Heat the area up with a heat gun being careful not to over heat it. Go slow and don't get too close. Once it is properly heated up it will relax. Then carefully squeegie it back down. If the adhesive underneath has been too badly compromised and it wont go back down then go to home Depot and get a can of Super 77 3M spray adhesive and spray some onto a piece of paper and use a popsickle stick or something to that effect to get some adhesive behind it while it's up. Let it site for about 2 or 3 mins and then heat again and squeegie back down. Or you can use a strip of thin 2way tape instead of the Spray but it might be a little more noticeable through the decal depending on how thick the decal is.
Wow, thank you very much for such a thorough response. Will do over Thanksgiving. I have used the "pin, prick, squeegee" method for bubbles. This is a completely different beast. Thank you for your help!
If you know how to cleanly use superglue epoxy, first secure the lift with 3M as mentioned, then use Loctite Superglue Professional to seal the edge seam. It will never lift again and be resistant to damage.
Looks like the cabinet wasn't prepped correctly before the decals were done? I believe these were originally screen printed...
Were the decals just thrown over the old art?
Quoted from bigd1979:Looks like the cabinet wasn't prepped correctly before the decals were done? I believe these were originally screen printed...
Were the decals just thrown over the old art?
I dont know :/...the seller told me he had just put new decals on. He's a fellow pinsider who's been here for a while, so I didn't ask too many questions. Whoops.....
Quoted from jasong78:I'm wondering if they where retro refurb decals
Not sure what that matters. Based on the pictures, it looks like there was a substantial amount of binding at the area where the decal lifted. This is evidenced by the way the shrink wrap looks frayed. It looks like it was ratchet strapped in that spot and it caused the decal to stretch. Op, was the shrink wrap like that or did you tear it like that? If you did, then I'm wrong about binding. Either way, that decal got stretched somehow. The only thing I can see is (aside from the shitty blue paint job splashed on the bottom) it doesn't look like the blue paint on the sides was lightly sanded to knocked down the gloss and give the decal something to bite. Heat is really the only way to get a decal that distorted and stretched back in place.
Quoted from SUPERBEE:Heat the area up with a heat gun being careful not to over heat it. Go slow and don't get too close. Once it is properly heated up it will relax. Then carefully squeegie it back down. If the adhesive underneath has been too badly compromised and it wont go back down then go to home Depot and get a can of Super 77 3M spray adhesive and spray some onto a piece of paper and use a popsickle stick or something to that effect to get some adhesive behind it while it's up. Let it site for about 2 or 3 mins and then heat again and squeegie back down. Or you can use a strip of thin 2way tape instead of the Spray but it might be a little more noticeable through the decal depending on how thick the decal is.
This worked well for me. I was able to minimize, but not completely get rid of, decal wrinkling around my JD legs.
I installed Stern metal leg protectors, and with some careful cutting, the wrinkling isn't as noticeable.
Quoted from jasong78:Just check mime , they are screen printed . I'm wondering if they where retro refurb decals
The decals are fine but looks like the cabinet wasn't prepped correctly before they were installed...
Quoted from xTheBlackKnightx:If you know how to cleanly use superglue epoxy, first secure the lift with 3M as mentioned, then use Loctite Superglue Professional to seal the edge seam. It will never lift again and be resistant to damage
The problem with this is you had better be sure that the decal is not ever going to lift again in from the edge or your kinda screwed putting it back down again.
Quoted from Skins:it doesn't look like the blue paint on the sides was lightly sanded to knocked down the gloss and give the decal something to bite.
Actually, decals adhere better to a glossier surface.
Quoted from Skins:Heat is really the only way to get a decal that distorted and stretched back in place.
Yup, only way.
why are there decals on this game to begin with? All DE games are screen printed? This is why you never ever want to put decals on a cabinet, unless it's absolutely trashed. Original cabinet with minor blemishes and scratches, is more valuable than a perfect decalled cabinet. Because decals are fragile as shit.
could be, but I like to put the warning out there, for the anal people that thinking decalling a cabinet due to minor imperfections, is the answer. You actually devalue your game unless the game is so faded you can't read it anymore. Or it looks like it was dragged behind a truck. Everything else, you are usually better off touching it up and leaving it as original as you can.
