Foosball.com Forums

Chat Area => Archives => Topic started by: command z on March 25, 2009, 07:28:32 AM

Title: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 25, 2009, 07:28:32 AM
Hi. I bought a cheap table to mess around with in my apartment. I had to replace some of the foosball men and when I started to put it together, I realized that I might be putting the men on backwards.

Can you look at this picture and tell me if "A" or "B" should be forward?

(http://www.zotterinc.com/foosballquestion.jpg)


Thank you very much!!!

Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 25, 2009, 08:35:47 AM
Z,

B would be the front, the angle of the front part of the man makes it more horizontal when striking the ball forward. The steeper angle on the back side makes it easier to catch passes. Tornado men have the same type of angle difference when comparing the front and back. I am curious as to what the front and back of the men look like as well - sometimes the striking side of the foot has a deeper pattern.

Good luck..................................Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 25, 2009, 08:46:27 AM
Thanks Tyler. That means I have them installed correctly!

For the "B" side, When looking at a front view of the foosball men, there is a groove or an indentation that almost resembles feet, starting about 3/4 of an inch from the bottom of the man. The groove is about 1/8 on an inch deep.

For the "A" side, there is no grove. 

Thanks again!!!
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 25, 2009, 09:02:06 AM
Z,

I must say I had a little laugh, picturing you at your computer hoping you had done it correctly, then chuckling at the 2 different possible reactions once someone replied to your post! LOL.

Take care........................................Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 25, 2009, 11:34:36 AM
never use Tompson's...always use Foos Direct who brings you this forum

first he supplies you the communication tool to get info like this but also he is a fooser who does this for the love of the game (he has a full time job that pays real bills) and 3rd, here you are sure to get all the real deal stuff at close to the best price you can find any of this stuff for

that looks like a Dynamo man?  is that right?  what table is it?

http://foosdirect-store.stores.yahoo.net/
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 25, 2009, 12:00:23 PM
The table is a Goodtime Novelty.

Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 25, 2009, 01:57:12 PM
Tuna,

I've known Jim W. for many years and have nothing but respect for the man. I didn't know him when I went through my 'build my collection' phase a few years before meeting him, so my reference for Thompson's is from my own good dealings.

No dis-respect intended, Jim...................................Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 25, 2009, 04:47:36 PM
its all good...no big deal, just trying to support the "right" places...Jim is cool with it but I like to encourage people who use this site to support him as much as possible

he has a good selection for the main tables but if you are looking for something unusual you may need to go some place else but I am sure Jim has what commandz needs
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 25, 2009, 05:15:08 PM
Yup, What BBtuna said,,,, Gotta say thanks to Jim. Also, are you sure the b side should be the front? Hey, it just looked wrong if you compared the angled side to Tornado's configuration,,,,
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 25, 2009, 05:59:57 PM
OM,

Well, the Tornado men on my table have faces on the front side, which is also the side having the curved foot profile. The back part of the foot is pretty much flat. Also, Z mentioned the B side has a grooved pattern like a foot, the A side is smooth. I'm going with the B side as the being the front, but I have no problem being questioned.

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 25, 2009, 07:32:14 PM
Tyler, I'm not correcting you as I really don't know but it just seemed to be the other way. It's not wrong to question so as to get clarification,,,, 8)
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: foozkillah on March 25, 2009, 08:55:12 PM
Z,
B would be the front, the angle of the front part of the man makes it more horizontal when striking the ball forward. The steeper angle on the back side makes it easier to catch passes. Tornado men have the same type of angle difference when comparing the front and back. I am curious as to what the front and back of the men look like as well - sometimes the striking side of the foot has a deeper pattern.
Good luck..................................Tyler

Excuse me?  I have a Tornado man in front of me now, as I prepare to replace a man on the 5bar...  and no... unless people are watching another pic, THE A side, I REPEAT, THE A side is the FRONT of that man.

In other words the front angle of the man is just about perpendicular when the man is pointed straight down!.   If you're matching the generic foot shapes of a Tornado, Warrior or Shelti, then the B side is the back of the figure!  That BACK side is the angled one that allows less angle while still pinning the ball in a heelset or front pin.

Put up a profile picture of a Tornado, Warrior or Shelti player and compare it to the original picture.

IMHO, I think several of you've all realized what the front side was, but thought Tyler was referring to the A side.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 25, 2009, 09:28:58 PM
Brian,

You may very well be right. The comment by Z that the B side has a texture to it seems to me that that would be the side designed to strike the ball, but I could be wrong. Also, the back side of my Tornado men have more surface area (back foot part is taller) than the front (curved side). The pictured man has a taller foot part on the A side (and with no grooves), and a shorter one on the B side. With those 2 observations, my guess is that B is the front, yet I don't mind your conclusion being different than mine!

