Wheaton, IL
Quoted from Shapeshifter:Nice clear instructions.
Time to do a few bits of pooling on my Iron Maiden.
Good luck to you. Very simple process actually.
(Topic ID: 250333)
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Quoted from Yelobird:Still looks like new with no return and lost count how many games I have fixed at this point.
I used the process. The smell was a little unnerving but damn if it didn't work perfect...
Quoted from Shapeshifter:Nice clear instructions.
Time to do a few bits of pooling on my Iron Maiden.
How'd it go? Any tips for those about to attempt?
Quoted from kell:How'd it go? Any tips for those about to attempt?
Be conservative - a few seconds at a time and don't move side to side.
Be aware that the iron seems to get hotter the longer it is plugged in, so be careful not to overdo it.
Quoted from zaphX:Be conservative - a few seconds at a time and don't move side to side.
Be aware that the iron seems to get hotter the longer it is plugged in, so be careful not to overdo it.
Yeah that’s a strong suggestion. Plug it in when you are Ready to do the process and only do 3-4 then unplug it. Unfortunately these are not temp adjustable so you have to find that sweet spot from warm to lava cooker lol.
Quoted from Yelobird:Yeah that’s a strong suggestion. Plug it in when you are Ready to do the process and only do 3-4 then unplug it. Unfortunately these are not temp adjustable so you have to find that sweet spot from warm to lava cooker lol.
So apply the iron 3-4 times for a few seconds each time? Assuming one can tell it's enough when the coating is flat.
Quoted from kell:So apply the iron 3-4 times for a few seconds each time? Assuming one can tell it's enough when the coating is flat.
Yes per the instructions on the first page of this thread.
Quoted from Yelobird:Yes per the instructions on the first page of this thread.
Hey yelobird, do you know if anyone has used the iron on the playfield BEFORE the pooling started? I have a deposit on a GnR and am wondering if it would be a good preventative measure rather than the wait and see method. Thanks
Quoted from LukyDuck:Hey yelobird, do you know if anyone has used the iron on the playfield BEFORE the pooling started? I have a deposit on a GnR and am wondering if it would be a good preventative measure rather than the wait and see method. Thanks
My head exploded - never try to fix what isn't broken!
Quoted from Yelobird:Love the DIY creativity! As long as it works I am glad you gave it a try. Looks Great. To date I have used my little $18 iron so many times it long paid for itself. I do wish it is never again needed but glad I have it. Even fixed a few minor bubbles in some cabinet art which worked rather well.
That little iron thing is a great too. It's awesome you pioneered a fix that works for these clear pooling issues.
Quoted from zaphX:My head exploded - never try to fix what isn't broken!
I like to think of it like a cliffy or mylar. Worth a shot if it prevents the pooling in the first place and does not hurt the playfield. If they did this at the factory, then maybe it would help stop the issue from showing up in the first place. I am trying not to go down the rabbit hole.
Quoted from LukyDuck:I like to think of it like a cliffy or mylar. Worth a shot if it prevents the pooling in the first place and does not hurt the playfield. If they did this at the factory, then maybe it would help stop the issue from showing up in the first place. I am trying not to go down the rabbit hole.
I absolutely, positively, would NOT recommend heating up the playfield "just in case." I would ONLY do this on already-damaged (pooled) surface, and only in extremely careful short doses.
If you want to pyt down mylar or Titan playfield washers, that would be preventative. Applying heat will do nothing good to an undamaged clearcoat.
I am begging you NOT to do this.
Quoted from zaphX:I absolutely, positively, would NOT recommend heating up the playfield "just in case." I would ONLY do this on already-damaged (pooled) surface, and only in extremely careful short doses.
If you want to pyt down mylar or Titan playfield washers, that would be preventative. Applying heat will do nothing good to an undamaged clearcoat.
I am begging you NOT to do this.
I agree. There is no value in fixing what isn’t broken. While Yes there is an issue with some Playfields with some manufacturers the issue is Not on every one. IF the issue should pop up, trust me you Will see it within the first 50 plays, then fix away. Otherwise just be observant and Enjoy your game!
Quoted from LukyDuck:good preventative measure
Quoted from zaphX:I am begging you NOT to do this.
I knew I was forgetting something on my bi-weekly maintenance schedule:
[x] vacuum heads
[x] dust playfield glass
[x] play a game to clean the switches and shoo away the voodoo
[ ] IRON THE CLEARCOAT
Schedule fixed, thank you both for the reminder !!!
-mof
3 months later
I documented my attempt at this repair. Thanks again to Yellobird for coming up with a solution and for GorillaBiscuits pointing me to this thread.
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:I documented my attempt at this repair. Thanks again to Yellobird for coming up with a solution and for GorillaBiscuits pointing me to this thread.
Well Done! I knew you could do it and great to see you had a helper. A few reminder tips (hopefully you never need to do again).
1. On any new games or repair of any rail with fasted threaded stud Add a washer! Rails tend to vibrate side to side on impact and if they are imbedded into the art/clear they Will eventually scrape the surface off. Odd how they skip these on some areas?
