(Topic ID: 28788)

Worst hack/repair you ever saw.

By mcclad

11 years ago


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  • 4,631 posts
  • 731 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 11 hours ago by ajfclark
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    There are 4,631 posts in this topic. You are on page 34 of 93.
    #1651 6 years ago
    Quoted from Dono:

    Mata Hari EM playfield...Ive seen a bunch of post additions between the flippers but never one in the middle of a playfield...geez...

    Looks like an improvement to me....

    #1652 6 years ago
    Quoted from Dono:

    Mata Hari EM playfield...Ive seen a bunch of post additions between the flippers but never one in the middle of a playfield...geez...

    They didn't want to hack the kick out hole arm by bending the tip to prevent sdtm drains from it. Well done....

    1 week later
    #1653 6 years ago

    Really???? They couldn’t have found nails with bigger heads and maybe a file pattern on top? No wonder the ball was rusty and pitted and the pf has deep swirls everywhere. And please don’t tell me this is factory original. OMG pulled one and shame on me. It is factory coil assembly mounting screws but installed on top of the Mylar bumper protectors. So what the heck to do about this????

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    #1654 6 years ago

    Looks factory to me. Three to mount the coil bracket.
    Oh your saying the mylar is down frist then nail? Take a Dremel and or with hand finishing, polish as best you can and put a 1'' mylar circle over them. I don't think the ball should really ever touch if pops working correctly.

    #1655 6 years ago

    Yes looks like someone carefully pulled them out, put down adhesive mount Mylar, then put them back over the Mylar. Ball hits all 9 of them. Don’t want to take a chance on pulling up Mylar. So will take your advice and grind smooth (they come out pretty easily) polish, then cover w 1” Mylar and replace bumper skirts.

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    #1656 6 years ago

    LOTR has a plastic ramp at the tip of the center ramp that will bring the ball to the right whenever it does not lock in the magnets center shot. The plastic ramp is known to break and is easily available in a 2 set for 10dollars.
    I surprisingly didn't notice at first until a ball actually got stuck in the middle of the rubber loop in the second week of owning it. While I can not get the red v piece for underneath the plastic ramp without buying the whole plastics set, I was able to take out the screw and rubber mod that was in place instead of the readily available ramp.
    The game now plays as intended and hopefully I can replace the last plastic piece soon to cover the screw hole still remaining.
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    1 week later
    #1657 5 years ago

    Besides the audio cable.... this power supply was in really really good shape.

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    #1658 5 years ago

    Well, they eliminated the burnt connector issue pretty effectively..

    Richard

    #1659 5 years ago

    Found this on a MM I picked up today.

    Why change the settings and put the game in free play when you can just drill a hole in the coin door and hot wire a button to "add quarters" on demand.

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    #1660 5 years ago

    Hahaha I’m sorry that’s hilarious, Unbelievable...some people I tell ya

    #1661 5 years ago
    Quoted from mal7887:

    Found this on a MM I picked up today.
    Why change the settings and put the game in free play when you can just drill a hole in the coin door and hot wire a button to "add quarters" on demand.

    I serviced someone's TZ not too long ago and they had the coin switch fed through the coin return slot just hanging out there. Another case of not changing the game setting

    #1662 5 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    I serviced someone's TZ not too long ago and they had the coin switch fed through the coin return slot just hanging out there. Another case of not changing the game setting

    Although it was a push button switch, like the one drilled through the door above, That's the way all distributors (real distributors, for route operators, with a building, parts department, service department, machines in inventory, ready for immediate delivery, buyback of used equipment, even for $50.00 a machine, multiple employees) would set the equipment on "free play" so you can simulate inserting a coin or bill to get a play/vend.

    #1663 5 years ago

    It's foolproof.. maybe handy if the batteries died and the game resets every time you turn it on.

    #1664 5 years ago

    Too bad all pins don't have that. Would save me money.

    #1665 5 years ago
    Quoted from MrBally:

    Although it was a push button switch, like the one drilled through the door above, That's the way all distributors (real distributors, for route operators, with a building, parts department, service department, machines in inventory, ready for immediate delivery, buyback of used equipment, even for $50.00 a machine, multiple employees) would set the equipment on "free play" so you can simulate inserting a coin or bill to get a play/vend.

