Question About Tables Being Level/Slanted

[Talvi]

I seem to be running into a lot of tables that aren't level lately (ball veers to one side). I don't repair or fix tables, so I was hoping that someone who does can answer:

- Is it something that a level on top of the game will fix? Or are we talking about warped playfields due to age? Is it the arcade/machine owner not taking the time to adjust the legs properly?
- If you owned an arcade where people play, would you be annoyed if someone mentioned a tilted game(s)?

I'm finding slanted machines to be near unplayable because the ball no longer moves like it should. But I don't want to annoy the machine/arcade owner if it is nothing they can fix immediately or easily.

Thanks!

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

The level should be placed on the playfield itself. The glass may be slightly tilted for various reasons, the most common being wear of the grooves the glass sits in, but that doesn't affect play. On the other hand, the playfield being even half a degree off horizontally will have a massive effect on play, but the playfield shouldn't be warping unless it was mistreated or severely neglected. Most of the time that a table is not level horizontally, it's because one or more of the feet slipped out of adjustment (250+ pounds of pinball machine is resting on four bolts, so slippage is common). Sometimes the floor itself settles as well, causing a previously level machine to become cattywampus.

Re-leveling is a simple process on most machines. The legs all have adjustable feet that they rest on, secured by a bolt. Rotating the feet causes them to raise or lower. Just raise whichever side is lower until the machine is leveled again. For a quick fix on machines that aren't your own, a coaster or two slipped beneath the offending (i.e., shorter) leg will temporarily lessen the problem.

Any owner/operator should be appreciative of being told the machine is off-level, as a machine that doesn't play well doesn't earn well.

 

[Talvi]

Thank you! That answered all my questions. I'll ask the owner about the tables and see if i can get him to fix them.