(Topic ID: 28788)

Worst hack/repair you ever saw.

By mcclad

11 years ago


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  • 4,635 posts
  • 731 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 days ago by jibmums
  • Topic is favorited by 312 Pinsiders

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    There are 4,635 posts in this topic. You are on page 40 of 93.
    #1951 5 years ago

    Clothes pin and generous tilt Bob !! I'm in!!

    That first picture in above three, is that wire with shrink wrap or tubing or ?? There's a snake in my boot!

    #1952 5 years ago
    Quoted from jasonspoint28:

    Behold!
    [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    Laundry day.. soldering with a clothes iron and clothes pin tilt prevention.

    13
    #1953 5 years ago

    Just saw this on a cl ad...
    Wonder if it charges the discover account everytime you enter the sanctum?

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    #1954 5 years ago

    omg ha ha the discover card is a great one!

    #1955 5 years ago
    Quoted from Spitfiren8:

    Just saw this on a cl ad...
    Wonder if it charges the discover account everytime you enter the sanctum?

    Took me a minute to figure out what you were talking about.

    #1956 5 years ago
    Quoted from DCRand:

    And the reason they probably bent a leg.
    [quoted image]

    Actually, the clothespin is a pretty good idea. Easily reversible and sure is better than the pins I brought home and had to fix all the wiring hacks because someone thought, " We ain't gonna be using this tilt shit in our basement. Let's just chop up the wiring.

    The tilt bob? I don't know. I saw a big guy lift a pinball up on two legs in a fit of instant rage over a ball drain. It was like, 'What ?!! You drain on on me ? !!! F U !!! Lift. Slam Drop. It was all over in 3 seconds if not 2 seconds.

    Tilt bob or no, somebody throwing a temper tantrum could have still have bent a leg.

    #1957 5 years ago
    Quoted from LynnInDenver:

    I've got something like that on Solar Ride I may eventually fix, in the uppermost right playfield plastic. It was literally easier for a prior owner to move the post than to fill the hole with something that would enable to screw to bite back in at the original spot.

    Same thing on my Cleopatra but not nearly as bad as that one.

    #1958 5 years ago

    At first glance, I thought, how nice of them to install a remote battery holder. Figured they probably had one of those 3.6v lithium AA's in it.

    But upon closer examination I found out it was only connected to the rightmost terminals because they were corroded. So they would still have needed to have 2 batteries on the board

    IMG_6750 (resized).JPGIMG_6750 (resized).JPG

    #1959 5 years ago
    Quoted from Atari_Daze:

    I found a "repair" might be worthy of posting.
    While taking apart Motordome for restore this evening, saw this solder job, er glob.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    More is better!

    #1960 5 years ago
    Quoted from cottonm4:

    I saw a big guy lift a pinball up on two legs in a fit of instant rage over a ball drain. It was like, 'What ?!! You drain on on me ? !!! F U !!! Lift. Slam Drop. It was all over in 3 seconds if not 2 seconds.

    Was this at TPF?

    #1961 5 years ago
    Quoted from Dallas_Pin:

    Was this at TPF?

    No. We have an operator here who had 20-25 pins located in a laundry mat. A pinsider was trying to get a tournament event started. The pin was Harlem Globetrotters. A contestant lost his temper.

    #1962 5 years ago

    Anyone have any idea what was trying to be accomplished here? It looks like someone stuck a ton of glue and/or chewed up gum in this bumper...
    IMG_20190207_211815 (resized).jpgIMG_20190207_211815 (resized).jpg

    #1963 5 years ago
    Quoted from mystman12:

    Anyone have any idea what was trying to be accomplished here? It looks like someone stuck a ton of glue and/or chewed up gum in this bumper...
    [quoted image]

    Maybe the bulb kept coming out?

    #1964 5 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    Maybe the bulb kept coming out?

    I've seen that before with putty...keeps the bulb from vibrating loose in a worn socket.

    #1965 5 years ago

    The nicest hack I've seen, a very expensive amphenol connector in today's pick up of a Stern Magic.

    Actually considering just leaving it.

