I use one of those 2-prong to 3-prong adapters as my soldering station is grounded.

I've never had an issue with it fitting, so maybe you want to invest in one just for that very unintended functionality, even though you're just doing 2-prong to 2-prong.

I thought that they were illegal in Canada? Anyway, I keep a 1 foot (30.47 cm) extension cord with the third prong cut off and the fat plug ground down for these occasions. Also, the cord has 3 outlets, so I can plug in my dremel as well.

I took a NicVolta err dremel to the fat leg of my Weller soldering gun plug, works just fine now.

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/where-in-canada-can-i-get-cheater-plug.9220/

Remember, this is the country where that required isolation transformers in old EMs (at least Ontario did).

got any cages that went over them? It was a nice nostalgic touch.

???

Prongs are different sizes for a reason.
Soldering Stations have a ground for a reason.

Why not just invest a few dollars into a short extension cord and/or power strip instead of modifying machines, eliminating safety grounds, and risking damage grinding on equipment plugs

If a tool requires a grounded plug, there is a purpose. Cutting off grounding plugs for any reason exposes the user to electric shock, and make the person a hack. If an old EM has no built in game grounding, you add basic grounding for safety reasons of the player and general maintenance protection of the technician, not to tap added power. If a person is asking to fully modify an older game for convenience of using modern polarized electric tools with or without a grounding pin, this is not advised. The reason is straightforward, the game never supported this function, so do not do it, use an external connection for necessary tool power. A standard work light bar usually has several with grounding. I actually have seen people do some less than intuitive things off both the power and neutral leads of older games. Don't advocate poor advice out of convenience.

As an added note, I honestly don't like messing with old service outlets in general. May have corrosion internally (though don't have examples of this), but mostly I just don't like taxing vintage wiring with even a 2 prong soldering pencil (though I rarely use one).
I would not suggest removing/modifying the original service outlet in this type of machine; I see no point in stressing old wires around unnecessarily. Only exception I could think of would be if outlet/wiring was physically damaged or modified poorly in the first place.

I usually use an extension cord or occasionally use one of my trouble lights that has a 3 prong plug on the side of it (some only have 2 prong, but not hard to find a 3).

And sometimes that reason is because they have to, not because it matters. It really doesn't matter which plug goes in which hole for a light bulb, or a soldering iron. If that is what it will be used for, who cares?

yea! I just replaced my 40 yr Weller with a new Weller, the older one did not have polarized, the newer one did. One is not safer than the other...

If you touch metal which is what you need to get electrocuted, you're also going to get a nasty burn. Probably not the biggest issue considering people ignore touching the metal end like the plague!

Interesting topic. Never felt the need to use a service outlet. Always a power outlet nearby.

I converted my Gold Rush (two prong) to three prong and grounded the machine through the service outlet. Here in Colorado we have lots of Lightning Issues. Lighting (when it strikes nearby), due to the huge voltage potential in the air, will try to jump onto your electrical system in your house. Anything that is not grounded to a 8' grounding rod pounded into the earth will fry, explode, catch on fire, ect... This game had it's original cord when I got it. It looked like an old two prong lamp cord. I replace it with a modern pinball three prong cord. It still will not help that service outlet to ground unless you buy an adapter and physically ground that eyelet on the adapter. Then you would have a real three prong service outlet that's safe.

Not always the case. When I work at the VFW, there are about 8 rows of back to back and side to side packed machines. The only access to an outlet is to pull the machine out, or to use the service outlet. Sometimes, if a machine doesn't have one, I will use the service outlet on the machine next to it.

http://vfwpinball.com/

Take the brown cover off the old service outlet (machine power cord unplugged from the wall of course). Now get a set of those miniature Harbor freight files and file one slot a little taller. Presto! Now your wide blade polarized plug will fit. Put the newly modified brown cover back on and you can use any polarized two prong plug in the outlet.

Also pulling the cord or extension cord over the side of the cabinet and having all that gravity act against you is hell.

Never had that problem. But sure, if u let connectors free hang, I suppose.

Another option would be to add a 3 prong service outlet.

https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=4674

or from a parted out system 1 or something similar.

I have an overhead retractable power cord mounted to the extra outlet in the ceiling of my garage (where the garage door opener is plugged in) so pulling the cord down and over to the game I need to work on generally avoids the gravity issue.

If I'm using a shop/trouble light even just as an extension cord inside, I frequently gently hang off something like a shooter rod or if no cash box, sometimes in there. Love the retractable lines in garage/shop space though.

I simply am not going to lose any sleep worrying about getting electrocuted by an unpolarized soldering iron. Use a two blade non-polarized adapter if you absolutely have to use the service outlet on the machine's power cord. I rarely see the need to do so, but I guess back in the day it was used, and I have never heard of anyone getting fried using it.

If they got fried. How could they tell you ?

LTG : )

No one, either victim or survivor ever did, so as I said, I've never heard of it.

Is that like the ambulance chaser commercials for different meds that say stuff like 'if you died, call now!'?