(Topic ID: 112080)

EM playfield restorers: How would you deal with this?

By DK

9 years ago


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    #1 9 years ago

    How do you fix/eliminate stressed wood? Ball swirls? How would you attack an EM playfield that's dirty? I feel like no matter how much elbow grease I put on these games I just don't get deep enough...

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    #2 9 years ago

    Cool, Neptune...

    You've already tried magic eraser on some of that? Unless that dirt has been coated with something/sealed in, it sure does look like it would clean up a lot more.

    #3 9 years ago

    Yep. Magic eraser and alcohol. Be careful though.

    #4 9 years ago

    Magic eraser will probably strip off the thin layer of clear coating and also the paint if you're not careful. You'll also have to be prepared to put a layer of clear coat on the playfield to protect the paint, or it will wear down to the wood in no time at all.

    #5 9 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    Magic eraser will probably strip off the thin layer of clear coating and also the paint if you're not careful. You'll also have to be prepared to put a layer of clear coat on the playfield to protect the paint, or it will wear down to the wood in no time at all.

    Again, no clear on that game...

    #6 9 years ago

    YUP. ME and alcohol. That does look like it isn't too deep, I've seen much worse. You'll have to work at it, but that should get a definite improvement, don't expect perfect. Stop periodically and check the magic eraser for signs of paint color transferring to the ME. The second you any see color on the eraser STOP! ...you are losing paint, and that's as good as it is going to get. If you are not going to clear coat, then just hand paste wax and she's good to go, make sure you install a new ball.

    #7 9 years ago

    Multiple dittos ↑
    Clay has a good tutorial on it. → http://www.pinrepair.com/restore/index3.htm#me

    #8 9 years ago

    When magic eraser isn't enough or a playfield is too worn, I meticulously repaint the artwork and clear coat the playfield. This can be a TON of work, but if it's a game you care about, it's the only way to truly restore a playfield without a repro being available.

    #9 9 years ago

    The dirt that gets trapped in ball swirls and in the woodgrain can be horribly stubborn. Using Magic Eraser and Isopropyl alcohol produces results, but it takes patience. The temptation is to push down and scrub harder. Don't! You can't hurry this dirt extraction. Go slowly, gently, and repetitively.

    I wipe in the same basic direction of the ball swirl's path or in line with the woodgrain. I don't push hard. I vary the angle of attack by a few degrees, but try to stay in line with how the dirt is embedded. I finish each wiping motion with a slight lift, like I'm scooping out the filth. I then reverse directions, doing the same motions the other way. After a minute or two of repetition on one spot, the dirt starts to fade. Results will vary. Sometimes all the dirt comes out. Sometimes you can only diminish its prominence.

    Other things I recommend:

    Get Isopropyl that's at least 91% (or higher) alcohol. Don't soak the Magic Eraser with it. Even though it is fast-evaporating, an abundance of this solution can still soak into the wood and raise the grain.

    Cut the Magic Eraser into smaller rectangular pieces. Working with smaller pieces helps you see what you're cleaning and be more precise in your motions. It also conserves Magic Eraser.

    Like others have said, check your progress. You only want to see dirt on the Magic Eraser.

    #10 9 years ago
    Quoted from EMsInKC:

    Again, no clear on that game...

    What?

    #11 9 years ago

    He's just being a purist and telling people what to do with their games.

    FWIW you can clearcoat a game without making it look like wet glass if you don't want that look for your EM.

    #12 9 years ago
    Quoted from EMsInKC:

    Again, no clear on that game...

    Clear or no clear. Several coats of a good quality wax will protect the playfield. It won't wear down to bare wood ever if you keep it waxed and install a new polished pinball periodically. Clear coat it if you must, but it really isn't necessary.

    #13 9 years ago

    He means it doesn't have the modern automotive type clear coat on it. (But it does have the original clear lacquer coat of course.)

    #14 9 years ago
    Quoted from Aurich:

    He's just being a purist and telling people what to do with their games.
    FWIW you can clearcoat a game without making it look like wet glass if you don't want that look for your EM.

    Quoted from jrpinball:

    Clear or no clear. Several coats of a good quality wax will protect the playfield. It won't wear down to bare wood ever if you keep it waxed and install a new polished pinball periodically. Clear coat it if you must, but it really isn't necessary.

    Quoted from DirtFlipper:

    He means it doesn't have the modern automotive type clear coat on it. (But it does have the original clear lacquer coat of course.)

    Clear as mud!

    #15 9 years ago
    Quoted from leckmeck:

    Clear as mud!

    There was a factory topcoat applied over the artwork originally.

    If you clean the playfield with alcohol and ME, you will remove this factory topcoat.

    At that point, the ball will be wearing directly against the paint itself.

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration/page/19#post-1762257

    -

    Now should you decide to put an automotive clear coat over the cleaned paint surface, you may want to choose a less glossy final buffing.

    Or you can buff it out to full mirror, and at a latter date, knock the finish back to a duller sheen with Rottenstone.

    The choice is yours. The cleared playfield can be buffed or de-glossed at any time in the future.

    #16 9 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    If you clean the playfield with alcohol and ME, you will remove this factory topcoat.

    I have found this to be true on some more than others. To me it is an indication that they used different kinds of top coats back in the day.

    #17 9 years ago

    Some very good reading and an education written by my friend Mark Clayton.

    http://arcadearchive.com/pinball/magic/

    #18 9 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    There was a factory topcoat applied over the artwork originally.
    If you clean the playfield with alcohol and ME, you will remove this factory topcoat.
    At that point, the ball will be wearing directly against the paint itself.
    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration/page/19#post-1762257
    -
    Now should you decide to put an automotive clear coat over the cleaned paint surface, you may want to choose a less glossy final buffing.
    Or you can buff it out to full mirror, and at a latter date, knock the finish back to a duller sheen with Rottenstone.
    The choice is yours. The cleared playfield can be buffed or de-glossed at any time in the future.

    On a lot of these playfields, a lot of that original top coat is already gone. It was a lacquer coating, certainly not a clear coat in the modern sense and certainly nowhere as thick or durable.

    I'm all for clearing a playfield if it's absolutely necessary. I'm far from a purist. But it's not necessary in most cases unless you have a ton of touchups all the way up to almost a complete repaint.

    #19 9 years ago

    as others have suggested, a little bit of me and alcohol (and PATIENCE) will clean that right up...

    then wax the crap out of it and play it...

    #20 9 years ago

    Keep in mind when you strip the whole PF and look at it under bright lights for the purpose of finding things you will see every little defect. Once you have the glass on with the PF lights on and are playing you see considerably less. Be mindful of going that little bit extra that in the long run may cost you a lot of extra time for what may never have been seen in the first place.

    When cleaning with a ME it pays off to clean the PF with a simple rag and alcohol before you break out the ME. You don't want to take off more that you need to and you'd be surprised at how much comes off with just a rag and alcohol.

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