FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS

"I would like to buy a pinball" - Great! Welcome to a world of friendship in adversity. Pinballs can be unreliable as they have usually suffered a long hard life (after all they were built to take money in arcades and then be scrapped), as a result all pinball purchases should be approached with caution. Get in the same mindset of say buying a classic car and you will be halfway there, i.e. it won't run reliably without servicing and you can't repair it properly without it coming into a workshop. You will find that you own an appreciating asset that demands care and takes up space, but is fun and entertaining. Most folk are unable to stop at owning one, upsetting partners and having to build 'garden' or 'games' rooms is the norm. You have been warned.

"Where can I buy one" - Think of this as a slightly different question, more like 'do you want do buy a reliable, working machine?' In which case look at the list of suppliers on my home page here or go to any of the many businesses you will find on Google who offer a guarantee. If you want a cheaper machine or a project go to eBay, but remember that there are few bargains and many pitfalls along that route. As a general rule if the listing says 'it lights up but does not work, probably just needs a fuse', it's usually not the fuse, trust me on this. When you buy a pinball make sure it is complete, anything missing or broken may no longer be available, worse you may not be able to play the machine until you find someone to build the part. So, ask for detailed hi res pictures and compare them with the images on the Pinball Machine Database. Ideally the cabinet will be OK, a few dents and dings are normal, similarly the backbox translite (the backlit graphic on the back box) should be nice and clean and clear, hopefully if the machine is old and the decoration is paint on glass it's not flaking. Turn the game on from 'cold' the displays should light quickly and be bright and clear, in older machines the score reels should snap over sharply. All the mechanisms pop bumpers, slingshots, flippers and so on should work sharply and not be sticky or sluggish. Plastics and decorative items should all be present, they may be cracked or chipped (and that affects the value) but having them is the main thing because then they can be copied or repaired. All the lights working, tidy wiring and a clean playfield usually indicates a machine that's been cared for.

"How much is my pinball worth/is the pinball I want to buy worth it?" - I charge a small fee to give a guide to pricing from images for insurance valuation or purchase decisions.

"Do you have a xxxxxx pinball for sale" - If I do it will be listed up on my Facebook page.

"Do you sell a xxxxxx part for my pinball" - No we do not sell spare parts, these are available from the suppliers who are linked on home page.

"How much do you charge" - I work to an hourly rate for machines that come into my workshop plus parts used, you are welcome to supply your own parts if you wish.

"How much will it cost to restore/repair my pinball" - I've no idea until I've seen it I'm afraid, best to message me with pictures so we can discuss the issues.

"Will you restore a xxxxxx at my home" - No, sorry but good restoration work can only carried out at the workshop where there are professional tools to complete the work properly.

"When can you restore my xxxxxx" - Unfortunately there is usually a long waiting list, as I work at the speed that gives the best results I cannot tell how long you may have to wait. Sometimes the list is closed and I indicate this on the home page of this site, usually when it gets over two years, I close it to manage expectations, at present it is closed.

"Why do I have to wait for repairs and restoration so long?" - I'm sorry, I'm aware that it can be frustrating to have to wait but this a small part of my retirement, it comes a poor third after my family and pro bono work in education.

"I live in xxxxxx, when are you next in my area" - I no longer offer a visiting pinball repair service, for repairs, however there are other repair folk listed here who may be able to help you.

"Do you repair xxxxxxx?" - Yes, I will repair just about all pinball tables and a lot of other machines of the same era too, there are a couple of proviso's though some machines need schematics (you should always try to source the manuals and diagrams for your games) and spares need to be available, in the vast majority of cases they usually are. I don't usually work on on arcade video games, fruit machines and so on, in general a good rule is if it has a ball I'm interested.

"My pinball has been in storage for many years and needs a quick service to get it going" - Any machine that has been left for ten years or more will likely have major issues. Electronic and solid state games will probably need new electrolytic capacitors and may have battery damage. Older electro mechanical machines will be seized as the greases used harden over time. Both types need to have their power connections thoroughly checked. In general these machines need to be properly serviced in a workshop.

"My old electro mechanical pinball no longer works correctly, can you get it going" - Possibly, it's always worth a call prior to considering moving any machine however, in the vast majority of cases, EM machines need space and time. The circuit diagrams (if they can be located) show the runs of up to half a mile of wiring, they are large and need lots of room to lay out. Fault finding on these machines is a process of detective work and elimination, its easier (and far cheaper) for them to come into the workshop.