Vertical, so gravity does not effect inserts.
Out of box, so it can breath.
No wrap around it, would hate to find out I have to peel it off and ruin clear or paint.
All in my unprofessional opinion.
-Mike

Right now I have two tucked in an unused closet leaning gently( angle ) against the wall.
And yes I do check on them every week to make sure nothing has changed.
-Mike

I've never seen a problem with then stored vertically, but I would put foam or something under them to keep them off the floor especially in a basement. I use the packing materials from NIB games. Keeps any moisture away from them. You could always put a couple screws in the wall and hang them in a closet, too.

Perfect.

I disagree. You will get warp in that thing over time. Store horizontal on a flat surface.

No matter what you do. If it isn't enclosed something will find a way to scratch it.
No matter what you do. Something will try to get it wet.

There must be a Vid's guide to Playfield Storage.

I thought that the best way to store a game is with playfield rails attached. Even if it means attaching them to the backside, you attach stiffening rails.

This is what I've heard as well.

Caveat - I have NO experience with this particular problem. But my instinct (which often fails) says HANG the thing on the wall, maybe with soft spacers beneath it so air can circulate around it. Hooks through pop bumper and/or switch holes? I agree that even a small bit of angled leaning will eventually warp it (especially without any rails to stiffen it).

There is no assembled parts mounted on bottom of pf, so no weight pulling on it to warp it but I do see the concern. However the idea of putting hangers through pop bumper holes or switch lanes... I can guarantee the weight of just the playfield will make the hook indent into the wood and you will be heart broken, especially if it was cleared.
-Mike

I am impressed and enlightened by the variety of replies on playfield storage.

Perhaps someone needs to market a playfield humidor similar to how cigars are stored. Steady temperature, humidity, flat shelves for horizontal storage or vertical slots for those that prefer to stay upright.

I have a couple playfields stored in an upstairs spare room very similar to how ImNotNorm has his pictured; I do not have rails installed but that is a good idea/makes sense. They are not quite at 90 degrees -- probably closer to 85

I might ask someone like kruzman that works playfields for a living; I imagine he might have some insight and opinions.

In the pic of post#7 there is barely any lean angle to the playfield. The wood used is plenty thick enough for that, it's not 1/8 in. plywood.
-Mike

On the ground. If the clear is cured, then it doesn’t matter if it is in a box or not. If it has been cleared within the past 6 mos, I would not box it. Under a bed is perfect. I promise that you will warp a PF if you store it vertical I’ve seen a TOM shaped like a U.

I was once chided by Jim McCune for storing a TAF up against a wall for just one week. That name might not be familiar much around here now, but I promise he knows his shit.

McCune has not been forgotten.
-Mike

This is all ridiculous. I have stored playfields, uncoated, for the past 10-15 years, vertical with not a trace of warping.
Hanging it against a wall is not good, as the weight rests only on one side, unless you hang it to two hooks. Then air does not circulate behind it....

What you did is good, as long as your closet gets some dry air.

Yves

We do not normally store playfields, we put them in a few months after we get them. Do you do the same thing for clear coated playfields? We have always kept ours on the floor underneath machines on 2 pieces of wood (like rails) and like the idea of standing them up like the photo in this thread.

Thanks

Con

Put the rails on it, and DON'T lean it at any kind of angle.

If the clear is less than 6 months old, put the rails on the back (use the same holes) so they don't get glued to the surface.

Still have NOS playfields from 30 years ago unwarped, stored properly in shipping boxes vertically in a climate controlled room. Evironment is critical.

Storing it like this reminds me of going into the pool hall and grabbing a cue that was so warped you could not play well with it.

Why was in warped?

Because someone leaned against the wall instead of placing it back in the cue storage rack.

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Thanks Vid

Like this.

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Vertical! Check the definition of that word, if it is not clear in your mind. Have a bracket of some sort holding it on the top to prevent the playfield from falling down or tilting.

YVes

You can stand them on the long or short end,. Just make sure they are not leaning at an angle.

Bally games have large holes that you could run a pipe through, hanging a tightly spaced group.

A friend who knows his stuff advised me to lay them flat so at my old house I stored about a dozen on the top shelf of some industrial shelving (the kind that has good, stiff wooden shelves, not the ones that use wire shelves.) I used a combination of tissue paper and butcher's paper to keep them separate from each other with the expectation that I could polish out any fine scratches the paper caused. Most had been clearcoated and were able to offgas just fine this way. They were up there for over seven years with zero issues.

Unfortunately at my new place I don't have the ability to do that so I now have them stored vertically in playfield boxes which are stuffed with playfields so no possibility of them leaning at an angle inside the box. It's been four years and the last time I pulled one out it was still just fine.

The reality of this is either way works. Let me preface either, flat or vertical, not leaning. How they are placed has so much less to do with the warping factor then where they are placed. The key is to keep them stored in relatively stable environment with lower humidity. Playfields are made of cabinet grade plywood. These have better and additional veneers. One side is sealed by the clear coat. If you have concerns about the environment they are to be stored in I suggest sealing the backside to reduce the ability to absorb moisture. Keep in mind this process will not eliminate the problem but inhibit it. If a playfield has acclimated to the surroundings and is stable it should remain stable. If you choose to store your playfields flat be sure the surface you store them on is suitable and stable. Never lay a playfield on a surface such as concrete. There is a good chance it has a higher humidity level and will transfer that to the playfield.

All my playfields are hanging in by basement. It is dry and a dehumidifier maintains the humidity level.

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I agree with a few others here, do not store them standing upright at any kind of an angle. The playfield will bow. Some of that bow will disappear when installed in a game but I wouldn't take a chance. In my experience storing them flat doesn't always 100% eliminate bowing either. It occurs less when stored flat versus upright but storing flat doesn't protect you from bowing completely.

I wanted to display some of my playfields instead of hiding them under the bed or in a closet so I came up with this:

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I dismantled an old bunk bed from IKEA about 7 years ago and felt guilty throwing the wood away. I ended up making these frames. I cut a channel out of each piece with a router and joined them to make a frame.

I really like the storage/display box idea. If you are going to have a bunch of NOS play fields may as well see them and enjoy them while waiting for that restore!

What happens if the frame warps....?

Yves

Here's how I've been storing my Mirco AFM for a year now about two inches from the wall hanging in some old side rails attached to it, I had to drill some extra holes though.
I'm certainly no expert and this will probably be the only playfield storage I'll do but no warping so far.
Temperaure is roughly about 17-20°C and 40% humidity most of the year, it will hang for a few more years until I find the time for a swap.
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