Coin Op Sway Back

[Bigkahuna]

One of the teams I play on has some very good shooters on it. However, we are going to be playing out of this dumpy little bar that has a nine foot coin op (Valley). I know the owner and she asked me to look at the table frustrated with what has happened so far. The table was delivered a couple of months ago from a local vending company. Immediately the balls started getting chipped up real bad. The table mechanic came said it was fixed and the vendor dropped off a new set of balls. These new balls then got all chipped so she calls the vendor to ask the table mech. what he did and he tightened the screws a bit.

The screws that hold the plastic for the back of the pocket are the issue. Now these are counter sunk allen headed screws but most of them are cocked so the edges stick out pretty bad. Below these screws are some pretty big nails w edges sticking out which are probably not helping.

I checked the level and was real low on one end but OK side to side. 1.5 turns on the adjusters got us right there. This was using the machinists level on top of a four footer running lengthwise and centered at the side pockets. The balls still rolled out shooting side to side from the ends of the table. The balls rolls towards center and confirmed with the level the table is sway back by almost and 1/8" measuring from center to end. I looked through the ball return area and there are a couple of angle iron crossmembers but these are not at the center. I don't know a lot about coin op tables and don't even know for sure if this 9 footer would be a one piece although it must be if they are bringing this thing in on a furniture dolly and flipping it up on it's legs.

The vendor is going to get this guy to come back again. I don't have a lot of confidence at this point. In the event this does not get fixed do you guys have any recomendations? I am just trying to help a lady friend and bar owner who has a lot of teams playing there and they are complaining about these tables and this one in particular.

 

[Dartman]

Does the vendor (amusement operator) own the table?

If so she should ask them to
1. fix the table correctly
2. replace the table

If this can't be done she should find another operator with decent equipment.

 

[Bigkahuna]

Does the vendor (amusement operator) own the table?

If so she should ask them to
1. fix the table correctly
2. replace the table

If this can't be done she should find another operator with decent equipment.

Well that makes sense except that money probably has something to do with it. Also, I am told there is one table mechanic in the area that is the best. He is the one that has been back three times so far. We are up here in Maine and there are not a lot of choices.

 

[realkingcobra]

Well that makes sense except that money probably has something to do with it. Also, I am told there is one table mechanic in the area that is the best. He is the one that has been back three times so far. We are up here in Maine and there are not a lot of choices.

If that is a Valley 9ft coin-op, it has to be pretty old, because Valley stopped making them around 1998. They had major problems with them because they built them on the same frame design as the 7ft Valley Leopard design using just the plywood frame and 2 aluminum cross members to support the weight of the undersized 9ft slate. Valley tables are swayback enough as it is, let alone a 9ft.

Glen

 

[Bigkahuna]

If that is a Valley 9ft coin-op, it has to be pretty old, because Valley stopped making them around 1998. They had major problems with them because they built them on the same frame design as the 7ft Valley Leopard design using just the plywood frame and 2 aluminum cross members to support the weight of the undersized 9ft slate. Valley tables are swayback enough as it is, let alone a 9ft.

Glen

Doesn't sound like an easy fix then.

Man you are tough 1998 is not old. However, I can tell you 1962 is starting to feel "pretty old".

 

[realkingcobra]

Doesn't sound like an easy fix then.

Man you are tough 1998 is not old. However, I can tell you 1962 is starting to feel "pretty old".

When I say "old" I mean that I can't believe that someone would even be trying to vend a Valley 9ft today, because they were built so bad to begin with right from the very first one built. NOT one of the Valley 9ft's rolled straight because of having so much sag in the frame of the table end to end. If you shim up the slate to level end to end, you can't even get the rails bolted back on because they're so far above the top rail it's a joke. The rail caps are tilted down so far that the cushions are to low to play, the tables play like a pin ball machine with the balls. Just jacking up the center of the frame of the table to level it out end to end is not enough to fix one of these tables

Glen

 

[Dartman]

Well that makes sense except that money probably has something to do with it. Also, I am told there is one table mechanic in the area that is the best. He is the one that has been back three times so far. We are up here in Maine and there are not a lot of choices.

Operators and locations typically split 50/50 on the quarter drop.
Surely there's more than 1 operator in Maine that would like to have this ladys' location and can install some decent tables.
Sometimes locations have to play hardball.

If all else fails - move.