Quoted from cottonm4:Thanks for the detailed explanation.
I don't know how else you would test a play field for hardness. And I'm guessing he did not say. I agree that a fingernail test would not work on a car. I know the paint cure process can be speeded up by baking the paint but baking a wooden play field is not an option, as far as I know.
So, now we have to use a torque wrench to assemble a play field? What should the torque values be?
I am agreement with your restorer.What is this addball/oddball clearcoat method? I know from reading his advertisement that he uses ceramic clearcoat. I know nothing about ceramic clear and google searching brings up no information on ceramic clear that is of value. I am clueless on the ceramic. But other than the ceramic, what is his oddball method, please?
I know from my own clear coating that you can buff and polish to a mirror finish but running my bare finger across my cured clear would/did leave very minor scratches on the surface. Polyurathane paint is scratch resistant, not scratch proof. But under glass and with the play field lights on you are not going to be seeing very minor finger rub scratches. Although I will allow that the one solid green color of Quicksilver could prove me wrong.
I am going to have to buy a Mirco QS play field. I can't get around it. If Mirco would sell one without clear coat I would prefer that but I doubt he would do that.
I have cleared two play fields now.
On the first play field I did, I laid down the clear and waited for a few days for it to "cure". I sanded it and buffed and polished it. And then I placed in the sun to "bake". The play field got hot and the clear got fingernail proofed in short order. However, I noticed the inserts were acting like they wanted to raise up with the heat from the sun. Another light sanding and another buff and polish was required after the sunshine bake. But it was cured. Within one month of doing this clear, I was putting it together and I have had no problems. And this pin has seen hundreds of game played without issue.
For my 2nd clear coat I was scared to try the sunshine bake method. I just let it cure at room temps. For months. Then I buffed it out. Not too much later I noticed the paint over the inserts was "sinking" and I could feel every insert while blindfolded. So I sanded it smooth and buffed again. I had to do this one more time. It seemed like the clear was never going to cure. It was at least a year before I could start hanging posts and other parts on that play field.
Sorry for the long post.
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I am wondering if you could, or would, take a hair dryer and heat up an inconspicuous are of your play field, either under where one of the arch plastics sits or under the apron area. Could you heat that up with a hair dryer and see if the heat helps cure it out to where you cannot leave a fingernail scratch? If some heat does not help with curing it out, then I will get real nervous when I get ready to buy one of these.
I asked about the fingernail test, and if that didn't represent an accurate test, then what would... he failed to answer that one.
Yep, I suppose that means a torque wrench, further details he failed to give me. I call BS on this, I have never seen nor heard torque settings when it came to playfield population.
I don't remember exactly what makes his clearcoats different. I've read it numerous times, plus I've personally had playfield restorers refuse to touch my QS. Something to do with how the artwork interacts with the clearcoat or layers within. Someone may be able to chime in.
It's my understanding or belief that Mirco is aware they have a problem, if you need to purchase from them, just be ultra upfront that you will only accept a perfect repro.
I have sent off my playfield to the other side of Australia for re-clear coating, as their are few locally who'll touch it, so I can't help you regarding the hair dryer. Possibly worth asking HEP, he happily answers most q's from the admiring gallery.