They were right: the Bambu Lab P1S was plug-and-play. The 3D printer was calibrated. It then asked me to try a print with one of the built-in 3D models. George and I decided to go with the model scrapper. That’s meta. Making something with a 3D printer for the 3D printer. Then, we turned to Maker World and found a cool F1 fidget toy. It turned out well. My confidence grew. It was time to go big.

I have a Godzilla 70th edition pinball machine by Stern Pinball. It is my favorite theme. The pinball game is spectacular, one of the top-rated pinball machines of all time. The 70th edition has black and white… and red artwork. One thing that I always noticed is how punny Godzilla is in the machine. Godzilla is ticked in the corner. I searched around for mods and found some options. They all have a Pinside waitlist, and I didn’t get my name called after six months, so it is time to make my own.

My goal was to have a Godzilla model inthe game that was slightly larger than Mechagodzilla. Even Mechagodzilla got more prominence than Godzilla. I found someone on Printables who shared my challenge and goal. This is also a big part of what has changed in the 3D printing hobby. You are standing on the shoulders of giants. There are so many places to find 3D models, inspiration, tutorials, and videos. No excuses at this point.

First Step: Print the Godzilla 3D Model

I downloaded the STL files and imported them into BambuStudio. It was a straightforward process. I had to add supports. I recommend trees. Move from the prepare to the preview tab to start the slicing. I picked Bambu Lab Jade White PLA Basic filament. I checked out the 3D preview for a bit and hit Build. It said it would take 6 hours, and it did.

Second Step: Prepare the model for painting

I removed all of the support trees and lightly sanded Godzilla with 400-grit sandpaper. After that, I sprayed a black primer on the model. This will help acrylic paint adhere to PLA. This is a fantastic thing. I tried painting the raw PLA, but it didn’t work at all. Let it dry.

Third Step: Paint the Godzilla Model

This was a fun part for me. I had a lot of apprehension about painting it. I was going to run it. Then I realized that, at worst, I was six hours away from another model. At best, I prime it again. I chose Gray, Metallic Silver, and Metallic Black paints. The last model I painted was my Yoda model from the 80s, my toy Yoda. Classic joke.

After I finished it, I sprayed a UV-resistant top coat. It dried quickly. I am not sure if this step was needed, but I wanted to make sure everything was protected. I loved how it turned out.

Fourth Step: Install Godzilla…

The tiny Godzilla sits in the back corner, held in place with a couple of screws. The 3D model came with a base plate. I put that in first, checked clearances, and used two-sided Gorilla tape to hold Godzilla down to the baseplate. The Gorilla two-sided tape is also magical. It has held all of my mods in place over the years.

A spotlight shines on Godzilla, illuminating him during specific game modes. I adjusted it since this model is so huge. Looks awesome.

Fifth Step: PROFIT!

This 3D printer is just printing money. Okay, okay. I am getting ahead of myself. This was my third print. I went big, and I felt confident that this would work. It was fun to go the whole way. I overcame some fears of painting a model. I did it with the help of literally millions of people sharing on forums, YouTube, and 3D modeling sites.

What an amazing community. Hobby.

I found a King Kong figure on Pinball Life. My trick is to use Gorilla mounting tape to bond figures to the pinball plastics. I think it is kind of appropriate to use the Gorilla brand here. Irony aside, it’s the best tape I used for modding pinball machines.

I cut two squares for King Kong’s feet and pressed each square firmly for two minutes. Then, I removed the backing and placed it on the protector plastic near the powerlines area, again holding it down for two minutes. This seemed to fit and not mess with the ball path. It turned out marvelous.

What mods have you done? What is your dream pinball theme?

Update: May 2025

Well, I bought the Stern King Kong Pinball machine and put it next to Godzilla. Although it turned out the games are unrelated, I still love both themes.

Once you get into pinball, you start exploring the world of mods. Mods are modifications that you make to your pinball machine, small customizations that were not included in the original machine. There is a whole community dedicated to doing these mods and they range from simple to complex. I wanted to get into slowly, learn my machine, and experiment. My first mod is quick and it’s cheap. I found an Iron Man themed car start button cover. I wondered if the cover would fit on top of the start button on my pinball machine. Combing through Amazon to find the right cover was the most challenging part of the mod. For such a simple thing, I couldn’t believe the variability in quality and reviews. I finally found one that is metal and has the right sized opening. At the time of writing, the Iron Man Engine Start Button Cover on Amazon was $5.

The Iron Man Start Button Cover comes with the cover and two adhesive strips. Spend the time here and really get the adhesive lined up on the back side of the cover and avoid touching the adhesive. This will wear out the stickiness. Press the ring around your pinball start machine and hold it there for about a minute. It’s a simple mod and pretty effective. It covers over the start button of the pinball machine which is illuminated or flashing when it needs to be pressed. This creates a cool effect when covered.

I am not sure if this is an original mod or not, but it got me started with modding pinball machines. I am sure to have others and I will report my findings here. Do you mod pinball machines? What are your modifications? Do you like them? There are other start button covers for different super heroes and themes on Amazon, so maybe this one can find a home on your machine.