SHEDDING A TEAR as I WAVE GOODBYE !!!!!!!!!!!

[daics3522]

Hi all,
It is a sad day in my Pinball World today as I waved goodbye to the VERY FIRST pinball that kick started my journey into the world of pinball.
Co-founder of my pinball collection, Mr. Sega Frankenstein was removed from my games room and collected by its new owner last night.

The departure of Mr F has left a void in my gamesroom that will need to be filled before Mr F's other family members Mr B. Forever and Mr F. Tales start to get all  .............. Might be time to start the Whitewater adventure or converting them to be part of the the Addams Family dynasty......... 

Anyway, its time for me to go back into the corner and  a little more. Hopefully seeing Mr F Tales tonight after work will make me  .

[Wotto]

I think that Dr Daniels and Nurse Heineken may be able to assist you tonight 

[shansta]

I think that Dr Daniels and Nurse Heineken may be able to assist you tonight  

Failing that - go out on a BEAM and see if you can catch a COUGAR...

How long did you have that thing Daics? (Thinking of how many machines you have - you must have got # 1 a fair while ago?)

S.

[markc]

sad to say

but I have been abit teary  so to speak  when dropping off a few pins
i always remember one twilight we did ,  this guy came in as Greg and i was talking about his and the mods we wanted for ours , that we where building
we also had one out back that had been decaled and looked real nice .  so back to this guy .. he listened to what we saying and saw the one out back and said i want that .  i quoted him a price and was more than  he had been told from other and more than he ad told his wife he was spending , but he said yes and we made him a TZ  with over 50 hours of man time put in , new decals , re chromed ramps and so many mods ,  I did most of the decals and body work , so much time I pesonally spent on it ..  and the work Andrew did ,   plus the new parts we got in for it .  the guy came back 4 weeks later and was so happy he couldnt pay me quick enough . it played  so good ...  and i gave him all the pictures as we did the work , he could now see all the hours  we had done and even gave me a bottle of JW  .   I offered to drop it off to his house and  wheeled it to the back of his house down a hall way that was like 100 feet long and I had a inch either side ...
it looked so good in his games room , i didnt want to leave .  i did after a real coffee ....  sat down the road and thought about us doing more top end reco's like that and now we have 4 or 5 on the floor all the time . I still feel funny when i think of it ...  it was one pin i could say i did allot of work on and was very proud of it ..
so thats one of my many stories abouts pins  sorry to go on

mark

[Creech]

Nice story Mark. Thanks for posting that.

[Strangeways]

Hi all,
It is a sad day in my Pinball World today as I waved goodbye to the VERY FIRST pinball that kick started my journey into the world of pinball.
Co-founder of my pinball collection, Mr. Sega Frankenstein was removed from my games room and collected by its new owner last night.

The departure of Mr F has left a void in my gamesroom that will need to be filled before Mr F's other family members Mr B. Forever and Mr F. Tales start to get all  .............. Might be time to start the Whitewater adventure or converting them to be part of the the Addams Family dynasty......... 

Anyway, its time for me to go back into the corner and  a little more. Hopefully seeing Mr F Tales tonight after work will make me  .

Yep - They all to move on someday..

I've moved a few pins in my time. Two stand out for me

Street fighter II - Sold on eBay to Damien (Studley67). Didn't know him back then, but SFII was the last pinball Dad imported. It was not on route for very long, and it sat in my gamesroom for years. Contrary to popular opinion - I REALLY like SFII, and it is one pin I miss, but I know it went to a good home.

Jacks Open - My first "Ground Up" restoration. I LOVED this machine - it still is my best work, and I'm itching to do more EMs to this level. It was a proud moment when I did sell it, as it proved to me that there are collectors that are willing to pay for a high level of restoration work (sniff). I do get to play it once a year.

These machines are replaced in time, but sometime it can get a bit "emotional" 

[ddstoys]

Must be sad to see the first one go.   Ive said from day one that i will never sell my first ive been made some rediculous offers but still never let it go if i hadnt stummbled across the old girl what would i be doing now

[Replicas]

I feel your pain Mark. I have spent so much time and money on getting a pinball back to how it should look and play knowing that I will never get back what I have put into it. Then like a lemon sell it and as soon as its gone regret sets in.
Why do we do it? Why? Because we love these machines and the feeling that you get once a machine has reached the standards that you wanted to achieve at the end, its all worth it.
Even when you make a loss you know that this machine that you have spent so much time and money on will be around giving pleasure for a hell of a lot longer than it would have been.
At the moment I am on with my second TOTAN, My first I sold and probably came out even on. This one I am already -$400 on and still a way to go but only in man hours.Its looking so good that I keep saying that it will be a keeper but deep down when space gets a little tight I will probably end up selling it. Another regret in the making.
Darren.

[markc]

I feel your pain Mark. I have spent so much time and money on getting a pinball back to how it should look and play knowing that I will never get back what I have put into it. Then like a lemon sell it and as soon as its gone regret sets in.
Why do we do it? Why? Because we love these machines and the feeling that you get once a machine has reached the standards that you wanted to achieve at the end, its all worth it.
Even when you make a loss you know that this machine that you have spent so much time and money on will be around giving pleasure for a hell of a lot longer than it would have been.
At the moment I am on with my second TOTAN, My first I sold and probably came out even on. This one I am already -$400 on and still a way to go but only in man hours.Its looking so good that I keep saying that it will be a keeper but deep down when space gets a little tight I will probably end up selling it. Another regret in the making.
Darren.

even though this is a FULL TIME  business for me  I am still a collector and still enjoy what i do , yes at time I havent  and I am sure there will be more . But deep down I want to keep them all... dont tell my wife
I really enjoy that smile on teh kids face , whether its a 40 year old or 4 year old .  there are plently of pins  I can go on about and the yes we do spend too much on some. but I look at it as a stepping stone . most will come back and buy again ,
not todays sale  bit tomorrows .  with every top end  top reco , there is a story  ,  my CC was the worst we had  but its now the best and yes I spent WAY to much , MY SC the same  , MY AFM   now thats my baby and even been offered 10k for I wouldnt sell it ....  had everything new even the playfield and NOS decals  the good ones.


mark

ps post some pictures of teh TOTANs  , we decaled one a while ago for a member here

[shansta]

Thanks Mark - nice to hear stories like that!

That's what I like about these things - they are more than a collection of parts.

I think to REALLY do a nice job on any machine - you have to be the master of so many disciplines...

You need to be able to handle metal/wood work, paint, plastic, electrics, electronics...

Can't think of many other industries/jobs where that would apply?

[delarge]

Reading all these stories makes me think of my first pin, Hulk. Said I'd never get rid of the Hulk, but who knows what will happen down the track....just can't picture selling a classic like that.

Daics, hope your new machine fills the void.

Adam.