    Doesn't require a manual. Doesn't require walking the home customer through the game menu to reset free play when the battery is replaced. Still works even if the battery is dead. I can see where it would be preferable to setting the free play option, especially 10-15 years ago.

    At least they punched it through the bill validator insert blank, so it can be restored just by finding another blanking plate.

    #1666 5 years ago

    In the past I had a couple arcade games with no free play. I would put a micro switch inside the coin return flap so you could just push the flap to add credits. When I got rid of them I just popped in a little black plastic hole plug thing and you couldn't even tell.

    11
    #1667 5 years ago

    Take it to the next level. Install a long flat lever style submicro and two small zip-ties...presto, pushing the coin reject button adds a credit. I did this trick on many older classic vids where no free play option existed.

    (disclaimer: well, there's actually THREE zip ties in there because I used two short ones looped on the long side. Don't overlook the third one which goes through the hole in the switch body and holds it down against the coin mech.)

    Richard

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    #1668 5 years ago
    Quoted from someotherguy:

    Take it to the next level. Install a long flat lever style submicro and two small zip-ties...presto, pushing the coin reject button adds a credit. I did this trick on many older classic vids where no free play option existed.
    (disclaimer: well, there's actually THREE zip ties in there because I used two short ones looped on the long side. Don't overlook the third one which goes through the hole in the switch body and holds it down against the coin mech.)
    Richard

    Huh, that's clever. I haven't seen that one before.

    I've seen switches mounted in front of coin reject buttons before, but usually without the coin mech.

    #1669 5 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    Huh, that's clever. I haven't seen that one before.
    I've seen switches mounted in front of coin reject buttons before, but usually without the coin mech.

    I've been doing that for years, especially on arcade games that have a static screen when you turn on freeplay

    #1670 5 years ago
    Quoted from mal7887:

    Found this on a MM I picked up today.
    Why change the settings and put the game in free play when you can just drill a hole in the coin door and hot wire a button to "add quarters" on demand.

    Any chance it was just an arcade door they re-used? That's typical of arcades that didn't have free-play options in their ROMs.

    #1671 5 years ago

    Quality repair on a TZ coil end stop using a bit of workshop shelving and a shooter tip, nice!

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    #1672 5 years ago

    As I am looking at it and laughing, I also am hearing " if it ain't broke don't fix it".

    #1673 5 years ago

    Nevermind, I found it on terry's site at pinballlife.com

    #1674 5 years ago

    Found this a while ago but don't think I posted it here.

    Magnasave stopped working on my WCS, but the fuse metered out. Later the travel gate stopped working, pulled the fuse and found this. New fuse didn't fix magnasave so something is prob burnt.

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    #1675 5 years ago

    Looks like they turned it into a 10Amp fuse

    So whatever it was protecting is likely toast.

    #1676 5 years ago
    Quoted from someotherguy:

    Picked up a Zaccaria Time Machine a few years back. Seller obviously had problems with the backbox lock, so he had "his guys" take care of it...which was a damn shame because otherwise the cabinet was very nice. Nice machine overall.
    I have no doubt they are the ones that did it, too, as the van it was sitting in the back of had fresh sawdust everywhere around the immediate area.
    I'm betting this machine ended up in the collection of someone here, though I can't recall who I sold it to. It's been a while. Kinda hard to miss this identifying mark, though!!!
    Richard

    I actually bought this machine. It's still in the exact same condition unfortunately. I'd gotten out of the hobby sort of (hadn't played or worked on any of my games) for awhile. Starting to get back into things but this one is down the list in what to get up and running. Hopefully it won't be too much longer but I still have no idea how i'm going to fix what was done to the poor head. Sucks because the rest of the cabinet is almost pristine.

    #1677 5 years ago

    Nice fuse

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    #1678 5 years ago

    is that the extra, extra, extra slow blow variety?

    #1679 5 years ago
    Quoted from j_m_:

    is that the extra, extra, extra slow blow variety?

    I'm thinking that's the no-blo style. The machine blows instead of the fuse.

    Richard

    #1680 5 years ago

    Whoever did that couldn't even get it right! Everyone knows that a #8-32 X 1-1/4 is the universal fuse substitute!

