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The topic of shopping out a pinball is very convoluted. Each person has
their own definition and opinion of what constitutes shopping out a pinball
machine.
This page will attempt to lay down some fundamental terms, expectations and
standards for the person performing the shop
and the person who's pinball machine is being shopped.
Shopping a Pin = performing some kind of work on a pinball machine.
Below I've listed several different levels of complexity when it comes to shopping a
pin. I will start from the easiest activities and finish up with hardest
and most complex activities.
I've broken this down into 6 levels
Within each level, I've included a subsection for items directly related to
Solid State (SS) pins vs. Electro-Mechanical (EM) pins.
I've included an approximate Parts Costs to each section. This
is just an estimate so I recommend getting/giving a detail breakdown on the cost
of parts for each level.
I don't go near the Labor Costs! This is like religion &
politics. For whatever reason, labor prices vary across the country and
even within the same geographic location. Many things go into the costs of
labor, such as:
 | House Calls vs. "Office Visits" |
| Day vs. Night vs. Weekends |
| Warranty on work vs. No Warranty on work |
| Pickup and Delivery of a pinball machine |
| Dollar per Hour Fee may or may not
 | Include drive-time on House Calls |
| Include fee for working on Printed Circuit Boards |
| Include fee for painting playfield, backglass, cabinet |
|
| Professional vs. Hobbiest |
My advice is to get several quotes and get a common denominator (such as the
list below). Make sure you are comparing "apples to apples",
not "apples to oranges".
It you get a pin shopped at the TITANIUM LEVEL
so should be expecting a pinball machine that looks almost brand new. Yes,
you better be able to eat dinner off of that game.
So, if someone tells you they have shopped a pin or will be shopping a pin, ask
them what they are going to do to that pin. Better yet, ask them to refer
to this page and provide you a Shop Level.
Copper Level
| Cabinet & Backbox cleaning with Mean Green |
| Playfield Glass cleaned with Windex |
| Backglass front cleaned with Windex |
| Playfield wipe down with Novus #2 |
| Playfield waxed & buffed with Kit Carnuba paste wax |
| Bulbs burnt out replaced |
| Set game to FREE PLAY* |
| Solid State (SS) Pin
| Battery is cut off MPU on older pins |
| Batteries are replaced ($3) |
|
| Approximate Parts Cost = $10 |
| Labor Costs may vary |
Nickel Level
| Includes activities from the Copper Level |
| Playfield topside components are removed & cleaned with Novus
| Ramps |
| Plastics |
| Posts |
| Playfield Toys |
| Top Arch |
| Bottom Apron |
|
| Playfield Rubber Kit (including Shooter Tip) installed (appx $15) |
| Light sockets on top of Playfield cleaned with Light Socket Tool |
| New #47 bulbs installed on Playfield, Backbox & Coin Door (appx $2.00
per 10 bulbs; 60 bulbs per this item) |
| Spinner Targets have their axels lightly lubed with Teflon grease |
| Electro Mechanical (EM) pins
| Switches & Relays are cleaned with Business Card |
| Flipper contacts are cleaned with Tungsten File |
| Faded fake "0" digit stickers replaced (appx $1) |
|
| Approximate Parts Cost = $15 + $12 == $30 |
| Labor Costs may vary |
Silver Level
| Includes activities from the Nickel Level |
| Playfield items broken/cracked are fixed or replaced.
| Ramps |
| Plastics |
| Posts |
| Playfield Toys |
| NOTE - depending on what's broken and how its fixed or
replaced, this can get real expensive and is not included in the
estimated parts costs. |
|
| White Nylon Nuts on top of playfield are replaced with new ones ($4) |
| Playfield underside components are removed & cleaned
| Ball passageways |
| VUK - Verticle Up Kickers |
| Pop Bumpers - new coil sleeves ($3) |
| Slingshots - new coil sleeves ($2) |
| Flippers - new coil sleeves ($2) |
|
| Playfield Inserts are cleaned with a Q-tip & Alcohol |
| Light sockets under Playfield cleaned with Light Socket Tool |
| Cabinet cleaned
| Febreeze used to remove musty smell |
| Mean Green used to clean dirt, dust, grime |
| Vacuum out inside of cabinet (after screws, nuts, etc have been
removed and saved) |
|
| New #47 bulbs installed under the Playfield (30 bulbs; $6) |
| New Outside Shooter Spring ($1) |
| New Leg Levelers ($3) |
| Electro Mechanical (EM) Pins
| Score Reel Numbers removed and cleaned |
| Score Reel Numbers touched up with Sharpie if needed |
| Solder all lose wires in the Score Reel area |
| Sand all MALE connector pins |
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| Approximate Parts Cost == $25 |
| Approximate Ramp/Plastics/Toys is not provided |
| Labor Costs may vary |
Gold Level
| Includes activities from the Silver Level |
| Playfield Flippers are rebuilt
| Coil Stops ($10) |
| Flipper plunger/link/pawl assembly ($10) |
| Flipper EOS switch ($5) |
| Flipper/Playfield Nylon bushing ($3) |
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| Metal Playfield Parts
| Includes Ball Return fixtures & TILT Mechanisms |
| Given an "acid bath" in Lightening Rust Remover |
| Buffed in a parts polisher |
| Waxed |
|
| New Plunger Sleeves installed ($1) |
| Weather Strip applied to underside of Lockdown Bar ($1) |
| Fender Washers (clear are the best) installed on Slinshots ($4) |
| Cabinet and Backbox paint is touched up |
| Legs
| Chrome - "acid bath", polish, waxed |
| Painted - "acid bath", touched up / repainted |
|
| Coin Door cleaned, polished, and waxed
| Including removing & cleaning all Coin Mechs |
| Including removing & cleaning all Coin Chutes |
| Install new Coin Door Sticker ($5) |
|
| Solid State (SS) Pins
| Burnt Connectors Replaced ($10) |
| Header Pins for Burnt Connectors Replaced |
| Clay's Modifications applied (Pinball Repair
Documents) |
|
| Electro Mechanical (EM) Pins
| UNITS are broken down, cleaned, Teflon grease applied
 | Player Unit |
| Coin Unit |
| Bonus Unit |
| Credit Unit |
| Ball Unit |
|
|
| Approximate Parts Cost == $40 - $50 |
| Labor Costs may vary |
Platinum Level
| Includes activities from the Gold Level |
| Playfield Mylar removed (if desired) |
| Backglass Sealing with Krylon Triple Thick ($6) |
| Playfield Touchups with Acrylic Paints |
| Backglass Touchups with Acrylic Paints |
| Parts Cost will vary depending on the number of colors and amount of
paint used |
| Labor Costs may vary |
Titanium Level
| Includes activities from the Platinum Level |
| Playfield Sealing with Varathane ($20 - $50) |
| Repainting the Cabinet & Backbox
| Stencils created ($25)
| Cabinet - Front / Left / Right |
| Backbox - Left / Right |
|
| 3 colors of paint ($50 - $100) |
| Cabinet Painted |
| Backbox Painted |
|
| Approximate Parts Cost == $95 - $175 |
| Labor Costs may vary |
This page was last updated on 04/04/02
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