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» Alien pinball - Poor quality clear coat!

(Topic ID: 206661)

Alien pinball - Poor quality clear coat!

By libtech

6 years ago

Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

49 posts
29 Pinsiders participating
Latest reply 4 years ago by Averell
Topic is favorited by 5 Pinsiders

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Alien (Heighway Pinball) Heighway Pinball, 2017

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#1 6 years ago

DTY

Not sure who is producing the playfields for Heighway, however recently I just had a major issue with my Alien. A small piece was chipping around the magnet, which wasnt a huge deal, it happens, so I ordered a cliffy ring to cover and prevent more damage. Upon removing the mylar around the magnet to install the cliffy, to my surprise more than just the mylar came up, a 2 to 3 square inch section of the clear peeled right off! Came off super easy like peeling sunburnt skin.. Obviously the clear has very poor adhesion, not sure if I'm just 'lucky' or if it is common on all playfields produced. Just wanted to warn guys not to apply or remove any mylar on these!

Happily the art is intact, now I'll have the treat of having to get it re-cleared

PFM_0719.JPG

#2 6 years ago

JJJ

jonesjb

Pinside member

New York, NY

10y 118K 3,945 3 19

I wonder what causes this? Is this a case of it not being fully dry?

#3 6 years ago

DOG

Whysnow

Pinside member

12y 187K 35,339 30 1

I was under the impression that Heighway playfields all come via Mirco?

#4 6 years ago

DEN

Inactive member

Unknown

12y 53,550 1,773 12 13

just write to highway, they will replace your pf like stern

#5 6 years ago

???

jgentry

Pinside member

10y 137K 5,229

Quoted from Whysnow:
I was under the impression that Heighway playfields all come via Mirco?

I heard Mirco was producing them as well. They make very nice playfields overall but some of the JJP games have had similar issues and many have art missing around magnets, saucers, or scoops.

Spooky seems to be the only ones really getting playfields right at the moment. No one will be perfect though.

#6 6 years ago

BOB

bobukcat

Pinside member

9y 99,550 5,463

That really sucks, was the mylar around the magnet from the factory or did you apply it yourself?

#7 6 years ago

WRD

way2wyrd

History Of Pinball

Fort Worth, TX

13y 116K 4,917 21 12

did you wax before putting the mylar down. I do that normally which makes removal much easier

#8 6 years ago

CJJ

nman

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 78,800 1,107

Well, shit. One more thing to add to the QC issue list.

-1

#9 6 years ago

???

pinlink

Pinside member

Unknown

8y 72,150 2,205

Quoted from nman:
Well, shit. One more thing to add to the QC issue list.

Slow down. This is the first instance of this happening AFAIK. Not a huge deal and this happens from time to time with all manufacturers as was stated earlier.
And yes, the playfields are made by Mirco, no one better IMO.

This really isn't a Heighway issue, that would be impossible to catch before sending out.

#10 6 years ago

CJJ

nman

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 78,800 1,107

Good to hear. With all the apparent funding issues they've had, i was a bit concerned maybe they had changed to a different playfield manufacturer to save some cash. Guess I'm just getting progressively more paranoid the closer we get to mass LE shipments

#11 6 years ago

DTY

libtech

Pinside member

12y 82,650 1,958 42

Quoted from bobukcat:
That really sucks, was the mylar around the magnet from the factory or did you apply it yourself?

Only piece of factory mylar lol

#12 6 years ago

DTY

libtech

Pinside member

12y 82,650 1,958 42

Quoted from jonesjb:
I wonder what causes this? Is this a case of it not being fully dry?

My guess would be something to do with surface prep before clearing

Quoted from DEN:
just write to highway, they will replace your pf like stern

So far no response to emails...

#13 6 years ago

HKY

HoakyPoaky

Silver State Pinball

11y 144K 3,675 128

Bummer man. I'd be pretty upset.

#14 6 years ago

DTY

libtech

Pinside member

12y 82,650 1,958 42

Quoted from pinlink:
Slow down. This is the first instance of this happening AFAIK. Not a huge deal and this happens from time to time with all manufacturers as was stated earlier.
And yes, the playfields are made by Mirco, no one better IMO.
This really isn't a Heighway issue, that would be impossible to catch before sending out.

I wouldnt say this isnt a big deal, for my game it is. However, your right its not Heighways fault, if mirco made them, then it would be a mirco issue.

Also since they make playfields in batches, there are probably others just they havent found out yet.

However it is still Heighways responsibility, so we'll see if I hear anything back.

#15 6 years ago

EWG

kermit24

Pinside+ Frequent

9y 123K 6,540

Removing mylar is something that you need to be really careful with. Did you freeze it? Use goo gone?

#16 6 years ago

JJJ

jonesjb

Pinside member

New York, NY

10y 118K 3,945 3 19

Quoted from kermit24:
Removing mylar is something that you need to be really careful with. Did you freeze it? Use goo gone?

