# A Trick to Access Your Entire Playfield (Topside) **Source:** Cary Hardy **Type:** video **Published:** 2022-07-20 **Duration:** 4m 21s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD6D7yn81FY --- ## Analysis Cary Hardy demonstrates a practical technique for accessing the entire top side of a pinball playfield without removing it from the cabinet, using mini clamps from Harbor Freight to elevate and stabilize the playfield while keeping it in the machine. The method works on most pinball machines (particularly Stern machines with rubber knobs on playfield rails) and allows technicians to work on mods and repairs while maintaining playfield slope for playtesting. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] This playfield access method works on a majority of pinball machines — _Cary Hardy directly states this in the video, noting that Stern machines have rubber knobs on playfield rails that prevent sliding_ - [HIGH] Harbor Freight mini clamps are effective tools for this playfield work — _Cary Hardy demonstrates using mini clamps and states he finds them to work best for his purposes_ - [HIGH] The technique is a single-person job for most users — _Cary Hardy explicitly states 'For me this is a single person job and I believe it to be for a majority of you'_ - [HIGH] The elevated playfield still maintains slope suitable for playtesting — _Cary Hardy demonstrates and confirms the playfield can still be playtested while elevated using this method_ ### Notable Quotes > "does anybody else use this method or is it just me? so with minor googling on pinside and stuff like that just trying to see what other people's methods are i couldn't find it" > — **Cary Hardy**, early in video > _Indicates Hardy searched for documentation of this technique but couldn't find it easily accessible, motivating the video creation_ > "this method will work on a majority of pinball machines. And I'm pretty sure it's all pros with next to no cons" > — **Cary Hardy**, middle of video > _Direct statement of the technique's broad applicability and claimed advantages_ > "And your playfield is now completely out of the cabinet, giving you full access to work on it" > — **Cary Hardy**, demonstration section > _Core benefit statement of the technique_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Cary Hardy | person | Content creator specializing in pinball modification and maintenance; demonstrating practical playfield access technique | | Jurassic Park | game | Pinball machine that Cary Hardy is modifying; used as example for demonstrating the playfield access technique | | Stern | company | Pinball manufacturer; Hardy notes their machines have rubber knobs on playfield rails that work with this technique | | Harbor Freight | company | Tool retailer; source of mini clamps recommended for this playfield access technique | | Pinside | organization | Online pinball community forum where Cary Hardy searched for documentation of this technique | --- ## Transcript Do you ever wish you could easily access the entire top side of your playfield without having to lurch over the cabinet to work on it? Well, there is a method and I'm going to show you how to do it in this video. What's up guys and welcome back to my channel where I talk and do everything pinball. So if that sounds interesting to you, then hit that subscribe button down below. Now, honestly, before making this video, I didn't think I needed to, but it wasn't until I started doing my work on my Jurassic Park, I'm adding some mods to it, and I started thinking as I was getting it into the current position that it is now, I was like, does anybody else use this method or is it just me? so with minor googling on pinside and stuff like that just trying to see what other people's methods are i couldn't find it and if it is out there i'm not saying oh i'm the genius to develop this or nothing like that it just that i not seeing at least something easily accessible to inform others of this really simple method in order to access the entire playfield Topside that is And the thing is, this method will work on a majority of pinball machines. And I'm pretty sure it's all pros with next to no cons. And this is how you do it. You will start by having your playfield lifted and in the resting position on the cabinet like so. Now this is why I say the method will work on a majority of machines and I can't state all. Because Stern has these rubber knobs right here on their playfield rails. And that is what's going to keep the playfield from sliding forward or back. Not all games will have these, but there sometimes are methods on the rails that keep it from doing this on the older games. Now, for me this is a single person job and I believe it to be for a majority of you out there you could do yourself as well, but if you need help then by all means beckon your child over there to help you or something because it doesn't require much effort. Now I use a microfiber cloth but you can also use anything else that keeps these clamps from possibly damaging your cabinet artwork I use these mini clamps available at Harbor Freight There are many other things that you can use, but I find these to work the best for me. And then all you have to do is slide it in position and the playfield will rest on top of these. And your playfield is now completely out of the cabinet, giving you full access to work on it. And just to show you that the playfield is going to be stable at least on my stern here's you an example and another pro for working on your games like this is that it still gives you that nice slope to your playfield and you can still play test it if needed be and there you have it just a quick video giving you a tip on how to access the entire top side of your playfield without removing it from the cabinet. Did anybody else out there use this method? Am I the only one? I can't be the only one. I am not stating that I discovered this, no way. So by all means, if you already use this method too or something similar to it, then let me Let me know in the comment section down below. And if you have friends out there that may need this, then by all means share this video with them. Give me the thumbs up if you learned something, subscribe button if you haven't already, ding my dong, that way you can be notified whenever I upload something for your viewing pleasure. And until next time guys, peace out. We'll see you next time. _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-06-06 | Item ID: 4f293ef2-ec3e-4cfa-b0be-e18083ebaab6*