I prefer the heat gun method. I don't have to waste money buying a bunch of canned air. To master mylar glue removal, you need to use the flour method and remove the glue in 30 minutes or less.

Flower and some alcohol

No magic eraser!

I use plastic razor blades - less chance of accidents on playfield or fingers.

Would it be crazy if you had access to a chest freezer or walk in freezer and put it in there (removing any circuit boards and crucial parts) for a while. ?? You would think same results.

Interesting idea, but I'm not sure if it would be cold enough. I've seen machines stored in sheds and -10 degree F, and the mylar is still down. I admit I hadn't tried to lift it off, though.

Different methods depending on machine, mylar, playfield condition, etc

Did you know most commercial freezer bags are made of Mylar?

I don't if it would be a good idea to deliberately freeze a play field. How would the inserts and paint react to the temperate change along with the shrinking and expansion of the wood? With the freezer can method, the colder temp is localized and just on the play field surface for a short time.

I understand where you are coming from but it is a risk that I would not want to take.

The deep freezing (-14*F /-26*C ) causes the glue to lose its grip on the polyester sheet.

Maybe I missed it but what is this scrubby you keep referring to? A 3M scotchbrite pad?

Which the freezer can method seems to quite well. But freezing the entire play field? Isn't it possible that a complete deep freeze could have deleterious results with play field paint/ink? What about inserts and whatever is used to bond those into the play field?

I know a restorer who put the whole playfield in a chest freezer because it was infected with termites.

Not a super deep freeze, but 0*F cold.

It did cause some checking in the wood, but all the termites were killed.

Offhand how cold is the freeze it in can?

-14*F /-26*C

I use Naptha soaked towels and an a old credit card to scrape the glue. Seems to work pretty well.

Ok so this probably better choice. Much faster, and more isolated.

My experience with a heat gun was that it works fine on the painted wood, but the mylar took off the decals over the inserts. In my case this was ok, because I had new ones (Diner). These decals were the main reason I was removing the mylar - a previous owner had done a terrible job. I’m not sure insert decals are available for all games, though. I also like alcohol for removing glue - it’s not as toxic as some of the other alternatives.

I like the idea with the paper towel and the toothbrush (and a plastic scraper - I used one from the kitchen). And I agree, using flour was an an unpleasant mess. What’s the product in step 5 - is that a tenside based cleaner ?

Freeze can is nice but I'm starting to like the hair dryer more!

For glue remover it's step 1 and done...

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Isn't this dangerous for playfields .?? The pro strength

I've used the freeze can method for mylar removal, and Goof Off - Pro Strength for glue removal (with plastic razor) on at least 4 playfields. Works like a charm and not dangerous at all.

Edit: Here is a link to a video I made that may help.

If used on a factory cleared pf nothing will clean it better, if the pf is bare just use goo-gone and be prepared for your arm to fall off. lol

So basically a nice warm Minnesota winter day?

If it still has xylene in it, yeah it is.

Be careful when using heat. I have an industrial heat gun I used to pull the mylar half circles in front of the slingshots. I did not get things too hot. And all was going well until I got to some black paint. Red, Blue, Yellow and Green released the mylar without issue. For some reason the black did not like this heat action.

I still had to deal with glue residue no matter what. For me, the next time I will use the freeze cans. And I have heard of some having luck with dry ice.

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Someone recommended this stuff for the adhesive removal (Sprayway SW909 Industrial Heavy Duty Orange Power Plus Degreaser, 15 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014I369BI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_KYIHBbPZK9YB0) and I just used it on a Firepower…it worked way better than the normal goo gone I started with.

I had to use a plastic razor to get all of the adhesive, but overall I think it did a great job.

No one masters mylar removal as every situation is completely different.

I tried using the cold method on a playfield and it didn't work at all. Turned hard as a rock and couldn't even get the plastic razor blade under the mylar. I tried getting it started and then freezing it and the mylar just turned supper brittle and would break.

Unfortunately, the operator put mylar down and then used a utility knife (or something similar) to cut the mylar around the playfield. So, they basically carved up the playfield in order to trim the mylar, sad really. So, this playfield is more or less toast so I'll play with some more techniques and then I can practice clear coating.

There are hundreds of brands of **Mylar** that people used over the years.

Each had it's own adhesive formula.

Some Mylar was installed at the factory, and some years (decades?) latter.

Some ops installed it over waxed playfields, and some nubes installed it over bare paint.

Some games were stored in unconditioned garages, some were always kept in climate controlled rooms.

Has anyone removed mylar with Freon?

Freon is HIGHLY toxic not a good idea at all!!! Believe me I was a professional mechanic we were sticklers in the shop for recovering freon. Besides it wouldn't work anyway it pulls heat from the air in a confined gaseous state as soon as you spray it most of it would escape.

Freeze spray works just fine. It only pulls up the paint when the mylar has bubbled/lifted and has dirt underneath it and nothing will prevent that from not happening. You just have to let the freeze spray take hold, don't get impatient, keep it frozen and work in small areas.

Personally I like using the hair drier more I feel like you have more control, a heat gun is overkill.

I am a refrigeration technician. Canned air is r-134a.

