(Topic ID: 8761)

Heating bent plastics

By Kane

12 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 27 posts
  • 19 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 years ago by JBK
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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    #1 12 years ago

    What's the best way to straighten out warped plastics?

    Heat: What temp?
    Sandwich: Between what, amount of weight?
    Duration: ?

    Or is there another way?

    #2 12 years ago

    I heat them with my heat gun until they flatten out and let them cool. Works for me ..

    Jim

    #3 12 years ago

    Put the toaster over on 250. Put the plastics on parchment paper and put it on a clean pan. Watch and when they start to relax take them out. Get a phone book, bible, Steve Jobs book, Mr Pinball price guide, whatever. Put another piece of parchment paper on top of the plastics and place in the book. Add some wieght on top like another book and wait 10 minutes and they should be good to go.

    Jim's way works to if you have some experience. He is a pro. To much heat and bubbles will form and youll want to smash someone in the face.

    #4 12 years ago
    Quoted from exflexer:

    youll want to smash someone in the face.

    Have you been spying on me ?

    Jim

    #5 12 years ago
    Quoted from exflexer:

    Put the toaster over on 250. Put the plastics on parchment paper and put it on a clean pan. Watch and when they start to relax take them out. Get a phone book, bible, Steve Jobs book, Mr Pinball price guide, whatever. Put another piece of parchment paper on top of the plastics and place in the book. Add some wieght on top like another book and wait 10 minutes and they should be good to go.

    I've done like this too and it worked like a champ.

    #6 12 years ago

    Hot summer driveway and a glass sandwich

    #7 12 years ago
    Quoted from way2wyrd:

    Hot summer driveway and a glass sandwich

    Looks like you'll have to tackle the project in July.

    #8 12 years ago

    one up on the heat gun trick. I did it in the superman i have and it worked out great. Just dont leave it on there too long you can discolor the plastic.

    #9 12 years ago

    Depending on the plastic (PF, ramp, etc) I use a heat gun and molding tools. Most of the PF plastics are easy enough to flatten, the ramps and other than flat plastics are where it gets a little more tricky. Just TAKE YOUR TIME!! There is no reason to rush the job, like stated above if you leave the heat on the plastic too long it will start to bubble...no, thats not experience talking...okay, maybe once. Good Luck.

    #10 12 years ago

    Anyone know A good temperature to target? I have a nice heat gun from Home Cheapo, a Riobi that allows you to dial in the heat setting.

    #11 12 years ago

    I wouldn't go very hot with it....

    I have 100% success using my wife's hair dryer set to "high" which isn't very hot compared to a heat gun. So I would suggest "low" to start with!

    #12 12 years ago
    Quoted from exflexer:

    Hot summer driveway and a glass sandwich

    Looks like you'll have to tackle the project in July.

    Hell it gets to 100 around here in May anymore

    #13 12 years ago

    It's only 40 here at the moment so it will have to be a heat gun set on low for me.

    #14 12 years ago

    I tried doing this procedure on 350 and it softens the plastic to fast. Start with low heat and work up if using a gun. Spend a few extra bucks and get a heat gun that you can dial in the temperature.

    #15 12 years ago

    This seems to be the method I have seen, worked on mine also. I think the guy from this webpage is also a pinsider? Hope he does not mind me posting the link, his webpage has great resto tips.

    http://home.kooee.com.au/brainsnap/flatteningwarpedplastics.html

    #16 12 years ago

    I agree with the wife's hair dryer method. My preferred method. I've tried using heat gun but have bubbled the plastic edges even being careful. Just plain too hot for the plastics. Heat gun does work well removing side rails that are taped to cab without damage to the artwork.

    3 months later
    #17 11 years ago

    Yay for the new search on Pinside.

    Did the oven on 250 degrees. Just kept them in for a minute or two, then popped them between two sheets of glass with heavy books on top. Worked like a charm! I now have flat BR plastics.

    Bumped to say thanks.

    #18 11 years ago

    I've heard too many stories of burned, bubbled, or otherwise ruined plastics. One guy was using a heat gun, looked away for a few seconds when his dog distracted him...nice toasty bacon plastic.

    This is the safest and only method I'll use...
    http://www.team-em.com/FlatteningPlastics/Procedure.htm
    --
    Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
    http://www.Team-EM.com
    http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball.htm
    http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

    #20 11 years ago

    We will not be able to use that method for a while here. I still have 4' of ice on my driveway and it is just reaching the 40'2 during the day.

    #21 11 years ago
    Quoted from absocountry2:

    We will not be able to use that method for a while here. I still have 4' of ice on my driveway and it is just reaching the 40'2 during the day.

    Ya, but you're up to 14 hours and 44 minutes of daylight now, and it's going to get all the up to 49 degrees tomorrow!

    You're the acid test for this technique. You're the answer to the trivia question, "can you flatten plastics using only the sun as a heat source in mid April in Alaska?"

    --
    Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
    http://www.Team-EM.com
    http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball.htm
    http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

    #22 11 years ago

    My wife's hair dryer and a plate as a deflector behind it - key for keeping enough heat in the area you want. Flattens them safely in less than 2 minutes each.

    #23 11 years ago

    hell its been up to 90 here already. i got some Space Riders plastics to flatten

    #24 11 years ago

    I tried the heat gun method and messed up a plastic. It only takes a few seconds of distraction. Did the same for a ramp. Basically I have had no luck with heat and plastic. I would suggest buying a set of cheap used plastics and practice on them before trying this on a game you care about.

    1 year later
    #25 10 years ago

    Great success!

    I used the oven method and after fiddling with the times, I finally came up with 8 min. at 250, then sandwiched the plastics between two sheets of glass while they cooled. Here's a before and after. Worked great!

    Before:
    2013-12-07 11.09.04.jpg2013-12-07 11.09.04.jpg

    After:

    2013-12-07 11.51.50.jpg2013-12-07 11.51.50.jpg
    #26 10 years ago

    Great result!

    I described a safer (bad things can happen at 225F or 250F if your timing isn't perfect) but just as effective method here:
    http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/how-to-safely-flatten-warped-playfield-plastic

    #27 10 years ago

    I have good results with the heat gun.

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