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 25, 2009, 09:41:25 PM
Hey Tyler, No big deal as long as we help a fellow fooser. 'Killa is a good egg and not one to want to bang on you(other than playing him I reckon). So let's take the high road and just help this guy(command z) out. Actually it is a good puzzle, which way should they go,,,
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 25, 2009, 09:58:26 PM
Friends,

After further review, I change my vote to A side being front - much easier to kick field goals...LOL

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: PNW on March 26, 2009, 01:55:14 AM
14 posts to help command z.  What a great community!  A poll seems in order, but I would say A is the front as well.  For pinning, you need the angle and texture on the B side.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Will17 on March 26, 2009, 02:23:58 AM
i have a table like that in my basement. i'm just waiting to give it away to someone, couldn't just throw it out now that i have 2 other tables down there, the men look exactly the same. anyway the front of the men on my table is side a, it helps for side b to be angles so that catching passes is easier. i'm sure it would play pretty close to the same either way.

my advice woud be to use side a as the front. side note, make sure the bearings are smooth as possible. its ball bearings that dont slide well on mine, but maybe someone on here has advice on how to make that better.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 26, 2009, 07:34:21 AM
Thanks all.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 26, 2009, 11:09:17 AM
"B" side is front

backside is almost always flat and this is a dynamo rip off older man...here is the latest man, same as Tor below flat side is back side
http://foosdirect-store.stores.yahoo.net/fts-110-014-01.html

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2048/2310967196_e28faa179f.jpg?v=0)
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: wildcard on March 26, 2009, 11:15:32 AM
Will, try taking out the ball bearings, clean them with gumout, then lubricate with very thin sewing machine oil. Its gotta be the lightest weight oil you can get so as not to gum up the ball bearings. Good luck.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 26, 2009, 12:08:19 PM
I still vote for 'a' as the front side, lol. I think Tornado's man evolved so that the curved foot on the front side came into being later on. Looking at the angle of the faces in relation to the man it supports what 'Killa was saying. The front face is more parallel to the line of the man  just as it is on the Tornado man minus the lower toe angled area. Tag, your it BBtuna!
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 26, 2009, 01:11:03 PM
don't agree...curved front furtherest out edge is closer to the front than the flat back which is behind the back of the man

besides, no preson or manufacture with an IQ above 50 would but ridges on the back side of the man and not on the front side...

no doubt, no way it is A...no man has been designed like that since I have been playing and this is a dynamo copy fo sho

B it is...back to you Garth
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: KCTrayn on March 26, 2009, 03:29:52 PM
Tuna - what are you talking about?? :o A is definetly the front side. Side B is designed to catch passes and front pinning. That is all there is to it.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: PatRyan on March 26, 2009, 03:55:25 PM
How about a different method to determine which way it was designed to face.  Does the player figure get attached to the rod with a screw and nut?  If it does, does the player figure have a hexagonal insert in the player figure body to hold the nut?  Based on all of the tables I have seen that use Screws and nuts to hold the figures in place, the screw head is located on the front of the man and the nut is on the back of the man.  That might be one way to determine which way he is supposed to face.

Just a thought!

Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 26, 2009, 04:24:46 PM
no respectable American would have been front pinning when that man was made and it was a copy of old Dynamo, so don't be coming on here bothering the PhoKing Champ

go get some practice in or something useful
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 26, 2009, 04:25:47 PM
good idea Pat...I would concur and bow to the bolt whatever direction it took us
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 26, 2009, 05:41:13 PM
How about a different method to determine which way it was designed to face.  Does the player figure get attached to the rod with a screw and nut?  If it does, does the player figure have a hexagonal insert in the player figure body to hold the nut?  Based on all of the tables I have seen that use Screws and nuts to hold the figures in place, the screw head is located on the front of the man and the nut is on the back of the man.  That might be one way to determine which way he is supposed to face.

Just a thought!




Well, what started all of this is I bought some replacement men for my Goodtime Novelty table. The existing men on my table do have the bolt in the back, making "B" the front. But the new men I was sent are set up to have the bolt in the front, assuming "B" is still the front.

Would it help if I posted a picture of the front profile of both "A" and "B?"

THANKS ALL FOR THE HELP!!! This forum is great!
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 26, 2009, 05:45:02 PM
I read over that and thought it didn't make much sense.

