We Pinsiders commonly expect the average EM to be priced in the mid-$$$ triple digit range... with all of the "average" problems: Average flaky backglass, average cupped inserts, average playfield wear, average chipped/scratched/faded cabinet, average condition of playfield parts, average mechanical issues, yada yada. But a full restoration is a different story.

Let's start with an average $500 EM and add $350 shipping. Then, let's do the following...

NOS/repro backglass: $250
full playfield resto and clear coat: $750
new playfield parts/rubbers: $100
plastic set: $150
refurbish mechs/new lamp sockets/sleeves/etc: $100
cabinet work (not always req'd): $200
repaint: do it myself $75 in materials max
legs: $50
misc: $25

Which is in the neighborhood of $2500 and many hours work. My my, that added up fast, didn't it?

It would be possible to dramatically cut costs by doing my own PF restos/clear coat, backglasses, and buying local instead of paying for shipping. But until then... I don't see any shortcuts. It costs what it costs, eh?

Does it really seem all that crazy to pay at least $2k for a pristine restored EM? Seems pretty much right on the money to me... and that's for any ol' game. The Slick Chicks and King of Diamonds of the scene would undoubtedly fetch more.

Me too. Countless hours spent watching Pawn Stars taught me how "original patina" can be worth far more than shiny and new. Particularly with guns. Shined up, they lose almost all value.

Pins aren't quite the same though, because there's just something special about flipping a huge glorious sparkling shiny machine standing in front of you. Cupped inserts bother the hell out of me. As do flaky backglasses, dim lamp sockets, damaged PF's, and weak/underpowered mechs.

Once you begin to revive an old machine, where do you stop? If the plastics and bumper caps and other decorative elements get replaced, it makes the surrounding stuff look worn. So I do those. Then the trim. Then the cab. And then... well... might as well go all the way. Can't leave it half-done!

And thus, how I got sucked into the gravitational pull of the Minty Pinball Singularity...

Right on. Fully restored is a labor of love, done right. Start to finish. Nothing less!

Actually I didn't have that one cleared. Just a good cleaning, wax, and new inserts w/decals coated with clear. Agreed it plays nice and snappy after going through all the mechs.

LOL I have thought of doing the same many times.

Funny coincidence there... the first minty clearcoated EM I had ever seen was a Cow Poke at the 2013 Houston Arcade Expo. Won best in show, played beautifully, and every inch looked absolutely incredible.

I think that's what set things in motion. Agreed that classic EM's have the magic.

Wow very nice pics! Truly gorgeous work. But I think the numbers also support what Dave is saying... you can pick up a dozen working player machines which work reasonably well with a little tinkering for the cost of maybe two or three fully restored beauties.

Same as it ever was: Quality vs. quantity. Both have their joys. But if you can afford to have quality AND quantity... everyone will secretly hate you. hahaha

Gee... I wonder how often that "super homer" target gets hit? Must be pretty satisfying when it does!

Not yet... but it will be getting the HSA treatment after Crossroads. I also swapped some filament bulbs back under the clear inserts. Not as bright, but more magical. Magic is good.

From what I know of it, the technique involves leveling the playfield perfectly flat on a rotisserie and squirting an eyedropper of auto clear onto the insert. One tiny drop at a time. Just enough to precisely fill to the edge. Then let dry and sand to flat (gently).

100% agreed... particularly the part about variable pitch. In the beginning I'd spend at least an hour obsessively futzing with leg levelers to get a pin-point-perfect-precise 3.5 degree slope on all my games. They all played OK, but some weren't as fun to flip as others.

Once I stopped being a statistician and experimented with "what felt best" for each game... alakazam! Way more fun. Each game has a sweet spot. Tis worth finding it!

Oh definitely too cheap to sell. That minimum $2k figure is FOR ME. Haha... as a business that had better be 50%-100% more considering the enormous amount of time and effort involved!

High-end restoration is true craftsmanship. It is something to be proud of. You can't buy machines like this anymore nor import them overnight from China. It takes time and effort and patience and dedication and attention and experience and a love of the game and isn't free. And, like any "well made thing", it elicits joy and wonder in all who partake of it.

I think that's the Main Thing for me... the social aspect/sharing experience. Expending the effort to go all-out for that last ounce of "wow" is what it is all about. It is about creating and sharing magic.

Yeah that's the catch. You can't touch up a playfield without putting some kind of protection over it. Even the quick and dirty "paint and wipe off" trick to fill white dot wear will come off pretty quickly. Sometimes you can spot clear a solitary problem area, but even then the shine wouldn't match the rest (and might look worse under reflected light).

Not much middle ground with playfields. If you can't live with it as-is, I don't know of any other options with comparable quality to original than going full resto...

Whoa. You just don't find 'em like that anymore. Great video! Can we do all pin videos like that w/appropriate music and editing? Thumbs up!