Foosball Tables > Tornado > Roll Pin & Punch

Tornado Roll Pin & Punch Tool

When tables first started being built in American in the 1970s, the most obvious way to mount a player to a rod was simply use standard hardware such as a nut and bolt to secure them. This was effective at pinching the man into place through a hole in the man and the rod, but came with some downfalls as well. First and most obvious, it looked very do-it-yourself and didn't look very clean or professional. The bolt protruded through the back of the players and you could visibly see all the hardware. During years of aggressive play, these hardware parts would also loosen up causing players to tighten them back down and they made the game heavier and sluggish. If you didn't have right tools you could end up stripping the bolt and have a larger problem on your hands trying to get it free and then required a replacement. 

In order to solve these numerous issues, in 1994 the roll pin design was introduced by Tornado to mount the players as well as the handles to the rod. This lightweight mounting solution allows the rods to be lighter and therefore produces a faster game. This also achieved the issue of looking polished as the extremely seamless design is punched into a pre-drilled small hole in the rod and the man or handle. It is also much more durable as these require no maintenance once they are installed and can even be reused if you upgrade your men or handles. They do require a little more precision to line up the small holes and then use the pin punch tool to hammer them through. Once installed, the roll pins are just slightly shorter in width than the men and handles so there is no more protruding bolt or nut visible.​

Roll Pin
The roll pin is literally a rolled piece of metal that has a hollow interior and little teeth on one side. It is surprisingly durable and resistant to breakage even after years of heavy use. The flush design revolutionized the way we mount men and handles on the rods in 1994 and is still used in production today. When installing, the manufacturer recommends that you make sure these teeth are pointing down toward the feet of the man.

Roll Pin Punch Tool
In order to avoid damaging the men, handles rods or other parts, Torando provides a pin punch tool so you can safely hammer the pin through to secure it to the rod. The smaller tapered end will go into the hollow center of the roll pin to make full contact as you drive it down with a hammer. Make sure you keep this tool as you can also use it to remove the men or rods in case you need to upgrade or replace a broken part in the future.

How Do I install a Foosball Player using a Roll Pin?

Place a towel down on your playfield surface before starting this process to catch any metal flakes that may come off. To secure the men, align the holes in each man with the holes in the rod. Next, you can either slide the new FoosGadget block or the traditional block that comes with the table under the rod. Using the rod support block under the rod near the man, place the roll pin in the man hole. 

Make sure the slot or teeth in the roll pin are pointing down toward the foot of the man. Next, tap it through the man with a hammer, until it is flush on both sides. The support block will ensure you don't bend your rods during this process, but the man may become misaligned with the hole in the rod and you may need to reset and try again. The new tool makes this much easier and keeps your man from moving during the install. Be patient and not too aggressive so you don't accidentally damage something. 

New FoosGadget Block Method

Traditional Block Method

How Do I remove a Foosball Man Using a Pin Punch Tool?

​To remove the men, place the pointed end of the included roll pin punch into the roll pin and drive it out with a hammer. Do this in a series of small taps until you are close to pushing it all the way out as opposed to large hits that could damage your table. The roll pins are reusable.