Best products from r/pinball

I typed up a great list last night, then somehow, I managed to screw it up and lost the whole thing. So I decided to heck with it... and found a beer.

Let's try again.

Standard tools:

• screwdrivers, needle nose pliers, sockets, and most important, hollow point nut drivers. I got set from Sears on sale for about $20. You don't usually need the metric ones, but I love the zipper case they came in. It's worth the $20 alone if you ask me.
  
  Standard tools with more specific uses:
  
  
• You need a decent multimeter. It doesn't have to be fancy, I have a $300 Fluke that works just as good as a little cheapie that I got for free. And vice versa. The fluke does make somethings easier, like it's autoranging and has longer and better leads, but for just getting started, you should be able to pick up something decent for $20.
  
• You'll also need a soldering iron. Get a pencil, not a gun. Guns get too hot for most things. There are times when they are great in a pinball, like soldering coil lugs, but for most solder work, a cheap 25 watt pencil will get you by. I used cheapies for almost 10 years before I finally got a nice hakko and now I don't know how I ever lived without it.
  
• You'll also probably need to learn how to desolder stuff as well. There are a couple ways to do it. It takes practice, and I'd strongly suggest practicing soldering on junk boards before ever going at a pinball board. To desolder, there is the cheap way or you can spend a lot of money on a pricey desoldering system. I got one of these when I got my Hakko soldering iron. I love it, I don't know how I ever lived without it, but I also know that it's very expensive, especially if there are still a lot of other tools you don't have yet.
  
• We've already talked about you may need to replace some pins in your board connectors. You need two tools for that. First, you need a Molex Flat Pin Extractor. This lets you get the pins and wires out of the housings. You don't have to have it, you could cut the wires and use new housings, but those housings are increasingly difficult to find and it's not the housing that's a problem, it's the pins inside. This tool lets you extract the pin from the housing, cut it off, strip your wire and crimp on a new pin to slide back in to the housing.
  
• Speaking of crimping on a new pin... You're going to need Pin Crimpers for that. I have the yellow pair and they work great for most everything pinball. Yes, I technically also have some much more expensive ratcheting pin crimpers, but honestly, I tend to use these cheaper ones more. I don't really know why.
  
  Finally, pinball specific tools:
  
  
• Flexstones are used for cleaning contacts on switches. You want to be a little careful with these though... they're meant for some of the heavier switches. Often times, a business card will clean the gunk out well enough and doesn't risk destroying the contact points on the switch.
  
• Palnut removal tool is a very handy tool. Until you need one, it's kinda hard to describe what it's for, but trust me, you want one if you're going to try and take the plastics off your playfield posts to replace rubbers or change light bulbs. It's not really necessary, but for the money, it's a damn handy tool.
  
• Contact Adjuster is also a very handy tool. More for older EM games with lots of relays than for solid state games, but I mention it because Hulk, like many early solid state Gottliebs likely has a couple relays inside. It's unlikely you'll need this tool for Hulk, but it is a handy one to have around. Especially if you think you're going to be working on anything older.
  
  That should be about it. At least to get started. Depending on where you go from there, there are a bazillion things you could spend money on. But since you only have one machine right now, this basic list should take you a very long way. And don't kill yourself buying a ton of expensive specialty tools like fancy soldering irons if you don't think this is something you'll want to do a lot of. If you decide you like it and want to spend more money later, those are great upgrades.

i'm also looking to start getting in to taking some top down angle game play videos.

I'm thinking about using tall mic stands for tri pods so can position them behind the machines:

http://amzn.com/B00CFP5CRO
http://amzn.com/B001GWCC4I

papa looks like they've built their own which are much larger and i'm not sure how mobile they are but i would ideally like to make a good mobile solution.

comments on your videos would be the position of the top down camera angle could be better aligned, lighting could be better and the audio could be also better.

Search for toppers or mods for his favorite pin that he owns, if he keeps them and doesn't flip them frequently (changing every 6-12 months).

