Check out ModMyPin.com for their first set of products...finally a replacement pinball for the Viper Night Drivin'. It really glows in the dark! Looks like they are also making fluorescent color pinballs as well for all machines. Can't wait to see these in Chicago!

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Actually they do. The ball is still steel. What we saw was worked in a Cirque, worked in a Drac. Ball didn't work well with the jump rope on a CP. So, kind of machine dependent.

There is nobody named OP involved with the project....

Doh, the way it was worded... as I know there have been a few people "planning" on doing this.

Here's my story: I'm new to the hobby, got in about 2 years ago. My real job: I am the CEO of Fun Publications, Inc. We have run the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club (GIJoeCon.com) under license from Hasbro for the past 15 years. We also run the Transformers Collectors' Club (TransformersClub.com) under license from Hasbro for the past 9 years. This means besides the clubs, we run 2 international collectors conventions each year as well (GIJoeCon.com and BotCon.com). So, we make over 50 exclusive toys a year for these clubs.

I was at an arcade auction about a year ago and my friend bought a machine I had never seen (which doesn't mean much) called Viper Night Drivin', looked kind of cool, but had these weird dirty yellow balls (I think there were only 3). He told me that no one had ever remade these balls. And when he has seen them on the Evilbay that they go for around $100. Hmmm...wonder if my guys could do this economically. So, I borrowed a ball from my friend and sent it for evaluation. My factory rep said that he had come up with a way to do this and sourced the original steel balls. Size and weight were crucial.

Three sample rounds later and a change to the next harder material up the scale got us to the balls. Now, what to make... how about GID? AND how about colors for other machines? Never been done. Wouldn't it be cool to have balls that match the colors in your machines? Will people like them?... don't know. It's a fair amount of cash layout to experiment but, could be really fun for people and it's a mod that does't do anything to your machine.

So I'm taking the gamble.

Also I thought, wouldn't it be cool to have a half white half black ball so it would "flash" when you play. When we tried that I realized that the balls skid more than they roll. That's why you get wear on the PF. If they rolled all the time it would not be a big deal. Well, that did't work, back to solid colors.

That's how all of this got started. I saw a need, worked out the production and took the risk.

What else could we make? Pretty much anything that makes sense to take the risk. We know how to make lots and lots of toys as well as sculpting and graphic work. Maybe we will make custom mods/toys for machines but, for now, one thing at a time.

Thanks for the read,

Brian

As to the speed question. One thing we found was that the first sample they sent us was a dark blue (not a color we are making) and in some machines they were so fast we could not see the ball. So we think the bright colors helps this out.

Yes, we will have a Viper in the booth. I'm putting it on a truck today.

Come on by! We have all weekend to talk!

We have not seen this happen at all. The original ones (we don't really know what they were made of) are not nearly as hard as these balls are. If you notice the material the old balls were made in was matte, ours are gloss. We tested 2 different materials and the GID balls at the show are v.3 of the glow powder. I don't have the machine now to do another video with this improved glowing version. We can do it at the show. The version of balls in the video is 2.0.

We have several colors coming out, go to ModMyPin.com There is also a yellow that is not shown that is color matched to the original Viper game (not GID but fluorescent just like the originals).

So far we have not adjusted anything in the machines they have been in. So, I would say you would have to try them out if you think it's a good fit for your machine.

Actually, that's what we are working on now. How to paint the ball and keep the paint from migrating. My first test looked like you danced on my playfied in your black dress shoes! But it all waxed out. We are testing automobile clear coat in the balls. If it works for the PF, should work for the balls... we will see.

We are also searching for this. But as in all products, we had to say, let's start with this and see how it goes. I don't know if we will find the right weight/size.

Here are some packaging pictures. They will come 4 to a package in this "egg carton" style case:

front-of-packaging.jpg

Back-of-packaging.jpg

In case you have not seen it at our site, here are the free T-shirts we will be giving away at the Expo for anyone who purchases 2 sets of balls.

globallsTeeONBLACK.jpg

You just can't see the TM. Who is GS?

Yes. But they don't really glow like the Glo-Balls. Remember that they are reflective. We will have a Viper at the Expo as well as a box with Black Light strips so you can see the effect.

We have decided on the pricing:

The balls come in sets of 4. Please see the above packaging.

The GID balls are $60 per set.

The Fluorescent balls are $48 per set.

Please remember that these are very small production runs and they are not cheap to make.

If you purchase 2 sets at the show, you will receive a free t-shirt while supplies last (L-XL-2X).

Thanks for all the support and kind words you guys have expressed above! I appreciate your support in this new project.

Brian

At this time we tried to pick a number that would work for most folks as machines are all over the place for ball numbers. I see 5 as an issue, 3, not an issue, 6 not an issue. Maybe down the road but right now we are looking at selling the sets of 4. When we get more in, we may allow you to get a set and then "add on". It's hard to come up with packaging that meets all needs.

This is the pricing for the "bigger run". In the world of MFG this is still a small run. If we could run 20,000 sets (80,000) balls, that would be a cheaper run. Unfortunately the market is just not big enough. I wish it were not so. Boutique MFG is difficult as the molds cost the same if you are running 200 or 200,000. Plus in small scale there is a lot of waste product to get the press up to speed. If you were able to defray that over more items, they get cheaper.

Won't leave any scuff marks. They are harder than the PF.

We tried the red but it looked so close to the orange, there was no need for it. If it goes the other way, it starts to look pink.

Thanks for all the feed back. That's why I'm on here and going to the EXPO.

Hi Russo121,

We only have 140 sets that we could air freight in from the mfg before the show. They are running the larger part of the order as soon as we get feed back from you guys at the EXPO. However, they will come surface shipment which is a 4 week transit time.

I wish the timing was better!

Credit Cards, Visa, MC, Disc, Cash, Travelers Checks, no personal or company checks.

Not this weekend but we are looking into this for the online sales. This is why we are at the show and posting here, to get feedback.

Thanks!