(Topic ID: 224188)

Has anyone ever used a playfield protector from playfield-protectors

By Rewdood

5 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 74 posts
  • 42 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by PinNin
  • Topic is favorited by 6 Pinsiders

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    There are 74 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 2.
    #51 4 years ago

    I installed one once to protect a NIB machine. It does affect the game play and you may or may not like it. I personally didn't like it. Even with it fresh and clean... a spinning ball has very different physics when running on the protector vs. clear-coat. I would't bother on a new clean playfield... its a great option for a worn playfield.

    Installation can be a lot of work... depending upon the machine.

    #52 4 years ago
    Quoted from northerndude:

    The protectors (or at least mine anyway) was shipped in a roll in a tube.

    it's really hard to get them flat sometimes after they've been rolled. I tossed one because I left It in the tube to long, couldn't get it to stop flexing.

    Quoted from Nepi23:

    Yes, that's the one. I think it will be the most difficult bit.

    I was asking, wasn't sure what piece you were talking about.

    #53 4 years ago

    If you can’t find one for your specific pin or if you are just feeling ambitious/saving money. Make your own for about $10

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/shangri-blah-to-shangri-la-/page/2#post-5286426

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JG283R0

    #54 4 years ago
    Quoted from RandyW:

    I absolutely HATE playing a pin with one of these installed. It changes the ball roll, it adds more spin, it also changes the speed and sound.

    Yes, it changes all of that which is to my taste.

    I don’t know why you got down voted for giving your opinion.

    #55 4 years ago
    Quoted from cottonm4:

    Yes, it changes all of that which is to my taste.
    I don’t know why you got down voted for giving your opinion.

    Because people are ignorant. Also, I don't care. I'll just give them back

    #56 4 years ago

    I don't know if I'll want mine on forever. But atleast until I find time to restore the playfield properly and fix all the bumps, gashes, cups, etc.

    Someone asked about shipping time from Germany to the US - I ordered last Thursday and it's set to be delivered this Wednesday.

    1 month later
    #57 4 years ago

    Finally finishing cleaning and reassembling my Space Mission, so the protector went on last night. I'll have to see later how it plays, but as far as aesthetics it sure does make the playfield pop. Like a nice shiny clearcoat, I can't stop looking at it.

    What is the best way to trim these for fine adjustments? There are a couple posts that I had to screw down on top of the protector, since there weren't cutouts for them. One of the metal rail cutouts needs to be slightly longer too. In hindsight it probably would have been better to leave the top film on and fix all these when they're easier to see.

    #58 4 years ago

    Turn your pin on and start getting some heat from the lights. The protector will “grow” with heat.

    Get your flashlight and start looking and touching around any play field part that might be touching. Feel your protector from all positions and watch for flexing and not laying flat.

    Even smallest of contact between your protector and a play field part will throw you off.

    Get your files and Dremel Tool out and starting shaving any area of the protector that interferes.

    If the two posts you have screwed down on are close together you should be OK. It they are too far apart they could cause problems and you have to make a hole on your protector.

    Enjoy the nice shiny candy look now. As you start playing the protector go dull. It will still look good but the shine goes away. The play action will make up for that, though.

    #59 4 years ago

    I don't agree with a lot of the above. I think you'll find it cleaner and easier to use either a razor blade or pair of scissors. Use new balls and apply some novus 1 every now and again and it'll keep its look through thousands of plays. You're fine making your cuts after installation. I'd cut holes for the posts if they're creating any pop-up at all. You don't want any movement in the protector when the ball rolls over it.

    I have a BKSoR with over 2k plays and it looks like new other than the slight trails in the inlanes.

    #60 4 years ago

    Thanks for the tips. How easy / cleanly do these sheets cut with razor or scissors? That's what I was originally going to try, although I've got a Dremel if necessary.

    There is one post on each outlane that they didn't cut notches for, so I had to screw them down on top of the sheet to prevent bowing. Besides those, one of the wire rails below the flippers has a few millimeters that don't fit in .. so there is a little bowing going down into the drain. I'll have to play with it some more tonight to see if that needs to be cut, or if the whole thing just needs to be shifted around to make it all fit better (the rest of the playfield is currently nice and snug - last night it didn't seem to want to move around without creating more bowing).

    #61 4 years ago

    One post on each out lane is too far apart. Even tightening down on the post at that distance can cause bowing. Screwing them down on top is an invitation for bowing.

    If I were making a protector for a Space Mission I would choose to lock it down at the two inlane guides and let everything else float free. It does not sound like they left you any material for lock at the inlanes, though. You will probably OK if you do not lock it down.

    For material that is .030 thick scissors will not work well. For material that is .020 thick or less , scissors work good on straight lines and outside curves.

    Razor blades will cut clean, but you gotta be good. One slip of the knife...so to speak.

    Dremel Tools or rotary files will work well in tight places but they leave swarf behind that can be a challenge to clean up.

    #62 4 years ago

    Thanks for the tips. I checked briefly tonight and there are actually three posts that need notches cut (middle post on each outlane, and the post right above the left kickout). Once those posts are loosened I moved the sheet around until everything looked aligned on the entire playfield - switches centered in their holes, consistent border around everything, etc. The left wire guide above the drain is still slightly off though, so I guess it will need to be cut out a little more.

    I'll see if I can find some scrap and practice with scissors / razor knife / Dremel to see what works best. I'm not too worried about the outside post cuts, so the only tricky cut is lengthening that wire guide hole.

    PS - Here's a good photo from a guy who installed this protector on his Space Mission. He mentions the outlane posts being in the way too (although the post above his left kickout looks okay, unless he trimmed it and didn't mention it). His sheet doesn't seem lined up all that well though - e.g. a lot of the switches are off center in their holes.

    https://i1.wp.com/thepinballloft.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_3205-e1547788685994.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1

    #63 4 years ago
    Quoted from LeChuck:

    His sheet doesn't seem lined up all that well though - e.g. a lot of the switches are off center in their holes.

