(Topic ID: 28788)

Worst hack/repair you ever saw.

By mcclad

11 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 4,635 posts
  • 731 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 days ago by jibmums
  • Topic is favorited by 312 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    100_3463 (resized).JPG
    IMG_20240321_181347 (resized).jpg
    IMG_20240321_180554 (resized).jpg
    68714440943__356B9A98-CA54-4C2A-A85D-8E5C24E9F1AA (resized).jpeg
    68714440123__30A6C9F0-7A87-4D13-882F-CC6C530664AA (resized).jpeg
    362393458_1478280539605169_7357000172916421133_n (resized).jpg
    20240316_180228[1] (resized).jpg
    IMG_0602 (resized).jpeg
    IMG_0603 (resized).jpeg
    20240307_145101 (resized).jpg
    20240303_172813 (resized).jpg
    20240219_201720 (resized).jpg
    20170518_080740.jpeg
    20240226_162953 (resized).jpg
    received_922481939573164 (resized).jpeg
    IMG_2329 (resized).JPG

    There are 4,635 posts in this topic. You are on page 26 of 93.
    #1251 6 years ago

    While you guys are talking vise grips there was a pinball podcast I listened to a while back and the guy said something along the lines of I seldom need anything more than a screw driver and vise grips. I was rolling. I think the only time I have ever used them with pinball was to free rusted on leg levelers.

    But custom shooter rod now that's outstanding!!
    Perfect for any real man cave!!

    #1252 6 years ago

    This is without a doubt , the absolute best topic on the forum!! The sh*t people do to either avoid paying the money for the right part , or to keep a game working on the route is absolutely amazing !!

    #1253 6 years ago

    I once saw inside the door panel of my buddy's BMW and the dealer had left a pair of Vise-Grips holding the window guide track, rather than just tack-welding it.

    He said he had taken it in several times for the same problem, so I guess the dealer had found the final solution.

    #1254 6 years ago
    Quoted from DennisDodel:

    Until Craftsman changes the warranty. They used to cover tin snips with the lifetime warranty. When they got dull I would take them back for a new pair. And gave them that reason. "They're dull." No problem.
    "Dull" not covered by the lifetime warranty any longer.

    Unfortunately Sears is not long for this world. At the rate they have been closing stores I think you can consider yourself lucky if you have one within 50 miles of where you live. I save up a bunch of stuff before making the trek.

    The days of the Craftsman lifetime warranty are numbered. Too bad as they are pretty decent tools. Definitely not on the level of Snap-On but a lot better than a lot of the junk out there.

    #1256 6 years ago
    Quoted from Radius118:

    Unfortunately Sears is not long for this world. At the rate they have been closing stores I think you can consider yourself lucky if you have one within 50 miles of where you live. I save up a bunch of stuff before making the trek.
    The days of the Craftsman lifetime warranty are numbered. Too bad as they are pretty decent tools. Definitely not on the level of Snap-On but a lot better than a lot of the junk out there.

    Craftsman ≠ Sears
    Craftsman was split off from Sears a while ago. Craftsman is now sold at Sears, in addition to Ace Hardware and other places.
    Craftsman will outlive Sears.

    Edit: Not years ago, but a while back.

    #1257 6 years ago
    Quoted from Mk1Mod0:

    Craftsman now has a new owner and will be selling out of Ace Hardware stores I think.
    http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/a24624/sears-to-sell-the-craftsman-brand/

    They have been available at Ace Hardware for a while now. Returned a broken Craftsman screwdriver there last year and they exchanged it without a problem.

    #1258 6 years ago

    Stanley bought Craftsman last May. Interesting arrangement.
    https://seekingalpha.com/article/4061689-stanley-great-deal-craftsman

    #1259 6 years ago
    Quoted from RCA1:

    Craftsman ≠ Sears
    Craftsman was split off from Sears a while ago. Craftsman is now sold at Sears, in addition to Ace Hardware and other places.
    Craftsman will outlive Sears.
    Edit: Not years ago, but a while back.

    Craftsman is also sold at kmart. Not a big selection. But they do exchange broken tools.

    #1260 6 years ago
    Quoted from Drewscruis:

    Craftsman is also sold at kmart. Not a big selection. But they do exchange broken tools.

    Are they really? I think all the Kmarts shut down around me.

