I was wondering if anyone knows where you can buy gold colored or custom colored pinballs to replace the stock chrome ones. I found one place that had them but they are sold out.
(Topic ID: 550)
You might find this article interesting. I shows the wear on certain gold balls.
http://www.thekorn.net/gold/index.php
I'll look around. I have a brass one that was custom made for me. It's not the same weight but it's not coated and has held up very well. I don't leave it in the machine all the time. It does make play very different which I like in the simpler machine.
Even though they don't show them on their webpage you might contact them at pinballlife and see if they can locate some for you.
3 years later
I know this is an old post. But seems they have new balls now that wont rub off.
As well, black pearl ones.
GOLD: ebay.com link: Three Bling Golden Pinballs Goldenball Gold
BLACK PEARL: ebay.com link: Three Black Pearl Pinballs Back Alley Creations
2 years later
Albuquerque, NM
Maple Ridge, BC
I would think you'd just want to use them for a captive ball. I don't think they would hold up well in rotation.
Quoted from extraballingtmc:Hmmm? Interesting. See how they wear long term. Could be cool if they don't dull
I started out with the brand new ball from Marcos Specialties. I will put them in GOT and give it a go. As they stand today, they would be good as a captive ball.
Sana'a
Based on the process used, I think I will be able to gold plate metal pieces for game. Nothing too large. Anyone with ideas or needs?
Quoted from Tmezel:Based on the process used, I think I will be able to gold plate metal pieces for game. Nothing too large. Anyone with ideas or needs?
Gold plated ( polished brass ) cliffys.
I believe they're made of bronze, the gold never wears off. I get them from Motion Industries but they need to be polished.
Steve
Quoted from vid1900:Whatever the gold balls were made of in the game Gold Ball, they have stayed gold for 30+ years
1 month later
5 months later
I do PVD coatings at work and I've been thinking of trying to do some pinballs in TiN (titanium nitride). Its a bright gold color and in a pinball application would never wear off. The problem is trying to securely fixture the ball in the coating machine, and then being able to coat it again on the bare part where it sat on the fixture the first time without leaving a noticeable marking. I might just bring in a ball or two and give it a try one of these days.
4 years later
Aloha,
New Owner of a GOT LE and looking for options on gold balls to fit the theme. I also have gold mirror blades.
I will check a few places mentioned above.
Thanks.
1 week later
Found some amazing brand new tech gold balls.
https://backalleycreations.com/
These are incredible and so worth it. I am sure they would work in many machines.
62691756318__61788814-1127-46F3-8111-AD750BF1F9E9 (resized).jpgQuoted from freddy:Watch out for gold flaking off all over your playfield!
Sounds like that’s not a problem with these ones, at least according to back alley.
Quoted from Mbecker:Sounds like that’s not a problem with these ones, at least according to back alley.
Yeah thats why I spent the money....they look well made.
2 weeks later
2 years later
waking up this thread... If you are not aware, Marco stopped selling the gold pinballs. This leaves only backalley that I am aware of although I know some previous replies in this thread had some others who could make them.
Trying to read the pulse of
(1) How did the durability end up lasting
(2) What is the recommended product today?
A good amount of Godfather CE owers would like to use gold and I am one of them.
Thanks all
Ouch! $15 for a single pinball? I guess if you've gotta have them, then like so many other things in pinball, so be it.
Quoted from Mr_Tantrum:Ouch! $15 for a single pinball? I guess if you've gotta have them, then like so many other things in pinball, so be it.
a "deal" compared to Marco's $18.49 each lol
Quoted from Laithan:w... Trying to read the pulse of
(1) How did the durability end up lasting
(2) What is the recommended product today?
...
I swapped out one of the regular silver ones in my JJP POTC with a gold one (to add some variety) from Back Alley a couple of years ago and have had no problems with it.
I would think that you could have new pinballs coated using a PVD process (physical vapor deposition):
"PVD (physical vapor deposition) coating, also known as thin-film coating, is a process in which a solid material is vaporized in a vacuum and deposited onto the surface of a part. These coatings are not simply metal layers though. Instead, compound materials are deposited atom by atom, forming a thin, bonded, metal or metal-ceramic surface layer that greatly improves the appearance, durability, and/or function of a part or product."
When I rebuilt my old Harley Springer, I had chrome handle bar risers changed to gold using PVD and they came out spectacular. And with the PVD process, there are many colors available. Imagine green, red, or blue pinballs?
