(Topic ID: 157627)

Operators: What parts do you keep on hand?

By mario_1_up

7 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 21 posts
  • 12 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by stangbat
  • Topic is favorited by 4 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    DSC_7366_(Custom)_(resized).JPG
    sandman_(resized).jpg
    DSCN1092_(Custom)_(resized).JPG

    #1 7 years ago

    I'm about to have 10 pins in one location ranging from system 11 to spike. I need to put a in a parts order for repair inventory. What would be good parts to have on had?

    #2 7 years ago

    Flipper parts for all types. Coils, plunger assemblies, coil stops, lots of coil sleeves.
    Pop bumper parts, metal rings and yokes that hold the metal ring rods to plunger.
    Slingshot parts. Plunger, kicker, spring.
    Large assortment of bulbs, LEDs.
    Large assortment of rubber rings.
    Coils. Coil sleeves. Shooter rod springs. Flipper buttons.
    Drop target spares, stand up target spares.
    Any time you break an odd ball part, order two to build up spares.

    LTG : )

    #3 7 years ago

    Please add spare flipper base plates and EOS switches.
    Micro mini switches - especially the 3" flat blade and 3" round blade to make what you need.
    Pop bumper coil bracket. Slingshot coil bracket.

    LTG : )

    #4 7 years ago

    Well based on some repairs I see...duct tape, epoxy(non clear), rubber bands, zip ties and popsicle sticks seem to be handy....

    #5 7 years ago
    Quoted from PinballBulbs:

    Well based on some repairs I see...duct tape, epoxy(non clear), rubber bands, zip ties and popsicle sticks seem to be handy....

    How could you leave out drywall screws ?

    LTG : )

    #6 7 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    How could you leave out drywall screws ?
    LTG : )

    You beat me to it. Be sure to get some that are just longer than the playfield is thick.

    #7 7 years ago
    Quoted from PinballBulbs:

    Well based on some repairs I see...duct tape, epoxy(non clear), rubber bands, zip ties and popsicle sticks seem to be handy....

    Chewing gum wrappers seem to have been popular for fuse repair around here.

    #8 7 years ago
    Quoted from Flake:

    Chewing gum wrappers seem to have been popular for fuse repair around here.

    1/4-20 bolts with the heads removed. AKA: 1/4-20 No-Blow fuses.

    #9 7 years ago

    Plenty of screws. To hold stuff to playfields. Parts to brackets. Micro switches to what ever they were hanging on.

    LTG : )

    #10 7 years ago

    Everything LTG said plus many switches. Micro switches go out alot on me for my older games like 90s bally and Williams. Plastic posts too in case they get smashed. Also like Lloyd said buy multiples of everything and since you are already ordering parts buy little stuff that's under a few bucks because chances are you will need it someday.

    #11 7 years ago

    Driver transistors for logic controlled solenoids and, where applicable, the flippers. If you aren't comfortable repairing boards on location, spare driver boards and power supplies.

    A spare DMD/display for each type of machine you have. Flipper bats w/shoes. A spare sheet of PF Glass. And a shop vac.

    #12 7 years ago

    Molex connectors, crimpers and headers, plungers, plunger tips, lots of new balls. As mentioned above, LOTS of rubber rings and flipper rubbers. If you have any pins with the short flippers, make sure to get a bunch of the small flipper rubbers.

    Make friends with someone local to you that does really nice TIG welding. There will be times when a game specific ramp or bracket breaks.

    #13 7 years ago

    Don't forget coin mechs and all associated parts.

    #14 7 years ago

    Thanks everyone. I have quite a bit of parts already from doing repairs on my home machines.
    Starwriter I do industrial maintenance for a living so I have a full weld and machine shop at my disposal.

    #15 7 years ago
    Quoted from mario_1_up:

    Starwriter I do industrial maintenance for a living so I have a full weld and machine shop at my disposal.

    Nice!!