    #1261 6 years ago

    K-Mart / Sears are the same company (and Orchard Supply).

    #1262 6 years ago

    Well that's good news. I did not know Sears sold the Craftsman brand to Stanley. I hope the quality doesn't go downhill.

    I had seen Craftsman at K-Mart and Ace but I figured it was just a distribution deal.

    #1263 6 years ago

    I was told the quality of Craftsman went down in the eighties. They where at one time almost as good a snap-on.
    I never thought much about it. Had a bunch of truecraft? Tools with a supposed great guarantee, but the auto parts store I bought from has been gone for a long time.
    I have never broken any tool except maybe a socket adapter due to rust or improper leverage and excessive torque.
    I have a ton of snap on from my Dad and Grandfather but I wouldn't even know how to ask for a replacement and if it is even possible as not original purchaser.

    Snap on is the supposed best I like to think so, and can see buying a rachet or other often used tool that could cause you injury if fails, but to be honest a set of bench top tools I got from Kmart has been through a ton of work over the years and didn't cost all that much.
    And yeah the 1/8 to 1/4 adapter broke and was a bit of a hassle to get another one.
    So that Kmart lifetime warranty was really only meant to make you feel all warm and good inside on day of purchase.

    #1264 6 years ago
    Quoted from CNKay:

    ....
    I have a ton of snap on from my Dad and Grandfather but I wouldn't even know how to ask for a replacement and if it is even possible as not original purchaser. ..

    You see the truck at a shop in town and you park off to the side and then march right up and hand the man your broken socket. If it was one that Granddad bought back in '37 you may get a comment about the age of the tool as he is digging for the replacement. He hands you a new one and you go on your way.

    #1265 6 years ago

    I know this is Pinside, but can we get back on topic please?

    #1266 6 years ago

    Not the worst hack I have seen, but I found this floating woofer mod in the R&B I picked up off of an operator on route. Bonus points the alligator clip wiring harness breakaway feature for when the woofer drops through the hole.

    Oh, and of course there is the ubiquitous operator installed wire nut mod in the head.

    IMG_0568 (resized).JPGIMG_0568 (resized).JPG

    IMG_0569 (resized).JPGIMG_0569 (resized).JPG

    #1267 6 years ago
    Quoted from rviguet:

    Not the worst hack I have seen, but I found this floating woofer mod in the R&B I picked up off of an operator on route. Bonus points the alligator clip wiring harness breakaway feature for when the woofer drops through the hole.
    Oh, and of course there is the ubiquitous operator installed wire nut mod in the head.

    Ya...he really should have used a sparkOmatic brand speaker!

    #1268 6 years ago

    Speaking of flaky wiring. Again nowhere near the worst example, just something I recently ran into... it was quite shocking.

    IMG_5877 (resized).JPGIMG_5877 (resized).JPG

    #1269 6 years ago

    If these are the "worst hacks" you guys need to get your hands dirty. Direct soldering... wire nuts... this is real world... not worst hacks. Sometimes these posts make me think people have never seen anything but restored games or nib.

    This stuff is child's play and not really 'bad' - just not pure.

    #1270 6 years ago

    Here is off my darling. Brush for the keeping the pop adjusted.

    IMG_20170806_131730 (resized).jpgIMG_20170806_131730 (resized).jpg

    #1271 6 years ago

    Ball cleaning mod?
    faz

    #1272 6 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    If these are the "worst hacks" you guys need to get your hands dirty. Direct soldering... wire nuts... this is real world... not worst hacks. Sometimes these posts make me think people have never seen anything but restored games or nib.
    This stuff is child's play and not really 'bad' - just not pure.

    Yeah it's common stuff, just trying to get the thread back on track.

    #1273 6 years ago

    Common enough to on a daily basis!!

    Love it and hate it at same time. Fun to talk about for sure.

    12
    #1274 6 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    If these are the "worst hacks" you guys need to get your hands dirty. Direct soldering... wire nuts... this is real world... not worst hacks. Sometimes these posts make me think people have never seen anything but restored games or nib.
    This stuff is child's play and not really 'bad' - just not pure.

    You must be fun at parties.

    #1275 6 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    If these are the "worst hacks" you guys need to get your hands dirty. Direct soldering... wire nuts... this is real world... not worst hacks. Sometimes these posts make me think people have never seen anything but restored games or nib.
    This stuff is child's play and not really 'bad' - just not pure.

