Short answer: you can't. The answer is to mask off the area you want to clear, cover everything else to avoid overspray, and spray. You're never going to get satisfactory results with a brush.

how about varathane in a rattle can?

Varathane really dulls the colors.

2 part auto clear makes colors pop like the game is brand new.

... I defer to vid's superior knowledge. no snarky.

can you get auto clear in a can, vid? Pardon my extreme ignorance, i always thought auto clear needed to be shot through a gun and was advising the varathane as a way around getting a bunch of equipment.

edit: i see you can but do you advise rattle can auto clear? I assume "no".

I've never used it, so I don't have any recommendation about it.

I have heard people say they had spectacular results.

I am curious about this as well. I'd love to add a layer of clear to just the shooter lane on my TZ, but I don't know enough to dare trying. Would love to hear if it's possible and, if so, how.

So far the Spraymax 2K playfield that I did has held up no problem, I think it's safe to endorse as a "newbie friendly" option, provided that people understand the prep work they still need to do, and follow proper safety procedures.

A painting pad (pad bristles are about 1/8") works very well for applying poly. Works better for oil based, I learned this trick many years ago to apply oil poly to interior smooth wood doors. I have done several playfields with one and water poly. Thinning water based poly helps get a smoother application. The flow/leveling of the water poly will vary based upon the air temperature and humidity levels

Hi, I have used a foam brush for clear coat applications. The key to getting the right results is sanding smooth and applying multiple coats, and a final sand and polish pass. I could see this being difficult without at least removing all upper playfield parts.

I used rattle cans of varathane in the past but was very unsatisfied with how dull it became. Using Polycrylic and a foam brush gives the paint a wet look.

The OP should remove the topside playfield parts. I did 5 playfields, 3 of them upon final application of poly I was done, Leveled out nearly perfect. the other 2 did need a light sanding and polishing. Variations in temp. and humidity. All did require some block sanding between coats to level inserts/low touch up areas.

At the car parts store a while ago I saw a kit so you can spray any kind of paint that doesn't come in a rattle can. Looked interesting but I didn't try it.

You know what I did on my Gorgar with a couple minor touch ups. I got Wipe on Polyuerathane. you can get it in most hardware stores. You just wet a rag with it and rub or wipe it on the playfield with a smooth lint free rag. It came out nice and smooth. I did a couple coats then let it dry then a couple coats of wax. Worked great. Also works great for the ball trough area. The good thing is with this method it's really easy to control and you never get too much in one area, no brush marks, or you simply whipe it again to smooth it out. For spot touchups it's a great way to do it.

http://www.worldpaintsupply.com/minwax-60910-qt-satin-wipe-on-poly/

Tom

Poly turns yellow, so you would not want to use it on any painted surfaces (unless it was the effect you are looking for).

Here's a link to very detailed instructions on repairing/clearcoating a shooter lane from Allen Shope of Treasure Cove. Very helpful, especially if you have no experience. Good luck!

http://www.treasure-cove.net/ShooterLaneRepair.htm

Thanks! That almost looks like something even I could do. I have an old Bally ST playfield, so I can practice on that before I attempt to do anything to the precious TZ.

Clear in a rattle can is not made for using as a base coat. It is made for touch up and or initial coating. Rattle cans are 80% -90% air and about 10-20% solids the auto clear rattle can product. The reason you want to spray is auto clear when sprayed from a gun is 80-90% solids. Very little air.

You can get amazing results with a cheap gun and a cheap compressor. Much better then anything else mentioned here.

I've gotten better results with foam brushes than regular ones, but not on pinball machine pf's. "brushmarks" are much smaller and more consistent with the foam, so less work sanding to smooth. sixpakmopar's suggestions look VERY good to me, a thinned water poly is going to dry a little slower to lay down better smoother. homebrood's method is same as I usually go for LOTS of very thin even coats, it's tedious to getting to thick but it can deliver really smooth results. the thin coats dry fairly quick, they still need good cure time between them to avoid gumming up. you might also consider an airbrush for something like this, pretty tight control and very little-small overspray issues, maybe also allowing better quality clearcoat products. masking could be more minimal and easier too. no doubt about spraying being the better method for both better products and results.

I love post like this, I learn so much.

Most if not all automotive paints/clears are meant to be diluted with a specific thinner for spray. They are not intended to be sprayed directly out of the can without adding the proportionate amount of thinner/reducer/ etc.
Here is a picture of the time warp playfield section. Not a complete picture of it because I lost the better ones when a computer crashed. Varathane water poly applied with a painting pad with Nothing done after the final coat other than a few coats of wax.100_6702.jpg

Auto clears are ready to shoot right from the cans.

Nobody uses them in a brush-on application, so they don't need thinning for HVLP guns.

youll probably really like the results with airbrush after some practicing. I really liked the single button double action paasche I used to play with, pressing down rocking forward-back was full control of air and paint spray mix, it takes some practice to get the feel. theyre such useful handy and inexpensive toys to have around for all kinds of little stuff, touchups, details etc. I oughtta pick up another, my last one was a couple decades ago, ouch.

For the file