(Topic ID: 130422)

Painting plastic ramps?

By pinheadpierre

8 years ago


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#1 8 years ago

Does anyone have experience or educated opinions on whether or not it is advisable to paint a plastic ramp? I have just finished a playfield swap including new plastics and a new mini playfield for my Pinbot. The blue ramp now looks really shoddy compared to the clean new parts due to fading which had ambered the blue so that it looks like it is stained by nicotene (which it may be since the last owner was a smoker).

My main concern is that the ball travel would wear the paint and make it look worse than it is now. Suggestions?

#2 8 years ago

Sure you can paint ramps, but I would only advise painting the underside. Painting the top side would certainly wear from ball travel. If you could remove the paint from the underside, Krylon Fusion for Plastics is a pretty awesome paint. For new black ramps, as an alternative to ABS black plastic, I paint the underside with the black and they look great... Very shiny and very durable. The Krylon Fusion for plastic has a pretty wide variety of colors.

#3 8 years ago

Thanks. That is what I suspected. I am seeking a solution for a discolored top surface that the ball travels on. I tried the hydrogen peroxide gel technique with no luck.

#4 8 years ago

If the color of all the plastic has changed, then it is more than smoke damage. Have you tried to polish the ramp with something aggressive, like Novus Plastic Polish? Or something like those Plastic Headlight Repair Kits?

As a last ditch effort why not try the Krylon Fusion.

#5 8 years ago

Are those two separate ramps on Pinbot? I'm thinking about reproducing them in clear and or transparent blue.

#6 8 years ago
Quoted from Freeplay40:

Are those two separate ramps on Pinbot? I'm thinking about reproducing them in clear and or transparent blue.

The blue ramp is 1 piece. If clear plastic was used it could be painted on the backside. Although a transparent blue would look cool.

#7 8 years ago
Quoted from Darcy:

The blue ramp is 1 piece. If clear plastic was used it could be painted on the backside. Although a transparent blue would look cool.

Yes it can be painted on the underside. That's what I'm doing for the black ramps...Get the durability of PETG plastic and an added bonus of a very shiny black ramp. Just looked on-line and they have a couple light blues which look very close to the stock color.

#8 8 years ago

On a clear ramp a decal could be designed to go on the underside, or along the underside along the back of the ramp. There are all sorts of mods that some one could imagine. Even more lighting.

#9 8 years ago

Yup - I tried novus 3 to no avail. A reproduction of the blue ramp would be awesome! And yes, it is a separate piece from the flap ramp.

I am sure that I am not alone in thinking that along with the ramp, reproductions of the big helmet that covers much of the blue ramp as well as the smoky semi-transparent visor would have quite a few customers. Mine are all warped. Since they are not flat pieces doing the old heat them up and press them technique is not an option.

Given that CPR just sold a big run of playfields and plastics I am sure I that I am not the only one putting a Pinbot back together and wishing for shiny new versions of those pieces!

1 year later
#10 6 years ago

I'm doing a retheme and want to change the color of my ramp. Do you think if I spray some clear coat over the paint it will hold up from ball wear?

#11 6 years ago
Quoted from dr_spidey:

I'm doing a retheme and want to change the color of my ramp. Do you think if I spray some clear coat over the paint it will hold up from ball wear?

If it is Pinbot that you are going to retheme, I am going to attempt new reproductions of this ramp very soon. I say "attempt" because they are right at the limit as to the size I can do with my current machine. Anyway, when I do them I will be able to offer several colors....for sure clear, red and turquois....possibly dark blue and dark green once I get the colors mixed to my liking, or yellow or smoked...

#12 6 years ago

Not a pinbot. Space Shuttle.

#13 6 years ago

Plus one for new Pinbot ramps!!

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