? I sure do, I make repeat mistakes. It's so embarrassing. Can you pitch in a little good advice to save a brother from more bleeding/cursing/'waiting for parts to arrive' purgatory? To make it interesting, instead of making an "always" list, let's make it a "NEVER" list.

    1. Post your BEST advice of something to NEVER do that is catastrophic to the well-being of a pinball machine for routine maintenance.

    2. Include the word NEVER in your commandment.

    3. Post one Commandment at a time so you get votes for each idea. Post as many as you wish.

    4. Vote on the ones you like most with a thumbs up.

    Have at it! Once we reach 25 commandments, we'll take the top-10 with the most thumbs-up votes for the 10-commandments. All commandments will make the list. Your goal is to be first to write a great commandment, and word it clearly, so that people give it the thumbs up.

    I would save your votes for NEVER statements that are: accurate, catastrophic, common occurrences -- and therefore valuable insights to bear in mind while working on your machines. I would assert that circuit board issues should rank over all others, but let's decide that after we see all 25+.

    Hopefully, next time you go to work on your machine, you'll remember one of the 10 Commandments and save yourself some headaches.

    Have it at!
    -mof

    10
    #2 10 years ago

    10 Commandments of Pinball Repair from Pinside! (in no particular order)

    Thou Shalt...
    1. NEVER stick a tool in the game with the power on.
    2. NEVER try to fix "broken" things without checking all the fuses first!
    3. NEVER walk away from the machine or power it on if you just heard the smallest screw drop and vanish from sight. Find it now!
    4. NEVER work on another part of the machine until you've verified that the Last Thing you worked on was a success!
    5. NEVER assume there is no power running through machine just because its turned off. This goes with never assume it's unplugged until you're staring at three prongs.
    6. NEVER forget to take many pics (and verify they are useful shots) when you tell yourself; "That'll be easy to remember."
    7. NEVER assume that the glass won't slide down when the lockdown bar is removed and you turn around to put the lockdown bar somewhere else.
    8. NEVER lift the playfield without securing the balls first.
    9. NEVER leave any tools in the cabinet, or you'll never find 'em when you need 'em.
    10. NEVER place a screw or bolt on the playfield or apron -- "but it's just one screw!". Seconds later you'll need to lift the playfield to look at something, and you'll lose it forever into the abyss!

    Thou Shalt Also...
    * NEVER assume your significant other will be OK with yet another machine finding it's way into your home without consulting her first.
    * NEVER work under the playfield with your wedding ring on.
    * NEVER transport the machine with the backbox up.
    * NEVER use WD-40.
    * NEVER assume a capacitor has discharged.
    * NEVER assume a switch is making a good connection simply because it closes.
    * NEVER work on a pinball machine without shoes on.
    * NEVER desolder a part until you have verified that the replacement part is on hand.
    * NEVER assume the ribbon cables are long enough to move the parts without disconnecting them.
    * NEVER assume a cut wire you found was cut for a reason.
    * NEVER never rush in removing Mylar.
    * NEVER leave your soldering iron on the edge of something where you can back into it.
    * NEVER use the shooting rod as an handle to lift the cabinet while trying to fix the legs on a one man job.
    * NEVER move a machine down or up stairs by oneself.
    * NEVER replace your playfield glass with plate glass.
    * NEVER set playfield glass on concrete.
    * NEVER plug in a machine with a faulty power cord, and that includes when the ground pin was cut off.
    * NEVER replace a fuse with anything that is rated OVER the required fuse
    * NEVER assume changing the fuse is fixing the problem (until you find out what blew the fuse).
    * NEVER play a test game with the apron off.
    * NEVER guess at what to repair without first consulting the schematics.
    * NEVER wire in a component that has been cut out by a previous owner, without first finding out why it was cut in the first place.

    And Finally, NEVER forget...
    "Thou shalt NEVER covet thy neighbor's Whitewater." - vid1900

    Here's my version of the 10 Commandments for my wall ! Thanks to you !

