Wisconsin Pinball

After waiting many moons, my Hobbit pinball machine is finally getting delivered tomorrow. This is my first machine, so I have a couple questions.

1. From what I have seen from unboxing videos online, it looks like it comes in a box strapped to a pallet. Should I take the box off the pallet before moving it into the house or move it all together? I have a handtruck rated for 800lbs, so that should work right?

2. I have heard that you should wax the playfield to prevent wear. Should I wax it straight out of the box or will it be fine to play a few games on it? Also, any recommendations on wax?

I have been told that it is pretty straightforward to set up otherwise, so hopefully that all goes well. Thanks.

Congrats on your first pin! Hobbit is a beauty and should keep you entertained for a long time with all the depth/strategy.
as far as your questions go.

1. I would take the pallet off and just move it in the box with the handtruck.-the pallet just makes it more cumbersome and difficult to maneuver.

2. I always put some 100% pure carnauba wax (like Mother's or Maguires) before playing a game but i know this isn't a requirement. I know some people on Pinside rave about the P21S carnauba wax but I have yet to try it. It's pretty expensive though!

Good luck! Here's hoping your game is issue free and ready to play!

Thanks Mike. I see that Target sells Meguier's wax, so I'll pick some up. As far as getting the box off the pallet, do you just slide the box partially off and then tip it onto the handtruck? Just trying to figure out how to do that.

Yeah you should be able to just slide the box off the pallet. there are probably some bands you'll need to cut that strap the box to the pallet. Just use common sense and make sure not to use a knife or sharp object when opening the box to avoid causing any damage to your game. Just take it slow and be cautious and savor the moment

My Hobbit as delivered today. Yay!!! I did notice that the box was caved in a little near the bottom on one side. The delivery guy from R&L was very helpful in helping me lay the machine down so I could open the bottom and check for any damage. The caved in part was the empty space below the head, so no damage. The glass was intact and the playfield looked like it was in proper position. Next step is getting it set up.

Congrats on your purchase.

Congrats on your first pinball machine. When is the next one arriving?

Thank you. I managed to get it all set up with the help of my wife and four friends. I learned that if you are going to use the $30 handtruck that you bought at Menard's a year ago, you should make sure that the tires are filled before putting 350lbs on it. We managed to get it up onto my porch with the flat tires, but figured that we should fill the tires before trying to make it over the big step into my front door. Of course, on of the tires had the valve stem pushed in at a weird angle so I could not attach it to end of the pump hose. But we had five guys, so we figured that we could just carry it in the rest of the way, since it was going into my office 10 feet from the front door. Damn that thing is heavy. Ended up setting it on a rug and sliding it across the floor to my office. Set up was pretty painless after that, though my back hates me now. Maybe those pinball lifts are actually worth it.

Since it is in your office area - if you have any sunlight that hits it throughout the day - put a cover on the game when not using it. Sunlight can fade the cabinet and playfield and affect resale value.

How do you like playing it so far?

Congrats on your first table!

I remember when we thought we were going to get "a" pinball table. Everybody laughed at us, but we were sure we didn't need a bunch. Our seventh shows up in a few days.

I normally have the curtains closed in that room, but that's a good idea for when I do have light coming in.

As far as the game, I really like it. The latest code is a big update from what I have played before. Still need to learn the rules. Already did a couple tweaks. The ring button wasn't quite hitting the leaf switch, so I put a little rubber tab on the base of the button. Wasn't sure if leaf switches will bend or just snap. Also had to bend the right wireform slightly since the ball would occasionally fall out above the pops. All part of owning a machine right?

Just fine to gently bend leaf switches. That is how you adjust them. You can do it by hand or with a small pair of angled needlenose for best and fine tune adjustments.

Yup, pinball ownership means learning to work on them

Congrats on getting the Hobbit, Noah! I'm sure you'll love it! So the next question is: when will #2 be showing up?

Gotta get the basement finished first; don't have the room for any more right now. Hopefully that should be done by the end of the year. I think this game will keep me busy for a while. Besides, there is plenty of great location pinball to play in town.

Noah, if you want, I can 3D print you the whatevers that Sean had me make for the Hobbit at Schwoegler's. I should be in the shop a few times this month.