Arcade Collecting > Pinball

If I wanted to restore a TAF, what should I expect as a beginner?

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griffindodd:
As crazy popular as it is, it's simply true that for me TAF is my most favorite pinball machine, so much fun for the regular guy or gal out there. I love the theme, the effects, the music and the gameplay.

Like many I would really like to have at least one pinball machine in my home arcade, and, like many I'd like it to be a TAF. Now I've cut my teeth on some cabs, scratch builds and currently some restos, so I have a reasonable catalog of skills under my belt, but this seems like whole different world of skills.

What would your advice be to someone in my shoes that doesn't want to drop $5k+ on a used TAF but wants one in his collection and is willing to do a good chunk of work.

How much is too much to take on for a new/green pinball refurber (with arcade cab experience)
What should I expect to pay to get myself into a 'fixer-upper' ?
Where to look for such a unit? (All the TAFs i see are fully working for $5k+ on CL and eBay)

Thanks for any guidance.

Joel

ChadTower:

As someone who has done something very similar I can give this advice...

...don't start with an Addams Family.

My first true shop/repair job was a Twilight Zone.  I didn't know much at all about electronics repair, wiring, and even less about pinball repair.  It took me months to get that game fully shopped out and working 100%.  It was such a long process, and so frustrating with my total lack of experience, that by the time I was done I hated the machine.  I sold it cheap almost as soon as I was done with it and I still hate playing Twilight Zone now.

I highly suggest starting with a lower end game, learning the pinball repair ropes, and then jumping into a higher end game like that once at least know what you don't know.

TopJimmyCooks:
Post a wtb on pinside or RPG archive for a routed TAF.  Let them know your location in the post.   Decide if you are willing to pay shipping or if you are looking for local/pickup only and how far you want to drive.  Shipping a pin can be 400-600$. 

As far as repairs- you are capable, just use the resources and advice that's available.  The trickiest mechanical things are general board work (how comfortable are you with board troubleshooting, replacing components/soldering). and playfield wiring/switch troubleshooting. 

The cosmetics can be involved as well.  If the pf needs touchup that's a bit of an art to itself.  if you do touch ups, you'll have clearcoating required.  If the cabinet is damaged, you're looking at decal work on a TAF, which is expensive and labor intensive, plus if you jack up a $300 set of decals . . . .. 

My advice:  get a cheaper, complete, partially working Solid state machine for $3-600 dollars to start with/to learn on.  There are many reasons that these are easy to work on, mainly they are simpler overall.  Pinballs are more complex that vid's and not for everybody to work on.   Don't restore a $5K machine as your first one.  I'm restoring a pinball that I bought for $100 as my first one.  Gameplan sharpshooter. 

I don't consider $5k for a TAF a good deal even if they cost that much.  you can get much more machine for less esp. if you are willing to work on it.  And wait for local deals.  I got a fully working, decent DE Tommy for $800 a while back, which is a top 50 machine in anybody's book.  I was patient and watched CL like a hawk. 

griffindodd:
All good stuff to know so far. The more I do classic arcade cabs the more I am going to get comfortable with troubleshooting boards and components, repairing them etc so I know that is something that is in my future.

While I hear you on not ruining my love for a game by torturing myself with it, I also have a concern that if I don't love a game then my motivation to restore it may be diminished. I already have a great Moon Patrol that I picked up but am already considering trading it for something else as I'm really not into the game itself.

Hrmmmm

TopJimmyCooks:
Get a game you're into, just not 5K worth.  start normal.  don't start out with an A list game and cause problems for yourself and others.  Would you take your corvette to a body shop and it's the 19 Y/O kid's first car he's ever painted?  No, he gets to practice on some ford fiestas and volkswagens first.  Most people wouldn't restore an environmental Discs of Tron as their first cab - Capische? 

Also, if you're at all into pinball, you will love playing anything you've worked on, at least for a year or so.  There are many better deals for a restoration project and a TAF will still be there when you're ready.  They made 14,000 of them and they're getting older everyday.   

[channeling pbj]

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