claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.028
Jurassic Park whitewood restoration nears completion with final cosmetic and electrical fixes.
Mike replaced the launch button switch after discovering a bad solder connection and faulty cherry switch causing double-hits and non-registration
high confidence · Direct demonstration of problem diagnosis and switch replacement with testing in switch test mode
Total restoration cost is approximately $3,700 including parts, labor, gas, and miscellaneous expenses
high confidence · Mike calculated expenses including $3,000 for the machine, $656 in parts, and additional costs for powder coating, labor, etc.
Art blades ordered from Europe have been lost in transit for about a month
high confidence · Mike states they are 'stuck in limbo' and uncertain if replacements have been sent
The machine is valued between $5,500-$6,500 based on condition and customization
medium confidence · Mike's personal estimate; acknowledges the market will determine actual value
Code version 2.03 reportedly eliminates snagger issues that exist in the version Mike is running
medium confidence · Mike mentions 'someone I know of someone that is running the newer code 2.03 and does not have snagger issues'
Eric Thorne of District 82 uses a technique of drilling out coils slightly to improve flipper solenoid sleeve fit
medium confidence · Mike references this as a $5 technique he attempted but ultimately didn't need after switch replacement
The machine will not be put on legs until Mike sells his Cyber Knot machine
high confidence · Mike explicitly states this as a prerequisite before moving the Jurassic Park machine to another room
Lane change functionality works properly via both flipper buttons simultaneously, not individually
high confidence · Mike tested in gameplay and confirmed lane changes work with dual flipper buttons
“I'd like to think that this game is possibly worth 5,500 to 6,500 bucks. That's my thought. The market will eventually tell me whether I'm right or wrong.”
Mike Dus @ ~38:50 — Assessment of restoration value after $3,700 investment; acknowledgment of market uncertainty
“So, I'm going to just wait till this flipper sticks up on me again cuz I'm sure it will. But until it happens, I'm not going to mess with it.”
Mike Dus @ ~15:00 — Conservative approach to preventive maintenance; wait for actual failure before addressing
“When the ball search goes off in the middle of you playing, look it up in the pinball dictionary. You'll see my name. It's called skill search.”
Mike Dus @ ~29:15 — Humorous self-deprecating comment about the machine's ball-search trigger during gameplay
“I'm very very very pleased with how this thing turned out. And it didn't fight me too hard.”
Mike Dus @ ~36:30 — Overall satisfaction with restoration despite time constraints and supply chain issues
“I'm a little sad I'm not using the latest code, but oh well. I'd rather have the snagger work and uh not have the latest code.”
Mike Dus @ ~36:45 — Trade-off decision: prioritizing functional snagger mechanic over newer code features
community_signal: Viewer engagement metrics show dedicated audience; top viewer watched 265 videos in 2025; community providing technical feedback and suggestions
high · Tom Chicetti logged 265 videos; Todd Benovitch at 259; audience suggesting playfield improvements (target swaps)
community_signal: Strong ecosystem of custom part vendors and technical advisors (Bigfoot Bruce, Kevin, Cory Cook) actively supporting restorations
high · Bigfoot Bruce sent custom decals and reproduction boards; Kevin arranged powder coating; Cory Cook added keychain to order
design_philosophy: Mike prioritizes functional game mechanics (working snagger) over feature parity with latest code updates
high · Explicitly chose older code version to maintain snagger operation despite potential improvements in 2.03
market_signal: Whitewood restoration valuation ($5,500-$6,500) significantly higher than component cost ($3,700), suggesting strong secondary market demand
medium · Mike estimates machine worth 50-76% more than total investment; market validation pending
product_concern: Launch button intermittency traced to both bad solder connection and faulty cherry switch; indicates potential QA issues in original 1997 Sega production
medium · Mike discovered poor solder joint and switch malfunction during diagnosis; switch replaced resolved issue completely
youtube_auto_sub · $0.000
supply_chain_signal: Art blades ordered from Europe stuck in transit for ~1 month with uncertain reshipping timeline
high · Mike explicitly states order is in limbo and does not know if replacements have been sent yet
technology_signal: Snagger mechanic reportedly broken in code versions prior to 2.03; Mike chose older code to maintain snagger functionality
medium · Mike states someone running code 2.03 does not have snagger issues; he remains on older code despite missing potential improvements