I assume this is 4 color process?

So how are you handling white? Is there a white ink backing layer?

Cool, post your Flash pictures for sure.

Umm... Maybe for Star Trek: The Mirror Universe's backglass?!

So I know this is tricky to photograph (banged my head against it enough doing my alternate Shadow translite) but can you take a backlit photograph? That's really the acid test as far as quality goes.

Sorry; it's a "mirrored universe"; meaning evil.
http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/star-trek-mirror-universe-pinball

Hey that's good stuff! How did you handle the back masking? What kind of numbers are we talking about. I about have the artwork finished for a Jungle Lord backglass that I need done.

So they do!

Any idea on the cost?

What resolution do you need to get a good print? How does it look close up. (There is really no way you can tell that with pictures because of jpg compression and such.) I just remember seeing my first Tron machine and looking at the targets and thinking they looked horrible. They resized the images and they looked like a pointilism painting close up. If you get really close on the backglass, do the lines look clean?

Sorry for the pickiness. I'm really picky about resizing things (not that you can tell looking at my crappy icon).

Stern's printing quality is really terrible, and Tron is sadly one of the worst examples (the much beloved screened cab is the worst offender). I wouldn't use that as a baseline for anything, more like the bottom of the barrel.

What file format do you need?
Do you want a flat merged file? Layered? Color separated? ...etc

So 150 dpi is the minimum, but what is the native resolution of the printing process being used? You mentioned the Flash backglass looked really good. What was the resolution of the picture that was sent to the printer?

One last question. On the backside picture, I see 3 "dings". Two in the top left, one in the bottom left toward the Tilt. What happened there? Can you notice those from the front? Is that just handling issues, or did it come from the printer like that?

I gotta tell you, the backglass from the pictures looks incredible. It is also a great backglass to do initially because I know there are tons of Flash machines out there with absolutely atrocious backglass. It really seems like you know what you are talking about because you spec'd png files instead of jpgs. That gives me a big vote of confidence.

I have been discussing getting Pharaoh done with the OP but I am way in over my head as far as getting artwork prepared or having the proper files. If anyone else was interested in Pharaoh or Jungle Lord, these are two glasses I would buy.

During the process of moving, the backglass got a big scratch through the paint right in the middle. I completely freaked when I saw it. Other than that, the other 99% of mine is nearly perfect. I'd be willing to help, but not sure what to do with it.

On a side note, I'd welcome any advice on what I could do to treat and fix mine.

Not yet. I'm hoping to have the completed art from my artist between turkey day and xmas. I'll look you up then.

Keep in mind that these old backglasses were not printed using CMYK process, I imagine they were just screened with all spot colors, and they're going to come out different when you convert them. Some things you just can't duplicate (bright green and orange are tricky ones for instance), and some things will work pretty well but might need a little massaging and attention. This is what CPR is dealing with for their translite to backglass conversions. So if you don't know what you're doing you might want to get a little help first.

interesting service... one a lot of us could use, i might add...

how are you getting around copyright issues?

Here is what I have learned & would suggest you do for producing back glass. Work with the license holders, & become a licensee for product. Usually you are required to carry $2 million in liability insurance. I would only use tempered glass & get custom cardboard shipping box with honeycomb spacers. 300 dpi or better artwork. You need files for color, white, & blocking.

I initially did my 1st year with a single hit of uv ink for color, white, & blocking. My recent license with Planetary Pinball calls for double hits of color & white, & single hit of lush black blocking for Bally/Williams back glass. Gottlieb glass & Stern glass are now produced this way & receive a gray blocking layer. Gottlieb glass gets license info printed on the back, & Planetary Pinball will have the license sticker. Usually you need to send a sample for approval to the license holder. They usually have a master list of who has done what, & will guide you towards available titles.

I started about 8 years ago using direct ink or uv inkjet technology for restoring playfields. The technology continues to move forward, & I will be doing new playfields with uv ink.

The technology of uv printing is different than screening each color. I suggest people realize this, & you will still probably get 3-5% not happy. Same with light transmission through the inks, which people should adjust the lights to better suit their tastes.

Does bgresto have license agreements? Probably not.

Here's a guy providing a great service at a reasonable, if not very reasonable, price and the copyright police show up within hours...

That's all I was trying to do, give some advice. Doing custom work is fine, trying to sell licensed stuff & that's another thing. Doing your own replacement glass for your machine is fine. I would search out glass manufacturers & state you are producing a product for sale. That is what I had to do to get better pricing & deal direct with the manufacturer, not a glass dealer.

What part of what you showed is custom? It looks like you reprinted flash which is copyright infringement. Sad thing is that every time one of these unofficial things show up the official guys move it down or off their list completely. Why not just keep it to yourself or at least show truly custom art being printed and offered to the community?

I think the op was just showing his personal Flash back glass he did. To show the level of quality & finished results. Multiple parties has produced this replacement glass over the years. Whether all parties were licensed I don't know. CPR I believe was the last ones to run the glass under license.

I have a machine with a horrible back glass - 95% of the image has flaked off. The worst part is; the glass shattered while I was putting it away. So I need to reproduce a back glass for my machine. I found a glass source and a printer with a UV large format printer. My test print on foam board looked awesome for a 150 DPI file.

Question: Do I still need to print a white back layer on the back of the image? If so, what is the purpose?

Baring any response, I may have to pay for another two test prints on small acrylic plastic to see the results.

300 dpi is the highest you really need, 150 dpi is likely the lowest. UV inkjet production, color file (2 hits), white (2 hits) & is everything except bare glass for displays, & blocking file (1 hit) usually gray. Usually for the white file you use a color not used so the printer will know that it should be the white file.

Anyone can get a personal replacement made by their local printer. So color, white, & blocking done in this order. For best results 2 hits of color, followed by 2 hits of white, & single blocking hit. Reverse printed on the back of the tempered glass, so it looks just like a original.

Anyone want to make me a "custom" special force backglass?

What do you mean by "hits"? I have a flat file, should the printer print the image twice? My foam core test print looks really good - but I dont know how the printer created the image, so maybe that the normal print method for a UV printer?

Ok - my printer understands the terminology and can accommodate the process. The blocking layer is gonna add more cost....argh...

Is there any need to "triple thick" the back of the glass after this process?

i have the same problem with my backglass , the lamp they placed
in the head was mutch to strong

Are you still doing this?