Material and Tools

I designed everything around 1/2″ PVC piping. It is sturdy and easy to cut. Speaking of cutting, use a ratcheting PVC pipe cutter (not a saw). This is a handy tool that does its job well.

• 1/2″ PVC Schedule 40 Pipe (5 sections of 1/2″ x 24″)
• 1/2″ PVC Side Outlet 90-Degree S x S x S Elbow Fitting (x4)
• 1/2″ PVC Schedule 40 Socket Cap
• Tape Measure
• Marker
• PVC Pipe Cutter

Size the TV

The idea is that you are going to frame the backside of a TV so it sits off the table. This allows access to the buttons, power connecting, and HDMI. Each TV will have a different back, so adjust the sizing accordingly. My TV is 32″ on the screen side, but on the back, it had a bump out that I can frame in PVC. This turned out to be 22″ x 16″. Use the marker to mark the cuts. The fittings allow for about 1″ of the pipe so you need to account for that. But I would not worry about everything being exact. There is a lot of play. Oversize now and trim later.

Frame the TV

Take one of the 1/2″ PVC Side Outlet Elbow Fittings and place it in the corner of the TV. Put the pipe into the side that does not face down. Repeat this around the TV.

Use the marker to decide where you want to make some cuts. I personally like the Milwaukee Inkzall Point Markers. They write on any material that I make stuff with.

Use the ratcheting PVC pipe cutter to cut each pipe segment.

Put each segment together. Do not glue it together. There is enough friction to lock everything in place. Plus, you might want to make adjustments in the future or switch out the TV.

Add Height as Needed

With the remaining pieces of PVC, you can make some legs for the PVC frame. This depends on how much clearance you need for the back of the TV and what the best viewing angle for people sitting around the table is. Put on the caps on the end of the PVC for a finished look.

Maps and Software

People have been using TVs for RPG gaming quite a bit. There’s a whole ecosystem of software, tools, and maps available to you.

• Arkenforge: It has everything that you would want for a low price tag: tools, pre-made assets, and a strong community. You can make maps, animate, and add audio for in-person only play. Arkenforge comes with a 30-day trial. Give it a try.
• MapTool: Free, open-source tool. This software also supports network collaboration.

Next Steps

If I keep this going, I am imagining some next steps and where to take this. I would paint the PVC black to help blend into the table and not look so DIY. I would create different sizes of the legs to adjust the height for other types of games. The biggest upgrade I would make is reconfiguring the riser for a much better TV. I used an old TV that only looked “good” from one angle. So, if I end up using this TV for gaming, I might make some upgrades.

What would you do?

The jack looked like my friend’s but didn’t fit under my machine’s leg. I did some more searching and realized that I had to modify the base of the jack to fit under the leg and get around the foot.

Here’s what I did to get these cheap jacks to work with my pinball machine…

Remove the Base of the Jack

If you buy the exact jack that I did from Amazon, the jack’s base is held on by two 3/16″ hex bolts. Remove the bolts.

Mark The Cut Line

On the center toe, mark a cut line just after the bolt hole.

Cut Off the Center Toe

Here’s where the real work begins. You have to cut this portion of the center toe so the jack’s base will fit around the pinball leg’s leveling screw. You can take your base plates down to the local maker space and ask someone to cut them off, or you could use a rotary tool like one from Ryobi or Dremel. Use a cut-off wheel designed for metal. I found a three-pack at Harbor Freight.

If you have never cut metal before, I would like to give you several warnings. Cutting metal with a rotary tool creates sparks and heat. I held the jack’s metal base with a wrench on a thick silicone mat. If I did this over again, I would have done it outside. Just take your time, make small cuts, don’t panic. Hold strong. Be careful.

Let the base cool and reattach it to the jack.

Profit.

You now have a set of pinball jacks for less than $40! Give them a try and see how awesome they are. You can now quickly level a pinball machine by yourself. You only have to slip the jack under the leg and pump the jack handle. This will slowly lift the machine so you can adjust the leg leveler screws.

Bonus. Teach Your Kid About Mechanical Advantage.

I used to watch Mr. Wizard when I was a kid. I distinctly remember an episode where Mr. Wizard tells a kid that they are going to be able to lift a car with one hand. Well, I got to teach the lesson to my son 40 years later. He loved the idea that he lifted a 300lb pinball machine with his hand.