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    #1966 5 years ago
    Quoted from mystman12:

    Anyone have any idea what was trying to be accomplished here? It looks like someone stuck a ton of glue and/or chewed up gum in this bumper...
    [quoted image]

    I bet someone used sticky tack to try and hold that bulb in. Cuz that stuff melts when heated.
    And it's the right color.

    #1967 5 years ago
    Quoted from Atari_Daze:

    The nicest hack I've seen, a very expensive amphenol connector in today's pick up of a Stern Magic.

    Actually considering just leaving it. [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    That is actually awesome! I wish all older games had connectors that good.

    #1968 5 years ago
    Quoted from Atari_Daze:

    The nicest hack I've seen, a very expensive amphenol connector in today's pick up of a Stern Magic.

    Actually considering just leaving it.

    Can we upgrade this one to mod status?

    #1969 5 years ago
    Quoted from Atari_Daze:

    The nicest hack I've seen, a very expensive amphenol connector in today's pick up of a Stern Magic.

    Actually considering just leaving it. [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    That baby is mil spec - I don't think that connector will be vibrating loose or have problems with salt fog... ever...

    #1970 5 years ago
    Quoted from Atari_Daze:

    The nicest hack I've seen, a very expensive amphenol connector in today's pick up of a Stern Magic.

    Actually considering just leaving it. [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    I worked with those connectors before in my career. The connector never breaks, just the rubber cable sleeve...and then the cable.

    #1971 5 years ago

    This looks like a washer used to connect plumbing re-purposed as a shooter rod tip! It wasn't very effective. The end of the rod is mushroomed.

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    #1972 5 years ago

    Not sure what went on here. Seems like a lot of effort to replace a missing rubber ring?

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    #1973 5 years ago

    take your pick . the liquid metal or j115 connecter, same TAF

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    #1974 5 years ago
    Quoted from polyacanthus:

    Not sure what went on here. Seems like a lot of effort to replace a missing rubber ring?

    Looks like a Data East Simpson pinball... the coil spring is broken.
    It is used to keep the ball from getting stuck in that area.

    #1975 5 years ago

    Here's a "hack" I made the other night on my Maverick. Apparently some guy in the Maverick club thread is flipping his wig that I'd hack up a pin worth thousands of dollars.

    I replaced the bad entrance opto with a physical switch so I never have to fuck with that PIA opto again and saved $30.

    Oh my fucking Christ! The way he reacted, you'd have thought I cut all the connectors and soldered every wire to the board pins.

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    #1976 5 years ago
    Quoted from vec-tor:

    Looks like a Data East Simpson pinball... the coil spring is broken.
    It is used to keep the ball from getting stuck in that area.

    Agreed. That same spring is also used on Robocop to keep ball from getting stuck at that pop bumper. It has a part number in the manuals and is an impossible spring to find. I had to make a replacement from a piece of polycarbonate. It is just a flap of poly plastic. It took me 4 tries to get one made that would work correctly.

    I suppose some would call it a hack but you gotta do what you gotta do.

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    #1977 5 years ago

    Just a small selection I actually remembered to photograph. Star Wars backbox ripped of cabinet and cable cut, DE GI lights connector on power board and a Whitestar CPU surprisingly working

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    #1978 5 years ago
    Quoted from vec-tor:

    Looks like a Data East Simpson pinball... the coil spring is broken.
    It is used to keep the ball from getting stuck in that area.

    Correct, glad I posted then. I'd love to know what it is supposed to look like. It's not performing any function as is.

    #1980 5 years ago
    Quoted from polyacanthus:

    I'd love to know what it is supposed to look like.

    The body of the spring is there.
    The top half is missing.
    One needs to finish the ¼" turn, then continued with a straight leg that
    floats past the pop bumper: The straight part rides next to the ring and rod...
    ( check out cottonm4 plastic hack to get the angle)
    The straight part of the wire form is approximately 1¼" or 1½" long.
    The pop bumper's ring and rod taps the top of the straight part of the wire form.
    Between the ball hitting the spring wire form and the pop bumper hitting the spring wire form...
    it leads to the spring getting fatigued and thus breaking.

    #1981 5 years ago
    Quoted from polyacanthus:

    Correct, glad I posted then. I'd love to know what it is supposed to look like. It's not performing any function as is.

