John,

I've had them on my STLE since new. I've had no issues but they just don't seem to have the "oomph" the plastic bats have.

Are they heavier? Maybe the weight slows them down.

I had them in HS2 The Getaway for a couple of years. I think it's a combination of weight and less flex but they do feel slightly sluggish compared to plastic.

Didn't notice any extra wear on parts but if a flipper bushing broke I would be concerned about scratching the playfield.

I am going to try them on Tron next.

I'm no long time expert like many of you here, but I like them. They hit hard. The ball moves fast. I use Superbands. I suppose this setup is less "rubbery" but I like them better than the plastic flippers and rubber bands they replaced.

I've been using these bats powder-coated on my Star_Trek Mirror Universe one-off.

I have a set on my METPRO....aside from them being show stoppers I feel no after effects. The look is classy and slick.

Anyone know if PBL plans to get these back in stock, or if there are any alternatives available?

As for a long-term review: I've been using the aluminum bats on my STTNG for several years now, and I really like them. The added weight doesn't seem to slow the ball down any -- I have no trouble making any of the shots on the game. It whips around the beta quadrant ramp just fine. Every advanced maneuver seems pretty much just as doable as on a plastic bat, but I'm no expert in that department (although i was a top-4 seed in the B-division finals at Pinburgh last year, so i don't totally suck).

I'd like to add aluminum bats to a Demo Man I just picked up, but I can't find them anywhere.

oh on a semi-related note: before i switched to aluminum, i went through about 3 or 4 sets of translucent flipper bats in a year. Every single one cracked badly after a few months of home use. They look cool, but they just don't hold up (at least not to the STTNG coils).

I love these aluminum bats. I have 5 pins loaded with them. They hit hard and handle just fine for me, too. I went to buy more at Pinball Life and no dice. PBL says the machinist got tired of making them; I figure the machinist is holding out for more money. At only $10.00 each retail I can see where the machinist might have felt shortchanged. Anyway, according to who I talked to at PBL, there will not be anymore. I'm majorly bummed about it.

dang! that's terrible news! maybe someone else could pick up the torch? there's definitely a market, although I couldn't say how large.

Things have changed! These are back in production and we should have them back in stock in a few weeks.
Terry.

Thanks man. Come back here and tell us when they are ready. I need 4 of them. I also need to trade back the 4 white plastics ones I just bought from you; Unused and brand spanking new.

EDIT: Is the old price returning as well? Or is a bump happening?

I've had them on my T2 for a couple years now. They are a bit sluggish and absolutely zero dead pass. It's funny to see good new players try and watch the ball drain on them. You learn the hard way. I was thinking of going back to regular plastic flips. I have a tough time being accurate with them but I also kinda suck.

Did these ever go back in stock?
I haven't seen them when I've went and looked recently.

PinballNews.com did a story on some alternate bats:
https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/03/07/adpin-flippers-2/
but at 90euros for a pair; I just can't.

PBL was selling them for 9.95 and then they went away. And then they were brought back for $12.95. I should have loaded up. They are gone again. Something with the machinist making them wanted more money, I think.

I have them on all my pins. They hit hard and fast.

YEAH. I like them because they can be powdercoated and laser etched.
I'd like to know if PBL intends to restock or let them say out of stock.
Maybe Terry will chime in at some point.

No issues with mine hope they are offered again.

65C6FF01-C3BC-4019-9BEC-8F2DE0956A02 (resized).jpeg

We can probably make more, but I'm not sure how many people will buy $15 flipper bats.
These are machines from solid aluminum.
Terry.

Is there a minimum order quantity that must be considered?

Can transparent aluminum be done. That would be superb.

I'd do 15 per bat. But you know your market better than me.

I never heard of transparent aluminum. Google says you know what you are talking about. Interesting.

https://www.google.com/search?q=transparent+aluminum&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=rqtD7hZW1CQuNM%253A%252CnHtUQRgNi01aeM%252C%252Fm%252F08drsf&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQLFEEhvZaBWZFkZ_095qC-KtQZ1A&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlw_2g_ejnAhVOKa0KHc9FBWwQ_B0wHHoECAgQAw#imgrc=rqtD7hZW1CQuNM:

I think we need to make around 250 at a time to keep them even somewhat in line, price-wise.
As I recall, it took a couple years to go through that quantity last time we ran them.
Terry.

