Great read - and a diverse collection is always a cool thing to have as you change your "favorite pin" quite often.

Pinball Techs - Yes, they are hard to find, and there are many reasons why there are not "full time" techs. So many problems these days are "5 minute fixes", and owners often feel like they are being "ripped off". Alternatively, older machines will take a lot longer if you don't have the experience. It is a difficult problem, but this problem existed in the 70's when woodrail techs moved to other industries etc.. Internet guides and forums have pathed the way for hobbyists to become techs. It is a lot easier now than it was 10 years ago.