Topic: HELP W/ TABLE - (Tornado Brown Marble coin-op)

[jokeefe4]

Morning from Miami,

I am picking up a brown marble coin-op tornado table tomorrow. I have photos but cannot figure out how to add them as attachments to this post.

The table has the small black leg levelers and serial number is 680110. Any thoughts on this table and how much I should pay?

If you know how to add photos please let me know so I can add.

Thanks in advance,
Joe

[kgstewar]

Upload the photos to a free pic-hosting website (Picasa, Photobucket, etc.). Then post the link to the photos here.

[jokeefe4]

http://s781.photobucket.com/user/jokeefe3227jokeefe3227/library/

Good Looks! Let me know if it works.

[kgstewar]

Yep it worked. So, looks like a pretty heavily used Brown Marble but a good cleaning can do wonders. Make sure the rods aren't bent (~$40/each) and that there is no chipped or loose/bulging laminate around the interior of the play field. I would consider laminate issues to be a deal killer, especially bulging laminate or squishy spots (water damage).

Now the bad news. Those aren't the correct bearings. Replacing all 16 bearings with the correct ones (which you would definitely want to do) will cost ~$100. But what I fear is that the owner may have damaged the holes when he put these wrong bearings in. If they slipped in easily, then it should be no problem taking them out and replacing them with the correct bearings. If he had to pound them in and damaged the holes in the process, I would consider that a deal killer.

Given the issues, I would start at $300-350 and start subtracting $ depending on what parts you would need to get this thing up to snuff. Right off the bat is -$100 for bearings.

[jokeefe4]

kgstewar:

Thanks for the assessment, honestly appreciated.

What bearings would you recommend for this table? Are bearings easy to install? I am relatively new to the foos scene but am handy.

Thoughts on the coin-op mechanism? I haven't seen this type of coin op before. Current owner says it works well.

[kgstewar]

Everything you need is here on the foosball.com shop http://shop.foosball.com/tornado.html. You'll need 2 bearing halves (http://shop.foosball.com/fts-110-047.html) plus a bearing nut (http://shop.foosball.com/fts-110-046.html)  per hole (16 holes). The correct bearings are super easy to install. Not sure how hard it will be to remove the bearings that are currently in there and again, if installing those incorrect bearings has damaged the holes, walk away from this one.

Sorry, I can't tell anything about the coin-op mechanism. I guess it either works or it doesn't. If it works, great. If not, it is replaceable (http://shop.foosball.com/pg-coinmech.html).

[papafoos]

Those are the correct bearings, just not the newer style.  Those are the original bearings for the brown marble.  The original bearings used a metal wrench that fit into the tabs to tighten/loosen.  You may still have to replace them if they are sloppy.  The hole for the older bearings may have been slightly smaller and the holes where the tabs fit into the inside of the playfield were definitely smaller.  Actually, I can't remember if the old bearings had tabs.  You may have to either re-drill the holes for the tab or remove the tabs.  Easy fix either way.  Without the tabs, sometimes they are hard to tighten because they will spin as you turn the outside part of the bearing.  If the bearings are decent, I wouldn't replace them unless you are wanting to start getting into tournament foosball.  They should work just fine for beginner players.  Tournament players are more finicky and want to use the newer style.  They are better.

The pins are protruding on some of the yellow men.  I can't tell from the pics any detail.  They could be the wrong pin or may not be in all the way. (or may not even be pins)

The play field appears to be in decent shape.  I can't tell if the goals are blown out but I can see one corner of one of the goals and it appears to be in good shape.

The coin mech is probably the original.  The newer mechs accept more quarters.  They are easy to switch out if necessary.

[kgstewar]

Excellent info papafoos - I had never seen those old-style bearings before.

[jokeefe4]

Thanks again for all the help.

I offered $220 for the table and did not win the bid. The search continues...