Just like in a refrigerant cylinder, when you turn it upside down you are drawing liquid refrigerant from the can.
I only ask if anyone has gone directly to the Freon because there are many types.
One may work better than r-134a.

Freon is a brand name.

https://www.google.com/search?q=freon&oq=freon&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3423j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Wiki has some interesting info on "duster cans". Looks like a lot of stuff in there besides R-134a

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_duster

Environmental impact:

Global warming: Difluoroethane (HFC-152a), trifluoroethane (HFC-143a), and completely non-flammable tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a) are potent greenhouse gases. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global warming potential (GWP) of HFC-152a, HFC-143a, and HFC-134a are 124, 4470, and 1430, respectively.[5] GWP refers to global warming effect in comparison to CO2 for unit mass. 1 kg of HFC-152a is equivalent to 124 kg of CO2[6]
Ozone layer depletion: Gas dusters sold in many countries are ozone safe as they use "zero ODP" (zero ozone depletion potential) gases; tetrafluoroethane, for example, has insignificant ODP. This is a separate issue from the global warming concern.

***************************************

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze_spray

Looks like "Freeze Spray" is just another name for a duster can.

"Freeze spray (cold spray or vapocoolant) is a type of aerosol spray product containing a liquified gas used for rapidly cooling surfaces, in medical and industrial applications. It is usually sold in hand-held spray cans. It may consist of...."
".... various substances, which produce different temperatures, depending on the application. With the exception of tetrafluoroethane, many of them are highly flammable."

"It can cause viscoelastic materials to change to glass phase. Thus it is useful for removing many types of pressure sensitive adhesives...
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The above statement sounds like it was written with pinball in mind.
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Other than possible harm to the environment, if you have access to industrial size R-134a containers you might be able to do this job cheaper than what a freeze spray can would cost. I don't think the cans of R-134a you get from Autozone would be cheap but they might be effective.

Yeah. I get the 134 in 30lb cans.
I said Freon because that is how most people refer to it rather than R-XXX or refrigerant.
Just like Kleenex is tissue, Q-tip is a cotton swab and so on.

I also get R-404 and many others that have varied boiling points.
Some are lower and couple are higher.

I will try several and report back.
I have a high speed mylar removal coming up.

I only know of Freon 12 and 22. And R-134. Sounds like you have access to others I have never heard of. Which one will bring on the lowest freezing temp? Perhaps I should ask which one can get closest to absolute zero? That's one I would like to try.

***What I know about 12 and 22 is when I had a car lot, a guy who did some work for us said we should charge up our cars with 22 instead of 12. We tried his "magic". That car A/C got cold. Real Cold. And then in about 5 minutes the compressor burned up. Coincidences can happen so we tried it a 2nd time with the same result. That was the end of 22 in a car.

R-22 runs almost double the head pressure ( high side ).
R-12 ran about 100 to 150 psi on the high side depending on ambient temp and load.
R-22 runs 200 to 275 head pressure.

R-12 is still available but too expensive.
For autos R-416A is a nice substitute and I have had great results.
Other gases are not compatible with the seals and will degrade them.

R-134A is the refrigerant used in automobiles now and was designed to mimic R-12.
You have to change the oil to use R-134A in an R-12 system and the capacity is a little less.
In an old car it is unlikely the seals will survive with R-134A and its oil.

R-404 is an inexpensive gas and boils at -46*F.
R-134A boils at -26*F.
I plan on trying both.

ChloroFlourocarbon refrigerants and Hydroflourocarbon refrigerants are harmful if inhaled.
They also displace oxygen in an enclosed space.
They are dangerous and using them to remove mylar by untrained personnel could be fatal.

I'd like to hear the results.

What about dry ice?

Is there a filter type mask that you can wear? I'm guessing probably not since these are gases and not particulates. Do you have to wear a head mask with positive air displacement?

I have been in the trade for 25 years. You are exposed to it a couple of times a week at least.
The amount you would be exposed to from air in a can or from careful use of refrigerant done in a well ventilated space would be minimal. Always work on a bench or saw horse. Refrigerant is heavier than air. It will flow off your work and to the floor. Your head is another 2 ft above that work.

I have been in walk in coolers and freezers where dry ice was in use. I would rather use refrigerant.

Might want to be careful of pets. Don't want to dose the cat....

Depends on the cat.

Dude I don't know where you were trained but ALL FREON IS HIGHLY TOXIC! We've had many of EPA meetings and safety classes about recovering freon prior to working on a/c systems for cars. The recovery machines we used in our shop at Lincoln were not cheep. It's NOT "air in a can" its a serious chemical that may cause DEATH...in a can! lol

R-12 was used in the 50's-70's for cooling systems, R-134a is the standard for the automotive industry nowadays. You can convert a old car to 134 if you just change out the catch can.

https://www.cshvac.com/dangers-breathing-freon/

EPA on Freon...

https://www.epa.gov/section608

SMH! lol

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True, but I like 2 of my 3 cats....lol

Or used car dealers who don't want to turn away most people because some angry vegan thought that it's cool to plaster their ass with bumper stickers that screams I'm a good person

Plus, isnt Freon more costly??