# Super Mario Pinball Shop Job Finale

**Source:** Cary Hardy  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2020-08-12  
**Duration:** 11m 26s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4naB4EBoRQ

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## Analysis

Cary Hardy documents the final assembly stages of a Super Mario pinball machine restoration, focusing on installation of Cliffy protectors, flipper rebuilds, playfield reassembly, LED bulb selection decisions, T-molding replacement, and drop target cleaning. The video emphasizes practical restoration techniques including adhesive application, careful LED flash bulb intensity management to avoid player eye strain, and component sourcing from specialty vendors.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] LED flash bulbs positioned above the playfield can be too bright and cause eye strain for players, requiring incandescent alternatives — _Personal experience-based observation from restoration work and playing Water Whirl; Cary explicitly states this is a learned lesson applied to Super Mario machine_
- [HIGH] Super Mario's ramp is no longer manufactured and cannot be replaced, only repaired to functional condition — _Direct statement during playfield reassembly phase: 'they don't make this ramp anymore so I'm gonna have to just make do'_
- [HIGH] Cliffy protectors require alcohol prep wipes and adhesive application to playfield, with alignment to mounting holes before final installation — _Detailed step-by-step demonstration of Cliffy installation process_
- [HIGH] Marco Specialties supplied new screws for the Super Mario restoration project — _Direct credit given: 'Thanks to Marco' during apron reassembly_

### Notable Quotes

> "These things are really bright. And they can be very daunting on the player's eyes, especially whenever they're really visible."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~13:20
> _Explains design decision to use incandescent rather than LED flash bulbs above playfield_

> "I have never played a game like Waterworld that had so many flashers up top. And when they're so intense, I mean, I literally cannot really see. My eyes start watering real bad."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~13:40
> _Personal experience that informed LED selection strategy for Super Mario restoration_

> "I'm not putting LED flash bulbs on bulbs that are above the playfield to where the player can really see them."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~12:50
> _Core restoration philosophy about player experience and component selection_

> "major thumbs up to cliff on getting me these things so quickly"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~0:30
> _Endorsement of Cliffy protectors and fast shipping performance_

> "they don't make this ramp anymore so I'm gonna have to just make do"
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~15:30
> _Constraint on Super Mario restoration due to obsolete part availability_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Cary Hardy | person | Pinball restoration enthusiast and content creator documenting Super Mario machine restoration project |
| Cliffy | company | Manufacturer of protective playfield guards and protectors; praised for fast shipping and product quality |
| Marco Specialties | company | Pinball parts supplier credited with providing new screws for restoration project |
| T-molding.com | company | Supplier of T-molding trim replacement for pinball cabinet edges |
| Super Mario Pinball | game | The pinball machine being restored; subject of this video series finale |
| Water Whirl | game | Gottlieb game referenced as example of problematic excessive flasher bulb intensity above playfield |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Playfield restoration and reassembly, Protective equipment installation (Cliffy protectors), LED vs incandescent bulb selection strategy
- **Secondary:** Component sourcing and vendor relationships, Player experience and eye strain prevention, T-molding replacement and cabinet cosmetics
- **Mentioned:** Obsolete parts and repair constraints

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Cary expresses satisfaction with restoration progress, enthusiasm for final assembly stages, and appreciation for vendor quality (Cliffy, Marco). Some minor frustration about unavailable Super Mario ramp part, but overall tone is upbeat and accomplishment-focused. No negative sentiment toward manufacturers or community.

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Positive vendor relationships demonstrated through fast Cliffy shipping and Marco Specialties parts sourcing (confidence: high) — 'major thumbs up to cliff on getting me these things so quickly'; 'Thanks to Marco' credit given
- **[product_strategy]** Installation of aftermarket Cliffy protectors as protective upgrade during restoration (confidence: high) — Primary focus of opening sequence; detailed installation walkthrough provided
- **[technology_signal]** Selective use of incandescent vs LED flash bulbs based on playfield visibility and player eye strain considerations (confidence: high) — Explicit decision to avoid LED flash bulbs above playfield due to intensity; learning from Water Whirl experience

