Quoted from fast_in_muskoka:LOL, yeah I suspect I know which company you are thinking of . . .
I cannot speak for today, but a long time ago, UPS hired lobbyists to constantly push for the USPS to raise its rates. If Uncle Sugar jacked the mailing rates then UPS got to raise its rates, too.
Quoted from PinballJunkie:I have a bunch of these stainless 1/2" coil sleeve removers for sale. Two for $20 including shipping. E-transfer to [email protected] with your address. Please allow 2 weeks as I live in Canada. Thanks guys. [quoted image]
Added 4 days ago: Oops I guess not too many people use e-transfer. You can pay me at paypal.me/pinparts Thanks.
I just placed an order. Paypal charged me a buck, maybe for international fees? I agree the nut driver works sometimes, but if this works 100% all of the time it will be well worth the money.
Here is a quick update. I shipped out 12 packages last week, with the last 2 yesterday. I'll just post your 1st and last initials for privacy reasons. GH,TS,PF,JM,DB,CD,TT,CP,JA,MJ,JF,EM. I think 2 were not sent small package airmail by accident so they may take a bit longer. Let me know of any problems.
Thank you,
Frank
Thought I would show some of you folks a small tip that you may not know. If you have ever made your own plastic or sling protectors out of acrylic or poly carbonate, you should put a small flat on both cutting edges of the drill. This will prevent the drill from pulling itself in too fast and cracking the plastic. You can use a sharping stone or grinder. You only need a tiny flat for this to work. (This is also the standard for drilling brass)
IMG_0866 (resized).jpgIMG_0868 (resized).jpgQuoted from PinballJunkie:Thought I would show some of you folks a small tip that you may not know. If you have ever made your own plastic or sling protectors out of acrylic or poly carbonate, you should put a small flat on both cutting edges of the drill. This will prevent the drill from pulling itself in too fast and cracking the plastic. You can use a sharping stone or grinder. You only need a tiny flat for this to work. (This is also the standard for drilling brass) [quoted image][quoted image]
This is a real nice tip !
Quoted from PinballJunkie:Here is a quick update. I shipped out 12 packages last week, with the last 2 yesterday. I'll just post your 1st and last initials for privacy reasons. GH,TS,PF,JM,DB,CD,TT,CP,JA,MJ,JF,EM. I think 2 were not sent small package airmail by accident so they may take a bit longer. Let me know of any problems.
Thank you,
Frank
I received my package a couple of days ago and gave the punch a try out. It works quite well. Thank you.
Man I hate leveling machines. I managed to mess up my knee pretty bad last winter while lifting games on my back. I’d use the Escalera lift but it’s no good on plush carpet.
My OCD has got me shuffling games around - and needing to level about half the collection.
So, let’s work smarter instead of harder.
Pry bar from Home Depot
almostworks.
However, that notch in it really is good for two things. Praying crap apart, or locking onto leg bolts and making them hard to turn. I should have take “before” photos, I have this instead.
Last time I had a leveling party we made it work but it kinda sucked. So, let’s see what we can do to improve it.
Step one, grind that hole a lot bigger. I don’t have a full shop but I do have a bench grinder to do the rough grinding quickly; and the the dremil cutting disc to widen that gap deeper in where the grinder won’t go. A file afterwords to take off the rough edges, and we now have a pocket big enough to wrap around the bolt loosely.
The other part of the equation was getting a block underneath; without this there’s not enough pivot lifting action. I was carrying around a board but that is awkward. I cut a price of it off, and attached it like this with a wood acre and fender washer.
The only change I might do (having just leaved 9 machines) would be the dimensions of the wood block. Maybe a hair longer. I can rotate the block by and and choose how close the pivot point is next to the game’s leg. Making the block slightly longer would give me a bit more versatility.
Not much of a tool hack but my back and knees are thanking me.
Quoted from jfesler:Man I hate leveling machines. I managed to mess up my knee pretty bad last winter while lifting games on my back. I’d use the Escalera lift but it’s no good on plush carpet.
