Topic: Brown Marble Restoration

[DeMarco]

Hi everyone. I recently picked up a used Brown Marble Coin Op and have a few questions. It was certainly neglected for a while and I haven't had a good chance to set it up and use it yet but have started cleaning it up a bit as time permits.

First, it seems to be a very old Tornado since it doesn't mention Valley, only has 3 patent numbers, and has a very old 50 cent flat coin chute rather than the standard vertical coin mech's I see on all the others. Can anyone help me nail down a year this may have been produced? I have heard serial numbers that far back don't mean much. I can post some pics over the weekend once I get it set up. It also has metal meet and only 4 score pegs on either side with metal posts. I'm thinking early 80s?

Also I'm wondering if anyone can help me figure out how to get the old adhesive off from the old sidestrips? One was already peeling off and the other is barely holding on. I have new side strips and thin bearings (most of the the original ones were broken) but rather not take off all of the guys right now if I can avoid it. Any tips for installing the new strips without taking off the bars?

And lastly, it has been stored standing up on its end for quite some time. I did what I could to ensure it was flat but it worries me that it may not be true. Has anyone stored a table like this for a long time? The thing is built like a brick house if you ask me but you never know I guess. It was only $100 so I had to pick it up.

[kgstewar]

Rubbing alcohol should get off the old adhesive. Easy to put on the new sides strips without removing the men. Just be careful and only remove the backing paper a little bit at a time. Your play surface is probably fine. Level the table and roll a ball slowly around and see if it tracks straight.

[DeMarco]

Alcohol was not enough. This guy had hot glue gunned one of the strips down and the other is not coming off very easily. I think I got most of the old adhesive off the one side now but I had to basically scrape the table with a razor blade - not ideal but I think I only chipped one spot and the new strip will cover that up. Any tips for getting the other side off? It's all chipped up otherwise I'd just leave it.

I'm setting it up at the new place this weekend so I'll finally upload pics in hopes of gaining some more insight and interest.

[alaskan thunder]

Goop off or something stronger than alcohol will do it. Just don't use a bunch and be sure to clean it off quickly. Just rehabbed a table using it and it worked great.

[DeMarco]

Cool thanks! I didn't want to put anything on the surface other than a tiny bit of water and some alcohol. I actually tried a little windex the other night with no luck but I clean it off with alcohol has best I could after. I'll try a little goop off or something - was also thinking of heating up a putty knife and sliding it under the other strip hoping to break some of that adhesive loose one side.