The existing men: nut on "A" side.
The new men: nut on "B" side.

Would it help if I posted a picture of the front profile of both "A" and "B?"
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 26, 2009, 06:12:25 PM
yes, include the front side of the feet and the bolt hole on both the old and new man

this is fun 8)
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: wildcard on March 26, 2009, 07:05:31 PM
What's the issue? In this day and age men are allowed to go both ways,  :D .


(I just don't want to know about it ;) )
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 26, 2009, 08:01:25 PM
My men go one way!!! lol! OK, here's a front profile of both "A" and "B."

(http://www.zotterinc.com/foosa.jpg)
(http://www.zotterinc.com/foosb.jpg)
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: marty on March 26, 2009, 09:02:52 PM
i vote A is the front
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 26, 2009, 09:14:09 PM
So was I wrong or right? I can't tell from the picture.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 27, 2009, 07:56:31 AM
Pat,

So much for the hex hole theory!

OM,

Assuming the original man was installed correctly, B is the front (on that table in that photo - no more, no less).

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: wildcard on March 27, 2009, 09:33:08 AM
notice that some of the men have the little hole for the counterweight on A side, some on B side.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 27, 2009, 09:44:22 AM
Rick,

This is starting to feel like a Twilight Zone episode! Up is down, left is right, hex in front and back at same time - oooooohhww - LOL.

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: MrBasso on March 27, 2009, 10:01:31 AM
For what its worth - put me into the 'A' side front group.  I base it mostly on the original picture and the "vertical face forward" arguement.  Also, the groove (bum-like indent) on the B side looks like the heels of a foot. 

I have no basis for this next point but I think manufacturers often have no grasp on playing characteristics, i.e., they design the player figure so that it "looks" right.  So let me take the position of the manufacturer...Heels go back, tread (grooves) on the bottom of the shoe...therefore B side is the back.

If it were my table I'd just try it both ways and see what worked best.

Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 27, 2009, 11:24:28 AM
B side on Existing is front like it or not (as I said)

A side on replacement is front like it or not

end of discussion 8)
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: command z on March 27, 2009, 03:44:39 PM
But the existing man and the replacement man are the exact same. except for the nut and bolt setup.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 27, 2009, 03:52:24 PM
opps, I thought you had them reversed...okay, B side both

the older men would not have the screw coming out the front and then there is the tread

frankly, none of them looks good...you ought to do as someone said, and but some in one direction on one side of the table or on 3 bar and the other direction other side or 2 bar...see what you like

if you hadn't already bought replacements I would have recommened buying a different man assuming the are the same length from rod to surface and rod hole was the same

but, now just go wit it, have some fun, and if you like, plan to step up to a Tornado coin-op as soon as you are able
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 27, 2009, 05:58:03 PM
...this is simply too comical...

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 27, 2009, 08:07:51 PM
The fact that different sides had hex holes from man to man explains the whole thing, the table manufacturer didn't know either. Should side b be the front it explains why this table was doomed to extinction as they shot the ball the wrong direction,,, ;D
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 27, 2009, 08:26:00 PM
Tuna,

Looking at the angle of side A, any ball struck ahead of the bar would go sailing off the table, which is why side B is angled the way it is.

Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: MrBasso on March 30, 2009, 03:56:12 PM

Looking at this picture...

(http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/l/kj/09/2/27/764/r5/756558d_20.jpeg)

from a recent kijiji ad...

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-toys-games-Goodtyme-Novelty-Inc-Foosball-Table-W0QQAdIdZ110125387

Based on the photo, I would reiterate my previous comment that the straight down side (side A) is meant to be the front of the player figure on this table.  The angled side (side B) is the back.
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Tyler Foos on March 30, 2009, 04:13:17 PM
Mr. Basso,

You may be right, but from the A side angle I don't know how it would stay on the table. Anyway, your photo definitely has A as the front, but it is opposite of the way Command Z's table was factory installed. Maybe they do go both ways?!?!

Take care.................................Tyler
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: bbtuna on March 30, 2009, 04:34:48 PM
MrB,

your picture is proof positive...that is, if you assume your picture is correct but given the poor design of the man and the apparent quality issues of the table, I think all your picture does is serve to confirm that is is unclear what if any intent the original designers had in mind

someone needs to contact the company if they still exist...I think even then we might not know :P
Title: Re: Men Direction?
Post by: Old Meister on March 30, 2009, 11:11:51 PM
That's one BB, LOL!