Yes, supposedly you need to freeze it.

#17 6 years ago

DTY

libtech

Pinside member

12y 82,650 1,958 42

Quoted from jonesjb:
Yes, supposedly you need to freeze it.

Yes did, still came right up. I was being very slow and careful, it looked like glue residue was there at first, but after wiping it off you could tell.

The only positive thing I can say, is because the adheasion was so bad the art didnt get ruined.

#18 6 years ago

DKP

tezting

Inactive member

10y 54,300 1,104 1

Just to understand this 100%
The problem first came when you removed the mylar?

#19 6 years ago

DTY

libtech

Pinside member

12y 82,650 1,958 42

Quoted from tezting:
Just to understand this 100%
The problem first came when you removed the mylar?

No, if you look at the first post, there was a little bit of chipping at the mag, in a different spot unrelated to the peeling.

Looking at it before, you couldnt tell anything was wrong, but reguardless clear should not simply lift off like this.

#20 6 years ago

TPK

Kneissl

Pinside member

12y 126K 3,866 7 121

That stinks. I thought the clear on my Alien looked a little better than the couple CPRs I've had hands on. (Taxi and fish tales)

#21 6 years ago

DSA

VividPsychosis

Inactive member

Chesterfield, VA

7y 49,300 730 2

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#22 6 years ago

DKP

tezting

Inactive member

10y 54,300 1,104 1

OP
Quoted from libtech:
No, if you look at the first post, there was a little bit of chipping at the mag, in a different spot unrelated to the peeling.
Looking at it before, you couldnt tell anything was wrong, but reguardless clear should not simply lift off like this.

I understand and of course the clear should not lift. Just wanted to know.

#23 6 years ago

pipes

Inactive member

Toronto, ON

7y 72,800 1,527 11

Yikes. That's painful to look at. Seems as though it would just flake right off.

#24 6 years ago

JAR

jar155

Pinside member

North Salt Lake, UT

14y 114K 6,220 9 141

Mylar should come up VERY easy on a new game, and if it's lifting art, that's bonkers. That are should be sealed under the clearcoat, so if art lifted, you're pulling up however many layers of clearcoat AND art at the same time. If the clearcoat is that flaky, I'd be worried about the long-term viability of the playfield.

#25 6 years ago

LEJ

PinballRulez

Pinside member

13y 88,800 1,350 18

I very well hope for Heighway that these are isolated incidents. If not, this could be the beginning of the end.

#26 6 years ago

???

calprog

Pinside+ Frequent

Anaheim, CA

11y 86,550 1,477 44 36

At least you got a game. It's been 3 years and still no game. lol

#27 6 years ago

TLZ

timtim

Pinside member

9y 89,300 2,958 8 7

That makes me a sad panda

#28 6 years ago

DTY

libtech

Pinside member

12y 82,650 1,958 42

That sucks too...

#29 6 years ago

GMB

bigdaddy07

Pinside+ Frequent

O'fallon, MO

13y 106K 4,718 5 28

Vivid - How many plays do you have on that? I'm curious about some of the games that have been to shows or have possibly many more plays...how they are holding up? There really should be some protection on scoops anyway, but typically you would get some clear chipping or dented wood that slowly grows making the hole more round than square. This appears to be a case of the art just flaking off in chunks early on. Not good.

#30 6 years ago

DSA

VividPsychosis

Inactive member

Chesterfield, VA

7y 49,300 730 2

Quoted from bigdaddy07:
Vivid - How many plays do you have on that? I'm curious about some of the games that have been to shows or have possibly many more plays...how they are holding up? There really should be some protection on scoops anyway, but typically you would get some clear chipping or dented wood that slowly grows making the hole more round than square. This appears to be a case of the art just flaking off in chunks early on. Not good.

The airlock scoop is not built properly in the production game, they know about it and in future games at some point it will be changed and a cliffy will be sent from factory. It caused this in 10 games once the ball began shooting out improperly due to the welded mech being too loose and not hugging the ball enough to continue to make the ball follow the scoop curve. It shoots up and hits the metal curve and comes back down and slams the pf. It began to do this after about 50 games of it working normally.

#31 6 years ago

DLS

bigd1979

Pinside member

Hagerstown, MD

10y 137K 14,191 8 78

Quoted from VividPsychosis:
The airlock scoop is not built properly in the production game, they know about it and in future games at some point it will be changed and a cliffy will be sent from factory. It caused this in 10 games once the ball began shooting out improperly due to the welded mech being too loose and not hugging the ball enough to continue to make the ball follow the scoop curve. It shoots up and hits the metal curve and comes back down and slams the pf. It began to do this after about 50 games of it working normally.

Even so the clearcoat sldnt do what its doing.....

#32 6 years ago

GMB

bigdaddy07

Pinside+ Frequent

O'fallon, MO

13y 106K 4,718 5 28

Quoted from bigd1979:
Even so the clearcoat sldnt do what its doing.....

