Foosball.com Forums

Merkel rods

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Merkel rods
« on: July 18, 2016, 09:37:08 PM »
I have a brown marble table that has a bent or wobbly two man rod. It is still playable but it drives me nuts. I am by far no expert, but from what I have read on this forum the best rods that were made for Tornado was the Merkel rods. Correct me if I am wrong but I do not believe that they are still being made. If I am correct and they are not, would a new rod potentially bend or warp with heavy use? And is there a certain kind I should be looking for or are all replacement rods the same, being that it is a Tornado brand?  Also i have replaced all the men and roll pins on the table and have not had to replace anything else( knock on wood) but if I were to get a new two man rod would I need new roll pins as well?  Any help is greatly apprecited.

Re: Merkel rods
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2016, 12:03:00 AM »
The new rods are the best due to their slight matte finish and superior lubricant hold and glide.  They may not be as tough as the merkels but they absolutely do not bend easily unless abused.  In fact, many would suggest that the new rods are the current standard and anything else is dated, has a different feel than the tournament tour tables, and ultimately puts them at a disadvantage.  For casual or recreational use the difference is trivial.

New roll pins are very cheap and replacement is recommended after removal as they tend to yeild over time.  Pins can be reused but I would try to place new pins on the 3 bar forward and two bar defense rods as they experience the most punishment.  Tornado pins commonly break under heavy use. 

Re: Merkel rods
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2016, 12:16:17 AM »

Re: Merkel rods
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2016, 09:40:24 PM »
Lets assume that the rods that are on my table are all original,  if i order one new rod will it look/play different from the others?  Would it be worth it to replace all rods?  The only thing that worries me is that I would be dumping more money into this table than I could get back out of it if I ever wanted to sell it. Thank you for all the help.

Offline papafoos

  • *
  • 333
  • Good luck reaching me IM, I usually keep them off.
Re: Merkel rods
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2016, 02:03:11 PM »
Unless the other bars are in bad shape, I wouldn't replace them.  I doubt there will be much difference after a week or two of play.

Re: Merkel rods
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2016, 11:32:46 AM »
Hi hackjob, for new rods you may be describing those that were shipped with the T3000 until mid 2015. Since then the most recent rods are at least 5oz lighter, indicating a lower grade steel, and they need to be lubricated more often (I don't know why).
Also, the new tables have a surface that is slightly less sleek : because of a higher friction between the ball and the playfield the ball tends to acquire rotation rather than slide. This makes a difference in brush passes, which are less deep and less forgiving on the angle between the ball and the player. To a lesser extent this is a similar effect with what you have on the Warrior table where brush passes are challenging. If you look at the videos of the 2016 Hall of Fame Classic, e.g. the match between Zeke Cervantes and Kevin Walker you can see a lot of missed brush passes because of that.
I also bought a table from this year's Maryland State 2016 that I have at home, and it has the same feature, slightly slower surface and lighter rods.
I sent these comments to the Tornado sales rep, but they are in denial. They say that nothing has changed, but I know for a fact that this isn't true, because I can make a direct comparison every other day at the bar, where I play with a T3000 table made in March 2014 and another made April 2015, and they play differently from the T3000 coin op that I have at home.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2016, 11:34:50 AM by gattacibus »

Re: Merkel rods
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2016, 03:48:48 PM »
@gattacibus... very interesting info... I will look at my latest rod set I bought in march and compare to those I bought a year ago.  I suspect you have likely noticed an unapproved change in metal stock.  From what I hear off rods are sometimes shipped with new tables;   Make some noise and they will always correct it.    I'm mildly curious and I'll post if I can back you up on the rod changes.  Not much I can say about playfields; it would be sad to get something off standard, as it is very expensive to return ship those.   I just love the game so I wouldn't really care as long as a table is close in feel.  I'm weird but, I like the variety of tables and the adjustment process.  That may change when I start to place 2nd at tournaments.

@Bdavis85... If the table is for home...I personally would go see a machinist assuming the pin holes are not too far out of spec.  Your unlikely to rebend the fatigued rod in a home environment...  Does the roll pins feel snug in the rod with no play when a new man is loaded?... if it is not snug it is likely worn out garbage. 

With older coin tables, many players and promoters buy 2 new shooting rods (2 bar and forward 3bar) and load them with new figures and put them on the ball return side for a more genuine modern feel during practice.  You could buy 4 and keep the table fair and balanced on both sides.  $50 each and your done and upgraded guaranteed.   I have bought a significant number of rods from jim on this site... not a single problem other than a break-in period is required to get a really smooth glide feel.  I am very happy with them.  They seem identical to the t3000 tour models in my city except newer and better.  I am not a full on tournament player... but I would notice if something is a genuine problem.

If you are a tournament player, you can chase "exactly the same" but you may never get there as indicated by gattacibus.  Someone always finds something to bit ch  about...  Additionally, you should be reminded the playfields have had a number of official changes since the brown marble playfield; it is still a great surface, but quite different.  These variations go on and on and on and on over time and tables.  I personally bought a full new rod set and playfield....I used my old set to upgrade a bar table that  really needed it.  On that bar table like your situation, I just bought 2 rods for everyone to practice shooting with the correct weight and glide.  You have to decide the goal with your table and parts.