I know I’d be in, the look goes well with many titles. Maybe not enough exposure that they were available?

At $15 they are no more expensive than the plastic metallic pdi flippers. I had forgotten these existed.

You might be right about the exposure but as in all things there are always some negative Nancy’s offering up negative vibes saying the are sluggish or don’t hit hard enough. It is also BS. Get your flippers and flipper switches adjusted correctly and they kick like mules.

People are spending $7500 on games, probably wouldn’t bat an eye at $15, put a CE or LE stamp on them and they’ll prepay at $25

Pretty sure the Transparent Aluminum comment was more directed as a joke in reference to infamous scene from "Star Trek: IV - the Voyage Home":

It's a real thing developed in the early 80's, but it's not really aluminum - rather, an aluminum compound. The best use for it now is bullet proof glass since it can be about 1/2 the thickness of standard BPG. However, it is incredibly expensive.

I would be in for 4 of them. In the great scheme of things that is not very many.

What I like about them is, while they work very well, I could paint them any color I wanted. And if I got tired of a color I could always paint them another color.

Having never seen these but liking the look in the pic up there I can say I’d be in for 10, even if it was only to stockpile them for later use.

Here you go.

IMG_3158 (resized).JPGIMG_3159 (resized).JPGIMG_3161 (resized).JPGIMG_3162 (resized).JPG

IMG_3160 (resized).JPG

Robocop's flippers are so strong you posted it twice

(Seriously, I don't think ANYTHING attached to an early DE solid state flipper would have any problem being anything but super strong)

Not a fan of changing the profile on the classic sterns though to the thinner one, but hey, it's your game, do what you like to it.

$15 seems cheap for these if it's a block of solid Aluminum - I guess the machinist making them might be cutting the blocks in some way to minimize waste? Or it the shaft separately installed like on the normal flippers?

I'd think no flex vs. plastic would always whack the ball with authority - possibly at the expense of the plastic flipper bushings, but they're actually pretty strong too.

Someone should come up with a flipper plate that uses the double flipper bushings like Gottlieb used, but with the thinner shaft like all the other flippers are - that would rock (those double flipper bushing flippers NEVER twist/flex, due to the design, they just can't..... and the bushings last FOREVER).

pinside and pictures do not always work smoothly.

Considering what everything is costing this day and age, $15.00 is a screaming deal. However, I need 4 for my Big Game; That's $60.00 worth of flippers. But the plastic Stern flippers are priced at $7.00-$10.00 each which takes some sting out of the extra costs.

I'm not sure how the machinist makes his cuts, but these flippers are hog outs from a block of solid aluminum i.e they are hollow on the bottom side to reduce weight. A steel shaft is pressed in from the bottom and has a tight fit. The machinist knows his stuff; They are of quality manufacture.

They are a little heavier than the plastic flippers but the flipper coils have no problem with making powerful hits. For anybody installing these flippers I highly recommend a fresh shop job on your flippers. If you install these and leave in crappy worn out coil sleeve and a mushroomed coil plunger you probably will not like the results. And then you will come on the board and trash them as being lousy performers.

I understand. It is not factory but it is easily reversible.

I have an uninstalled set of these, and wondered if I really spent $30 on bats. Looked it up: these used to be $9.95. Looks like it's not just the machine prices that have inflated!

Please read the comments above.
The short answer is that the machinist making them needs incentive to continue making them. IE other work is more profitable.
Put your bats on sale here and I'm sure they'll sell very soon.

I have a brand new pair that I would like to sell $30.00 with free shipping to anywhere in the continental USA

PDI isn't a sane reference point for anything. Every single thing they touch is overpriced, and always has been.

I'd be in for 4 of the bats.

Sold

So if they sold that fast at 30, PBL should have no problem selling them at 15

Please comprehend my comment.
I didn't pose any question looking for an answer.
I didn't say I was looking to sell either.

Thanks for reinforcing my point that the price has gone up.

Wow, that's really bad.

I really like mine. I could use 10 more. Wow. A $150.00 worth of flippers.

And Wow again. I have four new of the Williams style. I never thought to check for flex. They flex. I would like to see what that flex looks like with s slo-mo camera.

Yes. I could use 10 more of the metal bats.

I wonder if the 'give' in the wimpier flippers might help with games where the ball hops over the flipper since the flipper will give instead of providing a very rigid surface for the ball to hop over.