Sorry for the delay everyone and big thanks to Yelo for the assist.

So we price the standard Escalera at $2200 plus shipping. This includes battery, smart charger, and retractable strap.

The Escalera Forklift Model is $2800 plus shipping. It cannot really be added later because the frame is cut into to accomodate the winch. It’s easily detachable when not in use so we tell customers if you think you’ll ever need it, it may be good to purchase. You can always keep it stored when not in use, that’s what I do.

The Pinball Plate was designed by Flip N Out Pinball and Escalera to make moving pinball machines easier. They cost $200 plus shipping. Once attached the escalera forklift model has a flat extended plate that can lift machines from front to back, instead of only from the side. Without the pinball plate, the forklift model forks are not long enough to pick up pinball machines from front to back.

Also, the forklift can technically be left on when going up and down stairs, but for carrying pinball machines, we do NOT recommend keeping the forklift attachment on when maneuvering up and down stairs.

Zach Meny
Flip N Out Pinball
Escalera Dealer

Highly recommend you include the step edge detection system option. It makes it much easier and safer to position the unit AND keep it at the right angle. I found the hardest part of the learning curve is keeping the machine at the right angle. The tendency is to lean too far back to be safer which can cause the unit to slip down multiple steps. And leaning too far forward can end in disaster. The edge detectors are easy to see and indicate the right position and angle.

Step edge is amazing. I have an old, used Escalera that Zach helped me upgrade to the new toe plate and Step Edge detectors. Basically, you tilt the machine backwards and then you engage both sides individually with your toe. You will hear the little wheels rolling along with the dolly. Keep the dolly at the correct angle and the detector locks itself in place once it encounters a big empty space below it.

My first step is a doozy, so I typically approach it gingerly until I get one side to lock. You will definitely hear it click. Then, rock the other side in place. Once they are both locked, the thing is steady. From there it is smooth sailing. I use a small side to side rocking motion just to check that they are engaged after that on each step. It's super easy, barely an inconvenience. The only issue I've ever had is coming at that first step with the wrong angle and the feet wouldn't engage. You just have to trust them to do their job.

I believe so but depending on the age of escalera a toeplate upgrade may be necessary. If your would like step edge system I ask that people send me a pic of their model number and toeplate to include their order so we get the right stuff ordered.

I have not used the step edge system personally but it is becoming more popular with people from the feedback we’ve received

Just wanted to comment on the Escalera. I purchased one a few years back from Flip In Out Pinball and it's been one of the best purchases I've made in this hobby. I've moved probably 20 games with it (plus some appliances) since buying it and now end up selling / buying more games as moving games is so much easier. I would still recommend having a spotter for moving games downstairs, at least until you get a hang of it and can feel the balance point. Yesterday I moved a Family Guy from the garage and down into the basement by myself, without the Escalera I couldn't have done it alone.

I would highly recommend contacting Zach at Flip N Out if interested in one.

I've had my Escalera for close to 8 years and it was the single best pinball purchase I've made. After trying to move a Getaway down to the basement and throwing my back out and being out of commission for a few weeks I started looking that day. I got lucky and found a used unit on Craigslist that came with the forklift attachment and all. That being said, not sure I would opt for the forklift, it's bulky, takes space to store, and really it's not that hard to set up a game single handed without it.

Love my Escalara. I'm not buff by any means, but have moved Dialed In, Pirates, and P3 Multimorphic all by myself. And those games are BEASTS. I would HIGHLY recommend the big wheel attachment. The standard little wheels will get stuck on any little twig or rock and don't even try to get a wheel in the grass. But I've wheeled a machine down a hill on my lawn using the big wheel attachment with no effort.

Totally agree with this. Unless you frequently need to unload games from a high deck semi truck I see no need for the fork attachment. Setting up a game with a simple bar stool Etc as even Zach does is the smarter and easier solution.

Whew The P3 is truly a beast to handle!

One of the benefits of a device like this is that it’s pretty much indestructible and will last a lifetime, plus parts are readily available. I’ve had mine several years and bought it locally off CL, but the guy who owned it before me bought it in 2001. He used it to move appliances and retired so didn’t need it. I have replaced the rubber feet and the battery, but that’s it so far. Might have a significant upfront cost, but it will last a lifetime and the first time you use it to move a pin, you’ll forget all about the cost. One added benefit, these things hold value. That’s my PSA for the day.

Escalera ordered with pinball plate. Can't wait to start lifting things around the house. Can I stand on the pinball plate and it can lift me too? I weigh 244 lbs now, Im on a diet.

Only if your arm can reach around the unit and turn the crank but yes. Congrats, great purchase!

Thats what the wife is there for.. reach around..
To turn the crank of course.

Have no fear, Zach is a Full service distributor I think that is included in the sale. lol JK!!!!