My OCD has got me shuffling games around - and needing to level about half the collection.
So, let’s work smarter instead of harder.
Pry bar from Home Depotalmostworks.
[quoted image]
However, that notch in it really is good for two things. Praying crap apart, or locking onto leg bolts and making them hard to turn. I should have take “before” photos, I have this instead.
[quoted image]
Last time I had a leveling party we made it work but it kinda sucked. So, let’s see what we can do to improve it.
Step one, grind that hole a lot bigger. I don’t have a full shop but I do have a bench grinder to do the rough grinding quickly; and the the dremil cutting disc to widen that gap deeper in where the grinder won’t go. A file afterwords to take off the rough edges, and we now have a pocket big enough to wrap around the bolt loosely.
[quoted image]
The other part of the equation was getting a block underneath; without this there’s not enough pivot lifting action. I was carrying around a board but that is awkward. I cut a price of it off, and attached it like this with a wood acre and fender washer.
[quoted image]
The only change I might do (having just leaved 9 machines) would be the dimensions of the wood block. Maybe a hair longer. I can rotate the block by and and choose how close the pivot point is next to the game’s leg. Making the block slightly longer would give me a bit more versatility.
Not much of a tool hack but my back and knees are thanking me.
Your tool looks interesting. But I am not visualizing how you use it.
Can there be a pic posted of it in use, please?
Most of my games have the front levelers all the way down and the rears all the way up. Will that type of tool work on both?
Quoted from jfesler:I found the lowest front levers I have and demo it here. Note lifting the game easily single headed.
[quoted image][quoted image]
That’s pretty cool. I’m going to get a bigger toolbox.
Quoted from jfesler:I found the lowest front levers I have and demo it here. Note lifting the game easily single headed.
[quoted image][quoted image]
Please allow me to be cheeky and make a suggestion to your level lifter that I have only seen on your pics.
With what you have, from what I can see, is your one hand is married to the pry bar and you are left with only one hand free to adjust the level.
I’m thinking you could get a piece of 3/4” x 4” piece of pine about 18” to 24” long. Then set this under your piece of pivot wood. At the other end, incorporate a door hook or some light weight chain to allow you to “lock” the bar into the “up” position. This would allow both hands to be free in case you had the situation of a frozen leg leveler. You could raise it up and leave it raised if something comes up like a phone call or the wife says lunch is ready.
Thanks for thinking this tool up !
Quoted from PinballJunkie:I have a bunch of these stainless 1/2" coil sleeve removers for sale. Two for $20 including shipping. E-transfer to [email protected] with your address. Please allow 2 weeks as I live in Canada. Thanks guys. [quoted image]
Added 29 days ago: Oops I guess not too many people use e-transfer. You can pay me at paypal.me/pinparts Thanks.
I received my set Saturday. I already have put them to use. If you are on the fence about getting a set I assure you they are well worth the money. Thanks again Frank.
Quoted from goingincirclez:You shouldn't lift using the base panel. They're not meant to lift or bear the load of a 200+lb game!
Even if there are braces (sometimes there aren't), usually there is a 1/2" to 1" gap between the brace and the bottom panel (as you know because that's inevitably where every #^&%@ dropped screw wants to go)...
It is a TERRIBLE idea to flex the panel a half inch when it often has only 1/4" or less extra width locking into the side slots: you might crack the panel (remember, the manufacturers used whatever scrap / crap material was convenient for this non-structural part, so is it even in good shape to begin with?), or even pop the panel out. And sometimes the braces aren't too sturdy either: I've seen them loose (with short tenons and/or glue cracked from age), and it was not hard to imagine them buckling and popping out of the side walls. The braces support a small load from above. They're not meant to bear the full load of the game once the legs are off the floor. Maybe bearing the weight of a lifted game will be the thing that finally *makes* them loose. Do you feel lucky?
