It's been a while...

Wow, no posts since August 2013.  What a slacker.  To tell you the truth, not much has been going on since the beginning of last Fall.  I did pick up a working 1942 in a Congo Bongo cabinet.  I'm not sure exactly what I want to do with it yet.  I've also been accumulating bits and pieces for a few of my "planned" restores and refurbishes for when the weather breaks.  We will see what transpires this spring, but I'd like to begin refinishing my game room to get more living space down there and more garage space back!

Problems With My Games Upon My Return...

The family and I were away for a week at the beach- it was a blast!  The week prior, I didn't even turn a game on due to how much we had to get done before leaving.  The day after we got back home, we had a small family get-together to celebrate my youngest son's birthday.  As usual, most of the nieces and nephews want to play my games and I love to turn them on for them.  With a cold power up of each game, one by one, I got greeted by my Pac-Man cabaret playing blind, my Sorcerer's stand up targets not scoring and my Time Pilot booting to garbage.  Welcome home!  Just more proof that these 30-year-old games want and need to be played!  Now with the kids' soccer season starting, I'm not sure when I'll have time to get to these problems.  Just another joy of the arcade hobby...

My New Bride!

I've been in negatiations for this machine for a few months now, and I finally got it all worked out this past weekend!  I sold my Harlem Globetrotters and then my buddy delivered Bride of Pinbot yesterday.  I haven't had much time to play it with me heading out of town soon, but I'll be giving it a good test run once I return!

Wifey Threw Me A 40th Birthday Arcade Party!

It’s been a busy couple of months for arcade-related things here, but this one takes the cake- Wifey threw me a 40^th birthday arcade party!  You have to understand, my wife hates my arcade hobby, hates my arcade games, hates my pinball machines, hates my key chain orders, etc. and then she goes and does this!  Man, I love her.

She approached me about a month before my birthday and told me her whole plan.  I was stoked.  She wanted to keep it a surprise, but also knew that I had a few projects in the garage that I wanted to finish, wasn't sure who and how many to invite, etc.  She said that I would've been mad if it was a surprise and I had a few games sitting unfinished in the garage.  She's right!

Anyway, it was then “go time.”  I needed to finish my multi-rotary cabinet, Champ Sprint and pick up another pin before the party.  I scored a Harlem Globetrotters pin for a decent price and quickly added it to the line up (previous post).

I shopped out both of my pins- cleaned and waxed the playfields, re-rubbered, changed all burnt bulbs and one socket.  I even put a few colored LEDs in my Sorcerer back box.  I put 2 red ones for the dragon's eyes and alternating blue and purple ones for the sorcerer's lightning.  It looks pretty sweet.  I then put together my Champ Sprint and the Heavy Barrel multi cab.  Here's a pic of the garage line up.  The fully restored games are in the game room.

Here is the full line up:

Garage:

- Harlem Globetrotters pin

- Sorcerer pin

- Neo Geo (running 161-1 cart)

- Heavy Barrel (running Heavy Barrel/Ikari Warriors)

- Championship Sprint

Game room:

- Mario Bros. widebody

- Time Pilot

- MultiWilliams

- Crystal Castles

- Pac-Man cabaret (running 60-1 with LL adapter)

- Playchoice 10

Then the party came.  We had about 80 people (kids and adults) in and out throughout the evening.  No rain, everyone showed up and played games.  I blew a breaker twice, but as soon as I moved the music, everything ran smoothly the rest of the night.  The only other issue was that Time Pilot's switcher flaked out around 11:30 and I just shut it down at that point.  I took very few pictures, as I was busy drinking and talking to everyone but here are a few...

My sister-in-law has a custom cookie business and she surprised me with these:

 

My boss and his wife came up with an extremely thoughtful gift!

And here’s a rare site- my wifey enjoying herself playing pinball!  It made it all worthwhile.

Harlem Globetrotters pinball is in the house!

I got the pinball itch again last month. And, with a few extra bucks from the holiday, I decided that I would buy another pinball machine.  I quickly began to search for a pin from the 80's, as it seems I enjoy these most.  Also, with pinball prices sky high right now, these 80's pins are relatively affordable compared to anything made after 1990.  I posted a want ad on the different pinball and arcade game forums and received a few decent leads.  I also contacted my buddy that I bought my Sorcerer pin from and told him to keep his eye out for me.  Last Saturday, after my kids' soccer games, I decided to check Craigslist on my phone.  A new post came up for a Harlem Globetrotters for a decent price.  I quickly called and agreed on a price with the guy.  The next night I took a drive up north and met with the guy with the Globetrotters pin.  We talked and he mentioned he knew the guy I bought my Sorcerer off of and he happened to be one of his good friends.  The pinball hobby is indeed a small world!  After about an hour, I decided it was time to go, loaded up the pin and brought it back home.  I can't wait to get it all cleaned up and ready for my arcade party.

Winter and travel...

Are both killers for me.  With my travel schedule and the weather throughout the January and February months, nothing arcade-related gets done.  It's really OK though, it gives me some time to regroup and think about my arcade projects and the state of my game room.  I'll have a lot to do come Spring if my wife is truly throwing me an "Arcade 40th Birthday" party.

Lots of arcade-related things to do and no time...

October was the last time I've done anything arcade-related. With the holidays, my busy work schedule and the weather-I just haven't had time to do anything significant with my games. I started my multi-rotary cab and ran into some problems, so that has been sitting. I bought a free-play button contraption for my Crystal Castles and that has yet to be installed. I need to cap the monitor in my Time Pilot and I've been pushing it off. I bought a Neo Geo cabinet and I want to restore it as well. This is the part of the hobby that keeps everyone full of projects and feeling like they never get caught up...