I agree. Hopefully they get future playfields fixed and this will just be the first run that has this issue. The cliffy will no doubt help the scoop but I worry about other areas over the long term. I do recall early WOZ playfields having similar problems. They obviously corrected it.

#33 6 years ago

PAC

PACMAN

Pinside member

San Diego, CA

11y 96,800 3,827 35

final-nail-in-coffin (resized).jpg

#34 6 years ago

PAC

PACMAN

Pinside member

San Diego, CA

11y 96,800 3,827 35

johnruskin1-2x (resized).jpg

#35 6 years ago

PAC

PACMAN

Pinside member

San Diego, CA

11y 96,800 3,827 35

Anybody else having PF issues?

#36 6 years ago

DEH

pingod

Pinside+ Frequent

Calgary, AB

12y 114K 3,584 7 14

Quoted from PACMAN:
Anybody else having PF issues?

Quoted from pinlink:
Slow down. This is the first instance of this happening AFAIK. Not a huge deal and this happens from time to time with all manufacturers as was stated earlier.
And yes, the playfields are made by Mirco, no one better IMO.
This really isn't a Heighway issue, that would be impossible to catch before sending out.

Both of my games here have issues at the magnet.
One has the art lifting under the factory mylar.
The other has no factory mylar and a chip missing around the magnet.

#37 6 years ago

DJB

delt31

Pinside+ Frequent

Pittsburgh, PA

8y 159K 12,578 13 7 1

A few months of ownership and no scoop issues however it's imperative to get cliffy otherwise it will chip.

20180107_174318 (resized).jpg

#38 6 years ago

KCS

nephasth

Pinside member

Riverton, WY

11y 71,050 1,287 6 17

Looks like that ramp sharted itself.

#39 6 years ago

DJB

delt31

Pinside+ Frequent

Pittsburgh, PA

8y 159K 12,578 13 7 1

Quoted from nephasth:
Looks like that ramp sharted itself.

haha - yeah the ramps have done that after use.

#40 6 years ago

AST

Astropin

Pinside+ Member

11y 125K 8,905

Quoted from PACMAN:
Anybody else having PF issues?

So far so good. I have Cliffys on the scoop and magnet.

#41 6 years ago

OZZ

PoMC

Pinside+ Member

10y 121K 8,836

Quoted from delt31:
haha - yeah the ramps have done that after use.

Maybe just take the ramps off and remove whatever that coating is and get them totally black?

#42 6 years ago

DJB

delt31

Pinside+ Frequent

Pittsburgh, PA

8y 159K 12,578 13 7 1

Quoted from PoMC:
Maybe just take the ramps off and remove whatever that coating is and get them totally black?

I don't like the black look as much (pref the look of it now). Unless I put my nose into the ramps, I don't even notice. I'm very happy with the entire package.

#43 6 years ago

???

kklank

Pinside+ Frequent

Glen Ellyn, IL

10y 99,050 3,484 61 1

It sounds like you were pulling up the Mylar and some cc came off the playfield.
I don't think any manufacturer would recommend us taking the factory Mylar off.
Is that what happened or am I missing something. Did the Mylar come off somehow and than you removed the mylar?
I'm confused.

#44 6 years ago

DLS

bigd1979

Pinside member

Hagerstown, MD

10y 137K 14,191 8 78

Quoted from kklank:
It sounds like you were pulling up the Mylar and some cc came off the playfield.
I don't think any manufacturer would recommend us taking the factory Mylar off.
Is that what happened or am I missing something. Did the Mylar come off somehow and than you removed the mylar?
I'm confused.

Mylar sld not pull up a proper clearcoat......

#45 6 years ago

DSA

VividPsychosis

Inactive member

Chesterfield, VA

7y 49,300 730 2

I never had Mylar on my machine from factory

#46 6 years ago

AST

Astropin

Pinside+ Member

11y 125K 8,905

Quoted from kklank:
It sounds like you were pulling up the Mylar and some cc came off the playfield.
I don't think any manufacturer would recommend us taking the factory Mylar off.
Is that what happened or am I missing something. Did the Mylar come off somehow and than you removed the mylar?
I'm confused.

There is no factory Mylar.

#47 6 years ago

DOG

Whysnow

Pinside member

12y 187K 35,339 30 1

Quoted from bigd1979:
Mylar sld not pull up a proper clearcoat......

I have seen factory mylar pull up clear and art on all era of games if not properly applied and/or frozen off with freeze spray.

1 month later

#48 6 years ago

JJJ

jonesjb

Pinside member

New York, NY

10y 118K 3,945 3 19

Any updates on this?

1 year later

#49 4 years ago

ODE

Averell

Pinside member

9y 66,050 1,754

I removed some mylar around the magnet - no issues or broken edges.
Using Cliffy's everywhere and carbon fibre at the magnet - ok.

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