Always lift the cabinet side walls. You can slide the cart under from the side (it might take a couple tries to find the right center balance point as every game is different), or use boards to extend the cart platform width if inserting from the front.
Hmm, I've been doing it for 20+ years. Many many games. Upstairs, downstairs, etc. and never had a single problem. Can anyone chime in if their panel has ever broke to confirm this?
Quoted from jfesler:I found the lowest front levers I have and demo it here. Note lifting the game easily single headed.
Reminds me of a drywall lifter, except you use your foot with a drywall lifter. A little cutout in the end would make it stable on the leveling foot thread.
https://www.amazon.com/Goldblatt-G15149-Drywall-Roll-Lifter/dp/B0000224OD
pasted_image (resized).pngQuoted from jeffk:Your post made me think of this leg prop I made a long time ago, use it all the time. I am pretty sure I got the idea somewhere in some repair guide or video.[quoted image]
That's cool. Looks even more unstable than mine!
That's so much nicer... one of these days... 
Anybody have a good design for a little table to place between the machines to put a beer on? Preferably immune to nudging!
Quoted from Marten:Anybody have a good design for a little table to place between the machines to put a beer on? Preferably immune to nudging!
Most of the time, I see these: https://www.pinballlife.com/pingulp-beverage-caddy-pro.html
Quoted from ForceFlow:Most of the time, I see these: https://www.pinballlife.com/pingulp-beverage-caddy-pro.html
We have a few of these but would like to see if we can build something out of wood. The pin gulps are quite expensive over here and it's for a game room with about 30 machines.
Quoted from Marten:Anybody have a good design for a little table to place between the machines to put a beer on? Preferably immune to nudging!
Here's my cheap ass beer holders ~$6 CDN. Holds a can or bottle perfectly snug and secure. Ali-Express Baby Stroller Cup Holder from https://tinyurl.com/y4f4w8aw , double hole washers and 1" stove bolts. Have them on all 12 of my pins. And the little clamps that aren't needed are good for other things you might want to clamp.
beerholder (resized).jpgjokerp (resized).jpga-list (resized).jpgThanks, my thinking is same as yours, the landed cost of a PinGulp is at least $25 CDN x 12 Pins = $300, too much for me.
Quoted from jeffc:I saw these in Electric Bat Arcade in Tempe, AZ. I liked them so I snapped a pic. Would be cool with a pinball flyer on the top surface.
[quoted image]
I wonder what keeps these from falling over. Were they bolted down?
Quoted from Marten:I wonder what keeps these from falling over. Were they bolted down?
Looks like 1/4" steel base, with a second plate on top. If the table top is just plywood, there's no way it's going to move.
Quoted from jeffc:I saw these in Electric Bat Arcade in Tempe, AZ. I liked them so I snapped a pic. Would be cool with a pinball flyer on the top surface.
[quoted image]
Logan Arcade in Chicago has something similar, but taller and longer and has coathooks underneath
Quoted from Marten:I wonder what keeps these from falling over. Were they bolted down?
They were not bolted down. I think they were just wood, so they were prone to tipping. But still quite useful.
Quoted from jeffc:They were not bolted down. I think they were just wood, so they were prone to tipping. But still quite useful.
I see welds.
Quoted from dudah:Logan Arcade in Chicago has something similar, but taller and longer and has coathooks underneath
Would the hooks accommodate my tote bag?
Quoted from yaksplat:I see welds.
Good eye !
