(Topic ID: 60027)

How often do you change your balls?

By flashinstinct

10 years ago


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  • 29 posts
  • 20 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 years ago by dendoc
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    #1 10 years ago

    Even though I'm bound to get a few wise cracks out of this one. In all seriousness how often should someone change the pinballs in their game...is it after X amount of plays..????

    #2 10 years ago

    I am curious as well. I just got an ACDC Premium that uses 4 balls in the game plus one ball that is isolated from everything else in the lower playfield. Should I be buying stock in a steel company???

    #3 10 years ago

    I'm sure you are going to get a very wide range of responses - even the serious ones.

    I replace the balls when I get a new (used but "new to me") game.

    The amount that I use my games is probably quite less than some folks, and certainly less than a game on location. Since I tend to clean my games periodically, and when I do - I'll inspect the balls for damage or wear and clean them as well. I would say it will be quite some time before I need to replace them again. When you use better quality premium balls and you have many of them to replace (multiple games and a few games that use more than one ball) it's not really cheap to replace them at some regular interval when it is not really necessary.

    The other end of the spectrum, if you feel the need - I would suggest replace perhaps when you change the batteries in your smoke detectors or pins.

    #4 10 years ago

    I keep an eye on them.

    If any big nicks or cracks toss immediately. When I clean if they look less shiny, more of a satin finish - it's time.

    A ball with issues can be like sandpaper on a playfield. Cheap insurance to keep your game better.

    LTG : )
    Disclaimer : Had to refrain from what I really wanted to post.

    #5 10 years ago

    All depends on how much you play. When they start getting visibly scratched and pitted, time to change.

    #6 10 years ago

    Do you save your old balls or toss them? I've been keeping mine, but they just seem to be piling up.

    #7 10 years ago

    I change mine every 6 months regardless, sometimes sooner if I see any wear on them(some games seem to beat them up worse than others).

    #8 10 years ago

    The balls I received with me METLE looked used compared to new balls I bought a month earlier for my other machine.

    #9 10 years ago

    Usually once a year.

    Sometimes more often if it's a multiball game.

    Always before taking a game to an expo, and always right after returning from an expo.

    #10 10 years ago

    Oops, wrong thread. I thought it read "how often do you shave your.............."

    #11 10 years ago

    depends on how nice your playfeild is your trying to protect.

    there pretty hard and take a lot of abuse, sadly multiball smashes them into each other.

    you can tumble them a time or two and refinish them up, and i wax mine as often as i do the payfeild. it helps fill the smallest of scratches.

    look at them admire them, its all in the shine, when they start to haze and go satin your looking at surface irregularities. these irregs will soon contain dirt which is way harder than the ball and anything eles in the machine- your pinballs become wrecking balls.

    #12 10 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Oops, wrong thread. I thought it read "how often do you shave your.............."

    back?

    #13 10 years ago

    Yeah, back!

    #14 10 years ago

    nice save

    #15 10 years ago

    Do you save your old balls or toss them? I've been keeping mine, but they just seem to be piling up.

    heres what I did with them guess how many are in there for the tie breaker

    Pinball_Gumball.pngPinball_Gumball.png

    #16 10 years ago

    72

    #17 10 years ago
    Quoted from Turboderf:

    heres what I did with them guess how many are in there for the tie breaker

    That's Awesome!!!!

    #19 10 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    Usually once a year.

    +1 (in a home arcade).

    Once a year (with your batteries).

    #20 10 years ago

    86

    #21 10 years ago

    56.

    #22 10 years ago

    I change my balls after a good shagging. I've got a six million dollar mojo! Yeahhh Baby Yeahhh!!!

    #23 10 years ago

    63 and 1/3

    #24 10 years ago

    Last guess for me, 97.

    #25 10 years ago

    I am with Lloyd on this. I inspect them everytime I lift the playfield or remove the balls for any tech issues. If any scratches scuffs or general overall milkyness to the luster I just change them all out.

    Ill guess 127 on the gumball machine.

    #26 10 years ago

    69 of course.

    #27 10 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Oops, wrong thread. I thought it read "how often do you shave your.............."

    LOL!

    #28 10 years ago
    Quoted from Pin-it:

    69 of course.

    That was my guess originally, but I will go with 91.

    #29 10 years ago

    does anyone think the "M"cutout in the Metallica ramps will accelerate ball wear?

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