STOCKPILE PARTS ! YES OR NO

[Caveoftreasures]

I have been considering lately, that if I keep my entire collection, and never sell any machines in the next 10 years etc, it may be a good idea, if not neccessity, to stockpile spare parts for all my titles. AND maybe a great idea for others to think about too !

Alot of the parts that Mark C, Bay Area, Marco Spec etc carry, are whats essentially left over NOS (New Old Stock) parts. So when they run out, which i think will be sooner than later, it might pay to buy stuff, put it aside for a rainy day in 5 or 10 years time, when the various titles u have in your collections might need them.

An example, drop targets made only for that unique title, same with unique ramps, motors, playfield parts, anything really that may wear out/break whilst playing a game, sooner or later. etc. Even spare translites etc.

Has anyone else started stockpiling spares like me with the belief it is best to be safe than sorry ?  

[Boots]

I have started, but only parts that just happen to catch my eye, mostly as a "oh yeah I could use that one day"
But that is probably what everyone does?

[TSPP]

This sounds very familiar to.....what was it called....oh yeah Y2K 

[Pop Bumper Pete]

Hmmm, I have lost count of plastic sets, repro playfields that I have in storage, waiting for the day I actually buy the game they are meant for

[Pintoxicated]

On the flip side of this, there are plenty of parts that are being reproduced that may have been made with better technology e.g. ramps

I think anything with a licensed theme would be worth while grabbing if possible.  Good chance stuff, especially Wms, that isn't licensed will now be reproduced with the change of the Wms/Bally license holder/s.

[Redback]

Wouldnt think of buying spare parts,

Red

[Rod71]

The larger your collection, the less likely you'll ever need to use the stockpiled unique parts I reckon.

Pins lead a very easy life in collectors hands.  Kinda like an old racehorse enjoying it's days in the lush green paddock :)

[v8racefan]

I think most collectors these days tend to have a stash of whatever parts they can source for there keeper pins, me personally I like to have mostly playfield plastics and ramps, as pins in collectors hands do tend to have a much easier life VS sited machines.

[markc]

i only have a couple of pins  but have stockpiled some parts for them , just a container or ten .......

[pinnies4me]

I think most collectors these days tend to have a stash of whatever parts they can source for there keeper pins, me personally I like to have mostly playfield plastics and ramps, as pins in collectors hands do tend to have a much easier life VS sited machines.

Agree. I bought anything AFM years back when the game was not that common locally, and parts hard to find. Glad I did, but haven't really needed much given that problems seem pretty rare in the home environment. And the heavy wear stuff (flippers etc) are readily available. Targets were useful, still have spares though.

[Pinballace]

The problem with stockpiling parts is they sometimes don't do well over time.  Metal parts if kept in a controlled environment do well enough but in bad environments, well we all know what happens to metal combined with moisture.  Anytime you get a metal part that has rust or a white coating then the structure has been compromised.  

Things like rubber and plastic can be a waste of money to stockpile.  Take ramps for instances (something I know quite a bit about), if you buy NOS ramps they can be up to 25 years old.  You don't know if they were stored in a controlled environment or some non controlled environment warehouse.  

The plastic that is used today on new ramps will do well for about 10-15 years in a good environment.  After 10-15 years the plastic starts to get brittle even in the best environments.  It can still last 20 years or more if its really been taken care of and cleaned with the right type cleaners.  In a non controlled warehouse space or worse an outdoor shed or container the plastic can go start to go bad in less than 1 year.  That's one of the reasons we store all our stock in controlled space.

NOS ramps are really a risk as most are beyond the shelf life, especially if you don't know the history where they have been stored for the past 10-25 years or even the last year.

Rubber parts are the same risk, rubber rings that have been on a shelf for 10 years are worthless.  They will break apart when being used on a machine and the small bits can clog up the mechs under the playfield.  It’s always best to buy rubber rings fresh and new.

Coils are generally good, not a lot to go wrong there so stocking up for the long haul isn’t an issue.

Playfield plastic is a butyrate and starts to smell like cat piss when it starts to break down.  Again the shelf life is finite and depends on the environment.

Backglass…nothing needs to be said here…environment, environment, environment…

Translights do seem to hold up a little better than ramps and PF plastics as they are made with mylar material but some inks can break down over time or in bad environments.

Electronics…usually do well expect for large capacitors.  They are a little like batteries so the shelf life is limited.

[Redback]

Going to be out Bayswater way friday,

Better check the specials,

Red

[markc]

Going to be out Bayswater way friday,

Better check the specials,

Red

thanks guys

and I will be there of course

can always list more deals on ebay and web site
might be worth doing a deal again while Damien is away ,
now what was his last deal again ..  
sure we can find some new items to do a friday deal

[johnwartjr]

I used to stockpile a lot of stuff, now, life is just too short and I buy stuff as I need it most of the time.

When a game comes in for restoration, I make a pretty specific list of the parts I am going to need... then, I start getting them when the deals are good.

When I finish a game, I just pick whatever restoration I am the closest to having all the parts I need for, and I buy the remaining parts and get started.