I think 3/4. Same od as the rubber ones from Lowes. Be careful though..Just doing lexan will cause indents in the clear. I had them on for one day and noticed marks when I removed them. I'd highly recommend going with something softer.

I'm talking about for under the slingshot plastics to protect them from airballage and what not, not for under the posts..

oh.

Hammer slipping out can be due to slings being overpowered.

Depends on the radius of the plastic corner. Pretty sure I used 1" for the post closest to the flippers. I didn't use anything under the top post but I think based on the curve of the plastic a 3/4" would work.

20190328_190325 (resized).jpg

Does increasing the miliseconds in the slingshot and/or pop bumper settings mean more powered or less power?

I would guess more as in, more time between fires, thus lowering the power, but usually increasing things means more power...

Anyone make a black star post?

I’m starting to think this as well since you mentioned it.

I did have this happen when I first got the machine along with some crazy airballs of the slings.

Since I dialed it back a few, don’t think it ever happened again.

Yes, pretty much anyone that sells pinball parts.

https://www.pinballlife.com/plastic-translucent-star-posts-1-116-tall.html

When I ordered an assortment didn’t see the black listed, and it wasn’t pictured.

I'm contemplating replacing all of the posts but that breaks my 1 rule in pinball.....if it isn't broken don't try and fix it! I only have one post issue - thoughts on just keeping as is? I guess i can monitor the situation and not do anything until I see something.

That is what I tried at first. Your mileage may be different but mine kept on getting worse and cracking further around the post. Eventually you could get to the point where it is all the way around and that would probably end there. It never got too far into the playfield that I couldn't cover it with a star post for the most part.

Interesting...on the poll right now it is just about 50/50. But you always assume that those that don't vote or see the thread, don't have issues.

So...when everyone is playing around with different posts/washers....how hard are y'all tightening the posts back down? I want to be sure I'm not over/underdoing it.

Don't be foolish. This is clearly a design defect.

I waited because when I bought the game in April it was a November build and I figured a chance the clear had cured, and the lack of cure plus post pressure maybe was the reason for the situation on other games.

Even then I saw faint signs of rippling on my own, but thought maybe it came like that from factory.

It hasn't suffered cracking or chipping yet but after 100-150 plays of my own I saw my post clearcoats further ripple. So curing of the clear has nothing to do with it.

It's a question of physics. Urethane clearcoat which isn't really bonded to the wood anyway plus repeated pressure from plastic.

No more wait and see from this boy. I figure I'm one of the lucky ones, as I'll put down the Lowe's rubber washers, clear starposts, clear superbands instead of Titans, and that should be all she wrote, folks.

Protect now, or surely cry later.

I'm kinda of the same mindset, being in the same position as yourself. What steps will you be taking?

I've got tools to cut mylar circles with. Not sure how much further I should go past that currently.

Mylar is a fake fix and pointless for this repair. See my post above from DFW restore master Keith Holbrook.

Rubber washers from Lowe's plus starposts plus switching out the Titans with clear superbands.

Lower the power of the slings dramatically. Hope is, won't be hammer/ball catch issues with the tighter superbands.

I'll also put lexan circles under the slingshot plastics themselves, 1 inch on bottom, 3/4 inch on top.

I'd do the gummy ones ZaphX uses but we know for sure they leave indentations, my hope is the rubber ones don't. We know for sure they did well in TNA, though.

Star posts should be all that is needed... Assuming damage has not started already.

I have the star posts and neoprene washers from Lowe’s.

I’ll report back later once all is back together.

Why risk it?

I don't consider it a risk. No other games have garbage under the posts... Why should this one? The problem is the narrow base and sharp edge on the OE posts.

WRONG. Same physics principle applies. Urethane not bonded to wood on plastic pressure. Even a larger surface area, will eventually damage. And mere imprints were already visible nearly immediately from those who tried this route.

My take is that anything is going to leave indentations. The clear is soft and the effect is the same depth as a ball dimple.

Those posts take a lot of shock from the repeated violent vibrations.

Mylar sure won't do crap to prevent divots.

Does anyone have the links for starposts and Lowes washers readily available? If not, I'll scroll through this entire thread...

Wrong back at ya

Star posts and don't make them gorilla tight when installing.

Maybe. But if so that's still a small price for success. My concern with the gummies is that they might have been too maleable and allowed the starposts to lightly press down into the clear when tightened down.

My hope is the rubber ones keep the starposts from making contact with the playfield at all no matter what the impact, putting the pressure on the playfield from the rubber and the rubber alone.

Except the TNA people with the same problem so I guess 1 year+ of verified damage control, presumably some on location too which in a home can be a lifetime..

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

All I know is, the depressions and the chipping are 100% hidden under the star posts so I am really not as twisted about this as the rest of the thread seems to be.

My only concern is solving the escaped kickers on the slings because that's annoying AF. Hoping the lower position on the double star posts will solve it, if not I will try different rings.

FWIW I had some sling escapes;

I initially tried slightly smaller white rubber rings; if anything this made things like airballs worse.

Then I tried dialing down the sling power more, and more; still getting some extreme sling action rarely (e.g. during multiballs). Eventually I have switched both slings back to the titan rubbers the game shipped with.

This plus low sling power seems okay for now! I have not noticed the slings being wimpy.

Are you using star post on potc or the skinny ones? I have the black rubber on tna and so far so good.

awesome thanks! So Lowes washers are not rubber but steel?

I'm using Titans. Just ordered some PerfectPlay and will try those. I never saw the escapes until the post mod.

they are neoprene so not steel

ok got it

What setting did you end up dialing it down to? Figure I'd do that as well.

Oh...I don't care a lick about marks going on concealed under the posts so long as it stays contained there

That said the whole gummy possibly eating the post thing is bizarre. Plus- didn't the gummy ones work on TNA without sling escapes? Not sure why they wouldn't work here too, then.

Be interested to see if gummy or neoprene plus superbands plus minimal sling power setting would be the fix, if we take the eating the post problem as urban legend, that is..

I'd rather those adjustments then put in those ugly double posts.

To your point, wouldn't this happening PRETTY MUCH instant kill any potentially amazing game that you're having?

Not fun...

Obviously

FWIW ... and of course I only have a little over 100 plays (I actually have that many... =P) .. It only happened once - on the right side. Recall that my CE came with the large metal washers.

Almost seems like dumb luck, but if/when it happens again I guess I'll reduce the slings as well and see if that fixes 100%.

Have you experienced escaped kickers with your solution?

I'll probably see my way out after this post, but ...

I personally feel that it should not be understated or forgotten or lost in translation that TNA owners PRETTY MUCH had their own postgate and with "their fix/solution", after at least a year ... it has worked.

Hopefully that restores some confidence...