Xenon Pinball - Time to Replace the Playfield

Staples. Complicated little buggers.

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The top is the original. The wire is 1 mm thick, 8.6 mm across the crown.

The bottom is one from the stapler for targets in my gun bag (I have the right size in the garage) The wire is 1.2 mm thick, and 10.55 across the crown,

So slightly larger.

I'm trying to figure out which staple is right, but I think with the right length, these will do as I have had no luck finding the "right" staple so far.
 
Check to see if you have these in Home Depot USA:
Or longer 5/16:

Naturally, you might need a different stapler also.
Those are T50 staples. I have 2 T50 staplers and so many T50 staples that I should get rid of some of them. Those are the ones that are wider.

It looks like I need 307/1000 staples, which are 8 mm wide. I'm trying to find them and the right stapler.
 
Those are T50 staples. I have 2 T50 staplers and so many T50 staples that I should get rid of some of them. Those are the ones that are wider.

It looks like I need 307/1000 staples, which are 8 mm wide. I'm trying to find them and the right stapler.
My brother does a lot of playfield swaps, and he uses a long-nose 22ga. upholstery stapler. He swears by it. The long nose is great for getting between mechs, sockets, and other stuff on the playfield. This is the one he uses w/ 1/4" long staples:

 
I just restored my xenon pin.. its a lot of work... :oops2: but it looks great, and plays excellent now. great luck to you...(y)
Im not even going to touch my funhouse, and Dr Dude pin.. Im going to sub that out... lol
 
What did you use for your ground wire attachment if you don't mind my asking?
I just restored my xenon pin.. its a lot of work... :oops2: but it looks great, and plays excellent now. great luck to you...(y)
Im not even going to touch my funhouse, and Dr Dude pin.. Im going to sub that out... lol
 
I am in the last few stages of a coffin build and playfield swap myself.

Tool I used for the bare wire anchoring was a Milwaukee stapler with 3/8" long stainless T50 staples.
M12 Stapler

Had to be strategic about what order I was going in with reassembly since it doesn't have the long nose of the proper tool noted above and of course the staples aren't original type but it worked just fine for both sizes of ground braid.
 
I am in the last few stages of a coffin build and playfield swap myself.

Tool I used for the bare wire anchoring was a Milwaukee stapler with 3/8" long stainless T50 staples.
M12 Stapler

Had to be strategic about what order I was going in with reassembly since it doesn't have the long nose of the proper tool noted above and of course the staples aren't original type but it worked just fine for both sizes of ground braid.
Can you upload a picture of the staples?

I have 2 or 3 T50 staplers - I was looking for the wire type staples, instead of the wider top that I have.

Maybe I am over-thinking this?
 
full
Here's the whole mess as it stands!
Pretty much all the tools I needed.

I had to plan out what went back when to use that but it worked (it appears.)

full

Again, not OG but functional I bet.
Not to mention that I eschewed new bare braid for using the original loop stapled back down.
Seemed like it wpuld save a LOT of time and effort- and it did.
Still need to tap down a few staples that didn't sink completely but I'm nearly done with this side.
 
full
Here's the whole mess as it stands!
Pretty much all the tools I needed.

I had to plan out what went back when to use that but it worked (it appears.)

full

Again, not OG but functional I bet.
Not to mention that I eschewed new bare braid for using the original loop stapled back down.
Seemed like it wpuld save a LOT of time and effort- and it did.
Still need to tap down a few staples that didn't sink completely but I'm nearly done with this side.
Thanks. You are confirming I'm over-thinking this.

I have BOXES of Arrow Staples from years ago I got from my late uncle. Time to pull them out, load the stapler and go to town.
 
I went to "11" on the staples.

I got out my ancient T50 staples. They are around 1 mm wider than the ones currently installed.

I went to Home Depot and checked out:
The JT21 staplers / staples
The pneumatic / electric staplers

The JT21 staplers / staples are not as wide as the current staples. They are basically just wire. While the size was right, the width of the staple wire (width is the short distance between the top of the staple) was wrong.

Okay, fine, let's look at the pro stuff.

I found some narrow gauge 18 gauge staplers. None had staples in the 3/8" range, and they were MUCH more narrow than the current staples. So that was a non-starter.

For a 1 mm distance in the crown, I'll use the ones I have. They are shiny and will work fine, and apart from the 1mm crown difference, are literally identical in appearance. Once the wiring harness is in place, well, nobody will see them anyway.
 
I got out my newer stapler, and tried to staple the ground wire with the correct length staples (3/8") into the OLD playfield.

This is the one where you squeeze it from the back, rather than the lever on the front (the old silver type, which I also have).

The staples didn't go down flush as they should have.

I'll now pull out the old silver one, try that on the old PF, and if that doesn't work, reduce to 1/4" length staples and try that. The extra 1/8" shouldn't make any difference.

I wonder if the new pinball use hot glue?
 
Just tried my Ace Hardware (Arrow knockoff) metal forward handle one. It actually did WORSE than the new one.

So, time to try 1/4" depth staples.
 
Yeah, I had to dial the depth up pretty far on the Milwaukee to get them to sink.
Not sure you'll get enough leverage with a manual stapler for this task, especially since the old Arrow designs are pretty dumb in that your pressing force is at the opposite end of where the staple gets shot.
Tragically stupid design since the beginning.
I got a Klein cable stapler for work that has flipped that 180° and it is a breeze to use.
Someone must make a similar more sensible design for good ol' T50 staples.
 
I tried out the 3/8" staples with both the new and the old staplers. Not good.

Then I tried out the 1/4" staples with both the new and old staplers. And found the new stapler will sink the 1/4" with no problem - the old one - Nope.

Here is a picture of the test shots which were done on the original playfield:

1737476008044.png
Top staple: 3/8" old chrome stapler. Fail.
Second staple down - 3/8" newer stapler. Fail.
Third staple down - 3/8" newer stapler (second try). Fail.
Fourth staple down - 1/4" newer stapler. Success
Fifth staple down, 1/4" old chrome stapler. Fail.

I am moving forward with 1/4" staples and the newer Black and Decker stapler. I'll get pictures of both staplers to share what worked.

Now to pry all these out, move the wire, and attach it properly to the new playfield, and make sure it works the same there.
 
if you can wait till next week i can loan you my stapler. You have compressed air?
I do have compressed air and I appreciate your kind offer, but I'll going to try to use the stuff I have first. 1/8" isn't going to make a difference in the sticking power of a staple.

Then again, I haven't tried it yet on my new CPR Silver playing field, so hold that thought and let me move the wire and staple it down.

By the way, here are the stapler that worked and the one that didn't.

This is the stapler that failed:
1737484997002.png

This is the stapler that worked:
1737485025719.png

Both have been used thousands of times for political signs. The silver one was my tool of choice when I was a state rep's sign coordinator and erected a thousand signs all over our area. Some of them multiple times as people would tear down or deface signs.

The bottom one is a more recent addition. I have been using that to secure my targets at the range, but will probably load the 1/2" or 5/8" staples into the chrome one and use that in the future, and keep this one for the game and other uses.

If the bottom one doesn't work on the new playfield, I'll accept your kind offer, provided I can pay shipping both ways so you don't lose anything. Would that be acceptable should it prove necessary?

I may also check ReTool locally and see if they have one I could buy at or near the price of shipping.
 
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