Don't forget about the infamous CPR Whirlwind run from ~2017 (IIRC) that had the offset dither-dot mask alignment line running smack across the bottom of the pf.

When mine arrived with that issue I was shocked at such a bad mistake, and couldn't unsee it. The clear seemed fine but I resold it after a year, unused, so I can't say for sure. Sounds like I dodged another bullet.

BUT I still want a new Whirlwind PF, especially now to go with all the work I put into the 2.0 kit build. So I see CPR has them listed available again (and conveniently pretends the 2017 run never happened by saying "first time since 2011!") but UGH back on the fence I am again. Won't go the Mirco route. Sigh. What's an OCD stormchaser-wannabe to do?

What is it that would make ink (or paint, or pigment, or whatever) not stick to the wood in the first place?

I get that a fresh new PF has wood sanded so smooth it may not have much tooth. And it may absorb different colors/layers at different rates. Both reasons being why primer should be the first layer. But that seems like an elementary step that is not "new", nor dependent on which/what process (digital, screened, etc) is used?

Is it a case where the surface tension of clear adhering and curing to the ink directly below, pulls the ink layer off the wood? Obviously I realize that still points to "ink adhesion" as the root cause... so I guess what I'm asking/wondering is if the ink would NOT have separated from the wood, if there was no clear applied? Or maybe it's "too much" clear?

THANK YOU for asking that. I have often wondered the same but I'm a nobody so WTF do I know? The last time I dared question "a legend" I was moderated. Someone like you carries a little more weight.

"Have a pro redo the topcoat on stuff that's not sticking below" sounds like putting a fancy gilded roof on a house with a sinking, crumbling foundation.

Exactly: it's why keylines exist in the first place. And while that Mirco is pushing the edge, I've seen worse alignment on OEM runs (various games).

And it's not uncommon for OEM playfields to stray beyond even those tolerances in certain areas: ever see a whisp of bare wood around an insert? Or a post installed overline? How about all the Space Shuttles that left Williams with the drain post touching the color ring at a random point? Of course it's 40 years later and while it's not wrong to think we could do better, I dread the reject rates and price increases required. CPR used to attempt grading their runs to account for "things" but gave up because no pf is ever 100% perfect in every conceivable fashion, and you can't please everyone. One person's egregious OCD defect is another's "so what".

As long as such relatively minor things are not in the direct center line-of-sight, they're generally tolerable IMO. You should be playing the game, not fixating a lens on its nether regions.

Here's the thing: All you folks in Europe love to (perhaps rightly) crow about how you have such superior consumer protection and vendor liability laws.

So what I can't understand is, since Mirco is based in Europe, how the hell is this allowed to continue??? Methinks your laws aren't as good as you claim.

I get the cross-border bureaucracies, and your states comparison is fair. But what I mean is, aside from the Euro-zone trade laws allegedly streamling the process... why haven't any of his German customers shut it down? Seems a fair majority of Euro pinsiders have a German flag by their name so it's not like the market is too small, surely enough have been burned. If they fought back he'd might have to change overall.

Are those custom / new insert shapes? Not that I've seen every game out there, but I can't recall seeing those before. That's a very specific shape, in two sizes/orientations.

Not that it's an excuse for the defects, but it would be interesting nonetheless if somehow related.

Of course! Hardly new in concept. But it would be interesting to see if the relief cuts under those (new?) shapes have a different pressure quotient and aren't yet figured out or something.

I mean, consider how often you see old games where all the round and square inserts are fine, but all the triangles or arrows are popping... OTOH later games have less problems with those formerly troublesome shapes.

I'm just pitching a question/theory. Not defending Mirco. Because it shouldn't be happening this quickly and of course he'll never acknowledge or own the problem regardless of cause.