# SDTM Mod Install: PinGraffix PowerBladez

**Source:** Straight Down the Middle  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2017-09-25  
**Duration:** 8m 24s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J3cXs6WTD4

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## Analysis

Jon from Straight Down the Middle demonstrates the installation of PinGraffix PowerBladez on a Lord of the Rings pinball machine. The video covers unboxing, placement tips, adhesive application techniques, electrical connections, and final power-on verification. Jon emphasizes the importance of cleaning surfaces, avoiding wet methods, and careful alignment during installation.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] PowerBladez use 10-pin IDC connectors that connect to a power box with a single unified line — _Jon describes the connector setup during unboxing and installation_
- [HIGH] Do not use the wet method (Windex spray) on PowerBladez as you can with regular side blades — _Jon explicitly warns against wet method application multiple times during installation_
- [HIGH] PowerBladez should be cleaned with alcohol pads before installation to remove dirt and grime — _Jon mentions running alcohol pads to clean the sides before adhesive application_
- [HIGH] PowerBladez installation requires careful alignment to avoid interference with playfield glass or tilt bob — _Jon demonstrates mock placement and warns about height positioning relative to glass_
- [HIGH] PowerBladez are compatible with Stern machines and have some wiggle room for left/right positioning — _Jon notes this is specific to Stern machines and demonstrates bracket placement_

### Notable Quotes

> "You have a little bit of the wiggle room left or right on the playfield... I push it all the way to the side. Make sure it is on the brackets there."
> — **Jon**, ~2:10
> _Key installation technique for initial positioning on Stern machines_

> "On regular side blades, you can do the wet method where you spray Windex on them and then slide them in. On this you cannot do that. Do not use Windex or the wet method on these."
> — **Jon**, ~4:45
> _Critical safety/compatibility warning about PowerBladez application method_

> "Look at that. When you see stuff like this, how can you not own a set of PING Graphics Power Blades if they are eligible for your machine? You've got to buy them."
> — **Jon**, ~13:20
> _Strong endorsement of the product after successful installation_

> "This has taken this The Lord of the Rings and has made it just over the top beautiful."
> — **Jon**, ~13:40
> _Assessment of aesthetic impact of the modification on the machine_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Jon | person | Host of Straight Down the Middle, demonstrating mod installation |
| Zach Sharpe | person | Co-host/assistant helping with connector installation during video |
| Schmitty | person | Person consulted during wiring assembly process |
| Joe | person | Designer/creator at PinGraffix credited with PowerBladez product design |
| PinGraffix | company | Manufacturer of PowerBladez illuminated side blades and other pinball art/mod products |
| PinGraffix PowerBladez | product | Illuminated side blade modification system with adhesive backing and electrical connectors |
| Lord of the Rings | game | Stern pinball machine used as installation demonstration platform |
| Straight Down the Middle | organization | YouTube/Twitch pinball show and content channel |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Aftermarket mod installation, Illuminated side blades, Electrical wiring and power connections, Playfield modification technique
- **Secondary:** Product review and endorsement, Stern machine compatibility

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.92) — Jon is highly enthusiastic about the PinGraffix PowerBladez product, demonstrating genuine excitement about the installation results. He explicitly recommends the product to viewers and praises the designer's work. The tone is encouraging and educational throughout.

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Content creators like Straight Down the Middle actively documenting and promoting aftermarket modification products (confidence: high) — Dedicated installation tutorial video with enthusiastic product endorsement from established YouTube/Twitch channel
- **[product_strategy]** PinGraffix PowerBladez successfully enhance visual appeal of Lord of the Rings machine with illuminated side blades (confidence: high) — Jon's assessment: 'This has taken this The Lord of the Rings and has made it just over the top beautiful' and strong visual results shown in video
- **[technology_signal]** PinGraffix PowerBladez represent advancement in adhesive-based illuminated blade technology with integrated electrical connectors (confidence: medium) — Product features 10-pin IDC connectors, adhesive backing distinct from older wet-method side blade installation, power box integration