    201310-10-commandments.jpg201310-10-commandments.jpg

    #3 10 years ago

    For example, I recently flipped around the coil on a flipper rebuild (to keep the resistors away from the coil stop), and forgot to reverse the wires based on the photos (since the photos were now backwards), and turned on the machine and played. I blew out 4 fuses, and the flipper coil resistors. What fun. It was my second time doing this in 6 months. So I'd say:

    "NEVER power up your machine when doing a flipper rebuild, until you've checked the wiring against the photos 3 times, and you are EXTREMELY sure that the photos are still valid based on whether you flipped the coil around or not."

    -mof

    18
    #4 10 years ago

    Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's White Water.

    #5 10 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's White Water.

    LOL -- that's taken directly from the "10 Commandments of Pinball Etiquette"

    That's a top-10 list that is burning to be set up... haha...

    nice one!
    -mof

    31
    #6 10 years ago

    In response to my most frequent mistake:

    Never forget to secure the pinballs before lifting the playfield.

    #7 10 years ago

    Thou shalt not forget to remove or block off the balls before raising your playfield. I still keep forgetting this one.

    #8 10 years ago

    #1.Never try to fix "broken" things without first checking the fuses dummy !

    Don't know how many times that one still gets me.

    #9 10 years ago

    Great minds think alike!

    #10 10 years ago

    Thou shalt never work under the playfield with your wedding ring on.

    #11 10 years ago
    Quoted from Craig:

    In response to my most frequent mistake:
    Never forget to secure the pinballs before lifting the playfield.

    I have a fix for that, I'll post a pic later. =) Take 2 sheets of paper towel, and fold it until it's 1.5 inches wide. Then roll it VERY tight. Now wrap it with painters tape when it's the width of a shooter lane. Pop that in front of the trough hole. Works for me every time. I am too lazy to pull balls out over and over. I haven't named it yet, I'll call it the "shooter-lane-plug." or... "lane turtle" ?

    The Troughpon: (and much more)
    http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/show-and-tell-your-diy-homemade-tools

    -mof

    #12 10 years ago

    Never transport with the backbox up.

    13
    #13 10 years ago

    Thao shall never use WD-40

    #14 10 years ago
    Quoted from mof:

    I have a fix for that

    I have a sponge that I use for the same purpose, but I confess that I often forget to put it in until it's too late. Doh!

    #15 10 years ago
    Quoted from Craig:

    I have a sponge that I use for the same purpose, but I confess that I often forget to put it in until it's too late. Doh!

    Lane Turtle is way more fun to use than a sponge !!! =)
    Wait a sec -- it's way more an Armadillo than a turtle... Lane Armadillo ?
    -mof

    12
    #16 10 years ago
    Quoted from mof:

    I have a fix for that, I'll post a pic later. =) Take 2 sheets of paper towel, and fold it until it's 1.5 inches wide. Then roll it VERY tight. Now wrap it with painters tape when it's the width of a shooter lane. Pop that in front of the trough hole. Works for me every time. I am too lazy to pull balls out over and over. I haven't named it yet, I'll call it the "shooter-lane-plug." or... "lane turtle" ?
    -mof

    That is called a Trough Tampon.

    #1 is don't ever stick a tool in the game with it on.

    #17 10 years ago

    #18 10 years ago
    Quoted from Craig:

    I have a sponge that I use for the same purpose, but I confess that I often forget to put it in until it's too late. Doh!

    I used to use a rag on STTNG to block the wireform in the shooter lane. Then I would lift the playfield only to hear balls smashing into the other side of the subway. Now I just remove them all before lifting the playfield so I don't crack the subway. Took me a while to learn that. I'm slow.

    #19 10 years ago

    Thou shall remember to put balls back in machine before closing it all up.

    #20 10 years ago

    Thou shall learn to change batteries every year.

    #21 10 years ago

    Trough tampon. Now thats classic.

    #22 10 years ago
    Quoted from Rickwh:

    Trough tampon. Now thats classic.

    Troughpon?
    -mof

    #23 10 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Do NOT leave any tools in the cabinet, or you will NEVER find them.

    or glasses...

    thou shalt never assume a fuse is good simply because it looks good...

