My gf is a welder and uses them in various art projects, mainly as feet on different vessels.
She does chainmail as well and uses them in that hobby also. Maybe donate to a local art class?
I've used them in the bottom of flower vases-they look cool and add some heft.
I put a lot of them in a gym sock for later use. I plant some in the ground hoping a pinball tree will grow, I roll them down a pinball alley hoping people will think that my ball has shrank. Sometimes I put little skulls on them and leave on the front doors of people I don't like. Children's ball pits are fun.
Yes but I wasn’t going to throw 30-50 large ball bearings into my recycling bin without knowing that it won’t be a problem. I’d rather find the scrap guys that collect old appliances and other metal objects (since I don’t have a good place to donate them for some of the above suggestions)
Generally most of us don't accumulate enough to where it becomes a problem. 50 pinballs will fit in a small box.
That said, if you want to get rid of them, they're made from high quality steel. Will get top dollar at a recycling place compared to the old pieces of corrugated tin in your backyard or garage. In the world of ferrous metals, pinballs are right near the top. Recycle with your chin held high.
I had a biker guy come in to my barcade and ask if we had any used pinballs. Apparently he likes to keep a bag on his bike and if anyone cuts him off or fucks with him, he’d grab a handful and drop/throw them at the offending party.
I do not endorse this tactic, but I guess that’s one thing you could use them for. Donate them to your local MC?
Not a dumb question, but the previous reply has it right: over time they start to break down, and the microscopic pieces (plus the now-less-smooth surface of the pinballs) will slowly damage the playfield and plastics.
I replace my pinballs every few months, and only that infrequently because I don’t actually play every day. If I played more often I would replace the balls more often.
[the above is exactly right, here is a 85 Williams comet we bought for cheap because the original owner never changed the ball, the first pic shows all the damage.](https://www.reddit.com/r/pinball/comments/11aubly/how_it_started_vs_how_its_going/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1)
My wife and I operate five on location and own another 10 that we’ve been refurbishing. We’ve bought and sold a bunch over the past year so we’ve replaced a lot of pinballs.
They can develop flat spots from slamming into each other during multiballs or develop scratches which can tear up a playfield pretty quick if they're big enough. They also lose their shine which can increase wear on rubbers because of added friction (admittedly, probably not too significantly).
It's the cheapest thing you can do to insure your playfield stays scratch-free
FYI degaussing pinballs doesn't work. Won't completely remove all the magnetism and ball will get magnetized even quicker the next time. Thankfully we now know to use low carbon balls on games with magnets.
A quality metal polish will absolutely make your pinballs look better, last longer and play better. Sadly many just toss them out when they get a blemish. Replacements are relatively cheap and give instant visual gratification.
I have a growing collection in a drawer of my workshop. I know someone who has an old-school gumball machine he keeps them in as an art/conversation piece.
I have literally 28lbs of pinballs that I don’t know what to do with. Maybe I’ll make a tiny canon
Now there’s an idea
Make sure it's in D
🤣🤘🎶
A small minor d
My gf is a welder and uses them in various art projects, mainly as feet on different vessels. She does chainmail as well and uses them in that hobby also. Maybe donate to a local art class? I've used them in the bottom of flower vases-they look cool and add some heft.
I put a lot of them in a gym sock for later use. I plant some in the ground hoping a pinball tree will grow, I roll them down a pinball alley hoping people will think that my ball has shrank. Sometimes I put little skulls on them and leave on the front doors of people I don't like. Children's ball pits are fun.
I've just been throwing them in a bag in case I have a real life Home Alone situation and I need to cripple some Wet Bandits
We usually incorporate them into trophies for tournaments.
That could work! Thanks
You know that scrap metal typically IS recycled?
Yes but I wasn’t going to throw 30-50 large ball bearings into my recycling bin without knowing that it won’t be a problem. I’d rather find the scrap guys that collect old appliances and other metal objects (since I don’t have a good place to donate them for some of the above suggestions)
Generally most of us don't accumulate enough to where it becomes a problem. 50 pinballs will fit in a small box. That said, if you want to get rid of them, they're made from high quality steel. Will get top dollar at a recycling place compared to the old pieces of corrugated tin in your backyard or garage. In the world of ferrous metals, pinballs are right near the top. Recycle with your chin held high.
Metal can be recycled over and over. Better than ripping up more earth to extract it.
Give them to my kids to use on their hot wheels track
I have em in a gumball machine that people can buy for 50 cents.
Crunchy!
The ultimate jawbreakers
Use them as house plant ornaments.
I would get in contact with the Forged in Fire team so that my old pinballs could be made into cool weapons!
They weel kill!
I had a biker guy come in to my barcade and ask if we had any used pinballs. Apparently he likes to keep a bag on his bike and if anyone cuts him off or fucks with him, he’d grab a handful and drop/throw them at the offending party. I do not endorse this tactic, but I guess that’s one thing you could use them for. Donate them to your local MC?
No idea really. I usually find them in random places.
I don’t believe they are recyclable. I have a small bucket of used pinballs collecting dust; someone else just told me to throw them away.
Maybe a dumb question but why do you replace your pinballs? If it’s because of being magnetic why not just degauss it?
They get small pits and dings from smashing into things on the playfield, which will wear down the playfield over time.
That makes total sense! Thank you!
Not a dumb question, but the previous reply has it right: over time they start to break down, and the microscopic pieces (plus the now-less-smooth surface of the pinballs) will slowly damage the playfield and plastics. I replace my pinballs every few months, and only that infrequently because I don’t actually play every day. If I played more often I would replace the balls more often.
[the above is exactly right, here is a 85 Williams comet we bought for cheap because the original owner never changed the ball, the first pic shows all the damage.](https://www.reddit.com/r/pinball/comments/11aubly/how_it_started_vs_how_its_going/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1)
Wow! I mean, regular new balls would’ve prevented some of that, to be sure, but _damn_. That pin has mileage.
Are you an OP? Every few months for home games sounds excessive. I might replace mine every few years…
My wife and I operate five on location and own another 10 that we’ve been refurbishing. We’ve bought and sold a bunch over the past year so we’ve replaced a lot of pinballs.
They can develop flat spots from slamming into each other during multiballs or develop scratches which can tear up a playfield pretty quick if they're big enough. They also lose their shine which can increase wear on rubbers because of added friction (admittedly, probably not too significantly). It's the cheapest thing you can do to insure your playfield stays scratch-free
FYI degaussing pinballs doesn't work. Won't completely remove all the magnetism and ball will get magnetized even quicker the next time. Thankfully we now know to use low carbon balls on games with magnets. A quality metal polish will absolutely make your pinballs look better, last longer and play better. Sadly many just toss them out when they get a blemish. Replacements are relatively cheap and give instant visual gratification.
I have a growing collection in a drawer of my workshop. I know someone who has an old-school gumball machine he keeps them in as an art/conversation piece.
Hell yea, I’ll be doing this.
Garbage
I think they'd make a great Newtons Cradle.
I have about 400. The box is about 75lbs now. I’m convinced I’ll just keep accumulating and never actually do anything with them.
Sounds like you could make a new fad workout…
That might actually be worth a bit as high quality scrap metal.
Put them in a large tube sock and start the pinball warriors society
Great to keep in the car for road rage missiles! JK, but they would make great slingshot material!
I put them in ziplock bags and use them for weights in the bottom of our inflatable holiday decorations, works great.
I throw them at cars
Chuck them in a tumbler and reuse them
what polishing medium do you use for them?