Ideal Number of Pachinko Balls to Have on Hand?

[scoterxb]

I am a new member and I have been reading alot of the posts. Thankyou all for the great reading material. Had a question. I purchased my first machine, Indiana, and it came with 500 balls. Tonight, I hit a fever for the first time and spent most of the time reloading the machine. Anyone have a preference to the ideal number of balls per machine? I would rather enjoy playing than keep filling the machine all the time. Also, I am in Washington, anyone know of a good place to get pachinko balls without having to pay double what they are worth in shipping? I appreciate all the help.

[luckydog]

1,500 is a good number for each machine.

I usually start with top rear hopper filled and shooter tray almost overflowing,

then I have about 500 balls is a casino cup on the side for fever rounds.

you might be able to snipe one of these cheap, they have more listed.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PACHINKO-PINBALL...em270098611623

[drcrippen324]

you can leave the machine with no balls in iff you want play out th efeever and reload the balls after as there is a memory on sankyo machines so it can recall what it ows you and pays out as soon as the hopper is full

[Chrisdice]

I play with the hoppers empty. I rather enjoy the lghts, video and sound then shuffle balls around. Even filled to the top, the hopper is not big enough to hold all the ball you would win in a fever. Most of my games I converted to Fully cyclic so the balls I use cycle right back to the shooters tray. That way I don't move the spheres at all. Just play for hours with no stopping.

[drcrippen324]

all theres a ball liftre but thats a hole new ball game

[luckydog]

personally, I like the challenge of keeping up with the fever rounds.

man vrs machine, one on one

the paint tray mod does make it a little easier to keep up

[fronzdan]

Hi scoter.....Welcome!

I build cabinets for all my pachinkos, which have a big reservoir that feeds the hopper. Typically I keep around 1500-2000 balls in each. Spent balls are directed to a tray in front. You still may have to feed the hopper during a fever, but it is much less frantic and distracting - every once in a while you have to toss a handful of spent balls up to the top.

Search the Modifications forum, there is a lot of info about cabinets you can make or buy.

[hanabi]

1,500 is a good number for each machine.

I usually start with top rear hopper filled and shooter tray almost overflowing,

then I have about 500 balls is a casino cup on the side for fever rounds.

That's how I play!!

Although I sometimes have more than one Cup in reserve - just in case!!

You can't beat the excitement of topping up the Hopper during Fever Rounds......

Anything else just isn't Pachinko!!

.

[arbycoffee]

1,000,000,000,000,000.75 balls.

Reinforce the floor first

[kizu76]

^^^

[imsimba]

Some machines need 400 to 500 to actually play the fever.
Not all have that big door in the middle.
Some of them it is like the tides, the balls wash in then most wash out.
It is how some of them sucker you in to keep playing especially the older EM ones.
I like playing them for a change sometimes, there is a bit more skill to them.
I have two like this that have pinball like flippers that open to the center EM feature for 10 balls. One of your ten must go in the jackpot pocket that started the fever to continue the fever and go to the next round. Usually there is extra animation to make it easier to get into the fever pocket.

[Robocourier]

The more the better. But it all depends on how you have the game set up. Cyclic doesn't float my boat; parlour-ready all the way.

In which case 500 isn't enough. The hopper holds around 700, brimmed. A decent (15 round ) fever will use around 2000. So expect to have to refill. If you have a cabinet with a hopper extension make sure the hopper is regularly topped up so it can cope with a fever; remembering that all the small payouts do add up when it comes to draining the hopper.

Personally, during a fever, part of the game is firing the balls, watching the video, watching the light show, listening to the noise, emptying the payout tray and refilling the hopper. At the same time (or so it seems).

A big payout tray to drain your winnings into with a smaller 'scoop' tray for refilling the hopper helps with the multi-tasking.

Me, I allow 4000 per machine because I'm greedy (or lazy) but 2-3000 would be comfortable.

My opinion of course.

[portercbl]

I agree with Robo. I use 2000 balls per machine and that is comfortable with the setup I use. My machines are built into cabinets with a large ball hopper on top and a ball catch tray in the bottom. All of the machines are different where as sometimes you have to empty the win trays on the front of the machine to continue playing and others let you keep on shooting and bank your wins in memory until you have room in your up front trays to accept your winnings and they start paying off again. Putting your machines in cabinets with a slick design makes for a comfortable play experience! You will enjoy playing more than refilling balls! Here's a few pictures of my game room still under construction. Pachinko Parlor! Up to 15 Moderns!
Jerry

[slotter]

Thanks for those pics, portercbl! Very nice!!! I enjoy having to refill from wall mounted cabinets, too. I generally use about 1500 balls on each machine and find that I can easily keep up with the fevers that way, although it can be done with less.

Also enjoy keeping track of my winnings and losings and have that information on all my parlor ready machines. I like to watch the payout on the machines and occasionally make pin adjustments to make them be just marginally in favor of the house. Just part of the hobby for me.

[arbycoffee]

I am very impressed with all your work you done

[arbycoffee]

Here is what you need for all them Balls

. . . . . . . bucket1.jpg . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . bucket2.jpg . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . bucket3.jpg . . . . . . .

[portercbl]

Where do you find all of this great stuff, Arby?

WOW, Can you imagine trying to lift that?

Now THATS A BALL BUSTER!!!!

Jerry