(Topic ID: 290061)

Need some advice: Mylar or Polyurethane

By Bospins

3 years ago

Topic Stats

6 posts
4 Pinsiders participating
Latest reply 3 years ago by Bospins
Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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Linked Games

Whirlwind Williams, 1990

I pulled the mylar off my whirlwind and the playfield is in great shape, only very minor touch ups needed. I'm trying to decide if I should reapply a mylar set or if I should brush on polyurethane.

I am not set up to spray 2pac, and I don't want to strip the whole playfield even to spray rattle cans...I was 100% going the mylar route until I stumbled across some threads showing brush on poly with what looked like great results.

I like the idea of the poly because you can protect the whole playfield, not just the areas covered by the mylar...but, if I wax before the mylar goes down, it can come up again, whereas removing the poly will require sanding the playfield down to nothing pretty much, it's irreversible.

This game is not collector quality, but is a very nice and clean player and will likely live the rest of it's live in a home use environment.

So, just looking for opinions. Thanks!

I have never "cleared" a playfield, but I have had one with brushed on clear, and have applied mylar. The expert on here that have dozens can give advice, but here is my experience only having done this stuff a few times.

A few points:
1. https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/85899 Here is a fishtales I had that had a brushed on protective layer. It looks okay in the photos, but when you got close the person who did it did a bad job and you could clearly see brush strokes. Additionally, no matter how much wax I put on it the playfield wasn't "Slippery" enough. There are people out there that can do clear coat correctly, but I would, at a minimum practice on an old playfield or piece of wood to see the results.
2. I added a bunch of mylar to the back of this High Speed to protect my touchups https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/92342. In my experience, mylar is extremely easy to work with and shape, with small sized pieces. Grab paper, cut to shape, refine until perfect, then cut mylar using paper as a template. It can look good as in the spot protection I put in my AFM I sold too cheap.https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/105355. However, it is my personal experience, that cutting and shaping larger pieces of mylar is EXTREMELY difficult. The mylar I had was covered in imperfections I cut around. Worse, if you don't get it right the first time lifting it gives you the possibility of lifting inserts AGAIN!. Would I protect small sections with the stuff? Absolutely! Would I try to do a full playfield mylar? Never.
3. I would recommend doing something that leaves you or the next owner the option of "upgrading" to a properly treated clearcoat playfield in the future and simply buy a playfield protector.

Good luck!

OP
Quoted from Bospins:
I pulled the mylar off my whirlwind and the playfield is in great shape, only very minor touch ups needed. I'm trying to decide if I should reapply a mylar set or if I should brush on polyurethane.
I am not set up to spray 2pac, and I don't want to strip the whole playfield even to spray rattle cans...I was 100% going the mylar route until I stumbled across some threads showing brush on poly with what looked like great results.
I like the idea of the poly because you can protect the whole playfield, not just the areas covered by the mylar...but, if I wax before the mylar goes down, it can come up again, whereas removing the poly will require sanding the playfield down to nothing pretty much, it's irreversible.
This game is not collector quality, but is a very nice and clean player and will likely live the rest of it's live in a home use environment.
So, just looking for opinions. Thanks!

Neither. Mylar is only for protecting touched-up wear spots. Covering the playfield will give you the same issue after time. Mylar just isn’t a good choice anymore when you have better, modern options.

If the playfield is really nice then do it the right way and have someone put quality automotive spray clearcoat down. Poly will be nasty and yellow in 30 years and the game will be ruined.

Quoted from Isochronic_Frost:
Neither. Mylar is only for protecting touched-up wear spots. Covering the playfield will give you the same issue after time. Mylar just isn’t a good choice anymore when you have better, modern options.
If the playfield is really nice then do it the right way and have someone put quality automotive spray clearcoat down. Poly will be nasty and yellow in 30 years and the game will be ruined.

thanks, but i'm not going to do this.

Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:
I have never "cleared" a playfield, but I have had one with brushed on clear, and have applied mylar. The expert on here that have dozens can give advice, but here is my experience only having done this stuff a few times.
A few points:
1. https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/85899 Here is a fishtales I had that had a brushed on protective layer. It looks okay in the photos, but when you got close the person who did it did a bad job and you could clearly see brush strokes. Additionally, no matter how much wax I put on it the playfield wasn't "Slippery" enough. There are people out there that can do clear coat correctly, but I would, at a minimum practice on an old playfield or piece of wood to see the results.
2. I added a bunch of mylar to the back of this High Speed to protect my touchups https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/92342. In my experience, mylar is extremely easy to work with and shape, with small sized pieces. Grab paper, cut to shape, refine until perfect, then cut mylar using paper as a template. It can look good as in the spot protection I put in my AFM I sold too cheap.https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive/105355. However, it is my personal experience, that cutting and shaping larger pieces of mylar is EXTREMELY difficult. The mylar I had was covered in imperfections I cut around. Worse, if you don't get it right the first time lifting it gives you the possibility of lifting inserts AGAIN!. Would I protect small sections with the stuff? Absolutely! Would I try to do a full playfield mylar? Never.
3. I would recommend doing something that leaves you or the next owner the option of "upgrading" to a properly treated clearcoat playfield in the future and simply buy a playfield protector.
Good luck!

Playfield protector! Perfect!! Why didn't I think of this?? thanks @sataneatscheese.

never ever use polyurethane. I wish this idea would just hurry up and die a cold hard death in the pinball world. ugh.

PF protector is your best bet. I have them in 3 games and love it. WW might be a weird one with the spinning discs but its still a better idea than more mylar or poly/

Quoted from Haymaker:
never ever use polyurethane. I wish this idea would just hurry up and die a cold hard death in the pinball world. ugh.
PF protector is your best bet. I have them in 3 games and love it. WW might be a weird one with the spinning discs but its still a better idea than more mylar or poly/

2 votes for pf protector and -2 votes for poly.

got it!

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