I thought the same thing 10 years ago when the hundred dollar partially working games, fifty dollar non-working games and the "I have a whole storage full of games make an offer and come get them" dried out 10 years ago for me. Yeah I'm now a hoarder. Over 40 pins on my current list and have doubles and tipples of some of them. There are more and more new people collecting today then ever before.

I just keep getting them in package deals.
But yes, I would pull best playfields, backglass and other parts to make the best machine. Then sell the others. I screwed up my back around 2007 and had all these games in storage. I just started getting games out in the past year or two. Some games I haven't even looked at since I bought them.

Hoarding.
I'm addicted and need help.
Maybe we should start a Pinball addiction anonymous thread for people like me.
It's hard to see but there are 8 rows, 4 pins deep in the first picture. The second picture is more recent and as you can see I got some games moved to my house.
Lucky this is only my Bally/Williams early solid state collection. My DMD, later model solid states and Gottlieb games are already in my house. Eventually the doubles and triples are going to be sold off or traded.

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I made the mistake of selling my Transporter: The Rescue in the mid 2000's Now it's hard to to let anything go. Who has my Transporter I want it back!!

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Well said. It kills me seeing my older SS games in storage. After 7 years of keeping my games in storage they are finally being set up in our new house. It will still take months to move, clean and repair them but sooner or later they will be here. Yes when house shopping the first thing I looked for was how many pins can I set up.

I might be able to help you out with the classic bally. You got the one game that has slipped throw my grasp many of times. "Pharaoh". I have tipples of classic bally Lost world, Silver ball Mania and doubles of Jungle Lord, and stern Meteor and Galaxy.
I'm slowly putting pictures of stuff for sale on my FB page. Pins will come after my vid collection is sold.
https://www.facebook.com/Mojosmancave

Can I come visit? I started out playing EM's/Bingo's then when the early ss came out they took over for me. Seeing your collection list reminds me of all the EM's I had and sold but forgot about. Have never seen a Algar or Barracora in real life yet alone played one. With all the newbie's driving prices on the DMD and newer games I hope the older stuff comes down. Here's a picture of my old Snow Derby and Grand Slam beside it.

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Her's a pic of one of my three Silverball Mania's Right off the truck and sat outside to take pictures.
Just PM me saying your interested in one once I get to them. They all are about the same in so-so condition. Keep in mind this picture is about 7 or 8 years ago. Plastic set and popbumper caps were removed but have them for all machines.

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You got it right on the spot. For me bringing a dust covered beat/dead game back to life is as much fun playing. I would repair them and play for about a month then sell. Selling a non-working pin seemed pointless at the time. (If I don't get to play it first I won't sell it) Sure, I'm setting on 50 pins right now but I put 3 times that many into peoples homes. They were all dead games I brought back to life. I'm not a dealer just someone that loves to recondition/repair/play

Same here. I would spent way more time in a game then what it's worth if I would calculate hours in dollar figures. But to me each game was a new baby. When selling a game I only look at price paid and amount of money spent to repair.

Ok what's worse.
A) A hobbyist/collector sitting on a few dozen pins with hope to restore one day?
B) A hoarder buying everything in sight and storing it with hopes that prices go up with no plans on doing anything with but make a profit?
C) Newbie buyers paying outrages prices driving prices so high most of us won't touch.
D) The many Dealers stripping games for fast buck or shipping containers full of games overseas that will be lost from US market for life?

If you don't care about making a profit I call dibs on the Transporter the Rescue. Sold mine 10 years ago and can't find one since.

Why pay "COLD" storage fees when you can put games in a relatives house? In my Hey day of buying I had at least a dozen or two working games in family houses and another lord knows how many in garages for short time. A lot were videos though.

Adding a Blackout tomorrow.