Topic: Dynamo Striker coin-op ... and now a Tornado coin-op too

[Centrist]

I read the long post and thread on selecting a foosball table.  I don't see any Tornado coin-ops locally for a decent price.  But I do see this old Dynamo Striker coin-op.





I found a small amount of info on it through search, but not a lot.

What do you think?

FYI, I'm buying this for the break-room at my work.  We play foos on breaks just about every day, and we've beat the crap out of our cheap table.  This one's been listed for a while, and I think I might be able to talk the guy down to $300 or so, to get it in our price range.

Thanks in advance,

~Bill

[Centrist]

I also just found a Tornado coin-op that may be a possibility.  It would be a long drive for me (and I have to borrow a truck).

I've corresponded with the guy, and here's what he says:

He thinks it's an '03.
The cabinet is dark with light trim around it (oddly, you can't actually see the cabinet in the photos).
There is slight water damage to the cabinet.
It needs a few men and bumpers.
He has two playing surfaces (not sure why this would be).

He may or may not have the coin-op key.

The other odd thing is that it looks like at least one row of men is in the wrong place on his board.

He's asking just $250, by the way. 

Here are the pictures:

[Jeron]

Centrist

Your right about the men. the 3 bars on both sides are missing and the guys colors are all mixed up compared to where they should be. I'm not that smart when it comes to these things but with all the stuff you said about water damage, 2 playing fields, and the 3 bars missing i would venture to say that this table is pretty beat up. I wouldn't consider buying it unless he has all the missing parts and a good explanation about everything that doesn't make sense.

[John M]

Centrist:

The tornado has too many red flags from what you describe!...water damage on the cabinet probably means that the playfield was affected as well. That may be the explaination for two playfileds.

Needs new new men and bumpers? Rods in the wrong place? Too many red flags in my opinion.

I dont know much about the Dynamo Stiker...some others may have feedback on the quality of that table.

[papafoos]

The Tornado sounds like a parts table.  I'd be leery of it.

Maybe some of the west coast people can give you info on the Stryker.

[Centrist]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I'm going to try to negotiate for the Dynamo.  If, in the meantime, a Tornado coin-op comes up, I'll try it.  I'm not sure the budget stretches enough for that, though.

Thanks!

~Bill

[PatRyan]

The Dynamo Striker is a pretty good table.  I would make sure it is not missing any parts before you buy it.  Parts are VERY difficult to find, since those tables are no longer being produced.  The table is sturdy, it should play great when cleaned up.  We used to have a regular weekly tournament on Striker tables here in Baltimore back in the early 90's (I think).  And there were a couple of pretty large tournaments here on that table as well, although I recall the table having white laminate instead of the marbled look).  It is a great buy at $300 for a table of this quality.

Pat Ryan

[papafoos]

I just noticed...Sears must have put the Stryker together.  It has 5 handles on one side

[jinhopark]

I just noticed...Sears must have put the Stryker together.  It has 5 handles on one side

No wonder the blue side never wins...

[Centrist]

Good catch.  So the goalie bar for blue is in backwards?  Or you can just flip the handle to the other side?

I've emailed the guy, but no response yet.  Could be he's traveling for the holidays.

I just noticed...Sears must have put the Stryker together.  It has 5 handles on one side

No wonder the blue side never wins...

[bbtuna]

this and it will help you...this is probably the most common question asked on here and this should answer most of your questions and even some you haven't asked but should 

http://www.foosball.com/forum/index.php?topic=2704.0

what is your background in foosball and do you play or have you played any tournaments and how much are you willing to spend top dollar amount?  email me any time if you want to work on this, I am willing to help any time

[Centrist]

Hey BB.  I was really glad to see your offer of help, as I was already thinking of emailing you to ask.

I did read your thread on buying a table.  It's one of the first things I saw on here.  I originally posted because I couldn't find much here about the Dynamo Striker table.  My basic take, based on your thread and other comments here, is that it's a good table, but not standard for tournament play ... and, more importantly, hard to find parts for.

My background in foosball is pretty much that I play at work.  But we play a *lot* ... a couple times a day on work days ... and we have a lot of different teams with quite a few good players.  I've been the best for most of the time we've been playing, but there are now at least a couple who are my equal or better.  I play defense almost exclusively -- it's what I play well.