2. Suggestion on using the heated iron to stay in control. The iron tends to heat up fast then get Real hot. Prepare the area, clean the area, Then plug in the iron. I continuously wave a finger over the iron waiting for it to get just hot enough but not Lava hot lol. Better to start cooler and build up then start blazing hot. After the single heat process is done, Unplug it! Mylar, washer, and assemble that area then rinse and repeat the next problem area.
3 You need to seal protect the repaired area with mylar but don't over think it. No need for fancy cutters or perfection. Use a simple Exacto knife or good scissors to cut a circle or strip to protect. As the mylar is clear you will never notice slight imperfection in circularity. We will add a mylar ring option to our website for as cheap as we can for anyone that is interested.
4 As you did successfully, Press up and down do not actually Iron side to side! If the surface gets hot to the finger touch Stop! Thats what causes the slight ring look. Unplug and wait till the area is touchable if needed.
5 Minor suggestion though not a must. These are cheap likely made in China irons. The brass iron surface is not always perfect (likely the reason for any rings) or sometimes has a sharp edge. I personally lap that face just a bit to ensure its perfect on a new iron. Place a piece of 200-600 (whatever) sand paper down on a very flat surface. Put the face of the iron down on that sand paper and slowly and evenly swirl in a circular 8 motion basically lapping that brass plate to perfect flat. Only takes a minute one time.
Again, well done and glad to see you mitigated the issue Before it turned to failure. Sad this needs to be done but it doesn't have to be the end of your pinball fun!
Quoted from Yelobird:Well Done! I knew you could do it and great to see you had a helper. A few reminder tips (hopefully you never need to do again).
5 Minor suggestion though not a must. These are cheap likely made in China irons. The brass iron surface is not always perfect (likely the reason for any rings) or sometimes has a sharp edge. I personally lap that face just a bit to ensure its perfect on a new iron. Place a piece of 200-600 (whatever) sand paper down on a very flat surface. Put the face of the iron down on that sand paper and slowly and evenly swirl in a circular 8 motion basically lapping that brass plate to perfect flat. Only takes a minute one time.
Again, well done and glad to see you mitigated the issue Before it turned to failure. Sad this needs to be done but it doesn't have to be the end of your pinball fun!
First of all, thanks!
Second, to point 5, I tried this, albeit with 2000 sandpaper just now. It took off some of the "goldish" coating. Is that OK?
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:First of all, thanks!
Second, to point 5, I tried this, albeit with 2000 sandpaper just now. It took off some of the "goldish" coating. Is that OK?
Completely fine. It's just a polished copper disk to retain heat. Just want it buttery smooth so the heat isn't focused on a single sharp edge. Really appreciate that you took the time to make a video. Very helpful to anyone considering this as it really isn't as scary as it sounds. Well done! Wish I knew how to make your post a "Key post?"
Quoted from Yelobird:Completely fine. It's just a polished copper disk to retain heat. Just want it buttery smooth so the heat isn't focused on a single sharp edge. Really appreciate that you took the time to make a video. Very helpful to anyone considering this as it really isn't as scary as it sounds. Well done!
If I could do it, anyone could do it. It's an elegant solution you came up with. Hopefully though, there will be a day soon where it's no longer needed.
Would this work in areas where the clear has "lifted" off the edge of an insert? The clear is flat but there's a tiny like a tiny bubble in-between the clear and the insert. Thanks!
Quoted from KornFreak28:Would this work in areas where the clear has "lifted" off the edge of an insert? The clear is flat but there's a tiny like a tiny bubble in-between the clear and the insert. Thanks!
Would need to see a picture to assess.
Quoted from KornFreak28:Would this work in areas where the clear has "lifted" off the edge of an insert? The clear is flat but there's a tiny like a tiny bubble in-between the clear and the insert. Thanks!
Thanks again for sharing your pictures. For anyone interested in his case the issue was more an insert ghosting type fail. Insert lowering and separating from clear. Unfortunately not something this iron solution would improve in my opinion.
As an ODD alternate use of the iron I did have an older game that had some typical pooling (whatever) around the cabinet art by the legs and amazingly this iron worked pretty well at smoothing that out. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture as I was just noodling but worth a shot for decal mending.
Quoted from Yelobird:Thanks again for sharing your pictures. For anyone interested in his case the issue was more an insert ghosting type fail. Insert lowering and separating from clear. Unfortunately not something this iron solution would improve in my opinion.
As an ODD alternate use of the iron I did have an older game that had some typical pooling (whatever) around the cabinet art by the legs and amazingly this iron worked pretty well at smoothing that out. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture as I was just noodling but worth a shot for decal mending.
Thanks!
I had already committed before all this shit happened. If I had seen it before I never would have signed on for GnR. I swear though and I know I will get slammed for saying this but if you have a game that this happened to you have got to be crazy to buy another game form JJP, especially if he doesnt make good on it.
Quoted from VillaThrills:Jack himself told me they would not honor any warranty as this was normal wear.
