How to Store a Pinball Machine Long Term Without Creating New Problems
A practical homeowner guide to choosing a safe location, preparing for inactive storage, preserving service access, and avoiding moisture or moving damage.
Chris Johnson
Pinball Room Lighting: How to Reduce Glass Glare
A practical homeowner’s guide to diagnosing playfield glass reflections, adjusting room lighting, managing daylight, and preserving access for play and service.
Does a Pinball Playfield Need Wax? What Depends on the Machine
A playfield may benefit from waxing, but the correct answer depends on the machine, finish, condition, and manufacturer guidance. Inspect first, check the balls, and do not treat wax, polish, and cleaner-wax as interchangeable products.
How to Level a Pinball Machine and Why Pitch Changes the Game
A practical guide to setting side-to-side level without flattening the intended playfield pitch, followed by room, access, noise, and power checks for home owners.
Stern Insider Connected at Home: Setup, Updates, Achievements, and Privacy Questions
A homeowner-first guide to setting up Stern Insider Connected, registering a machine, using player QR codes and Home Team, and troubleshooting common connection issues.
How Often Should You Clean a Home Pinball Machine?
A practical, condition-led cleaning schedule for home pinball machines, including glass, playfield, ball, cabinet, and deeper maintenance guidance.
Reversible Pinball Mods: The Best Upgrades If You Might Sell the Machine Later
A practical guide to removable pinball toppers, lighting, protectors, art blades, shooter rods, speakers, and cosmetic upgrades—with resale and serviceability in mind.
The Concretehardt Drama on Pinside
A transferred Pokémon Limited Edition preorder led to a major Pinside dispute over who was responsible for repaying the buyer after the dealer reportedly canceled the order. Here is what the participants alleged, what the public record supports, and how the dispute ended.
Pinball Code Updates Explained: What New Software Can and Cannot Change
Modern pinball software can add rules, rebalance scoring, change callouts, refine shows, fix bugs, and support connected features. It cannot repair a bad switch, weak flipper, blocked trough, damaged wiring, or other physical fault.
Pinball Mod Wiring: Reversible Installation and Service Access Basics
Plan pinball mod wiring around the exact machine, reversible connections, protected routing, service access, and complete installation records.
Pinball Startup Errors: How to Read the Message Before Replacing Parts
A startup message is a clue, not an automatic diagnosis. Learn what to record, which power-off checks are reasonable, how to find the correct manual, and when a pinball repair belongs to a qualified technician.
An Overview of Keith Elwin’s Fallout Pinball Machine
A research-based look at Stern Pinball’s Fallout machine, its unusual mechanisms, licensed presentation, and meaningful differences among the Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models.