Only exception to this rule is games that pieces of shit decals done at the factory.
Like
Shadow
AFM
MB
Atlantis
and games like that. But there are not many out there that have them.
Quoted from Mudflaps:It's a LW3. I don't think there's a whole lot that can devalue the game any more.
Hey...hey...hey!! I like the game, thank you...!
I'll revisit this thread when I get home. I'm currently at work.
Quoted from CaptainNeo:could be, but I like to put the warning out there, for the anal people that thinking decalling a cabinet due to minor imperfections, is the answer. You actually devalue your game unless the game is so faded you can't read it anymore. Or it looks like it was dragged behind a truck. Everything else, you are usually better off touching it up and leaving it as original as you can.
Devalue is not a term well understood in this hobby.
That is not going to stop the train of the current collectors to HEP out every single game they own, if feasible.
Applies greatly to EM and early SS cabinets as well, you don't need to restencil everything, just fix bare wood areas.
There are more and more games being ruined every day for miniscule reasons.
Their is value in vintage, not just showroom "new".
Museums don't want new repainted games, they want originals.
Dealers don't want HEP games, they want originals.
The same goes candy coated, LED retina burning games.
Which repainted Mystic cabinet do owners like better below?
At what point will people even know the difference of what was original and what was redone?
484474_10151136714381617_2052848198_n (resized).jpg
Mystic2 (resized).jpg
Quoted from CaptainNeo:could be, but I like to put the warning out there, for the anal people that thinking decalling a cabinet due to minor imperfections, is the answer. You actually devalue your game unless the game is so faded you can't read it anymore. Or it looks like it was dragged behind a truck. Everything else, you are usually better off touching it up and leaving it as original as you can.
Only exception to this rule is games that pieces of shit decals done at the factory.
Like
Shadow
AFM
MB
Atlantis
and games like that. But there are not many out there that have them.
Were most afm decaled? Mine seems to be screened
Quoted from bigd1979:Were most afm decaled? Mine seems to be screened
They WERE screened. Direct on wood. At least the 15 or so I've restored were.
Quoted from NPO:Hey...hey...hey!! I like the game, thank you...!
I'll revisit this thread when I get home. I'm currently at work.
Just giving you shit. I love me some LW3. Okay okay okay
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:They WERE screened. Direct on wood. At least the 15 or so I've restored were.
well directly screened on vinyl coated wood, if I recall.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:They WERE screened. Direct on wood. At least the 15 or so I've restored were.
were they? I thought they had the leg wrinkle problems. Must be thinking of something else.
and yes, B/W were screened on vinyl covered wood. but the bond of that vinyl is as good as screening direct to wood like DE did.
Quoted from CaptainNeo:were they? I thought they had the leg wrinkle problems. Must be thinking of something else.
Nope just always faded....
Quoted from volcanodiver:well directly screened on vinyl coated wood, if I recall.
Nope. No vinyl either. Not sure why when so many before it were. I stripped one about 2 months ago. Nothing but ink.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:Nope. No vinyl either. Not sure why when so many before it were. I stripped one about 2 months ago. Nothing but ink.
I'll have to look at mine, I'm pretty sure its on vinyl. but I haven't sanded any down so you have way more experience than me.
Quoted from CaptainNeo:really? Thought B/W were always vinyl base for smoothness, then screened.
The truth about AFM,SS and MM as well as a few other games is that they are direct screened right to the wood (no vinyl at all) for some reason they are more fragile than the vinyl games and chip or peel far too easily.
Try sticking a piece of tape to one.
Fade is one thing,flaking is another.
