{"id":546,"date":"2021-12-14T11:18:10","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T11:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/?p=546"},"modified":"2021-12-14T12:28:47","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T12:28:47","slug":"how-much-does-a-pinball-machine-weigh-and-sizes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/how-much-does-a-pinball-machine-weigh-and-sizes\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Do Pinball Machines Weigh? (And Sizes To Know)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Pinball machines are nowhere near a small gaming system compared to today\u2019s standard. Compared to games consoles and mobile devices, pinball machines are quite substantial machines. So, it\u2019s important to know the size and weight of a pinball machine before you buy one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinball machines weigh around 250-300lbs, or 113-136kg on average.<\/strong> SS machines usually weigh around 225-275lbs, while EM machines can weigh around 300-350lbs. Dot-Matrix-Display (DMD) machines have an average weight of 300lbs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not every game is built the same, but all machines have a similar size and shape. Some may be a little wider or taller than others, but you can expect a similar range between all. So, figuring out how much a pinball machine weighs can depend on a few factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Big Is A Pinball Machine?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pinball machines have average dimensions of 29\u201d wide (0.07366m) x 76\u201d tall (1.9304m) x 56\u201d deep (1.4224m) when setup. Thus, they\u2019re quite big machines, which means you need to be sure you can fit one through your door before you buy one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As there are thousands of machines out there it would be hard to say the exact measurements per machine. But it\u2019s good to know when deciding if you have the space and what you can expect to be lifting. This is why we recommend you bring a tape measure<\/strong> with you when you\u2019re going to look at a machine to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are lots of different factors that affect the size and weight<\/strong> of any pinball machine. Knowing what these are will allow you to pick the right one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors That Affect The Weight Of Pinball Machines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Type Of Machine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The type and age of the machine could affect its weight. When you look at older Solid-State <\/strong>(SS) machines, usually from around the 1980s-90s, the machines will be lighter than modern ones. Whereas some of the Electro-Magnetic<\/strong> (EM) Machines in the same era tend to be heavier than the average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SS machines have adapted computer technology, meaning they need fewer parts<\/strong>. But EM machines, especially multiplayer ones, can have 2 reels and motors. These need more space in the cabinet and add a substantial amount of extra weight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, you may have to take this into account when you\u2019re looking to purchase a machine. SS machines tend to weigh around 225-275lbs<\/strong>. EM machines can weigh around 300-350lbs, while Dot-Matrix-Display (DMD) machines have an average of 300lbs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall Size<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have looked at many pinball machines, you\u2019ll notice that they tend to have the same characteristics to them. But some will have a wider body or will be taller due to the back glass<\/strong> or just their overall height<\/strong>. This can also affect how much a pinball machine weighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backglass<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The backglass\/Translite will usually always be the widest part of the machine<\/strong>. Because they are the widest parts, they can not only add weight but also cause a lot of frustration when moving the machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, you must be aware when navigating through doorways and down stairs. As you really don\u2019t want to damage these pieces<\/strong>, affecting the glass or hinges. Some machines have a backglass that comes off, others will fold down. This can make it easier to move the machine. Pin Wiki can give you an idea of sizes for specific titles and certain manufacturers from different eras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playfield Variations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most likely if you have a wider playfield<\/strong> you will have a wider cabinet and machine altogether. Wider playfields will usually have more complex maps with extra ramps or plastic figures to hit. This also varies between machine types, but usually between specific titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Bally\u2019s early 1970s EM machines<\/strong> had a standard size of 20.25 (0.51435m) x 41\u201d (1.0414m), while an early SS Atari<\/strong> wide body was 27\u201d (0.6858m) x 45\u201d (1.143m).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aussie Pinball can give you an idea of some general sizes for specific games and their sizes of the playfield. But usually, the bigger the machine\u2019s overall dimensions, the bigger the playfield area will be<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting A Pinball Machine Into Your House<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you see a machine in an arcade you don\u2019t really take notice of how big the machine can be, as they\u2019ll usually be in very open spaces with lots of people around. But finding a space for it in your own home can turn out to be more difficult<\/strong>, as just putting a machine in the corner of a cramped room will not look good or be very practical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Much Space Do You Have?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, it\u2019s a good idea to map out your chosen room and use a tape measure to figure out how much space you actually have<\/strong> to work with. If you buy a machine that\u2019s bigger than you expected, you might be very disappointed to find it doesn\u2019t fit where you want it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the average sizes discussed earlier and use a piece of furniture or cardboard boxes<\/strong> to eye up how big the machine will look. This is a good way to get a rough feel for how much space you need, and what it will look like when it\u2019s in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Size Of Doorways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You also need to think about the size of your doors, hallways and stairs<\/strong> if you plan on moving it through a house. The standard height of a door is around 79-81 inches, giving you more than enough space in that direction. But the width can vary greatly as doorways can be as skinny as 18 inches (very unlikely) and up to 36 inches wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might also lose a bit of width when the door is fully open due to the way the hinges work. This alone can cause a major issue<\/strong>. You don\u2019t want to buy a big machine and have no way to get it through your door! You\u2019ll be out of luck if your machine is too wide or too deep with the backglass on it and your doorway is too skinny. This is why you should always measure things in advance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
As I measure my average doorways are about 30 inches, yet the door wide open takes away 2 inches. The front door on the other hand tends to be a bit bigger as mine is around 34 inches.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You can get creative if it comes down to it by bringing it through a window, but you may have to take out your window, which isn\u2019t going to be easy or cheap in most cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Two extra inches taken up by the door open. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But even when you\u2019ve decided on the way to get your pinball machine into your house, you have to be careful. Don\u2019t break your back moving a pinball machine<\/strong>. The weight will require multiple people to lift. So, be prepared with an extra person or two before you go lifting a pinball machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pinball machines usually weigh between 250lbs and 300lbs, or 113-136kg. Solid State machines are generally lighter than Electromechanical ones, with the former coming in at around 225-275lbs, while EM machines usually weigh 300-350 lbs. Dot-Matrix-Display pinball machines weigh closer to 300lbs.<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=546"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1610,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546\/revisions\/1610"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}