Quoted from vid1900:This cheat sheet will show you how to know what washer fits what bolt, and what all the different head configurations are, and how to measure the length of a fastener (do you include the head, or not????).
There are actually 2 pages, so download it here:
https://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/Printable-Tools/Fastener-Basics.pdf
Fastener-Basics.pdf
Looks like it's missing slotted hex head screws.
Quoted from ForceFlow:Looks like it's missing slotted hex head screws.
https://www.boltdepot.com/Sheet_metal_screws_Slotted_hex_washer_head_Zinc_plated_steel.aspx
These?
I of course take a ton of pictures, but I also take a verrrrry long and slow video of the playfield. Scanning every inch of the playfield and trying to record it from all angles. This has saved me a couple of times, being able to go back and pause the video to see something I may have missed with just a photo.
Put a large towel in the bottom of the cabinet to catch screws and small parts.
You will thank yourself a thousand times over. 
Quoted from Arcade:Put a large towel in the bottom of the cabinet to catch screws and small parts.
You will thank yourself a thousand times over.
Hey, nice idea. I think I'll try that next time I start tearing things apart.
As I prepare for a teardown, I have another follow up question here. The teardown I'm about to start is with a BoP that clearly has a ton of missing pieces. Posts are gone and plastics are flapping the breeze, there are drywall screws holding up ramps, and the plastic posts that are there may or may not be the right ones. I'm 95% sure the main mechanical components are right, but the devil is in the details.
Unfortunately, there isn't a reference per se that is easy to use at this level of detail. I've seen others post their teardown pics of their machines and I can try my best to reference that.
In any case, I'm wondering if you experienced folks have any particular technique for validating the parts are the right ones for a specific area of a machine? Is this just a case of experience informing what you think should be in a particular place, and getting a replacement?
Quoted from jsa:In any case, I'm wondering if you experienced folks have any particular technique for validating the parts are the right ones for a specific area of a machine? Is this just a case of experience informing what you think should be in a particular place, and getting a replacement?
Basically, start out with research. Look for good example photos and tear-down photos that others have posted.
Look at the manual and the parts catalog.
If you're really stuck either post a photo of what you have and ask other owners about it and/or post a photo request thread.
Quoted from pinlink:I of course take a ton of pictures, but I also take a verrrrry long and slow video of the playfield. Scanning every inch of the playfield and trying to record it from all angles. This has saved me a couple of times, being able to go back and pause the video to see something I may have missed with just a photo.
+1
Absolutely right. Photos are essential but don't provide the overall context you get with a slow video walkthrough of your game. I like to manipulate moving parts as I video. Your recorded, spoken comments will add tons of value. I use small Avery marking tags (1 3/4" x 1 3/32") to label wired items that must be loosened but will remain soldered and "floating" loosely until I reassemble a part. These tags go on about as quickly as anything I've tried.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:LOL Been there, done that. The only thing I ever have to write down are the location and lengths of any hex or round standoffs or spacers. I can tell everything else from my pics.
just catching up on this thread and noticed bryan's comments about this:
funny thing that things like this are NOT in the owner's manuals, but ARE in the bally/williams parts catalogs
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
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/teardown-techniques/page/2 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.
Pollock Pines, CA
Sana'a