    #24 10 years ago

    #25 10 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Or bad because you are selling the machine.

    as we all know, "it's probably just a fuse"...

    16
    #26 10 years ago

    Thou shall never assume that the glass won't slide down when the lockdown bar is removed and you turn around to put the lockdown bar somewhere else...

    #27 10 years ago
    Quoted from pintechev:

    Thou shall never assume that the glass won't slide down when the lockdown bar is removed and you turn around to put the lockdown bar somewhere else...

    Really? my glass has never moved, but man o man I've had a few lockdown bars come sliding down off a neighboring machine and scare the crap out of me. Minor scuff on the floor...

    #28 10 years ago

    Thou shalt not put so much trust into your magnetic nut driver that you assume you're so good at replacing bulbs (or replacing with LED's) with the power ON because that screw WILL fall a cause a short...

    But it is nice having that extra light

    #29 10 years ago

    NEVER take the glass off and set it on the floor, leaning between two machines, ANYWHERE where your pinky toe can AND WILL catch it while you walk by. OMFG that hurts.

    (Never work on your machines in bare feet...? Not gonna happen, it gets hot sometimes...)
    -mof

    #30 10 years ago

    per the request of the op... separate posts...

    thou shalt never assume a capacitor has discharged...

    #31 10 years ago

    thou shalt never assume a switch is making a good connection simply because it closes...

    #32 10 years ago
    Quoted from mof:

    Never take the glass off and set it on the floor ANYWHERE where your pinky toe can catch it while you walk by. OMFG that hurts.
    -mof

    thou shalt never work on a pinball machine without shoes on...

    #33 10 years ago

    #34 10 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Mine has. I turned my back, and CRASH! It slid right off Judge Dredd, which is a widepin.
    It didn't break!

    Holy balls. I had one un-lean itself from the wall when I bumped into it, and it landed flat too. No damage. Just had to recharge my pace-maker afterwards. Them pinball godz r 4real!

    -mof

    #35 10 years ago

    Never use WD-40

    #36 10 years ago

    Never use Super Glue

    #37 10 years ago

    Thou shalt not solder while drinking...

    #38 10 years ago
    Quoted from UKCatsFan76:

    Thou shalt not solder while drinking...

    Umm, I see no problem with that.

    #39 10 years ago

    #40 10 years ago

    Never assume that the machine is unplugged until the cord is safely in your hand and you are looking at the front of the plug. Then you can be certain that you will actually remember that the machine is unplugged....at least until you wonder if you remembered to unplug the machine ?!?
    LowScore
    Bob D

    #41 10 years ago

    Thou shalt never try to maintain a NIB machine

    #42 10 years ago

    Never under any circumstances assume the craigslist "steal" is legit until it's in your truck.

    #43 10 years ago

    Never believe anything you hear on Pinside about MM being remade again

    #44 10 years ago

    Never lift the playfield and use a metal tool with the power on.

    #45 10 years ago

    Seems like there are a lot of suggestions of things not to do while the power is on. Why not consolidate it to 'the power should always be OFF until you need it on, and not the other way around'.

    I started working on pinballs terrified of shorts and electrocution, so this is what I do and I've never had anything go wrong.

    #46 10 years ago

    Never remove a bunch of plastics to change a bulb that can be reached by removing one socket under the playfield.

    #47 10 years ago

    NEVER, EVER assume your significant other will be OK with yet another machine finding it's way into your home without consulting her first.

    #48 10 years ago
    Quoted from accidental:

    Seems like there are a lot of suggestions of things not to do while the power is on. Why not consolidate it to 'the power should always be OFF until you need it on, and not the other way around'.
    I started working on pinballs terrified of shorts and electrocution, so this is what I do and I've never had anything go wrong.

    some of us like to live dangerously...

    #49 10 years ago

    Never remove ICs without first insuring the capactors are discharged.

    #50 10 years ago

    Never leave batteries on the board

    There are 169 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 4.

    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/the-10-commandments-of-pinball-maintenance-what-you-should-never-do 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.