    #16 7 years ago

    For me, the things you *must* have are for things that will take down the game entirely, and there aren't as many as you think: a spare fliptronics board, a spare dmd controller board, new set of WPC ribbon cables, WPC power fix daughtercard (http://www.kahr.us/), flipper rebuild parts, fuses, microswitches (but doesn't need to be every possible type), spare flipper button, flipper bats, rubbers for flippers, rubbers for slings.

    Most other things aren't going to bring the game down for potentially days while you wait for a part.

    Previously I would order whatever exact microswitch...but now I just take a new/spare working one, pull off the metal arm, replace it with the metal arm of the broken one, and go with that. (Since invariably I don't have the exact right arm for the one that broke).

    #17 7 years ago

    Set of legs, legbolts and levelers is something i need now and then, depending on location ofcourse.
    Have a tapping device in the toolbox.
    Lockbars tend to break now and then so keeping a spare is handy.
    If someone rips off a loose lockbar, walks away and the glass slides out is not funny.
    I stay away from the WPC lockbars on location and use System11 era ones since they are much sturdier.
    Invest in a single key locksystem and spare a few locks and parts.
    Make sure every game is secured with headbolts,not only quicklock, and stock a few for if a game comes in without them.

    #18 7 years ago

    Powerchords will be needed once in a while.
    I order different lenghts and select them when they find their place on location so they don't lay on the ground.

    #19 7 years ago

    Some NTC's for if you are bringing a game that trips the fuse.
    Optocouplers are not yet mentioned but especially the sender is breaking down alot.Receiver not so much.
    Manual inside every game on location.
    When ordering flipper parts for system11 and WPC make sure you label them and make sure they do not get mixed up.
    They look very much alike, but are not and can screw up things big time when mixed up. This happens so often, at least here in Europe.
    Ball plungers ,springs, thin sleeves, and rubbertips (when you hear a clonk during ball plunge contact replace asap) in the correct strengths and lengths.

    #20 7 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    How could you leave out drywall screws ?
    LTG : )

    Lol great point! Also rags to wipe on boatloads of novus but no other rag to wipe it off. The massive globs are added protection!

    #21 7 years ago

    You basically need everything that isn't a game specific part. It will eventually break no matter what it is. And with 10 games you'll see plenty of stuff break. For some games you need game specific parts for backup such as Funhouse/Road Show. You need extra eye plungers and the jaw gear as well as the little coils in case one burns up.

    Things you need that are often overlooked are coin door parts and coin mechs. You'll have coin mechs that are finicky and sometimes you just need to swap them out.

    It is also a good idea to have some Lexan (polycarbonate) on hand so you can make plastics that break and cause ball hangs. Or to cover an area where a plastic part is missing or broken. You'll often not realize something is missing until the game is on location and you get hangs.

    It is also a good idea to have metal on hand you can cut and bend to make brackets, etc.

    Have sheets of Mylar so you can protect areas where you are seeing wear.

    Have extra playfield glass. Do this long enough and you'll have one break.

    Make sure your scoops and troughs are solid without broken welds. If welds are broken, get them fixed before you put the game on location. Last thing you want is a scoop not able to eject a ball or throwing the ball and damaging the playfield.

    Some odd things I've needed and was glad I had backups: lockdown bars (welds give out), flipper base plates, shooter rods, external shooter springs, leaf switch parts and contacts (both gold and tungsten) so you can repair or make your own switch stacks (PBR sells parts).

    Some other tips: Check that your games are properly grounded. On WMS/Bally games BOLT DOWN THE HEAD, don't rely on the latch on the back. If you have playfield glass that has large chips on the edge, don't use it.

    Some tools I'm glad I had: circuit breakers with fuse attached (see pics below), rivet press.

    This was going to be a short, quick reply. So much for that.

    Some examples:

    DSCN1092_(Custom)_(resized).JPGDSCN1092_(Custom)_(resized).JPG
    sandman_(resized).jpgsandman_(resized).jpg
    DSC_7366_(Custom)_(resized).JPGDSC_7366_(Custom)_(resized).JPG

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/operators-what-parts-do-you-keep-on-hand and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.