(Topic ID: 233795)

Where to source stainless ramp flap material?

By GreenMachine19

5 years ago


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#1 5 years ago

Tired of my ramps flaps turning rusty. Would like to convert to stainless on Demo Man. I know Pinbits makes a few and I’ve used them in ToM and STTNG but they don’t make them for Demo Man. They also don’t answer emails because I’ve emailed them 4 times asking this same question. So I ask you guys. where can I buy stainless ramp flap material to cut my own?

#2 5 years ago

mcmaster-carr stainless shim stock, in varying thicknesses. Looks like they sell a sample pack to experiment with.

I bought a sheet of it a long time ago and have cut varying things out of it over the years (Initially to replace a seawitch flap) - works great. In a ramp flap application will last even longer (since there's no repeated bending like on the seawitch flap - which is still ok after about 12 years.)

#3 5 years ago

PBR sells it, they just don't advertise it along with many other things.........

John

#4 5 years ago

Ok cool. My cheapo digital micrometer says about 0.010”

#5 5 years ago

PinRestore has material and have used it several times now with good results. You’ll may want a punch hole cutter and Dremel tool too.

https://www.pinrestore.com/Supplies.html

“Spring Steel for Ramp Flaps

3" wide blue spring steel for cutting out new ramp flaps, .007" thick. Also useful for cutting out replacement springs for flipper opto interrupters. Sold in 1 foot lengths. This cuts easily with ordinary scissors or tin snips.

$8.00 per foot”

#6 5 years ago

Yes, but he's looking for stainless.

#7 5 years ago

Yes sorry I meant to say if willing to go with blue, it’s held up pretty well for me.

#8 5 years ago

.

#9 5 years ago

You could try to contact cliffy he might make some for you.

#10 5 years ago

I’ve used the pinrestore stuff and it’s ok but I’ve actually had pieces arrive already with spots of rust. I don’t want the pinball picking up that rust and becoming a rolling piece of sandpaper. I’ve already made the entrance flap out of stainless with a spare flap I had from another restore. I cut this with scissors and the holes with drill. I prepunched the drill spot so the bit wouldn’t walk. Then I polished it to give it a mirror shine.

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#11 5 years ago

Here it is installed on the entrance ramp.

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#12 5 years ago
Quoted from GreenMachine19:

Here it is installed on the entrance ramp.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

just curious, what rivets and press do you use for these?

#13 5 years ago

Arbor press from harbor freight. Rivet dies from pin restore. Rivets from pintestore. Drilling a straight hole in the press is critical. Luckily I have my $50 Craigslist drill press.

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#14 5 years ago

Amazon has what you need for better pricing per foot than any specialty pinball retailer.

Take your pick -

Brass and stainless steel shim stock as a 4 foot roll or 25 feet of standard blue spring steel in .007 thickness.

Amazon sells it but Precision Brand was on the boxes when they landed.

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#15 5 years ago

shim stock unfortunately bends. we need spring steel for flaps.

#16 5 years ago

https://www.mcmaster.com/spring-steel

They call it spring steel shim stock.

They sell both styles.

#17 5 years ago

This might be the stuff. It has similar properties as the ones I already have.

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#18 5 years ago

McMaster part number

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2 weeks later
#19 5 years ago

Here it is on a ramp for Demolition Man.

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2 weeks later
#20 5 years ago

I bought a roll of 0.007" 301 stainless spring steel from Amazon (made by Lyon Industries so good stuff). It is more rigid than the blue tempered steel of the original (which I measured at 0.006"-0.007") but still thin enough I think. Cuts pretty well on the paper cutter at work. I'll trim the corners with some titanium scissors and use my #5 Junior punch for the holes: https://www.roperwhitney.com/our-products/no-5-jr-hand-punch-in-kit/

#21 5 years ago

How does that punch work? Do you like it?

#22 5 years ago

Punch works great, makes a clean perfect cut without deforming the metal. I got a knock-off one from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-02612A-Multi-Purpose-Power-Punch/dp/B0002T87CW). Hard to argue with the price.

Scissors could not cut my steel although the guillotine paper cutter worked great. I ended up using some heavy duty wire cutters to nip the corners and then sanded them smooth. I didn't get up to a mirror finish on mine - - how did you polish yours? I used 0.007" I might have gone thinner.