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## Transcript

all right so I've got my cliffy protectors in and not only did I get a minute I got a man like super fast so major thumbs up to cliff on getting me these things so quickly I will by all means have a link in the description down below to his website to get this glorious product for your pinball machine. Now a couple of things that you need to make sure that when you do is have all of this stuff out of the way. This is why I haven't assembled this machine yet because these things usually require a couple of holes depending on the machine of course to make sure that these things get mounted down and do not move. So as you can see all the effort that I put into getting this whole look nice and pretty didn't need to be done around the edges because let me cover it up same or deal with over here and the same or deal with this one right here and then I've got the upper plate filled one over here in place now I haven't got these things mounted down yet but we're gonna go over that so all you got to do is get this thing out of the way and we have a peel portion right here that you're going to be peeling off to adhes to the playfield so it stays down in order for it to work the best you basically just use the alcohol prep wipe that comes with the package wipe around where you're gonna be sticking it down then you'll peel off this portion on top to make sure that you're gonna be able to visually see this lining up with the holes press it down and then you should be good to go. Alright, so I wiped down the area where the adhesive wipe was at. I moved this over just enough to make sure that my holes were all going to be able to line up accordingly. And now I can start mounting down the post on top of this. But I'm going to keep it like this for now. So, move on to the next one. Then once you've got it all tacked down and everything's in the right place, all you simply do is remove the protective coating on top and your protective is installed. I normally do this with two hands guys. Makes it easier, that's for damn sure. Here we go. That one's installed too. Cliffies are good to go. Here we have old and busted. Just not looking too pretty. Now I could clean that up and make it look pretty decent, but I went ahead and decided to go with all new. So sexy. I even got new screws to go in there. Thanks to Marco. Working on getting the apron and everything put back together. We are no longer in France, so we're going to be removing this and get it all cleaned I think I'm going to even make a new image that goes right here and stuff like that. Probably have to Photoshop all that together. We got the upper playfield back on here. This is where I'm working at so far. I wanted to point out one of the things that I'm doing, and that is I'm not putting LED flash bulbs on bulbs that are above the playfield to where the player can really see them. And the reason behind that is because, at least with the bulbs that I get, these right here, these things are really bright. And they can be very daunting on the player's eyes, especially whenever they're really visible. And I want to say on this game, there's about three or four bulbs. And this is how it is on a couple of Gottliebs. Water Whirl is being one of them. And that's where I learned that I need to tame down the flasher bulbs that are above the play field like this because they're just too much. I have never played a game like Waterworld that had so many flashers up top. And when they're so intense, I mean, I literally cannot really see. My eyes start watering real bad. So I tried to learn from that mistake. And I'm going to be putting incandescence in here. You're still going to get the nice visual effect, and it's not going to be too intense for the player. so that's what I'm doing on that note we got all new flipper bats and rubbers on these and work continues all right pretty much got the upper plate field all put together still little things here and there I think now it's time to start putting the big plastic portions together. This is another piece that's going to need a pretty good cleaning on Looks a little dirty But it is intact so I will give it that let get it all cleaned up all right starting to get more and more put together got the wire form in place the ramp I still need to install some screws and and this is my merely just sitting here for right now I'm about to get that all bolted down in place. Pernimus just cleaned it up the way it was. This ramp is definitely heavily damaged around down here they don't make this ramp anymore so I'm gonna have to just make do still functions the way it should though. Alright the plate field is almost completely reassembled. I believe the only thing I'm missing is the yellow pipe that goes right there and then I'll raise the plate field up and start getting the rest of the LEDs installed and connecting all the wires that go up underneath here and stuff oh my goodness I forgot to make these on the upper playfield LEDs as I was painting over the play field I was like man those bulbs don't look as nice and shiny as the rest of them. I mean you can tell the difference between incandescents and LEDs. Alright let's fix that and call her done. This baby is pretty much done ladies and gentlemen. Just got finished playing a couple of games everything is working as it should. The only thing left is to replace this crap T-molding right here with some new stuff that I just got in from T-molding.com. Can you guess what color I decided to go with? I bet you can. Now some of you out there would like like to know how to go about installing this stuff when it comes to getting it on there I've already got one side on there then I was like well you know what I better describe what it is I'm doing that way in case one doesn't know how to do this they will now the easy way to go about doing this take off the old stuff line it up with the old pieces and just cut it the identical cut as the previous one guys it pretty much that easy all I doing is just kind of line it up cut off right there on the end where the other ones at and that way they should be fit just the way the old ones did only looking bright shiny new man I thought I was done with this thing and then I remember that I needed to get the drop target cleaned up that goes in down here between the flippers. So I'm disassembling all of this, getting all of this cleaned up, seeing if I can even clean this up, and then we'll get it put back together again and then we should be done. Thank you. Wee! Here we go. Outro Music

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 2a5175e5-b86c-4939-ac02-ea2dbeb0adbb*