As soon as my FT leaves I'm replacing it with an Escalara.lets make Zach the #1 Escalara dealer in the midwest.

Used mine to move 3 pins in the last 3 days. Value!

20200619_143154 (resized).jpg

Do u guys use the escalera to get the pinball which is in the box off the pallet?

No, just slide it off like any other game.

Got my Escalera today do I need another Escalera to get this one off the pallet ?

ADAA880B-F6C0-4BA6-920B-A85AE8539493 (resized).jpeg

For my first use I was going to use the pinball plate to move my wonka into position in my line up , but the game has under cab lights will it damage those ? Or should be all good ?

I have not seen how the JJP undercab lighting is setup. Is the lighting recessed into the cab or is it sticking out?

Its recessed into the cab and doesnt' stick out. I wish all machines had it factory, its pretty awesome.

I will take a photo when I get home.

Thanks!

Then it should be fine. Keep us updated.

This is the strip of lights right next to the edge of the cabinet

F447321F-A5E6-4931-ABC6-AA8DCC02D15C (resized).jpeg

I have an escalera with a Fork lift, pin plate, and big wheels (and hitch attachment)

Just some comments:

1) big wheels are awesome and detach in seconds with the flick of your foot.

2) pin plate is awesome. I tip my games on to it, raise it in the air, and attach legs. Effortless!!

3) you can move games around while lifted with pin plate. Much easier to do on a hard floor. Rug is doable, but more unstable when swiveling side-to-side.

Escalera with pin plate is one of those things that I’d buy again in heart beat. Zero regrets... allows me to set up and breakdown games with next to zero effort/pain. And the stair climbing mechanism makes stairs and challenging thresholds a breeze.

Buy it

Just to throw out some ideas. Instead of the plate I opted for just the forks and I built custom bottomless pallets for my machines (24x24 standard and 24x31 Widebody with some 2x6 runners and a couple of heavy duty screw-in eye hooks)

I built enough to store every pin I own that is not currently in service, so now all my pins are either stored on the pallet, in service or on the rotisserie. Saves a lot of time and I can fit two standard and 2 widebody in the bed of my truck simultaneously.

3BF860EA-6516-47E2-BD33-B07F6E62DDFF (resized).jpeg
113F682A-77F3-465E-9CBE-AB40596629E0 (resized).jpeg
1A8A661B-0645-4DFE-B97F-D9017D3668C1 (resized).jpeg
50E59EB1-C5D8-4DAE-AAB1-5088E2CE4957 (resized).jpeg

Well it’s a great machine well built and quality but for my application it didn’t work as planned it just doesn’t budge in carpet . Too unstable for me to mess with it more other then just lifting games up to change legs and adjust feet etc

C0A5A69B-5EB9-488A-AFD4-59A304E9FA8F (resized).jpeg

^ why not just use carpet sliders?

Agreed. With the weight of the game And the accessorized Escalara primarily on those 2 small swivel wheels carpet will be a major challenge and possibly tough on the carpet. I suppose you could lay down a small square of wood under the front wheels but that seems like more effort and trouble.

Good idea I just went Walmart to get some. Don’t get me wrong love the Escalera fantastic heavy duty machine . Makes me feel like I need champagne and Cavier when I use it . Those clicks when I use the pinball plate awesome

Have you done stairs yet? First time is always scary but with practice its all good.

No I’m too scared, i have a
taxi pinball coming I’ll just wheel it down the hill like
Always . And use the pinball plate to prop it up to put legs then use sliders

Nothing to be scared of and honestly the primary value of the Escalera is Stairs! Suggest just doing a few trial runs up and down some stairs with NO game to get a feel for it. Also, Even though the Escalera will do most of the work I suggest Always having a spotter just in case as a just in case comfort.

That awesome collection deserves an Escalera so it fits in perfectly.

Everyone should always practice with the escalera before using one for a pinball machine, especially a damn heavy one. We recommend practicing using it without a load first. Then practice with something 100 pounds to get the feel of that shift in weight distribution when the steppers engage on the step. Then practice with a players condition game, etc.

Remember, the Escalera isn’t tilted back as far when going up and down stairs like a traditional hand truck. With traditional hand trucks the user leans it back so the slider belts assist. On the Escalera if you do the same, the slider belts will allow it to slide, which you won’t be expecting. So instead, it should be more of a 45 degree when going up the stairs and can be a bit more of an angle when going down, but not so much to hit the sliding belts.

The most important part when using the escalera is to have a good stance to support the weight shift and be ready for it (practice). But you should never be pulling the Escalera up the stairs when it’s loaded with a machine. No need to ever lift or pull, rather you are counterbalancing the weight shift.

Confused yet? Don’t be. It’s easy to learn and once you got it down, it’s as effortless as riding a bicycle. If I can do it, believe me, anyone can.

