Has anyone ever put a caliper on a pachinko ball to get its exact size?

[bf_of_pf]

I was wondering if anyone had ever determined the exact size of a pachinko ball, and/or if an exact match with a high quality ball bearing could serve as an alternative to used parlor balls.

[Tony Junior]

Betcha two tokens Arby has!

[Tulsa]

Yep, size is 11mm. I had some ball bearings that were 10mm and they are just small enough to make it too easily through the nails.

[fhagar]

Ball bearings are heavier and rust more easily and probably cost more. Go for the real thing.

[Lddrizzt]

I put one on a ball once and didn't learn a darn thing!
caterpillar.jpg

[RKnarr01]

i believe even if the size was correct the weight is also important.

[Mike]

My wife tells me size isn't important...

[RKnarr01]

My wife tells me size isn't important...

[slotter]

She said WHAT?

[bf_of_pf]

I put one on a ball once and didn't learn a darn thing!
caterpillar.jpg

That's cause it was a hooka-smokin-caliper.

[Lddrizzt]

Dang it! I knew I did something wrong, I should have taken away the hooka!

[jwegger]

I looked at some ball bearing once and if I remember correctly the high quality ones were about 4 times the cost of a pachinko ball.

[arbycoffee]

ball bearings are harder on the plastic of the machine. BBs are denser than PBs, weight is important.
Also the nails are brass, PBs are hard enough as they are. I think BBs would tear them up.
PBs have a tolenses to be and stay or they are pulled.

I think the ones we get most times are out side these tolenses. Because new ones all weasure the same 10.982 mm +/- .001 that is very tight.

[bf_of_pf]

Well, forget BB's, then. Stick with PB's!

[arbycoffee]

I had bought some off ebay and they were very little bigger, they hung up in some pockets and did not play lively at all,
ended in the dump

[arbycoffee]

Ball Bearings That was

[bf_of_pf]

The reason I asked in the first place is because upon looking closely at the 6,000 or so PB's I've now got, the area that seems to be the most rust prone is the engraved section. I thought it would make the most sense to look into getting new, unengraved BB's the exact same size as PB's. From what I'd found Googling, different metal compositions of BB's can be found that are highly resistant to rusting and corroding. But from what everyone here has said, that's just not the way to go. So for now, I'm waiting for the Lyman 2500 to arrive so I can run some of my PB's through and see how they come out.

[arbycoffee]

Once I had them de-rusted good, I not had them re-rust (knock on wood) And I have steam heat, but dry.

[ocpachinko]

That's cause it was a hooka-smokin-caliper.

So that's what she was really singing in that old Airplane song...Pachitalk educates me again!

[bf_of_pf]

So that's what she was really singing in that old Airplane song...Pachitalk educates me again!

The credit for that one goes completely to Lddrizzt. TFF!!