Otherwise, here are some additional ideas:

1. Search for the original pinball fliers for his machines; I have these framed for reach of my games and love them.
   
2. Buy him anti-fatigue kitchen mats to go under his games. No one thinks of this and everyone loves them. Here's the Amazon link:
   Sky Mats, Comfort Anti Fatigue Mat Kitchen Rug 20 x 39 x 3/4", 7 Colors and 3 Sizes, Perfect for Kitchens and Standing Desks, (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M8O122G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sx4.BbS1JA2W2
   

I like this and this. Good reads, great photos, and nice coffee table book. The prices on some of the games make me chuckle

You are living in the pinball techs dream world! Off the route and into a nice office space for full tear down work. You live in the Pacific NW by any chance?

Do you have a tool that you use that wouldn't normally be seen as a pinball repair tool? I have found that a set of automotive hose removal pieces are incredibly useful in more ways than I could even describe. https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Hook-Pick-5-Piece-Set/dp/B071JVYFD2/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543433191&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=hose+removal+tool&dpPl=1&dpID=41adxK8G6GL&ref=plSrch

> along with a soldering iron to do repairs.

Totally agree. I would suggest any of the Weller pro series models(Indicated with the light blue chasis like the Weller WP35). Even their most inexpensive model is better than anything I have used off the shelf at Home Depot. Consistent tempuratures and fast heat up.

Additionally, I would also recommend a solder sucker and a flux pen. You could splurge for something like a Haako Desoldering gun which works great but unless you are doing entire board repairs the simple spring loaded ones work fine and costs considerablly less.

picked them off on ebay a while back, had to order more recently and got these

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10PCS-FM16W08-SG-FM16W08-New-Best-Offer-IC-FRAM-64KBIT-70NS-28SOIC/292343739482

they work fine so far, don't think they are remarked as the date codes are pretty random but by the same token they are probably used/pulls since the date codes are all over the place, no idea how much wear they have

also used these adapters

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-SO-SOP-SOIC-SSOP-TSSOP-MSOP-28-to-DIP-Adapter-PCB-Board-Converter-Arduino/132046196438

the header pins I usually just buy off amazon as needed

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XR8CV8P

but really if you don't need a lot of them it's probably easier to just pick them up from someone already done like pintech, they use the cypress IC (rated for much higher life)

https://www.pinitech.com/products/6264_nvram.php

http://www.amazon.com/Brunswick-Alive-Pinball-White-Rubber/dp/B004DR04KC

Here you are! I'm not sure if the home model rubber is different, but I don't think so. It's also worth noting that the photo isn't of the actual kit, just some rubbers to give you a basic idea of what they look like. The Game Room Guys are reputable, though, so don't worry!

Get an external light. Very important. NEEWER 160 LED CN-160 Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera / Camcorder Video Light, LED Light for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic,SONY, Samsung and Olympus Digital SLR Cameras https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TJ6JH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EfR3CbY5M4H77

Outside of that I run an i7 computer with video card, 3 Sony handy cams with Elgato Cam Link capture devices, and a blue snowball mic. Do not get the ice snowball, that one stinks. This stream is every cam set to 1080p 60 FPS with my computer outputting 1080/60 FPS. Hope that helps!

Ha, well you'll discover within a year or two that every mainstream TV news segment or print article about pinball will reference this song when they discuss pinball. Non-pinheads that find out you are into pinball will jokingly call you Tommy and get a shit eating grin on their face like they are comedic geniuses. It gets old real fast.

I'm listen to a lot of music, and it is pretty pathetic how weak the music culture surrounding pinball is. We have The Who and Barenaked Ladies. Makes me want to ram a plunger rod into my ears.

There is this garage rock compilation album about pinball that isn't too bad - https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Pinball-Rock-Vol-1/dp/B00004THNV

The Pinball Compendium books are awesome.

Bought these LED #906 to go under playfield and in the basketball. They work great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00YZR785O?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Spongebob Friends on The Run Table Top Pinball https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00859UU30/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_L5mcBbZQRDAPJ

Is this thing for bars, like it goes on a bar top and has a coin slot? Otherwise, why not this for $20? You even get a plunger.

https://smile.amazon.com/Duo-Pinball-for-iPad-New/dp/B00PYGG9PU/

If you want to hear more music with a focus on pinball, try to find a few recordings by Extra Ball Records from Multiball Magazine. Hot Pinball Rock (Vol. 1) – featuring rare singles from the White Stripes and the Dirtbombs – is available from Amazon or at Slabtown (in Portland).

This CD came with one of the last issues of Multiball Magazine in 2000.

http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Pinball-Rock-Vol-1/dp/B00004THNV