Hey, I have something for this thread. Its not a big deal but I hope others can use it. I always have trouble moving the pins around on the floor, so I got those little mini-dollies from Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/hand-trucks-carts-dollies/dollies/3-wheel-steel-dolly-63683.html
basic dollys
While they technically worked, in my case the legs always popped off after just a couple of feet of travel. They really need deeper cups so the cabinet legs won't come off. So I ran down to the hardware store and bought a set of the largest PVC caps they had (2",) drilled a hole in them and bolted them on.with a 2: pvc pipe cap attached
Sadly, 2" caps are just a bit too small and the legs won't quite fit in them. I checked on the 3" caps but they are $10 each so I went to the dollar store and bought 4 sets of measuring cups. I cut off the handle of the 1-cup cup and bolted it on.with a 1" measuring cup
Its actually a bit too big, so I have switched to the 1/2" cups and they seem to be fine. Grand total: $20 for the dollies and $4 for the cups!with a 1/2" cup
Quoted from mark532011:Hey, I have something for this thread. Its not a big deal but I hope others can use it. I always have trouble moving the pins around on the floor, so I got those little mini-dollies from Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/hand-trucks-carts-dollies/dollies/3-wheel-steel-dolly-63683.html
[quoted image]
While they technically worked, in my case the legs always popped off after just a couple of feet of travel. They really need deeper cups so the cabinet legs won't come off. So I ran down to the hardware store and bought a set of the largest PVC caps they had (2",) drilled a hole in them and bolted them on.[quoted image]
Sadly, 2" caps are just a bit too small and the legs won't quite fit in them. I checked on the 3" caps but they are $10 each so I went to the dollar store and bought 4 sets of measuring cups. I cut off the handle of the 1-cup cup and bolted it on.[quoted image]
Its actually a bit too big, so I have switched to the 1/2" cups and they seem to be fine. Grand total: $20 for the dollies and $4 for the cups![quoted image]
I kind of thought rubber pads might help.
The benefit of these mini-dollies is that they are low to the ground and it doesn't take much to lift a pin onto them. By putting a tall cup on it, it makes using these a bit more difficult.
Quoted from mark532011:Hey, I have something for this thread. Its not a big deal but I hope others can use it. I always have trouble moving the pins around on the floor, so I got those little mini-dollies from Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/hand-trucks-carts-dollies/dollies/3-wheel-steel-dolly-63683.html
[quoted image]
While they technically worked, in my case the legs always popped off after just a couple of feet of travel. They really need deeper cups so the cabinet legs won't come off. So I ran down to the hardware store and bought a set of the largest PVC caps they had (2",) drilled a hole in them and bolted them on.[quoted image]
Sadly, 2" caps are just a bit too small and the legs won't quite fit in them. I checked on the 3" caps but they are $10 each so I went to the dollar store and bought 4 sets of measuring cups. I cut off the handle of the 1-cup cup and bolted it on.[quoted image]
Its actually a bit too big, so I have switched to the 1/2" cups and they seem to be fine. Grand total: $20 for the dollies and $4 for the cups![quoted image]
And the wheel casters on those dollies are so weak they will fold over on you.
Get the wooden dollies HF sells and put your cups on the wooden ones.
EDIT: I just looked at HF website and the wooden dollies have been redesigned. Stay with what you have
Quoted from ForceFlow:I kind of thought rubber pads might help.
The benefit of these mini-dollies is that they are low to the ground and it doesn't take much to lift a pin onto them. By putting a tall cup on it, it makes using these a bit more difficult.
If you have uneven floors those dollies can slide out from under the leg. Using those cups will prevent that. And they are not that hard to get loaded with the cups
Quoted from cottonm4:If you have uneven floors
Oh, I didn't even consider of that. 
Not a tool, but maybe a suggestion for a solution idea. I have tile in my game room area. I love its ease of upkeep, cleanliness, look etc but one that sucks about pinball is those rare cases, due to the way the chips fall, 2-3 games are sitting on cracks and when this happens, the surface irregularities can affect a pins behavior if it is nudged up onto the higher tile.
It would be really nice to have some sort of 3-4 inch leveler. Some use another piece of tile remnant and set the machine on there, but it can scratch the floor, and it doesn't conform to the floor. A dense rubber backing, almost like pergo style flooring, cut to size, with the dense rubber backing might do it?
Any suggestions? Ripping up tile ain't happening, so save that one.
