Pinball machine restoration, game recondition and refurbishment service and labor rates in Austin, Texas

PINBALL MEDIC AMUSEMENTS

Vintage Electromechanical to Modern Electronic Pinball Game
Refurbishment and Restoration Services

Pinball Medic Refurbishes and Restores both Electromechanical (EM) and electronic solid state (SS) Pinball games.
EM = ELECTROMECHANICAL (score reels,relays) SS = SOLID-STATE (digital displays, chips) 1978-later

We can work on the earliest Coin Op Electromechanical wood rails to the latest Solid State Pinball games.

Pinball Medic can clean, refurbish and restore pinball machines from the following manufactures:

Bally Chicago Coin Data East Gottlieb Sega Stern Williams

We do not work on Atari, Capcom, Zaccaria, flipper-less or "Bingo" (gambling) styles of pinball machines.
See our Game Service page for general Coin-Op Arcade game Repair Rates and other information.

If you would like to have your Pinball Repaired, Refurbished or Restored,
Please use this Game Repair Request Form
or use our Contact page

RESTORATION / REFURBISHMENT LABOR RATES & TYPICAL LABOR TIMES

A description of our Pinball Refurbishment / Restoration processes for both types (Electromechanical & Solid State) pinball machines.
See our service or our pinball repair page for more information on arcade game labor rates and repair services.

Pinball Game Restoration and Refurbishment are calculated by a game specific estimated bid process. Additional work or unforeseen part orders will not be done until the game owner signs off on any costs over-runs or bid amendments. A game title specific payment is required to start a Coin-Op machine repair refurbishment or restoration (Used for game specific parts). This payment is dependent on the estimated cost of the replacement parts and the estimated total cost of the work to be done and is deducted from the total bill after the work has been completed. Typically, the larger the 'retail market value' and playfield complexity of a pinball usually indicates more parts and perhaps playfield detailing will be needed for a total game refurbishment or restoration.
The game's condition, cabinet carpentry work, extensive board repair, control panel repair, monitor repair, playfield complexity & condition, cost of side art, cost of replacement parts will all affect the final cost of the refurbishment or restoration.
See these pages for additional information on our coin-op game restoration, refurbishment and repair services: Pinball Restoration and Refurbishment Services. Coin-OP Video Arcade Game Repair and Restoration Services.
Additional Info about our refurbishment and restoration of a pinball process

A game specific payment is required to start a pinball machine refurbishment or restoration. This payment is dependent on the estimated cost of the replacement parts and the estimated total cost of the refurbishment. Typically, the larger the shopped value of the pinball usually indicates more expensive parts and perhaps playfield detailing will be needed for a total game refurbishment or restoration.

The game's pre-restoration condition, cabinet carpentry work, extensive board repair, playfield complexity & condition, cost and availability of side art stencils and replacement parts will all affect the final cost of a pinball restoration and may not be included in the initial game refurbishment cost quote if a restoration is later deemed necessary.

Typical game refurbishment labor intervals and costs: (The following varies according to initial game condition.)
'cosmetic refurbishment' costs $750 and up for the labor and includes playfield disassembling for cleaning and inspection, circuit board trouble shooting, repair and replacement of any defective playfield parts.
See Pinball Board Repair Restoration process or our Service page for more information.
A full refurbishment will start at $950 and up plus part costs. This includes inspecting and disassembling every playfield, backbox or game cabinet mechanical unit. These often dirty or greased part are cleaned, repaired or replace if we consider the part to not meet the original game specifications.
If there are new parts with a longer longevity or are of higher performance replacements available, we will replace these parts. For example, metal coil sleeves do not perform or last as long as the new plastic types. We will replace all metal coil sleeves during a game refurbishment.

The following labor intervals are approximate and very game specific. They can take 25 or more hours to perform on a complex multi-level playfield that has a lot of mechanical or electrical / electronic issues. The customer will be informed before the work is started. Game consumable like playfield game balls are always replaced. Playfield waxing will usually be done to only none dry cracked EM pinball games unless requested by the game's owner. Waxing and a new set of game balls are the best way to protect the game from wear.

Typical part costs are between $150-250 per game. New circuit boards and other game specific parts can add another $200-400 to the total cost of a pinball refurbishment. 10 to 20+ Hours: (removing, cleaning, waxing and assembling the playfield can take 12 to 15 hours of labor)

• Disassembling and Cleaning of playfield, playfield plastics, posts, ramps, ball shooter refurbishment or replacement, cabinet cleaning, relay refurbishment, Installing a playfield rubber ring kit, etc.

• Inspection and repair of pinball playfield and backbox mechanisms (playfield toys) - All playfield 'toys' and mechanisms are disassembled during inspection and thoroughly cleaned and replaced if necessary.

• Inspection and repair of game electronics or game relays and mechanical devices other then the game specific playfield toys.

4 to 6 Hours: (Game dependent, battery acid damage can increase this time significantly.)
• Repair and Restoration of the Game's electronic circuit boards, connectors, light socket replacement, etc. If the circuit boards have been "hacked" or have extensive battery acid damage, a new replacement circuit board will be used (if available). See our new reproduction Pinball Boards or Board Repair Work pages.

2 - 3 hours: (Game dependent)
• minor cabinet, coin door, leg detailing and playfield waxing. New cabinet legs, adjuster feet and leg bolts are recommended to reduce the labor time and improve game's appearance.

Pinball Medic will add a grease or oil removal fee to any pinball that has had its internal parts greased (heavily greased). This Fee will start at $20 and go up if extensive use or very heavy amounts (globed on) of grease or oil was used. If there are any animal waste deposits or the game is very corroded or has been sprayed with WD-40, there will either be a very large cleaning fee or we will end the refurbishment.
Please DON'T GREASE ANY PART INSIDE, OUTSIDE OR UNDERNEATH A PINBALL GAME!
See Tech Tips or our second Arcade Game Tech Tips pages for further information on this dangerous and hard to remove 'Hack Repair'.

Pinball Machine Restorations happen after a game's refurbishment and can add 10 to 15 or more hours of labor (for extensive restoration). This would include major cabinet and backbox reconstruction or replacement and any other major game part rework or cabinet / playfield painting. Any playfield touch-up or major playfield hole repair, scratch removal, extensive cabinet carpentry work or any other work that requires extensive labor hours to perform or special game specific parts such as insert decals is considered a game restoration and can add 10 to 40 hours or more in labor depending on "how far back in time you want to take your pinball machine".

Game Modifications:
Adding a sub woofer and amplifier kit to a pinball, such as in a Medieval Madness, would be considered part of a restoration and not part of the refurbishment. Game modifications (or Mods) include, but, are not limited to: Adding LED(s), ramp and hole protectors, custom playfield plastics and game ROM, stabilizing backglass artwork. Anything that was not installed on the game at the factory is considered a game modification. The exception to this are game specific modifications that were provided by the game's manufacturer to repair a design flaw on the pinball's playfield. These "issues" will be dealt with on a game by game basis as far as additional costs and part availability are concerned.

See our Services page to find more information on Pinball Repair Service Calls, Pinball Circuit Board Repair or "In Our Shop" Pinball Game Repairs.

Pinball Medic's Yellow Jacket Pinball Dolly

Help protect your game restoration investment with a Pinball Medic manufactured Yellow Jacket Pinball Dolly

Fact: Most damage to side art and other hard to repair game parts is caused by moving the game.

A dolly built to move nothing but a pinball can limit the possibility for game damage and can make moving a 350 pound game quick and painless.