Well to make the BEST connection, that is reliable, you will want to solder. If you don't know how, I would suggest some old electronic parts and just play around. See youtube for some quick tips or how to videos to get some good tips on best practice for soldering. Once you've done it a little, you will have no problems and its easy peasy.

I cannot comment on anything else, still don't own a pin yet! Good luck and I hope you get it all fixed up

Youtube clips taught me everything I needed to know to get a job soldering. It took me a total of 10 minutes and I got promoted 3 times in a month at that job. Can't recommend doing that enough, I know I can easily solder anything due to some free clips and minor burns.

Just a tip: Don't instinctively grab for anything with your hands. That thing is HOT!

Solder.

Coils and switches are usually pretty easy, you can loop the wire right into the coil/switch tabs for a nice "mechanical" connection before soldering. If no hole, then wrap it around the tab.

Sometimes having a 2nd person to hold the parts while you hold the gun/solder really really helps.

Yes, you do need to solder back together any joint you unsoldered.

Clips of any sort will be a lot less reliable. Not sure what kind of clip you're referring to, but I can't think of any that would be a good idea to use instead of solder. You should practice soldering, and get comfortable with it, as you'll be doing a lot of it.

Please don't use clips! They'll fall off with vibration, and make all sorts of horrible shorts. Soldering is easy. If you feel you need practice, you can always solder wires together, or paperclips.

Well said, +1 on that. Getting a cheap small board and capacitors from radio shack to practice on will give you a chance to hone your skills before moving onto the pinball machine. Here is a video on youtube it is a little old but really helped me grasp the basics. Good luck!!

I've never been in an area where I couldn't get electronics to practice on by walking down the street on trash day.... Broken or obsolete electronics, full of circuit boards and wires to practice on are everywhere in this day and age.

Yea but why wait til trash day or trying to hunt one down when the part cost a couple of dollars? But I guess if your really hurting for cash that is one way to go about it.

Solder.. Clips will work themselves off due to vibration. Before you know it, you will have a short and fry the bloody thing. Even someone starting out can solder on the coils.

Soldering is rely rely easy. Learn it boy!

Solder is the only way, it is easy. You can do it! Radio Shack has parts you can practice with for a couple bucks. That is how my son learned.

Solder, Solder, Solder, !!!!

Solder! I left my switches on along with lamps when I washed my wiring harness. I took a compressor and blew out all the connectors and sockets and let it hang for a week with a fan blowing on it for a few days. No problems what soever. Though, my machine didnt have any micro switches, just leaf switches. Not sure about washing micro switches. Cant imagine that it would cause a problem as long as it was thoroughly dry.

I wouldn't dunk a micro switch into water. Water will get inside, and it will stay damp for days, leading to corrosion. A leaf switch will dry out quickly, because it's not enclosed.

Thats a great soldering station. I bought one and have been thoroughly pleased with it. Get the chisel tips (1/16). They work nicely. I prefer them over the cone tips but to each there own. Good luck!

Remember to use Rosin core 60/40 solder.

When I do SMD soldering I usually use some flux. Helps make a good connection. Radioshack has a 2oz jar for a few bucks. Oh and have lots of air space...solder fumes = no good.

Good thread....besides a solder what else is needed to to complete a "solder" job? And what are the best places to get all the needed equipment? And you need a solder "sucker" to get the old coil off....correct?

I got my solder station, sucker, solder removal braid, solder from mpja, http://www.mpja.com/
You'll want a soldering iron, stations are nice as you can change the temp. New tips, sand paper to sand tips. A sponge (wet when in use) or a wire sponge to put the solder tip in, to get off old solder. flux if you want. Hmmm safety glasses and good ventilation.

You solder right above the bottom of all the wires and connections underneath a pinball table....are there issues with dripping melted solder everywhere??

If you are soldering you should never drip, or have that much spare solder. If you are desoldering, you want to be more careful and make sure its in the braid or use the sucker. As liquidy as solder gets, it can be hard to move around...If you put flux on only the area you want soldered that will help as well.

I got my solder station from Amazon. (Weller WESD51)

Haako 808 (Xmas from the father in law) You probably won't need this for along time as doing board work is WAY harder then just doing coils and switches...

Solder I got a big roll from pinballlife...

Soldersucker pump or wick I you can get anywhere really..

Don't bother with flux...just get good solder it has a flux rosin core or some crap...no need for flux really..

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1262&parent=0

Thanks north and Tom....I am going to replace my diverter coil for the castle lock on my BSD because i cleaned it up last night (took the whole assembly apart and gave it a good cleaning) and now it's letting 2 balls through even on castle locks....sometimes the ball rolled right over the diverter post. So its worse than before!haha

I am thinking that while that rubber was wrapped around the post for awhile it may have burned out the coil some since it was popping the post up and down under a more stressful situation...hopefully that will be the fix.

Gotta try something here.