Congrats on joining the Tommy club ! One of Data Easts finest.
Quoted from zahner:
Question - is returning the playfield to the down position from having it propped up on the "support bracket" as difficult for all of you as it was for me? Wrestled with it until a big thump and it went back in place. Seems like it wants to be lifted from back while moving the PF back in place. I've owned dozens of pins over the last few decades, but this one kind of threw me.
Have you ever had a Data East / Sega / Stern machine ? - this *is* how they are. It's a horrible system - yes you can bump it over the supports but I hate crashing the playfield around like that so I push it in with my left hand, whilst lifting up the back at the bottom of the backboard with my right hand. You only need a slight lift to get it to slide far more gently over the 'bump'. Like I said ...it's a horrible design.
Quoted from zahner:
Also, any "just too cool to pass on" mods or otherwise that are unique to Tommy?
Absolutely upgrade the Code to Chad's 5.0 Revision - if it hasn't been done already. Huge improvements to score balance, bugs, extra lighting effects, extra dots, revamped modes, more blinder action ...it really lifts the game from very good ! to great !
http://www.pinballcode.com/tommy5
Upgrade the flat original propellers to superior 3D ones. These in the video are sold by Robert H, sometimes on Ebay, or contact him thru his website
http://www.pinwizman.com/
ColorDMD of course is always a good mod !
Tinkering wise - It is worth spending some time ensuring the spinners are spinning optimally. Especially the right hand one - it's a tight shot round there and any resistance from the spinner can stop a good orbit.