I can't really get my PF done with autoclear so I am thinking of trying the polyurethane method after sanding and then using a https://www.playfield-protectors.com/ on top of the overlay... anyone tried that route?

Speaking of Classic Arcades overlay. Anyone want to buy a Flash Gordon overlay? $75 shipped to USA.
PS. I had an Xenon that was done by Jeff and it looked great for 10 years and many games on it.

This was my Xenon done by Jeff himself. This picture was from when I sold it a couple years ago. The overlay had been on for over 10 years with a couple hundred plays on it. Actually it was the nicest Xenon playfield I've eve seen in person. Even though I'm not a huge fan of the overlays (Colors are not the greatest) I'll have to admit that they do work and last and back when they first came out it was the only option if you had a trashed playfield.

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Here is another picture of it. There is no glass on the playfield. The reflection is from the playfield itself. Beautiful!!

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I has some shitty results from Classic Arcade overlays also. Leveled all inserts, sanded perfectly flat, waited weeks before applying the overlay. The registration was horrible to put it nicely. All black key lines bubbled up. Nowhere else, only the key lines. I did not clear over it because there was no way I was locking that crap in there. I am not sure how clearing over the overlay would solve any issues because your clear is only as good as what it is adhering to. Junk...

Bought his stencils and other stuff. All junk!!

Its a shame to because the colors are absolutely beautiful. Even with some missing shading. Very vibrant colors and sharp lines, at least on the over lay I got. Everything else about it is crap though. I think he almost has something its just not quite refined and it appears as though he has no intentions of refining it any further. There seems to be too much inconsistency. There is the Xenon here, the guy who started this post and literally everything in between.

He's got the license from PPS. He make some ok stuff, but mostly crap.

I agree. He gave me two slingshot plastics which look fine to me. I guess he was anticipating me being unhappy with the overlay

Drop target decals are pretty good also. Same way with his pop bumper caps and drop targets.

This I can agree with to a point. And not trying to blame anyone but I look at it this way. My Xenon was spot on except for a few color sades and some registration. Durability of overlay was tested for a decade with it still looking like new. I've know several people that have done many of these over the years with good results. But there are also many people with bad results.
So is it the product or the application processes or materials used during the application that is causing the problem?
As you stated on your application the "All black key lines bubbled up. Nowhere else, only the key lines." This would have been caused by a chemical reaction. Did you clear the bare playfield? If you did, what clear did you use?

It was cleared with a water based varathane. A chemical reaction that only effected the key lines? unlikely. It seems more to me that the issue would be in the way it was printed maybe, I am not really sure. It just seems odd that it would only be the key lines and not just random bubbling across the playfield.

When I sanded the light board of my Jackbot I used Triple Thick on the back to make it look nice and it took a month to get hard and it still isn't that hard 6 months later.

I'd get one of those playfield protectors and drop it on top before it gets worse.

Without a clearcoat layer, it's going to have the wear characteristics of a sticker... Because it's a sticker.

If the lifted areas are not addressed first any type of overlay would be pointless.

I think if you clearcoat before the overlay is put on and then after the overlay is installed, it would act the same way as a decal. But I have not done it myself to prove it yet. Honestly, these stickers are not an option for me. I don't think they are solid enough to hold up long term. Especially with High Speed. A hardtop is a better alternative.

I know I've heard that same reasoning before but, it just doesn't seem logical to me. I mean if you clear coat then overlay and CC again it changes the outcome????? I could see it perhaps slowing the process down but if an adhesion problem occurs it will transfer right through the CC that was applied on top. Seems it would be no different than painting over loose paint, looks good for a while but, eventually the loose paint releases damaging or taking the new with it. I guess I can't see the results being better than the base you start with.

Let me say these are not the best overlays but sometimes are the only option. I have done several of these and here is what I've discovered. The vinyl is very easy to stretch. If you stretch it during install it will wrinkle over time. You have to try and get every drop of water out from under the overlay or it will cause problems. I always sand the original PF smooth and apply Rustoleum Acrylic lacquer and let cure several days before applying the overlay. Once the overlay is applied it needs to set several days to a week before repopulating. Don't overtighten the posts. The last couple I've used the clear playfield protector and had great results. I have never cleared over an overlay because I am suspect of the ink and figured it wouldn't hold up to the clear. I have seen ones that are cleared but never tried it myself.