I should also mention that we play non-standard rules -- "street foose", as we call it.  Spins are allowed.  We do a lot of bank shots from the defensive side with spins.  I know that's heavily frowned upon among foosers, but I don't think I could talk people into going no-spinsies.  These are folks blowing off steam at work, so they just want to cut loose and let the ball fly around.  As a defender, I think this may actually make me better in some ways, as it's so hard to block all those rapid-fire shots.

As far as getting a table goes, what I'm planning to do is contact the one guy with the Striker table and see if he comes down into my price range.  I sent him an email offering $275, but didn't hear back.  It was a couple days before Christmas, so he may be traveling.  I'm planning on calling the number he left in his ad today.

If he doesn't come down into the $300 range, I'll be looking elsewhere.  If you (or anyone here) could help find a Tornado coin-op in the central Ohio area, that would be awesome.  I could add another $50 to $100 to the budget for that kind of table.

As for specific areas, I'm dependent on asking someone with a truck to help me ... which means I can't go more than an hour or so out of the central Ohio area.  (This would include Dayton and Marion.)  However, I could probably pick up in Toledo, too, as I have lots of relatives up there and we visit there frequently.

So, basically, it would be:

Columbus and vicinities, or
Toledo

BTW, I've already seen the listing for a Tornado coin-op in Marion.  But the guy's asking a lot, and the rods appear to be rusted in his pictures.  I'm guessing that's a no-go.

Thanks for your help,

~Bill

this and it will help you...this is probably the most common question asked on here and this should answer most of your questions and even some you haven't asked but should 

http://www.foosball.com/forum/index.php?topic=2704.0

what is your background in foosball and do you play or have you played any tournaments and how much are you willing to spend top dollar amount?  email me any time if you want to work on this, I am willing to help any time

[frosty]

Centrist,

That listing in Marion looks alot like the blonde one I just picked up.  The condition seems to be very similar.  By the looks of the listing, my guess is the rods aren't rusted but have some 'gunk' on them and could be cleaned up.  Never know for sure until you see it though.  Surface could use some cleaning.  The exterior seems to have some scratches as well.

I paid $350 for mine and I'm quite happy with it even before the 'overhaul'.  So $650 for a comparable table seems way outta line to me (then again I'm very cheap.)  I'll let the more experienced posters chime in on this one, but I'd offer significantly less or pass altogether.

OK, this just has me curious more than anything.  I have no idea what the 'red baron' reference is about-maybe a local bar?  Says it's a quarter table, but nothing more than that.  Listed at only $200, but a quarter table?  hmmm:  

http://toledo.craigslist.org/tag/2065349457.html

[jinhopark]

That Toledo listing seems like a long shot, but definitely worth a call...My guess at the quarter table is that the table is set to accept only 1 quarter, but if it's like most tables then that can be adjusted by swapping out the slots from blanks to quarters, to dollar coins, to tokens to free play.

Why is it these deals are never nearby to anyone looking for one?

http://mcallen.en.craigslist.org/spo/2122805155.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tag/2125715325.html

I used to know a guy in Columbus, OH that owns like a HVAC business or something and he is a foosball fantatic and he hosts a monthly DYP or something at his business.  He buys/sells/trades tables all the time and he would be a great person to connect with.  I'm sure anyone that is in the central Ohio foosball scene would know his name and contact info.  He helped my buddy in Michigan find a table in Zanesville, OH a few years back.

[Centrist]

Thanks for the help, guys.  I would *definitely* be interested in the local guy you know, if you or anyone has his contact information.  You could email it to me at tallbill@aol.com.

I went to see the guy with the Dynamo Striker table yesterday.  It was in much worse shape than I expected.  Several of the bushings were shot, and there was quite a bit of give in some of the rods (you could rattle them).   I peered down into the goals, and there was rust on the metal ramps leading down from them.

One thing about these tables, btw, is that the cabinets seem virtually indestructable.  They are super heavy and solid as a rock.  It's just the rest of the table that was in bad shape.

I'm going to check on that red baron table.

Thanks again for all the help, guys!