Definitely not arguing with Chris or Bryan as they have done way more afm's (and would know better than I do) than the two I have done but I would have sworn I was sanding first through the ink then laminated vinyl. I get little tiny bits of plastic spitting off the sander. I assumed that was the vinyl I was chewing off. Learn something new everyday.IMG_5908 (resized).JPG
Quoted from Skins:Definitely not arguing with Chris or Bryan as they have done way more afm's (and would know better than I do) than the two I have done but I would have sworn I was sanding first through the ink then laminated vinyl. I get little tiny bits of plastic spitting off the sander. I assumed that was the vinyl I was chewing off. Learn something new everyday.
All you have to do is take a heat gun and putty knife to it. You can tell real fast if it's vinyl or not.
Quoted from Skins:Definitely not arguing with Chris or Bryan as they have done way more afm's (and would know better than I do) than the two I have done but I would have sworn I was sanding first through the ink then laminated vinyl. I get little tiny bits of plastic spitting off the sander. I assumed that was the vinyl I was chewing off. Learn something new everyday.
I understand the confusion the white layer on there is a primer not a vinyl like you find on say an IJ or TZ.
The white stuff on games like AFM feathers (and flakes) but leaves no glue behind.
learning new stuff all the time. This is good stuff to know. Not that i'm going to be doing cabinets anytime soon, but good to know for future reference.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:All you have to do is take a heat gun and putty knife to it. You can tell real fast if it's vinyl or not.
Well I'll never find out then because I abhor dealing with glue residu.
I sanded through a whitewater that seemed to have the same white backing that afm had IMG_0107 (resized).JPG
Quoted from Skins:Well I'll never find out then because I abhor dealing with glue residu.
I sanded through a whitewater that seemed to have the same white backing the afm had.
It is not the same stuff.AFM has no glue.WH2O does.
See the spot near the hinge bolt. The gray stuff it is glue.
Yeah. I see the difference. I posted that before your reply. Thanks for clarifying. Totally makes sense now.
Same white primer on an AFM with a paint scraper and heat gun just prior to going at it with an orbital sander.
From memory out of the late model machines from Bally Williams, only MB and CC had actual cabinet decals due to industrial action at the time by their main cabinet supplier Lenc Smith. The first 100 or so MB have screened artwork as the strike action happened just as MB was being manufactured but the rest are decals. That's why most original MB and CC you see have wrinkling around the legs.
Plus they made separate standalone cabinet decals as well for the conversion kits for SWE1 and RFM.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:All you have to do is take a heat gun and putty knife to it. You can tell real fast if it's vinyl or not.
Exactly !!
Glue remover + heat gun / hair dryer + putty knife. For one it will go fast, 2) it will be easier to remove the excess glue left on the wood surface, 3) will go throught alot less sand paper
NOTE: To remove decals not fix.
So, I have read through the responses, and needless to say, I'll be doing this over Thanksgiving weekend. Hopefully, I can fix this.
To those who wondered, the game came like this. It was shipped with the legs on, and another Pinsider and myself were very careful to load it up into my vehicle and into my home correctly.
I have already gotten a good number of air bubbles out of the decals. With the knowledge shared here, I am sure I can fix the decal. I'll keep everyone posted once it's done. Thank you to those who posted very helpful information!
Quoted from NPO:So, I have read through the responses, and needless to say, I'll be doing this over Thanksgiving weekend. Hopefully, I can fix this.
To those who wondered, the game came like this. It was shipped with the legs on, and another Pinsider and myself were very careful to load it up into my vehicle and into my home correctly.
I have already gotten a good number of air bubbles out of the decals. With the knowledge shared here, I am sure I can fix the decal. I'll keep everyone posted once it's done. Thank you to those who posted very helpful information!
Good luck and feel free to pm me with any questions. Ive been doing vinyl application professionally for 25 years. Trust me, i know my shit.
Quoted from jasong78:Just check mime , they are screen printed . I'm wondering if they where retro refurb decals
They're definitely not ours. Our decals don't have a white backing.
Quoted from RetroRefurbs:They're definitely not ours. Our decals don't have a white backing.
You just say that because you know Rick is trolling !! lol
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