Quoted from SDTMinSTL:Not a tool, but maybe a suggestion for a solution idea. I have tile in my game room area. I love its ease of upkeep, cleanliness, look etc but one that sucks about pinball is those rare cases, due to the way the chips fall, 2-3 games are sitting on cracks and when this happens, the surface irregularities can affect a pins behavior if it is nudged up onto the higher tile.
It would be really nice to have some sort of 3-4 inch leveler. Some use another piece of tile remnant and set the machine on there, but it can scratch the floor, and it doesn't conform to the floor. A dense rubber backing, almost like pergo style flooring, cut to size, with the dense rubber backing might do it?
Any suggestions? Ripping up tile ain't happening, so save that one.
At the saratoga show, I used a stiff rubber gym floor mat and cut it up into pieces to put under leg levelers to help protect the wood floor. I imagine it could help bridge a small gap.
cb10b436f68f8ad3d04def67749002390031daba (resized).jpgQuoted from ForceFlow:At the saratoga show, I used a stiff rubber gym floor mat and cut it up into pieces to put under leg levelers to help protect the wood floor. I imagine it could help bridge a small gap.[quoted image]
Terrific idea. Thanks!
I'm sure the magnetic wrist band has been mentioned. https://www.amazon.com/MagnoGrip-311-090-Magnetic-Wristband/dp/B000WU9LCQ
and the headlamp, my go-to items. But I can still fuck up any machine.
Cheap ass tool but ou never lose the bits. Not for extended or hard to get to spots but a great multi tool! $30 Lowes
https://www.amazon.com/WX255L-Semi-Automatic-Power-Driver-Holder/dp/B00ZFR4JA0/ref=sr_1_3
Quoted from Mageek:Here's my cheap ass beer holders ~$6 CDN. Holds a can or bottle perfectly snug and secure. Ali-Express Baby Stroller Cup Holder from https://tinyurl.com/y4f4w8aw , double hole washers and 1" stove bolts. Have them on all 12 of my pins. And the little clamps that aren't needed are good for other things you might want to clamp.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
These aren’t terribly priced. They are also available on eBay in six packs. But it’s always more rewarding making something.
C81DF2BA-97DB-4255-BB27-5CBC0F1E2ED6 (resized).jpegQuoted from mark532011:Hey, I have something for this thread. Its not a big deal but I hope others can use it. I always have trouble moving the pins around on the floor, so I got those little mini-dollies from Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/hand-trucks-carts-dollies/dollies/3-wheel-steel-dolly-63683.html
[quoted image]
While they technically worked, in my case the legs always popped off after just a couple of feet of travel. They really need deeper cups so the cabinet legs won't come off. So I ran down to the hardware store and bought a set of the largest PVC caps they had (2",) drilled a hole in them and bolted them on.[quoted image]
Sadly, 2" caps are just a bit too small and the legs won't quite fit in them. I checked on the 3" caps but they are $10 each so I went to the dollar store and bought 4 sets of measuring cups. I cut off the handle of the 1-cup cup and bolted it on.[quoted image]
Its actually a bit too big, so I have switched to the 1/2" cups and they seem to be fine. Grand total: $20 for the dollies and $4 for the cups![quoted image]
I had the same problem with the same exact wheels I had laying around. I used your suggestion using measuring cups and I also cut padding for the inside so the feet wouldn’t sit on the bolt and there was some grip on the inside. I cut up my wife’s yoga mat...not like she was using it
Built myself a pinball lift!
I posted this on my Gameroom build thread but thought it might be helpful here as well.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gameroom-advice
Probably one of the handiest things for setting up or breaking down a game. Wish I would have done this years ago.
I used plans for this at this awesome site:
https://www.jeff-z.com/pinball/lift/index.html
I saw this page ages ago and it just looked a little to McGyver to build ... but with a 40+ pin move ahead of me ... well, let's just say I got motivated to find the easiest way to set up/take down a pin! I am pretty good at doing it alone even now. Add front legs, tilt toward yourself until front legs hit BUT it's right at this spot that it gets hard. You got to slip your hands into the wire passage in the cabinet, grab the edges and lift until you can get your hands under the cabinet. Then maneuver your 4x4 post (or whatever you use) under the cab to support it while you add the rear legs. It's the same issue during take down but in reverse.
