Topic: Should I buy this used Tornado table?

[RickV77]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to the sport but interested in playing more. I saw a table on Craigslist today for this table asking for $300. The owner says it's an Tornado Elite, but I'm not sure exactly. Also I have no idea what those plastic white end caps on the rods are, anybody know? I have included the pictures provided on craigslist. Is this table worth looking at for the price?

https://imgur.com/a/hnE76

[computerchris]

As long as play field looks decent, rods spin well, and seems sturdy, that looks like a good deal to me.

[snake eyes]

Something up with those split bearings,, beware. I've been playing 16 years and never seen those. Ask seller what the hell that is...

Snake

[TSR_Brad]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to the sport but interested in playing more. I saw a table on Craigslist today for this table asking for $300. The owner says it's an Tornado Elite, but I'm not sure exactly. Also I have no idea what those plastic white end caps on the rods are, anybody know? I have included the pictures provided on craigslist. Is this table worth looking at for the price?

https://imgur.com/a/hnE76

My guess is that they're part of a type of rod guard setup.

[RickV77]

Dang it, someone beat me to it. Thanks for all the input. Guess I'm back on the look out for another table. BTW, I'm in the Seattle area if anybody knows of someone selling a good tornado table.

[RickV77]

Is this table similar to the t3000? Seller asking for $700. Also, not sure why it has wheels on the legs.

https://imgur.com/a/Wq9oK

[bolt115]

It is an older model(T2000) with original laminate missing ....$700 seems steep with missing laminate and you would need to buy the right feet. How is the condition of playing surface/ goals?

[RickV77]

So I asked the seller to send more pictures. It looks pretty good. I didn't even realized it had missing laminate. I thought that the sidings were suppose to be silver. He was willing to reduce the price down to $500. I  have to drive 2.5 hours to pick this up. It was from a bar that closed down. Are the screw on leg levelers for tornado pretty standard to fit on all tables? I see them on the tornado parts site for $11 a piece. Any more thoughts after seeing the new pictures?

https://imgur.com/a/vBJ7R

I've been reading more about the t2000 and now worried about warped surfaces on these specific models. I can't go check out the table myself since it's 2.5 hours away. Are there anyway to tell from the pictures?

[crazy8]

Tornadofoosball.com says it replaces the Cyclone II. If it’s in good condition buy it. I had the Cyclone II for 15 years with no worries until the playing surface warped from damp storage conditions. Not as heavy as the coin-op version but plays just as well. Some people like to weigh these down to equal the mass of the coin-op but I never saw the need. Look for straight rods and a perfectly flat playing surface. PM me if you want. Good luck and enjoy!

[crazy8]

Real expensive new.

[bolt115]

The most issues would be:

1. damage to goal mouth
2. swollen walls from spilled drinks
3. bent  2 rod

! and 2 would be deal killers,  more picture of goal mouth's and side walls as well as interior would help in determining if you should look at it in person. This looks like maybe the last T2000 style just before T3000 was introduced...?  Maybe someone else will chime in that knows for sure and can offer insight into any known issues.

[RickV77]

So I ended up making the trip and buying the table. The exterior has a few chips and scratches, probably from being in a bar setting and being moved around, but not too bad. Everything else looks great and no warping of the playing surface. The only problem with this table that I noticed was the playing field near each of the goal post has become slightly delaminated. It's about 2 inches from the end of each goal post. I've read about several ways to fix this issue, including using a hot iron or heat gun to reactivate the contact cement or just buying contact cement and reapplying it to the affected area and regluing it down with weights. For now, my sons and I are playing on it without a problem but I don't want the delaminated areas to spread wider. Would it be safe to use a hot iron or heat gun on the playing field laminate or would this potentially cause damage to the laminate? Any advice on this issue is greatly appreciated.

[kgstewar]

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ask-toh/how-to-reglue-countertop

this gives a good description