Final note, regardless of using an Escalera or a typical hand truck or 5 guys and a case of beer.... tight landings suck and JJP machines, B/W widebodies, and Multimorphic P3s are VERY heavy!

Great advice. You might want to add some kind of weight on it, because the process of going up and down stairs requires some tilting and leaning. Definitely don't throw a 300lb pinball machine on it for your first attempt.

Within the next couple of weeks I will be updating and adding Escalera videos so be on the lookout for those. There will be links on our website and they will be on flip n out’s YouTube page so while you’re thinking about it, go there now and subscribe so you can be notified when new videos go up, as well as some fun videos showcasing the newest games and products that are released in pinball....and in arcades????

The escalera tends to want to pull away from you going up or down so you want to make sure that you have proper leverage/angle to keep it back toward you. the machine does all the work, but you do need to be aware to keep it from moving away from you or else it will get away from you quickly. i find going down stairs to be trickier than going up because you can't see where the feet are being planted so easily. I've never had any issues, just go slow and always pay attention.

Well the carpet sliders worked great ! I can hear my dad in the back yelling “you stupid !”

04551DDD-AA9B-4F9D-B14A-3169A397895A (resized).jpeg

What he said ^
It's normal to be a little scared at first. There is a bit of a learning curve as mentioned to find the sweet spot. I've taken several machines down a straight run of steps by myself with no problems. I prefer a spotter when available.

I would echo Zach and the others here. You really just need to get comfortable with using it on the steps and finding the center of gravity. Once the process "clicks" it goes from a terrifying concept to a breeze. I have a 1962 split level house where I have to bring games up a front stoop, over a threshold, UP 3 steps to my main floor, down 3 to a landing, THEN down like 10 to my basement (or reverse all that if a game is leaving). The first time I moved a game I felt like I was struggling to pull the whole thing up and just trying to avoid being flung down the steps, as you get used to letting the dolly do the work, it truly is a life changer. You should NOT feel like you are fighting the dolly, if you do, you need to readjust the weight balance and let it take 95% of the load. You can go slow and balance on the climbing feet if you need a pause and always make minor adjustments going up and down. I've learned to stand back a step or two going down my basement as well so I can get a look under the escalara to make sure I have good alignment for the feet for each step. It takes 2 minutes longer, but no need to rush it down.

Some of the best value I've gotten is just being able to go jump on a CL/FB deal with it alone and get there before all the people who are trying to find a buddy to help them or asking for pictures of what the stairs look like, etc. I don't even ask any more, just throw the escalara in the car (well, SUV) and go myself. I've moved a Judge Dredd in and out alone, and while it's still not a "light as a feather" experience, it's a back saving one that has paid for itself 10x over (although I got mine relatively cheap used off FB - sorry Zach ).

Keep it and keep practicing, it will work out!

On a side note...I don't have the lift attachment and am wondering if it's good for hooking up and moving pins around the room for work etc? I am getting annoyed with dead lifting them these days. I'd rather not have to build or modify a hydraulic lift given I already have an Escalera

I always use me wife as a spotter. Not to actually bear any weight but to just keep forward pressure so the climber don’t roll forward when transitioning to the next step

While I am a fan and supporter of the Escalara product I think the lift and fork option are really overkill for general moving and setup of games. Absolutely a great option for loading/unloading from a truck but for moving games around not a wise investment. A simple Harbor Freight cart can lift and spin any game 360 effortlessly for under $100 and be hidden under a game when not in use. The load triangle weight on these games is just to deep for this type of lift and not very practical. The base Escalara is a no brainer if you have stairs. The lift not so much.

I respectfully agree and disagree. Yes, a harbor freight cart can lift and spin a game. But the fork lift/pinplate combination makes setting up a game crazy easy. When a game is on its back, just lower the lift/pinplate combo down to the ground. Tip the game onto the plate. Then crank it up in the air and attach legs. It requires very little effort. If you have hard floors, you can then maneuver the game into position before dropping it into place.

yes, you need space to store the lift and pinplate. But, if you have space, it's a great option.

If the escalera could just lose about 100lbs that would be great.

I wouldn't want the forklift setup just for the reason of hauling that stuff around

The escalara is just heavy enough its much harder to get lined up with my cabinets when on my sloped driveway...

Guessing that’s about the same as I do with the simple cart? With game on its back, lower cart and lower game down Flat to cart platform and lift with foot peddle. Install legs and done. Just seems like a lower cost mobile option in my view.

I’m kind of leaning in the Harbor Freight cart direction to be honest. The lift attachment feels like overkill when I want to move a pin into the shop area for a simple repair. Hence the reason I was asking. Just looking for an option that doesn’t involve magic sliders as I don’t like to leave them under the machine legs all the time.