RTFM. The manual contains a lot of clues. Ariens.com has manuals for all of its models archived. Actually, I find that manual gets helpful over time. Initially, you don’t know anything about this machine that you just bought. How hard could it be, you may think? The machine typically works pretty well when you first get it. Once you get a little time under your belt, read the manual. You will find little details that help you understand what’s going on.

Take notes. When you learn something, write it down. Your future self will thank you. Write the socket sizes, threads, part numbers for replacement parts, and any tips that you discover.

Watch videos on YouTube. When you encounter a problem or a developing issue, find appropriate videos on YouTube. You will have to make sure that you watch a video on your specific model as sometimes you might be watching a video on a different model. I tend to act like a detective and seek out the information from the videos. Not all of the video or every video you are going to find is going to apply. This is a good skill to develop to speed up the learning process with anything that you may want to learn.

Take advantage of the offseason. It’s freezing in the winter and not convenient to perform maintenance. In the spring or fall, you can take advantage of warmer weather and lower pressure. Grease the auger, clean the gas, add oil, tighten the chute, and set the right air pressure in your tires.

Grease the shear bolts. Your snowblower is designed to fail-safe when you run over a dog toy, a tree branch, or a rock. A shear bolt is designed to break in case of a jam instead of putting the forces back on the belt, drive, and motor. When you replace your shear bolt, grease it up. It will be easier to remove and replace when you inevitably hit something.

Keep a stock of shear bolts. Use the manual and find the type of shear bolt you need. Write down the part number. Buy a bunch of shear bolts. Try them out as soon as you get them, Make sure they fit and last with normal wear. On Amazon, there is a variety of quality that you will find. So, find ones that work and return the ones that don’t. You will be thankful when you need them. In New England, they tend to be out of stock in the winter since everyone is breaking their shear bolts and going out to buy them. Mine use a 1/2″ socket to install. Yes, I wrote that down in my notes.

Grease the auger when you replace the shear bolts. A good time to grease the auger shaft is when you replace the shear bolts. I like to take the shear bolts off and apply grease via the Zerk fittings and then spin the auger to spread out the grease. I squeeze grease in there until it comes out the sides of the auger. This was something I had to watch a YouTube video on. I never used my grease gun before and didn’t even know how to attach it to the grease fitting.

Maintain the correct tire pressure. My Ariens 1128 tires require 14psi to function properly. I bought a battery-powered air compressor to make it easy to fill the tires. I also like that it tells me the pressure in the tire with a digital readout. Make sure that both tires are set to the same air pressure. This will help the snowblower travel in a straightline. If you don’t know your target psi, check the sides of the tires. It is usually written on the walls of the tire.

I find working on anything like a snowblower has an analog to life. You are always learning. Things break down. Things need maintenance. You build experience over time.

The soldering iron is easy to take apart. The four screws holding the cover to the base are hidden under the rubber feet. The Hakko felt like it was made to be repaired. The transformer had easy-to-access screws and everything used standard screws. My issue was with the connector. The front of the connector was snapped off and even cracked into the soldering iron base. I choose Super Glue for the job. All I needed was a good layer of glue around the front and back of the connector. The repair worked perfectly.

Super Tips for Super Glue

Now, before you go out and start super gluing everything, you need some practice and the right tools. I also have some tips from my years of Super Glue use. Welcome to my TED Talk.

Buy lots of small tubes of Super Glue. Dollar stores in the United States sell tiny tubes for pennies. Don’t be a hero. After you use a tube, throw it away.

Get Insta-Set accelerator spray. Super Glue is made of cyanoacrylate and is referred to as CA. Even though it sets fast it still takes time if you use a lot. A quick blast of Insta-Set spray and the glue will set… instantly.

Get a silicone mat. One of the best purchases of my maker life was buying a bunch of silicone mats. Super Glue gets on everything and it will damage desk surfaces. A silicone mat is handy for Super Glue and hot glue. And, for projects with your kids. Get a bunch of them in different sizes. Thank me later.

Get silicone stir sticks and brushes. Another great accessory for any type of gluing is getting a set of silicone stir sticks and brushes. I pool up my super glue on the mat and use the stir sticks to apply the glue. These tools are useful for other types of gluing as well.

Get silicone finger protectors. I make a lot of things with hot glue and super glue and silicone fingertips save me every time. I have burned my fingers and super glued them together many, many times. Super glue sets instantly on your skin and you will not like trying to pull them apart.

If you know if any tips, please share them in the comments. I am always learning little things here and there.