    I assume that there is variation from play field to play field. Look at holes around the flipper bat bushings. They are oversized to allow for variation. Same for the elliptical holes around the outlane rollover wires.

    The thing to keep in mind is the radius of a 1 1/16" ball is 1/2". So if a protector is cut with parts of it being 3/8" away from a play field part, such as a rubber post ring, play action will not be affected. The problem with loose cutting with wide margins is that no one will like the look and would whine about all of the gaps.

    With the first one I made for myself I worked very hard to cut to tight tolerances as I did not want it to look like a protecter was on. By the time I got to number 4, I was cutting fairly loose for a few of reasons.

    1) It was easier to make.

    2) Cutting loosely, or sloppy, if you prefer, did not affect game play.

    3) After the new wore off I did not notice any of the open space between the protecter and the play field parts.

    4) After the new wore off I do not even notice I have a protecter on no matter

    4) Pinballers might come over and comment on the nice looking play field but did not notice the protector and did not notice any gaps do to loose cuts.

    This protecter that you linked has a some big gaps along the out lanes and rails and in front of the apron. It does not matter. It does not affect game play and you will not notice as you are playing.

    There are two things I would have done different with this installation.

    1) I would have located the protector around the flipper bushings and wire rollovers so it is more centered around the rollover wires. This would mean getting out your cutting tools of choice and doing some trimming to shift the protector to the right. It would take some work to do. You would have to trim in front of the right sling shot and continue around the play field posts and kick out saucer all the way up on the right.

    2) What I would like to do with this protecter is lock it in tight up at the two inlane guides up at the back. If they would make the protecter by not cutting out the material that the inlane guides would set on you could make all of your trimming adjustments and then lock it in tight with the 4 posts at the inlane guides and the rest of the protector would float free, never shift position, and never bow up.

    6 months later
    #64 3 years ago

    I just purchased one of these from Cointaker, it came rolled.
    What is the best way to flatten it back out?

    #65 3 years ago
    Quoted from Joe-Ker:

    I just purchased one of these from Cointaker, it came rolled.
    What is the best way to flatten it back out?

    I’d leave it out in the sun for a few hours and keep checking on it. You may need to add some weights to keep it flat.

    #66 3 years ago
    Quoted from Joe-Ker:

    I just purchased one of these from Cointaker, it came rolled.
    What is the best way to flatten it back out?

    I would never take a protector rolled up. ship it back. I have one coming now for Big Game and I always ask before buying if they ship flat or roll. When shipped flat you can take out of box and install and it lays nice and flat. If you get a rolled up one it could take days to lay flat and you still might have edges want to roll up and it not lay 100% flat.

    1 week later
    #67 3 years ago
    Quoted from dmacy:

    I’d leave it out in the sun for a few hours and keep checking on it. You may need to add some weights to keep it flat.

    I tighten up plastic taped around the fireplace to keep drafts out in the winter sometimes. A hair dryer blowing on it tightens it. Might be a quicker approach?

    6 months later
    #68 3 years ago

    I just ordered a protector for my Space Invaders. My question: Does the Mylar need to be removed or can the protector go on top of it? I'm trying to polish the Mylar and questioned whether I was wasting my time. Mylar is in decent shape, just a bit coming up by the center popper and it's a bit hazy overall. There is 3 rings of Mylar around the 3 poppers, and then a huge piece that covers the whole center playfield and on top of the 3 Mylar rings.

    #69 3 years ago

    I'd lay it on top of the mylar unless it's ugly. Difficult to remove without taking artwork and then it's a PITA to remove the sticky stuff.

    #70 3 years ago
    Quoted from Superflydisco:

    I just ordered a protector for my Space Invaders. My question: Does the Mylar need to be removed or can the protector go on top of it? I'm trying to polish the Mylar and questioned whether I was wasting my time. Mylar is in decent shape, just a bit coming up by the center popper and it's a bit hazy overall. There is 3 rings of Mylar around the 3 poppers, and then a huge piece that covers the whole center playfield and on top of the 3 Mylar rings.

    Just clean clean clean clean. Do not put it down over dust, wax crust, anything. It will magnify it and you will look at it every time you play. Clean that playfield really well.

    #71 3 years ago
    Quoted from Superflydisco:

    I just ordered a protector for my Space Invaders. My question: Does the Mylar need to be removed or can the protector go on top of it? I'm trying to polish the Mylar and questioned whether I was wasting my time. Mylar is in decent shape, just a bit coming up by the center popper and it's a bit hazy overall. There is 3 rings of Mylar around the 3 poppers, and then a huge piece that covers the whole center playfield and on top of the 3 Mylar rings.

    I might try to razor cut any mylar off that is peeling and sticking up off the playfield to avoid any bumps and create a smoother surface for the protector to lay down on

    1 month later
    #72 2 years ago

    I just installed protector in my TBL. It seems that the left pop bumper skirt gets stuck on occasion under the playfield protector - how have people fixed similar problems? Thanks for any info!

    #73 2 years ago

    If the protector is not flush to the playfield you need to trim it where it is being impacted by a ball guide or whatever. This shouldn't be happening if the protector is flush.

    #74 2 years ago
    Quoted from Nepi23:

    I just installed protector in my TBL. It seems that the left pop bumper skirt gets stuck on occasion under the playfield protector - how have people fixed similar problems? Thanks for any info!

    You have to trim it that is has space as if there is no protector. Today I put a video similar to your problem on YouTube and made a post. Maybe helpful.

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tips-amp-tricks-to-install-a-playfield-protector#post-6235159

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