I love repair stuff! I can’t do it myself (space/money) but I love reading about it. Those restoration threads on Pinside are terrific and probably my favorite part of the forum.
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I have been repairing pinball machines for a living for over 20 years. I’d be happy to help out if anyone needs it.
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That stinks. Have you tried reducing the thread types you see to only tech related ones? That’s basically what I did, and it made my experience a lot better. I was starting to feel the same way you do.
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There is very much room for that here. The “Collecting” category is marked for this, though a more specific category for tech/repair can be added.
I think the high focus on competitive play is just something that happened because it’s what the people who joined the site earliest wanted to talk about. Tech talk is very welcome!
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I just picked up a Wood’s Queen and will be learning how zzz EMs work and documenting my experiences. I will consider start a thread in collecting when I get going and see how it goes over.
Nice, I’m in a similar boat— just bought a non-working Monaco and am slowly bringing it back to life, learning as I go.
I dunno if I’ll ever develop much of a collection, but turning dead games into players feels something I could get into. Would be stoked to see more tech stuff, and especially on bigger/long-term repairs in that vein.
I recently just started working under some people that are teaching me how to repair/restore machines. I totally agree with @jay- I enjoy taking care of the machines! I feel like I understand them better and it makes me more aware of the nuances of games at large.
I still have a lot to learn and I get stumped every now and then so having a tech category would be stellar!
If anyone needs help, I’m happy to assist. All manufacturers and eras. I prefer working on EMs, but do lots of solid state work. Mostly for customers these days. 
Whose house can I come over to and tinker with your machines? I’ll only break them a little bit, I promise!
I just got done putting two Bally Rolling Stones together into one working game for a friend. They had been sitting disassembled in a basement for about 20 years.
I really love the early SS games and have brought a few back from the dead. I wish I would’ve kept some running threads for that work.
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Sounds great…I’d be happy to help…just no EM questions. At least not yet.
You/ he don’t happen to have one of those switch-post assemblies used in that game do you? mine is missing the one on the right.
The second playfield is essentially complete. More wear, broken plastics, burned coils all ended up there, but it still has all the assemblies. It is, however missing the head. So, I’m not sure what he’s going to do with the second game - sell it as a project or part it out.
It really wouldn’t take a ton of work to bring it back to life, as it does have a head (from a Stern Pinball), but it’d need all the boards at a minimum.
That said, if he does end up parting it out, I’ll reserve one of the post switches for you. I was surprised when I saw those. Were they ever used on another game?
I think a new section dedicated to tech queries/tips would be more encouraging than modifying an existing area to have an additional section. To bring it back to comp talk, “tech” could also apply to TDs who want to set their machines up devastatingly hard by disabling switches, switching flipper bats etc.
Only learned the other day (from sk8ball, I think) about the early 2000s Sterns requiring a good tilt bob ring cleaning/sanding to make them responsive again. Up until now I just thought I was generally arse at adjusting the bob on my RBION.
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I’m not sure if the purpose of tilt forums is to replace RGP and pinside, but if so, yes, a tech section would likely be required.
The vast archives of information are still out there on RGP (or pinside) for many problems.
But if tilt forums is supposed to be a place like RGP used to be - discussion of new games, gameplay, and the like… It’s probably not as big of a deal.
It always bothers me when I see tech questions getting asked/answered on Facebook on one of the hundreds of splinter pinball groups… So if a tech section here would prevent some of that, all the better.
Just some thoughts for and against. 
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I would love to see a tech/repair section here. Never hurts to have another source for tech help and a fresh set of eyes on repair issues. I’ll agree that the archives of RGP are a great resource but the overall feel here on TF seems much more welcoming and inviting than RGP or Pinside.
I have limited experience with early SS and EMs but will chime in when I feel I have the correct solution for someone. I did swap the PF on a Firepower once (then Keith goes and puts up 2.5 mil on it in Louisville)… Ya, that was fun!
-Steve
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I just left Pinside (join the club, left because I suggested collecting was getting in the way of playing. More than that but…) and the only reason I kept it around was for tech. Glad this thread is here.
I’m willing to help if anyone needs it. Not sure what I can do but ill try.
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Same here. I like tinkering and fixing stuff almost as much as playing. No reason not to discuss tech topics here. Just check out this:
They are geeking out majorly in that thread 
I have a Gottlieb Super Mario Bros and from time to time the ball drains and it displays ball jammed error on the DMD if I reset the machine it then kicks the ball into the through and works fine, also the replay score has garbage instead of numbers, has anyone seen this before?
I don’t know that machine. But it sounds like a mechanical issue with a switch. I’d have a good look at the trough assembly that might cause a ball to to not roll all the way down, or similar.