Topic: Practice Table

[bmtran]

So I've never had a table at home, but craigslist is absolutely flooded with tables that people want to sell. The cheapest ones are random brands that I've never heard of, but the tables look like they're in good condition. My question is is it worth it to buy a table that's not the same kind that i normally play on or will the play style differ too much to where things I practice on the cheap table won't transfer to Tornado?

[snake eyes]

Nothing plays exactly like a Tornado....I picked up a brown marble coin-op from our local vendor for $275.00. It had some missing laminate pieces but i cut diamond plate and encased that bad boy and it looks SWEET!! do some looking before you buy, Tornado Coin-Op's can be picked up for good money these days.

Good Luck Hunting!

Snake

[Syronis]

I've been looking for a table for quite some time now, and just can't seem to come up with anything decent. Craigslist is great, but really only good if you live near a greater metropolitan area. Unfortunately trying to play foosball in rural america is harder than it might sound. I guess next time I visit friends in the StL area I should look around on craigslist for a table as well. It's that or drop almost a grand on getting an ok new table shipped here.

[foosin joe]

I wouldn't mess around with the cheeper tables, craigslist is full of sportscraft, and harvard tables, don't buy them! the reason everyone is selling them is because their not good tables and sports authority and dicks sell them for like 4-5 hundred dollars, its a complete rip off. My advice would be to just be patient. I just got a dynamo gold medal table of of craigslist in near perfect shape for $75, you can look through my posts to see the pics. Tornado is the most popular table but don't limit your self to just tornado, shelti makes a great table and i love my new dynamo... just keep an eye out for a good name brand table and never give the guy what he's askin for lol, if tonado is what you crave, a sportscraft will not fill the void.

[Syronis]

So I was checking around craigslist, and I found a Storm II table with some slight wear from use for sale for $400, I'll be getting some pictures once the current owner comes back from the UK. Is there anything in particular I should be looking for? He also said he'd be willing to ship it. Shipment of course costs about $150-$200 for something of that size. Has anybody shipped a product or received something this size before? Obviously the legs and rods would have to come off for shipment. Does this pose any threat to the integrity of the table?

I want to make sure that what I receive is what I pay for, and have little experience in actual table re-construction. I've read posts on the maintenance of rods/playing surfaces, so I'm not so concerned in this matter once I get the table put together. 

I wouldn't say that I really crave a tornado table either, maybe I'll look into some of the used Shelti or Dynamo models to kind of get a grasp for the price vs. quality comparison.

[bbtuna]

you want to look for a good shape Tornado Brown Marble coin-op for $450-$550...it would be much better than even a brand new Cyclone...if you can spend $750-$950 you can get a Grey Marble (the newest model before the full metal jacket ones out now)

several people on this board bought down and regretted it later...you can still learn on the Cyclone but for nearly the same money you can get a coin-op which are bascially indistructable and should last you your entire life or until you choose to turn it over

the key is to be prepared to strike the deal when you find it and then wait until it comes a long, it is there - I recently made a BIG mistake letting the perfect Brown Marble get away local (even though I already have a coin-op like Tornado) because I messed up the timing on the eBay bid...I could have had it, and it was in pretty good shape for a Brown Marble (all of them would be at least 10-12 years old), for under $300...I cried myself to sleep for a week...I knew better, I was ready, and I blew the time on the close of the bidding...i want to shot myself even now as I relive this horrible tail

I digress...lots of posts here if you search on buying a table...key is, set you mind like a flint for a coin-op, get your funds ready, search and be patient until you see what you want and then ACT right away...

[Syronis]

So, I've now found a Storm II table which I could pick up near the Chicago area for about $400, but also did a little searching for cities that were of similar distance away on Craiglist, and tracked down a used T-2000 for $600. Is the extra $200 worth the weight, bearing, and rod differences. What are the subtle differences that would make the latter a better table to play on on a regular basis? This is one of the brown marble coin ops, I guess people have found them for cheaper... but I can't really even find the tournament style tables anywhere.

[Will17]

if it is good shape scoop it up right away. offer 450 and say there is other tables comparable selling for that but if he won't budge then pay 600. i have gone into stores and played on new storm II's and even when the rod's and bearings are new they feel like crap. i woudn't buy a storm II, it would break with enough use. if your not planning on playing very often, like once a week or twice a month then maybe thats all you need, but either way the resale of you T-2000 wont drop down and the resale of your storm will go way down. the brown marble was made VERY sturdy and won't ever break, if its in good shape buy it.

[Syronis]

That's what I was thinking... now I just need a truck

Well I just looked into how much it would be to just rent a u-haul cargo truck and that would cost me about $300, I could just buy a table on ebay and have it shipped for less than that.

I also wanted to confirm with somebody who has more knowledge of Tornado tables that this is indeed the 'recommended' table model.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f394/syronis/7-28-08051.jpg

[Will17]

that link won't work for me... it takes me to gmail, i signed in and it didn't do anything either..

[Syronis]

That was idiotic, I didn't even look to see where the link went to. I saved the photo and uploaded it to my old photobucket, it should work fine now.

[Will17]

ya its a cherrywood tornado t-2000, a few years old, some guys will give you the exact year but either way the answer will be that its a great table. It is a much older model though, it has the lighter coloured playing surface, and the ball changed when they changed that surface too. but the ball changed so that the new surface played like the old one so it is great, minimal changes anyway, plus that cabinet is built better than the new ones that are manufactured in china. it is a good table, one that I would buy if it was near me.

[bbtuna]

i own the cheery T-2000 and for $600 it is a really good deal assuming it doesn't need major repair

is it the coin-op or split top home model (same exact as coin-op just missing coin-op mechanism and coin box)

[bbtuna]

okay, I checked out the photo...$600 if the table is in as good a shape as that picture shows would be very near a steal

[bbtuna]

yes that is the right model, ask if it has any bad rod, agree to the deal (he isn't likely to sell it for less than $600 and you would be pushing to ask for much less)

after that, tell him you need to find transportation to move it...see if the seller has any ideas and if not, tell him you will get him the money as you agreed and you will need a little time to find truck

don't rent that far away, as you discovered way toooo much money...you just need to work your friend/relative list...there has to be someone or someone on this borad who knows someone who has a truck who lives close enough and will help

go get it