It shouldn't be too difficult to find a place online that does PVD coating.
Risers_04 (resized).jpgQuoted from Laithan:... Marco stopped selling the gold pinballs. This leaves only backalley that I am aware of ...
https://backalleycreations.com/products/gold-pinball
"SOLD OUT"
Quoted from Tuna_Delight:"SOLD OUT"
Found the same ones here https://cointaker.com/products/gold-pinball1
This thread has inspired me to update my Pinside avatar for the first time in the 7 years I've been here.
2 weeks later
4 months later
I want 5 golden colored balls for my JJP Hobbit machine so bad! JJP really missed an opportunity there given the theme of the machine lol. I found this, but of course it's also out of stock: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/PB116-TG
Quoted from jake_nerdnest:I want 5 golden colored balls for my JJP Hobbit machine so bad! JJP really missed an opportunity there given the theme of the machine lol. I found this, but of course it's also out of stock: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/PB116-TG
Quoted from jake_nerdnest:I want 5 golden colored balls for my JJP Hobbit machine so bad! JJP really missed an opportunity there given the theme of the machine lol. I found this, but of course it's also out of stock: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/PB116-TG
You may want to rethink this as will all the multiball the gold plating comes off! Ask me how I know ! 
Quoted from freddy:You may want to rethink this as will all the multiball the gold plating comes off! Ask me how I know !
Yup, confirmed. Although I haven't personally experienced this, I was pretty much told they don't make them anymore for this reason. I REALLY wanted them for my GF CE so I followed every lead I could and this is what I learned through my journey.
Quoted from freddy:You may want to rethink this as will all the multiball the gold plating comes off! Ask me how I know !
Quoted from Laithan:Yup, confirmed. Although I haven't personally experienced this, I was pretty much told they don't make them anymore for this reason. I REALLY wanted them for my GF CE so I followed every lead I could and this is what I learned through my journey.
I need two for captive balls on TOTAN.
Quoted from Laithan:Yup, confirmed. Although I haven't personally experienced this, I was pretty much told they don't make them anymore for this reason. I REALLY wanted them for my GF CE so I followed every lead I could and this is what I learned through my journey.
The gold balls I bought from Back Alley have been in use for years in my Iron Man without any issues.
Love the idea. We placed an “eye” ball in our Monster Bash and the kids love having it pop up in rotation
The “Gold” ball would work in so many games - whether just one to come up in random or replace them all - not sure on that yet.
But for ToM, CC, maybe even TBL - I’m thinking one for rotation. (1 in MH too!)
For IMDN - it may look cool for all balls to be gold. Same as Rush - may give it a whole new look. Hmmm. Damn hobby!
Balls that are PVD TiN coated I would not be worried about the coating flaking off. It doesn't work like that. However, its hard or impossible to get smooth even coverage around the entire ball. Any other type of plating I would be weary of. Theres a reason you don't see these too often, and when you do they are very expensive. Trust me, if there was a viable way to do it, I'd be doing it here at work and making a killing.
I wonder how much a solid gold pinball would actually cost. Not to play with of course but just put in the playfield of my Hobbit as part of Smaug’s treasures.
I’ll just have to remember there’s always money in the pinball machine should I choose to sell it…
Quoted from briyau15:I wonder how much a solid gold pinball would actually cost. Not to play with of course but just put in the playfield of my Hobbit as part of Smaug’s treasures.
I’ll just have to remember there’s always money in the pinball machine should I choose to sell it…
If I've done my math correctly, it would weigh around 200 grams. At the current spot price for gold, that is ~$13K.
Quoted from mattosborn:If I've done my math correctly, it would weigh around 200 grams. At the current spot price for gold, that is ~$13K.
Thanks. Need to come up with a more affordable Plan B…
Quoted from briyau15:I wonder how much a solid gold pinball would actually cost. Not to play with of course but just put in the playfield of my Hobbit as part of Smaug’s treasures.
lol, I watched a video the other day that calculated Smaugs worth, by estimating how much a mountain of gold would cost. The conclusion was that he would be the 15th richest American.
Quoted from mattosborn:If I've done my math correctly, it would weigh around 200 grams. At the current spot price for gold, that is ~$13K.
It’s a better investment than most of the games in that price range. Not as fun to play with though
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