    #1681 5 years ago

    I can see why it's not working; that screw is a little short

    faz

    #1682 5 years ago

    Its welded stuck

    #1683 5 years ago
    Quoted from pinball_faz:

    I can see why it's not working; that screw is a little short
    faz

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    1 week later
    #1684 5 years ago

    Does this count? Holy hell

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    #1685 5 years ago
    Quoted from gregh:

    Does this count? Holy hell

    #1686 5 years ago
    Quoted from gregh:

    Does this count? Holy hell

    Counts times 10. Perhaps someone convinced him the red spade connectors are fuses? Just a thought...

    #1687 5 years ago
    Quoted from Mk1Mod0:

    Counts times 10. Perhaps someone convinced him the red spade connectors are fuses? Just a thought...

    Hahaha it's very possible. I'm just lucky he left enough original wire I can get it all back together properly.

    #1688 5 years ago

    :S)It’s all very well labeled. Seems fine to me!

    #1689 5 years ago

    Poor System 9 board. I guess it could be a rainy day project when there is nothing else to work on. Honestly I don't know what someone was/wasn't thinking as they hacked this board. Just about everything that was touched ruined a trace. Still trying to figure out just how the top of the board is so hacked up for U49. Just sad. Some people just aren't up to desoldering/soldering on PCB's

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    #1690 5 years ago
    Quoted from Robotworkshop:

    Honestly I don't know what someone was/wasn't thinking as they hacked this board.

    It looks like they were steeling parts from this board and didn't care about the damage they were causing.

    #1691 5 years ago

    If that's the case, lets hope the parts they pulled off the board to repair were removed nicer. I mean, WOW.

    #1692 5 years ago
    Quoted from Robotworkshop:

    Still trying to figure out just how the top of the board is so hacked up for U49.

    Let me help you...

    "Desoldering tool"
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    #1693 5 years ago

    I totally forgot to take a picture, so sorry.

    But in your mind picture a gottlieb driver board with one on the large TO3 case transistors flapping in the breeze and connected with appliance cord. And smaller transistor with enamel coil wire wrapped around the board from front to back as a fix for heat (desoldering) damage to traces and mounting pads.

    #1694 5 years ago
    Quoted from GRUMPY:

    It looks like they were steeling parts from this board and didn't care about the damage they were causing.

    Agreed. Somebody went shopping on that board.

    I'd say it could definitely be fixed, but "rainy day" for sure, and it's gonna be a rats' nest of jumper wires! When it's all said and done, an "after" picture could probably still qualify in this thread, but at least it would be working again.

    Richard

    #1695 5 years ago
    Quoted from someotherguy:

    I'd say it could definitely be fixed, but "rainy day" for sure

    I'm thinking a couple rainy days for sure.

    14
    #1696 5 years ago
    Quoted from someotherguy:

    Agreed. Somebody went shopping on that board.
    I'd say it could definitely be fixed, but "rainy day" for sure, and it's gonna be a rats' nest of jumper wires! When it's all said and done, an "after" picture could probably still qualify in this thread, but at least it would be working again.

    Well, I suppose it depends just on how much time I wanted to kill. Since that board isn't particularly rare I don't think I am going to mess with it. I'll focus on more important projects for now. If I did need that board then I would probably use the wirewrap wire to bend up new traces like I did on this WPC board. It had a small hole (filled with epoxy) in the board where the three green jumpers are. All the jumpers that I made are on the component side of the board.

    I've worked on boards with the rats nest of wires dangling off the back and if I ever get a machine like that then I'll redo the work and make it more like the attached picture.

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    #1697 5 years ago

    nice job @robotworkshop

    that's how clay does a lot of his repairs where the traces are trashed

    #1698 5 years ago

    What's happening to this thread!? That looks like a sweet repair job, I'm here for the total shit show not clean work.

    #1699 5 years ago
    Quoted from Robotworkshop:

    Well, I suppose it depends just on how much time I wanted to kill. Since that board isn't particularly rare I don't think I am going to mess with it. I'll focus on more important projects for now. If I did need that board then I would probably use the wirewrap wire to bend up new traces like I did on this WPC board. It had a small hole (filled with epoxy) in the board where the three green jumpers are. All the jumpers that I made are on the component side of the board.
    I've worked on boards with the rats nest of wires dangling off the back and if I ever get a machine like that then I'll redo the work and make it more like the attached picture.

    Holy crap, that looks amazing!

    15
    #1700 5 years ago

    When you buy bar pins.....

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    There are 4,631 posts in this topic. You are on page 34 of 93.

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