    The end is broken off. It should come on around in front of the pop bumper. When the ball hits that area the springs flexes to allow the ball to activate the pop and then returns to rest position where the ball will just roll off and not get caught on the rubber that you have missing.

    image-19 (resized).jpgimage-19 (resized).jpg

    #1982 5 years ago
    Quoted from vec-tor:

    The body of the spring is there.
    The top half is missing.
    One needs to finish the ¼" turn, then continued with a straight leg that
    floats past the pop bumper: The straight part rides next to the ring and rod...
    ( check out cottonm4 plastic hack to get the angle)
    The straight part of the wire form is approximately 1¼" or 1½" long.
    The pop bumper's ring and rod taps the top of the straight part of the wire form.
    Between the ball hitting the spring wire form and the pop bumper hitting the spring wire form...
    it leads to the spring getting fatigued and thus breaking.

    Well, Vec-tor, I guess I know what you are doing this Saturday afternoon.

    #1983 5 years ago
    Quoted from polyacanthus:

    Correct, glad I posted then. I'd love to know what it is supposed to look like. It's not performing any function as is.

    You are looking for Item # 28. Ball Catch Spring Wire part number 535-5611-00.

    I have had no luck ..........

    Ah. shit I just found it. Marco has in IN-STOCK !! This was not there last year.

    https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/535-5611-00

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    #1984 5 years ago

    I guess it's better than soldering directly to the pins...

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    #1985 5 years ago
    Quoted from dudah:

    I guess it's better than soldering directly to the pins...
    [quoted image]

    Well they did save .12 cents.

    #1986 5 years ago

    Update - it seems like they were shorting the separate wires off the harness, one exposed wire. Removed the switching power supply and will rebuild the 5V and a couple connectors. Driver board is clean otherwise!

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    3 weeks later
    24
    #1987 5 years ago

    Found this in a Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World:
    IMG_3033 (resized).jpgIMG_3033 (resized).jpg

    #1988 5 years ago
    Quoted from girloveswaffles:

    Found this in a Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World:
    [quoted image]

    What kind of board do you use when you need to prototype a bread board? Cardboard.

    #1989 5 years ago
    Quoted from girloveswaffles:

    Found this in a Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World:
    [quoted image]

    If this works, I'm impressed. Are they wired, or is it just a holder for spares?

    #1990 5 years ago
    Quoted from Shredso:

    If this works, I'm impressed. Are they wired, or is it just a holder for spares?

    gotta be spares.

    #1991 5 years ago
    Quoted from Shredso:

    If this works, I'm impressed. Are they wired, or is it just a holder for spares?

    It's wired. I didn't have time to get into the game to find out more.

    #1992 5 years ago

    I wonder how many of these hacks were done other people here, but they're too ashamed to admit it?

    #1993 5 years ago
    Quoted from PghPinballRescue:

    I wonder how many of these hacks were done other people here, but they're too ashamed to admit it?

    I would claim the cardboard transistor mounting if I did that.

    #1995 5 years ago

    agreed, however I will give points for using that nylon zip tie to the wiring harness to stand it off away from the board and eliminate the potential for grounding out

    #1996 5 years ago

    Why getting troubles with GI and burnt connectors when you can simply connect J115 with J121..!?!
    I wish I had this Idea before, lol!

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    #1997 5 years ago

    Yeah, who needs lighting effects

    34
    #1998 5 years ago

    From a Totem I picked up that had been routed in south-central Alaska... Honestly wouldn't call this one among the worst, but definitely unusual. Wood flippers and a wood drop target replacement, lovingly hand carved. Rather faithful reproductions and the flippers play better than I'd have ever expected. The drop target looks like it must've worked fine too until it broke in the same way the original plastic ones had. I'm assuming this was the result of poor parts availability pre-Internet age. Definitely going to hang onto these parts once I swap them out for the proper stuff, they tell a story of a very well loved table.

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    #1999 5 years ago

    Nice. Funny thing is, the actual playfield surface is nicer than mine!

    #2000 5 years ago

    Very appropriate for the theme.

    There are 4,635 posts in this topic. You are on page 40 of 93.

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