Serriously? What a fucking prick.
Quoted from Yelobird:Well done! Wish I knew how to make your post a "Key post?"
Help is on the way
Quoted from zr11990:Serriously? What a fucking prick.
I’m lost. Why are you replying to YEAR old posts??? Did I miss something?
Quoted from Yelobird:I’m lost. Why are you replying to YEAR old posts??? Did I miss something?
The last 9-10 posts are recent.
Quoted from zr11990:The last 9-10 posts are recent.
The one you replied to and about was over a year old. I was just confused by your post.
2 weeks later
Quoted from nicoy3k:Any concerns doing this method on a NIB game with a 2018 build date? Will it work if the clear has had 3 years to cure?
New process here and a some unknowns we will likely only know from experimentation is my guess. I have done an early Wonka that was well over a year old from production and likely the playfield was processed more like 2 years old but in that example the repair turned out just as if it was new when done. Key is to address it Before any ripping or chipping of the art. Can't give you a guarantee but will say I would safely do it and my guess is it would look better.
Quoted from Yelobird:New process here and a some unknowns we will likely only know from experimentation is my guess. I have done an early Wonka that was well over a year old from production and likely the playfield was processed more like 2 years old but in that example the repair turned out just as if it was new when done. Key is to address it Before any ripping or chipping of the art. Can't give you a guarantee but will say I would safely do it and my guess is it would look better
New process here and a some unknowns we will likely only know from experimentation is my guess. I have done an early Wonka that was well over a year old from production and likely the playfield was processed more like 2 years old but in that example the repair turned out just as if it was new when done. Key is to address it Before any ripping or chipping of the art. Can't give you a guarantee but will say I would safely do it and my guess is it would look better.
Thanks, how have you addressed ball guides jammed into clear? Same method? Iron, Mylar, washer to lift off playfield?
Quoted from nicoy3k:Thanks, how have you addressed ball guides jammed into clear? Same method? Iron, Mylar, washer to lift off playfield?
Similar. Remove rail, repair like post, apply cut strip of mylar, then the key is to install a metal washer under the metal guide mounts to keep the rail off the wood.
Quoted from nicoy3k:Can confirm this worked on a 3 year old NIB play field
Awesome congrats! Never fun to do unnecessary repairs but glad it worked out for you. Well done.
1 month later
Quoted from Yelobird:Time to re-assemble the whole mess! Do note I added a small washer to the back post and recommend the Same on any small diameter post as I believe there is simple to much applied pressure for that small a footprint. Just make sure to put the more radiused side of the washer down not the sharp edge side. Very Important!! Screw the posts in with your fingers NOT a big wrench! When you tighten the top plastic down with the nylon nuts it will be More than tight enough. Less is More! As you can kind of see in the final photos the end result is rather spotless. After a few weeks of observation I have not seen Any deflection or change. Possibly (assumed) the iron is actually heat setting the clear in that area which hopefully minimizes the chance of this crap coming back!
I do hope this helps those that are plagued but this unfortunate event. It truly sucks and is no doubt a blow to this rather Expensive hobby. Let me know if you have questions. I will report back if I see Any change to this repair. On to the Next Flippen game!!![quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Great job. Do u think a heat would a heat gun would work?
Quoted from Av8:Great job. Do u think a heat would a heat gun would work?
I would NOT try a heat gun. WAY too easy to mess up your playfield IMO. The way Yelobird outlines really is the most foolproof method.
Vancouver, BC
Quoted from Av8:Great job. Do u think a heat would a heat gun would work?
I have a done over a dozen PFs with the heat gun and it worked great.
Quoted from Av8:Great job. Do u think a heat would a heat gun would work?
Guess that experiment would be on you. I personally fear that would cause additional issues in the surrounding area. Applying heat Directly to the issue is much easier to control and I have yet to have an issue and the final result has solved any issues I have come across. Good luck.
Quoted from Aquapin:I have a done over a dozen PFs with the heat gun and it worked great.
It CAN be done, it's just far more risky, especially in less skilled hands.
3 weeks later
Quoted from Brkuk:Could someone post a link to the clear washers?? I found the mylar washers. And which is better Mylar, titan or clear washers?? And what sizes??
3/4"
https://www.pinballlife.com/clear-petg-fender-washers.html
I haven't done the repair yet myself, but I have these coming in and I've got my iron at the ready. I've heard that people have the most success with these clear washers from pinball life.
Quoted from Brkuk:Could someone post a link to the clear washers?? I found the mylar washers. And which is better Mylar, titan or clear washers?? And what sizes??
I have only used Mylar washers on my repairs and never had an issue. As the attempted repair from the OEM was to supply hard washers on new games installed there still seem to be reports of issues so I just stick with repair and Mylar. Good luck.
Melbourne
Quoted from Shmilder:Can someone post a link to the iron. I'm in Australia but can't find one anywhere, here or international.
Permatex 81781 Ultra Series Vinyl and Leather Repair Kit https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0007TQWK6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_X7YWYMG9REFWEBY0CSB5
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