    Keep in mind that the thread title is "Worst hack repair YOU ever saw". The key word in that phrase is YOU.

    #1276 6 years ago
    Quoted from Spyderturbo007:

    Keep in mind that the thread title is "Worst hack repair YOU ever saw". The key word in that phrase is YOU.

    Yeah, but some of the posts put up as hacks in this thread amount to nothing more than someone having to get creative to make a fix when no parts, on perhaps no money, is available to keep the ole' "working" girl running and making income. Some of the hacks have the flavor of the farmer fixing everything with a length of baling wire, but some of the hacks look like they were put together by some smart people using what they had on hand to make a repair.

    Some of these hacks look like they could be before the internet was around. So, if someone was out in the middle of BF Egypt, and the Walmart store of pinball parts was not close by, what should be done? Try to fix it with what's available, or shove it out into the chicken coop to deteriorate and where some pinsider, in the future, will find it and shout to the heavens about the pinball horror that he just witnessed ?

    #1277 6 years ago

    Would I direct solder a pin to get a game running in the field when out of pins? Heck yeah and I did. Would I do it in a way that leaves exposed hot wires hidden in the middle of a bundle of wires that can potentially short against something else? Hell no.

    Would I secure a coil using packing tape and pennies? Probably not but I can say for sure that if I ever did it would just be for the afternoon while I ran to get what was needed for a proper fix.

    So ingenious field hack to get a game running? Maybe... but also terrible in that those pennies could have easily fell and shorted the coils lugs, the game still didn't play right.

    Heck... even just a couple weeks ago ran into a game where a target bracket broke. The owner has no spare available we just zip tied a flipper rubber into the hole so balls wouldn't jam then jumpered to a neighbor in the same column to keep the mode accessible for players. Got the game through the show and back home where it could be properly repaired.

    So yeah hacks happen all the time... doesn't change the fact that they are still hacks and should be fixed properly asap.

    #1278 6 years ago
    Quoted from merccat:

    Would I direct solder a pin to get a game running in the field when out of pins? Heck yeah and I did. Would I do it in a way that leaves exposed hot wires hidden in the middle of a bundle of wires that can potentially short against something else? Hell no.
    Would I secure a coil using packing tape and pennies? Probably not but I can say for sure that if I ever did it would just be for the afternoon while I ran to get what was needed for a proper fix.
    So ingenious field hack to get a game running? Maybe... but also terrible in that those pennies could have easily fell and shorted the coils lugs, the game still didn't play right.
    Heck... even just a couple weeks ago ran into a game where a target bracket broke. The owner has no spare available we just zip tied a flipper rubber into the hole so balls wouldn't jam then jumpered to a neighbor in the same column to keep the mode accessible for players. Got the game through the show and back home where it could be properly repaired.
    So yeah hacks happen all the time... doesn't change the fact that they are still hacks and should be fixed properly asap.

    Pretty much sums it up...

    Thread is an enjoy the pics thread about hacks....a hack is a hack whether good/bad, permanent/temporary, or by you/someone else. Yes, parts available sometimes is issue were you have no choice to keep it going. Doesn't mean you have to do a poor job....but hack is hack.

    Why are we debating about levels of hacks? Lol

    Lets just see more pics of the horror

    #1279 6 years ago

    New to me - bought some boards to rehab and resell and didn't look closely enough at the pictures. Apparently we ordered the wrong part or just went with what the local Radio Shack carried. Not one, but two of the five had this mod performed. Did it work? Sure! is it hack-ish? Yep. Someone out there may even recognize the work...

    IMG_9536 (resized).JPGIMG_9536 (resized).JPG

    IMG_9537 (resized).JPGIMG_9537 (resized).JPG

    IMG_9538 (resized).JPGIMG_9538 (resized).JPG

    14
    #1280 6 years ago

    From the ToM Thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/theatre-of-magic-club/page/39#post-3919491

    15A car fuse soldered to a GI fuse socket on a WPC board.

    Screen Shot 2017-08-17 at 6.06.16 AM (resized).pngScreen Shot 2017-08-17 at 6.06.16 AM (resized).png

    #1281 6 years ago
    Quoted from lyonsden:

    From the ToM Thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/theatre-of-magic-club/page/39#post-3919491
    15A car fuse soldered to a GI fuse socket on a WPC board.

