Tech Day with Marco Pinball @ Soda City Comic Con 2026!

Get Hands-On at Marco Pinball Tech Day at Soda City Comic Con!

Want to get more comfortable working on pinball machines? Join us for Tech Day at Soda City Comic Con on Friday , August 22nd from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

This free, hands-on workshop is built for anyone who wants to better understand what’s happening under the playfield. Whether you’re brand-new to pinball repair, trying to get more confident working on your own game, or just curious about how techs diagnose and fix machines, Tech Day is your chance to learn directly from experienced pinball professionals.

Where and When:

Friday, August 22nd

12PM - 3PM

Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

Schedule at a glance

• 12:00 p.m. — Welcome + Tech Day orientation

• 12:15 p.m. — First-look diagnostics

• 12:45 p.m. — Tools of the trade + cleaning basics

• 1:00 p.m. — Hands-on breakout stations begin- Hands on repairs such as flipper rebuilds, Switch diagnostics, etc

• 3:45 p.m. — Open repair lab + live tech shadowing- see how the pros set up tournament games!

• 4:45 p.m. — Wrap-up + final questions

• 5:00 p.m. — Tech Day ends:

Learn From Pinball Techs Who Work on Real Games Every Day

Marco Pinball’s tech team will be on hand to walk attendees through real-world pinball repair and maintenance, including diagnosing common machine issues, rebuilding flippers, general repairs, and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to shadow local techs as they get games ready for tournament play.

Pinball breaks. That’s part of the fun. Learning how to fix it? Even better.

We’ll kick things off with a group diagnostic session focused on how to assess a game, what tools to reach for first, and how to start narrowing down the problem. From there, attendees can break into smaller hands-on sessions covering more in depth issues and repair techniques.

During Tech Day, attendees can expect hands-on instruction and demonstrations covering:

• How to diagnose common pinball machine issues

• Tools of the trade, including voltage meter basics

• Flipper rebuilds

• General repairs and maintenance

• Game cleaning basics

• Soldering techniques

• Switch diagnostics

• Slingshot and up-kicker troubleshooting

• How local techs prepare games for tournament play

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to diagnose a pinball machine, understand what causes common problems, or just feel less intimidated lifting the playfield, this workshop is for you.

Tech Day will feature experienced pinball techs and operators who bring practical, show-floor knowledge to the workshop.

We are bringing the best of the best to show you the ropes. Meet our team!

Matthew Talley — co-owner and operator of Lynn’s Arcade, a West Coast pinball arcade with more than 30 pinball machines. Matthew brings day-to-day experience maintaining games for heavy public play, keeping machines reliable, playable, and ready for a steady stream of players.

Phil Forrester Jr. — Second generation owner, operator and technician of The Phils Pinball & Arcade, a family-run pinball and arcade business spanning three generations of experience. Phil has seen just about everything in pinball, and has the knowledge to tackle even the most extensive pinball repair needs.

Ernie Silverberg- Owner of Trident Pinball and leader of Marco Pinball's Product Development team. Ernie builds games from scratch, having built over a dozen custom machines from an idea, to a whitewood, to fully functioning world under glass. Troubleshooting skills are top notch with this one!

Josh Rainwater and Sean Shoppell- Representing Columbia’s own Transmission Arcade and Bar, Josh and Sean bring hands-on experience operating, maintaining, and repairing games in a high-traffic arcade setting. Their work keeps machines reliable, playable, and ready for a steady stream of players, giving them practical insight into what it takes to keep pinball running at its best.

Imoto Harney- co-owner and operator of Captain Crazy’s Paradise and part of the Marco Pinball family for over 10 years, Imoto brings deep parts knowledge, decades of pinball industry experience, and hands-on expertise from caring for 100+ arcade, rhythm, and pinball machines. Her commitment to creating meaningful educational experiences and expanding learning opportunities for the pinball community makes her an invaluable contributor to Tech Day.

Tech Day is free to attend and will take place Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Soda City Comic Con. Space is limited, so sign up, come ready to learn, ask questions, and get your hands on (and in) those machines!