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Read all of this with interest. Did my own overlay on a beat Space Invaders years ago. After having it produced by a local sign house, I prepped the field by sanding flat and then doing several coats of a quality polyurethane laid on by foam brush. I let the final coat dry for a week before a light sanding to give the overlay adhesive something to grab onto. I applied wet with NO soap, just continuous misting from a spray bottle. (Full disclosure, I was a vinyl sign guy for a few years and prefer this to dry application every time.) The trick at this point is to fully squeegee out the water. Usually I use a 6" plastic squeegee with a soft microfiber cover to avoid scratches. Once it was completely flat I let it set out of the sun for a few days to make sure all the moisture evaporated out. (Heat will make the vinyl adhesive want to curl.)

When it was done I made my own 3mm acrylic overlay to protect it. (I'm not an autoclear guy.) It is beautiful and plays like a dream. The only trouble I have had is after so many plays the ball traveling off the flippers pushed down hard enough on the acrylic that it has moved the overlay towards the top of the play field just enough to bunch it up at the horse shoe. I had to strip down that part of the playfield, trim off the bunched up part and then reassemble.

I did not overlay the shooter lane. I left that natural with the poly clear on it and cut a dovetail where the ball runs into the overlay. The only way people can tell is if they notice all of the inserts are opaque white.

Shawn

Before -
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During -
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After -
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So here's my HS story. I worked on my pin in the garage and sanded my PF down. Most was down to bare wood in the main PF. After sanding I applied sticker DRY straight to sanded PF. No problems lining up sticker. I didn't apply anything on top of PF but I did put down a PF protector on top of sticker instead of clear coat. So bare wood, sticker, PF protector. Looked great for weeks. Never left the garage. Several months past still in the garage looking good. I moved the pin to a new location. Put in the back of a pickup truck and drove 2 hours mid day approx 80 degrees out. Took HS out and set up to notice that the PF exposed to the sun wrinkled so bad it is unplayable with PF protector on. So in 2 hours in the back of a truck it wrinkled so bad it was unplayable. Contacted Jeff and he said 'this has never happened before' and would send me a new one. Almost sounded upset that I mentioned what had happened. Once I received the new sticker, I tried to contact him with his suggestions to install and he never responded.

update: been a few months. Still no response from Jeff and now entire PF is wrinkled. Going to try clear coat PF first before applying sticker. Not sure if I would need to clear coat on top of sticker if using PF protector.

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This is pretty much what i would expect would happen if the overlay sticker isnt locked down by clearcoat on both sides, underneath and over the top. they are just too stretchy and fragile.

I did a Hardtop on my Evel Knievel and it is awesome. Would highly recommend them
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If I were you, I'd sell the replacement sticker, then use the funds to buy the upcoming HS Hardtop.

The overlays that I have used in the past are printed on clear film & then cold laminated for wear protection (my printer). A lot of work also involved applying masking to spray white gloss base. Overlays applied wet for best fit. I believe some overlays in the past from others had the lenses printed white or color. The light would still go through a little reduced.

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I agree, loving my hardtop. Pretty sure I'll never have any bubbling problems. Would be crazy to do an overlay on a machine that has a hardtop coming out any time soon.

I just did this exact thing. Sold my Classic Arcades overlay for a whopping $50 just to get some cash out of it and bought a hard top.

It seems crazy, but people spend $400 on an aftermarket topper, so......

Dear Pingurus!

Could somebody help me to answer couple of important questions about classicarcade overlay installation?

There are no holes on the overlay for switches, drop targets, slingshoots, bumpers etc.
Should i cut the holes before or after the installation?
What tools needed for that scissors, scalpel ?

How have you set the overlay to match the inserts, holes?
I have heard i need to use a strong light from the bottom side to lit the insert becouse the overlay is not transparent.
I have red all the articles on pinside but i have not found the answer just the end result what many times is a failure.

Now i know is a good idea no to use it but in this case i will use this one anyway there is no Hardtop for my Gorgar so far...

Thanks in advance!

I apply my overlays wet to playfield & backside of overlay. Spray bottle of water & drop of liquid soap. I always try to adjust to bottom & middle lenses. I use a tiny exacto to cut lanes, GI holes, wood cut outs, etc.

so its not just me!!! .first one the grey was green , second one wrinkled to shit . ended up buying a gold CPR TAF p/f .to be fair he did refund me . I guess he just makes money on the people who don't say anything. anyone want a whiteboard TAF p/f