This tool eliminates that pain point entirely by using an RV stabilizer Jack to do the lifting or setting down - very cool
I ordered everything from Amazon
Jack here
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JMHHNIO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00
Adapter for drill here
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V8U12M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00
Got the aluminum angle stock at HD
I had 3/4" plywood on hand to cut 3 pieces at 12x12x12"
I used my redneck compass (string on a pencil) to cut my radius into each of the side boards
On top of the Jack, I drilled a hole to store that drill adapter or I knew I'd never find the darn thing
I have not wrangled a game with it yet but boy does that drill make the Jack move in a hurry! You'll want to have your 2 speed drill on low
My daughters boyfriend grabbed the new Jack while he was helping me and said as dry as you possibly can "Jack-in-the-box"
C6BEDEE5-963F-4C9E-9046-9E5AF084BA67 (resized).jpeg8A454918-77E6-42C2-A932-7AE81AFD757E (resized).jpeg233F0406-EB7C-4314-9F39-E70C11D85D22 (resized).jpegE5697C14-F316-4E5B-88C8-F07F96F1F909 (resized).jpeg80D729BA-CECF-4014-B5B6-A4E9A742E924 (resized).jpegD489BF7B-A48C-408A-B968-FEC961F6E77E (resized).jpeg1189D855-4028-4537-8DE3-488AB43E543B (resized).jpeg8C56B2F4-35A7-4E3D-8AEF-C86E3171160A (resized).jpeg7373DE9C-F8BD-425A-8309-4DAB87DD1830 (resized).jpeg
Quoted from MT45:Built myself a pinball lift!
I posted this on my Gameroom build thread but thought it might be helpful here as well.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gameroom-advice
Probably one of the handiest things for setting up or breaking down a game. Wish I would have done this years ago.
I used plans for this at this awesome site:
https://www.jeff-z.com/pinball/lift/index.html
I saw this page ages ago and it just looked a little to McGyver to build ... but with a 40+ pin move ahead of me ... well, let's just say I got motivated to find the easiest way to set up/take down a pin! I am pretty good at doing it alone even now. Add front legs, tilt toward yourself until front legs hit BUT it's right at this spot that it gets hard. You got to slip your hands into the wire passage in the cabinet, grab the edges and lift until you can get your hands under the cabinet. Then maneuver your 4x4 post (or whatever you use) under the cab to support it while you add the rear legs. It's the same issue during take down but in reverse.
This tool eliminates that pain point entirely by using an RV stabilizer Jack to do the lifting or setting down - very cool
I ordered everything from Amazon
Jack here
amazon.com link »
Adapter for drill here
amazon.com link »
Got the aluminum angle stock at HD
I had 3/4" plywood on hand to cut 3 pieces at 12x12x12"
I used my redneck compass (string on a pencil) to cut my radius into each of the side boards
On top of the Jack, I drilled a hole to store that drill adapter or I knew I'd never find the darn thing
I have not wrangled a game with it yet but boy does that drill make the Jack move in a hurry! You'll want to have your 2 speed drill on low
My daughters boyfriend grabbed the new Jack while he was helping me and said as dry as you possibly can "Jack-in-the-box"
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Nice, built one of these myself a little over a year ago, a real backsaver.
One suggestion: that aluminum angle iron is REAL thick, I used some of this instead covered in felt to minimize chances of cabinet damage:
MT45 nice lift. I’m going to try the recycling approach and use a round drop leaf end table from the thrift store for just a few bucks and use the cut down leafs for the semi circles and then use the rest of the material from the table to create the box. A table similar to this. Let’s hope it works. I’m also recycling a jack.
14E2F82D-86EB-45DF-AE33-B3B8EC017B94 (resized).jpeg
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