#23 5 years ago

So the stainless spring steel I reference above is 0.010”. Just wondering what the max thickness this will cleanly go through. I use the harbor freight kit that comes with an arbor and polishing wheels with the green rouge. I use the shears available on pinrestore. They work great. I went with 10 mils because that’s what I mic’ed out stock to be

#24 5 years ago
Quoted from dr_nybble:

Punch works great, makes a clean perfect cut without deforming the metal. I got a knock-off one from Amazon (amazon.com link »). Hard to argue with the price.
Scissors could not cut my steel although the guillotine paper cutter worked great. I ended up using some heavy duty wire cutters to nip the corners and then sanded them smooth. I didn't get up to a mirror finish on mine - - how did you polish yours? I used 0.007" I might have gone thinner.

I have that same punch. Works like a charm for the holes.

I picked up this corner rounder to corners. It works decently but still need to clean up with a file.
ebay.com link: R3mm R5mm R10mm PVC Card Coin Corner Rounder Paper Die Cutter Puncher Angle Nip

#25 5 years ago

As Seen in "How-to Bad Cats Playfield swap instructional dvd" Tips and tricks. You can use a cheap stainless bowl laying around the house. Dog bowls and salad bowls all cut, bend, and buff nicely. Great for flaps or ramp protectors! Pick up at walmart or dollar store.

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#26 5 years ago
Quoted from GreenMachine19:

So the stainless spring steel I reference above is 0.010”. Just wondering what the max thickness this will cleanly go through. I use the harbor freight kit that comes with an arbor and polishing wheels with the green rouge. I use the shears available on pinrestore. They work great. I went with 10 mils because that’s what I mic’ed out stock to be

According to the specs it will punch 16 gauge mild steel. Should easily do any ramp flap material.

#27 5 years ago

Thanks yeah I did a little digging. 16 g steel is approx. 0.060”. I measured the original DM flaps at 0.010” so even though it’s not “mild” steel it’s much thinner than the max. I ordered the roper Whitney version since i’ll likely make a bunch of flaps.

#28 5 years ago

The demo man flap pictures above look thick. Is it thicker? And if so how does the ball travel over it now?

#29 5 years ago

I mic’ed out the original at 10 mil. The stock I bought from McMaster Carr is 10 mil so then I polish which removes a tiny bit more. So these are technically thinner than what was original on my game. I assume mine were stock but I have no way of knowing.

#30 5 years ago

Game played great before and plays great now.

#31 5 years ago

Very interested and following. Is the arbor press required or can the riveting be done other ways?

#32 5 years ago
Quoted from ViperJelly:

Very interested and following. Is the arbor press required or can the riveting be done other ways?

It can be done by hand using a die set and a hammer. Although, that methods works, I'm not a fan of it. Probably because I'm no good at it. You can use a press or a hand clincher/squeezer.

Here is an example of a hand squeezer:
ebay.com link: Hand Rivet Squeezer 3 Reach w 6 Rivet Sets New

#33 5 years ago

this is the rivet tool that I have..........works great

http://www.arbortime.mountainminded.net/html/the_better_tonka_rivet_tool_-_.html

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#34 5 years ago
Quoted from Lamprey:

It can be done by hand using a die set and a hammer. Although, that methods works, I'm not a fan of it. Probably because I'm no good at it. You can use a press or a hand clincher/squeezer.
Here is an example of a hand squeezer:
ebay.com link » Hand Rivet Squeezer 3 Reach W 6 Rivet Sets New

I'm using a rivet squeezer it works beautifully. Note though that you need dies for semi-tubular rivets, the ones shown there are for solid rivets.

#35 5 years ago

Just received my hole puncher. Did a couple test punches. Outer holes were drilling(scrap piece due to error). Inner holes punched. I like this tool a lot. Wish I had one when I started my DM resto since this game has som many flaps.

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#36 5 years ago

Looks nice & clean, glad it was able to punch the 0.010" SS. I should have coughed up for the "real thing" rather than the knock-off I got off Amazon.

#37 5 years ago

I don’t know if there’s a big difference between the two since I haven’t seen the other version.

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