Topic: Generic Table --> Tornado Modification

[rradjabi]

I just bought a generic foosball table (can't even see a brand name) used for $75 bucks. It was a steal, because this is in very nice condition. I am well aware of the differences between a Harvard and a Tornado table, and I would like to make it closer to the Tornado variety.

1. I wanted to change the players from the generic square-toe to Tornado's men.
    -Is this easy to do using the existing rods, or will I run into complications?
    -I also found a set of 26 men made by Carrom, and they are counter-ballanced and look almost identical to the tornado men, for about $65 less. Is anyone familiar with these men? Do they work just the same?

2. I have the classic 1-man goalie, but I have the gradually sloped corners, which makes the surface slightly slanted at the 2-man and 3-man. Basically it's very difficult to do tic-tac passes.
    -I wanted to change the playsurface to make it completely flat.

Sorry if this is long, but I am very excited about having a table in the first place, and I wanted some of your input on whether or not this would be a good idea. Thanks!

[rradjabi]

I'm sorry if this was the wrong Chat Area. Maybe I should have posted this in the questions section.

[Rocker]

I did exactly this on the table in my parents house.  It was a standard, run of the mill Sportcraft cheapo.  I was home from college when I did it.  The corner ramps will come out easily.  The goalie rods have places on there for the two other men - taken up by the pieces that limit the rod travel for just one man.  I removed all the rods and cleaned the existing bearings (plastic guides that the rods slide through).  This made a HUGE difference.  While the rods were out, I buffed the playing surface with some 220 sandpaper and then medium steel wool to smooth it out.  That gives the surface a dull finish kind of like the Tornado's, which greatly improves controllability of the ball.  I then cleaned everything up, put all the Tornado men on (I used the non-counter balanced men to save a little money) using their roll pins (worked perfectly), and lubed the cleaned rods with silicone.  Believe it or not, that table plays REALLY well for a cheap table.  Of course there's nothing like a Tornado (unless the Ricochet table I bought turns out to be solid - haven't set it up yet), but for what this was, it worked great.  And it should go without saying that you need to switch to a polyurethane ball if you haven't already.  (and if you haven't...seriously - what's up?) 

I've never heard of the Carrom men, but if they look just the same, I'm sure they'll work.

Fixing up a cheap table with Tornado men and cleaning up the bearings and playing surface is a viable option for someone on a tight budget who wants a decent home table.  Also make sure you tighten all nuts, bolts, and screws that hold the table together.

[Yags]

 I did something kinda similiar. I wanted to have a Tornado but just did not have the money for the one that I wanted. I was looking around at my local Scheels store and they had a Dynamo Gold Medal Foosball Table for sale really cheap. I bought it for $550. I did not like Dynamo Men or the bumpers that it had. It's the plastic washer with the foam. Anyways I changed it out with Tornado men (balanced) and the rubber Tornado bumpers. Plays like a Storm 2, but after everything only ending up paying a total of $700 brand new instead of $1100 for a brand new Storm 2.

rradjabi:

When your looking for different men that you want to put on a different table, you have to check rod size for the men. You don't want to attempt to put a man that is 5/8 on a 3/16 rod. See if you can buy one and put it on the table and make sure that it clears everything. From the back wall, from player to player on each rod, and playing surface. You'd rather be safe on doing that before buying a whole set of men and you can't use them. Then you have to sell them. This is exactly what I did before buying a whole set of men for my table. Just to make sure. Post when your completed and let us know how it works.

~~Yags~~

[Yags]

By the way, I heard of Carrom men, they are very similiar to the Tornado style men. From what I heard they use a bolt instead of a pin.

[rradjabi]

My main concern at this moment is if these men are too long for me to fit on the table. I imagine they are longer from bottom-to-rod than my current men. I 'm affraid if they're too long, that men's feet will touch on opposite rods. Can anyone give me a measurement on the length from the Tornado man's rod to the bottom of the man (and specify if that's the center, top, or bottom of the rod)? Thanks for your help.

[Yags]

  Tornado men size.....

     From the top of the head to the top part of the rod hole is about 1-1/4"

     From the bottom the rod hole to the edge of the foot is a just about 2-5/8"

     Rod size is 9/16"......  Total size of a Tornado Foosball man comes to about 4-3/8"

     Hopefully this helps you out....

[grandmaster]

Tornado men are .620 inches through the shoulders where the rod goes. It is possible that Carrom men are .625. The length from the center of the rod to the bottom of the foot is 2 7/8 inches or 73mm. measure the diameter of the rod precisely to begin this conversion from a sow's ear to a silk purse as some Harvard and others have gone to 1/2 inch solid steel bars as a cost saving measure. Carry on.

[grandmaster]

Factory literature states that tornado bars are centerless ground to .620inch. Chrome plating adds a few thou back for a nominal 5/8 inch or 16mm. Foos rods have been standardized at 5/8  plus or minus a few thou.
 

[rradjabi]

Thanks for your help with those measurements.

I measured the distance between two rods to be exactly 5 2/8". That seems uncomfortably close; however, I still feel like it's worth giving it a shot to fit these new men. Any thoughts?

[grandmaster]

Ok, now that I have your attention, heres the scoop. I build custom tables. Engineering specs are usually given in "on centers" dimensions. The OC for rods and therefore bearings also that I use when I build a table is 5 7/8 inches. Your measurement is correct because if you add the 5/8 for the rod diameter to your measurement the result is 5 7/8, the correct OC for this application. Yes, it has to be uncomfortably close, you are on the right track. Don't worry, start building. I'll be here if you need more help. Do it now!

[rradjabi]

Okay, I'm going to order right now. Thanks so much for the help. I'll let people know how things go.