    Well...see....this is what happens when Radio Shack (as declined as they were) goes under......you have to buy your fuses at AutoZone car parts!

    #1282 6 years ago
    Quoted from pacmanretro:

    Well...see....this is what happens when Radio Shack (as declined as they were) goes under......you have to buy your fuses at AutoZone car parts!

    Autozone has appropriate fuses, this was just plain lazy......

    #1283 6 years ago
    Quoted from AUKraut:

    Autozone has appropriate fuses, this was just plain lazy......

    I thought those wpc boards were the smaller fuses (5x15 instead of 5x20 I believe).

    Didn't realize autozone carried smaller glass fuses (or ones rated over 32V for that matter). Never noticed those at mine.

    #1284 6 years ago
    Quoted from Mk1Mod0:

    New to me - bought some boards to rehab and resell and didn't look closely enough at the pictures. Apparently we ordered the wrong part or just went with what the local Radio Shack carried. Not one, but two of the five had this mod performed. Did it work? Sure! is it hack-ish? Yep. Someone out there may even recognize the work...

    Ingenious! Took me a minute to even notice the actual mod.

    Not something I would do, but in a pinch....sure looks like it worked.

    #1285 6 years ago
    Quoted from PghPinballRescue:

    sure looks like it worked.

    yup! And I can't help but picture some guy in a little back room shop hitting these boards with a dremel and getting a face full of fibers...

    #1286 6 years ago

    Found a porcupine in a Card Whiz I picked up today...

    20170820_123903 (resized).jpg20170820_123903 (resized).jpg

    #1287 6 years ago

    I can see why they keep it under a tarp.

    spunout (resized).jpgspunout (resized).jpg

    #1288 6 years ago
    Quoted from balzofsteel:

    I can see why they keep it under a tarp.

    What on Earth did they do that for?

    17
    #1289 6 years ago
    Quoted from ZeldaOoT:

    What on Earth did they do that for?

    I'd guess to keep the dust off

    16
    #1290 6 years ago
    Quoted from ZeldaOoT:

    What on Earth did they do that for?

    Looks like someone left the pin too close to a horny grandfather clock and nature did something unnatural.

    #1291 6 years ago

    I think that turned out half-decent.

    Not something I'd ever do, but it doesn't look THAT bad.

    Makes me think the guy did that to appeal to the wife and make it match their other furniture more.

    #1292 6 years ago

    Nah. That was just some one with a table saw and too much time on his hands. Have Saw---Need Project.

    #1293 6 years ago
    Quoted from balzofsteel:

    Looks like someone left the pin too close to a horny grandfather clock and nature did something unnatural.

    It's the Granny's Kitchen SLE.

    #1294 6 years ago
    Quoted from PghPinballRescue:

    I think that turned out half-decent.
    Not something I'd ever do, but it doesn't look THAT bad.
    Makes me think the guy did that to appeal to the wife and make it match their other furniture more.

    I'm hoping that it was done to rescue a game with a water/insect/fire destroyed cabinet from the parts bin..

    I'm not putting any pins near the clock - just to be sure.

    #1295 6 years ago
    Quoted from balzofsteel:

    Looks like someone left the pin too close to a horny grandfather clock and nature did something unnatural.

    Or, maybe cabinet got damaged in a bar fight and sight repair tech only had a grandfather clock on truck to fix (hack / repair) it?

    #1296 6 years ago

    Inside the head of a strikes and spares that I picked up...

    20170826_192611 (resized).jpg20170826_192611 (resized).jpg

    20170826_192625 (resized).jpg20170826_192625 (resized).jpg

    #1297 6 years ago
    Quoted from sohchx:

    Inside the head of a strikes and spares that I picked up...

    Aw nuts! Wire nuts that is... Too many connection points there!

    Shawn

    #1298 6 years ago

    Wow...those are some rough solder connections on top of it!

    #1299 6 years ago
    Quoted from balzofsteel:

    I can see why they keep it under a tarp.

    Dude, I like Spin Out too. But not like this.

    #1300 6 years ago

    What no heatshrink ?

    That's nuts!!

    There are 4,635 posts in this topic. You are on page 26 of 93.

    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/worst-hackrepair-you-ever-saw/page/26?hl=kenm 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.