(Topic ID: 226769)

I made a playfield protector… self-evaulation

By rkahr

5 years ago


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10
#1 5 years ago

Over the summer I picked up a project Alien Poker machine. It needed some board work, was missing the main drop target bank, and the playfield art had moderate wear under the typical layer of dirt. The board work was straightforward for me and the hunt for the missing target bank quickly proved fruitful so that left the part where my skills lack – artwork.
I knew I had a player’s condition playfield. I did some light vacuuming/cleaning of the playfield and pretty quickly realized what I had was pretty fragile. I’ve cleared Max2K on a couple playfields with good results and I’ve been satisfied with the laser cut playfield protectors from Europe as well (have one in my Flash). Primarily because they are easier but also not wanting to lock in this playfied’s condition with clear, I decided to order one to prevent additional damage to my playfield. Then I discovered Alien Poker isn’t on their list of available titles. Bummer.
When at Pintastic I saw the nice work docquest did with his home-made protectors. He connected me with a couple of important threads about DIY methods - https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/inexpensive-petg-sheets-for-playfield-protectors#post-4282152 and https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/batman-66-official-club-thread/page/7#post-3527141 . Seemed like a lot of work but I still figured it was better than clearing the playfield in the current condition.
Below this post are some step-by-step photos and some explanations from my process but I wanted to bring what I learned up into this top post. I had a lot of help from Pinside along the way so I figure it’s only fair to share this self evaluation of what I did to add to the discussion. So here we go:

1. First note to self is to never make one for a title where a laser cut one is available for purchase. My DIY isn’t nearly as nicely finished and it took a lot of time to make. Your mileage may vary, but for me the cost vs time calculation is easy.
2. The right tools help. A lot.
a) The punch set was much easier than the drill press. The cheap sets on Amazon will easily get through a single DIY manufacture and probably many more than that.
b) I couldn’t do crap precisely with a razor blade and I was incredibly slow with it. Scissors cut the plastic well but not precisely on long cuts. Maybe that’s just part of the general difficulty of using scissors that comes with being left handed but I failed to produce acceptable results with hand tools.
c) The scroll saw with the right blade made relatively quick work of it. It was not difficult to be precise.
3. Photos help. I didn’t take enough. In my world of pinball how many times must this lesson be offered before I demonstrate evidence that I’ve actually learned it?
4. Wax it after you install it. The threads above have recommendations both ways and in my experience waxing made it play properly.

Want to see the result in person? Come to York - I’m bringing the game to the show so folks can check out the finished product.

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#2 5 years ago

Ok, less words and some pics from here forward.

Here's the game prior to starting. It sits in the unfinished part of my basement next to my Flash.

My Alien PokerMy Alien Poker

And here is some playfield detail - plenty of wear.

Lower PFLower PF
Upper PFUpper PF

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#3 5 years ago

I made the pattern from scrap paper - primarily cut from shipping labels I print to ship daughterboards and some old bills pulled from the shred stack.

Upper Left Pattern in GameUpper Left Pattern in Game

Upper Right Pattern in GameUpper Right Pattern in Game

Lower Right Pattern in GameLower Right Pattern in Game

Complete PatternComplete Pattern

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#4 5 years ago

I traced the pattern onto the plastic with a fine tip sharpie. Making the pattern took some time but this step was easy. I marked some circles that I would use the hole punch to cut.

Pattern TracePattern Trace

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#5 5 years ago

Here's the cheap punch set I got from Amazon. It worked fine with my rubber mallet and a block of wood behind the sheet. The case came cracked (barely visible in the photo).

Punch SetPunch Set

Like I noted above cutting proved difficult for me. Hand tools were not effective for me. My scroll saw was effective (it took about 2 hours of cutting)

Cut detail 1Cut detail 1

Here you can see where I added circles for the Pops thinking I would use my drill press but I ended up using the scroll saw on the circles too.

Cut detail 2Cut detail 2

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#6 5 years ago

The first interior piece i removed was from the main drop target on the playfield. I pulled the protective plastic to take a look at the cut edge. It was somewhat rough but I was able to clean it up pretty well (and quickly) with a file and some sand paper.

Before:
BeforeBefore

After:
AfterAfter

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#7 5 years ago

Test fitting. It took me two cycles of placing my DIY protector and removing it for additional cutting. I numbered the marks that needed additional attention on the second pull. Side note - very little of the playfield has to be disassembled to do this for Alien Poker.

Lower PFLower PF

Drop Target BankDrop Target Bank

Upper PFUpper PF

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#8 5 years ago

Here are shots from when I pulled off the protective layers.

Bottom first:

Removing Bottom ProtectorRemoving Bottom Protector

Then the top when the protector is positioned:

Top layer almost offTop layer almost off

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#9 5 years ago

And the final result:

Whole PlayfieldWhole Playfield

Detail areaDetail area

Not perfect, but definitely much better than running the balls directly on what's left of this playfield. Again, if you want to try it, come to York next weekend!

Hope you enjoyed.

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#13 5 years ago

Glad you like it. Here's hoping I never have to create another one!

I used .03 thickness that I got from Walmart online. It shipped flat and was well packaged: https://www.walmart.com/ip/847612345

-Rob

#16 5 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

My 1st one took me about 10 hours off and on. My 5th one took about 7 hours

That sounds about right. Certainly not all the time I invested was productive. If I can do it certainly you can too but I’d rather have the laser cut one when/if I ever need another.

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

#32 5 years ago
Quoted from SR230CC:

Great thread! I am in the process of doing this to my Stern Galaxy. I don’t have a good place to spray clear. I bought one for my Power Play and it works good. I am swapping to a better playfield at the same time so it should be easier.

Agreed - a lot of very good ideas and excellent examples added.

Here's an example of a post-install adjustment I had to make: After installing and waxing the protector the crossover plunger shot no longer made it up to the top of the playfield (slow-mo video here:

). Instead of going through the spinner to the top of the playfield the ball smacked a rubber and bounced out. Took me a while to find it but the lane guide exit is adjustable - made a minor adjustment and the shot is back. Please don't poke fun at the wrong-size rubber - the kit I bought had an error. Just below that rubber you can see the edge of the protector I made.

Adjusted hereAdjusted here

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED displays for model H and model S skee ball

#57 5 years ago

I've got a production protector from Germany in my Flash. Here's a pic of the star rollover solution in that game.

Flash playfield protector at the rolloverFlash playfield protector at the rollover

I did a group buy with a couple other guys from league so shipping was free. Still, I think the protector cost me more than the game.

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my Pinball 2000 H+V video sync combiner kit

1 week later
#59 5 years ago

Figures - my home-made protector has been completed for less than a month and the announcement about Alien Poker playfield reproductions hits the streets. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/alien-poker-repro-playfields-list-oppening#post-4649252 . I like how the protector works so far, but I really like my Mata Hair with the CPR playfield in it.

-Rob
-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement LED display boards for model H and model S Skee Ball

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