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## Transcript

 Hey welcome to straight down the middle of pinball show mod install today we're going to install pin graphics power blades I'm going to put them on this sweet sweet Lord of the Rings here I'm going to show you guys here a minute what's in the box what's in the box and then I'm going to show you you how to install these things. It seems pretty effortless and pretty easy but let's try it together. Here's what's in the box. We have our two blades. Fabuloso and each has a connector running off of the back of it. These are 10 pin IDC connectors. Each of them goes into the male ends which then splits it to a single line. That single line goes into the power box and on the other side that plugs into that which then plugs into that which then goes into I think 120 inside the cabinet and that's it super simple this thing's going to look great so blade number one what it looks like the front the back as you guys see has adhesive that I'm going to pull off and this cord so a couple tips that we want to do first I want to make sure that that on these sterns it's not bad. You have a little bit of wiggle room left or right on the playfield. Now some people take the whole playfield out. I am not crafty enough for that. So I push it all the way to the side. Make sure it is on the brackets there. So it's pushed all to the side. What I like to do first, honestly, is I like to make sure that I just have enough clearance. Just kind of a mock run. So now that's where they're going to go. Line them up visually pull them back out And again you just want to make sure these connectors are free from getting caught or snagged on anything. All right. All right, now what you do need to know is that on regular side blades, you can do the wet method where you spray Windex on them and then slide them in. They give you a little bit of give. On this you cannot do that. Do not use Windex or the wet method on these. You just have to hope for the best. Now what I could have done, I guess I could have taken them off, cut these adhesives, taken them off up here, put them into place, flipped up the play field, then taken them back. But I'm thinking about that right now and the adhesive is already off. So we're going for it. I always do a scissor motion to get it into place. Push it down a couple spots just to hold it in place. I'm going to make sure that you're not too high up or else you're going to run that glass right over the top of it. line up pretty good and just kind of work your way down and you're going to do it up to about here where you can reach and then I'm going to flip the play field up and I'm going to get the rest of it you can look for air bubbles on these it doesn't look like they're going to have air bubbles but just want to make sure you don't have them all right all right now one of the steps I I forgot to tell you guys, before you do this, what I did is I ran some alcohol pads to really clean the sides so you can get all, any dirt, grime, or dust off of them. All right, so as I'm working my way, I flipped up the play field, I'm gonna work my way to the second half, and I've already noticed that I'm a little bit high up here. So I gonna kinda just pull it off just a little bit and we still shimmying it lining it up And then I going to work that crease out All right, and then this wire right here, we're going to lay it right in there for now until our connectors come in. Okay? And then I'm going to install this side just like I did the other side and then we're going to turn these things on. Okay, so it's as simple as this. You've got your power box. You've got two plugs. Each plug is going to go into this. Make sure it's the right way, Zach. There you go, Zach. Nice job. I'm proud of you, buddy. Can you go two for two here, ladies and gentlemen? He did. Two for two. for two. Put it in the side of that box. Kaboom kabang. Then you can put this wherever you would like. So you want to put it over here, over there. I'll tidy that up here in a minute. Okay, next. Next we have to add power to it. This plugs into the side of the box here. High voltage. Keep out. Let that be a warning to you. That's good. That's good. Feels good. Clean up the wires here in a minute. Okay. So now you've got your diverter here. Or it's not a diverter. What the hell is a splitter of some type? It only goes in, let's see here. It can go in one of two ways. So you just want to make sure you're running through that fuse. Okay? I think here. What do you think, Schmitty? Is that where it goes? I'd say it goes there. So it goes there? It goes through the fuse? Then down here you have your power. Again you are left with two options The red or the blue wire Don blow it Okay. I think it looks good, Schmitty. What do you think, buddy? I like it. I like it. You look like a professional. I don't like where this is at, though. I don't like that. Since there's no coin box in here, that's where we're going to go. I'm going to tidy up these wires and that's it you guys. We can turn it on. Let's see if it turns on now. Okay, so now since it's tapped into the power supply, once I turn the machine on the blades will work. So let's get the playfield down and let's turn it on together shall we? Oh, make sure. Look at that. Somebody's going to be cheating, tilt bobbing here. Make sure it's away from tilt bob. Alright guys, you want to see something just unbelievable, check these things out. Joe at PING Graphics, man, you freaking hit it out of the park. Look at this. When John Youssi stuff like this, how can you not own a set of PING Graphics Power Blades if they are eligible for your machine? You've got to buy them. Look at that. So again, check out pin graphics.com for all your art blades, all your mods, all your, I mean, look at these power blades, speaker grills, mirror blades with decals on them, a little bit of everything. This has taken this Lord of the Rings and has made it just over the top beautiful. This is Zach from Straight Down the Middle of Pinball Show. Check out all of our other videos on YouTube, on Facebook, follow us on Twitch. And coming soon, you're going to be seeing even more awesome pin graphics products.

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 3afb055b-430a-403d-b57d-7689d97308d0*