The Glow In The Dark Thread: Black Light Friendly Pinball

Pretty cool. Would like to see classic horror titles with more blacklight friendly mods and paint, such as Haunted House, both Elvira titles, and even Walking Dead. Dayglo blacklight paint was always something I remember seeing a lot of in the Halloween haunted house attractions when I was a kid.

blacklight.jpg

#3 8 years ago

904

HighProtein

904 Pinball Zine

13y 167K 6,347

Spooky line-up!
Just inspired me to wonder what rails painted with glow in the dark paint would look like.

#4 8 years ago

YZF

yzfguy

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 146K 11,174 7

I don't have pics anymore, but the TFTC playfield looks great under blacklight also.

#5 8 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

Conyers, GA

12y 103K 16,662 2 9

You can always make your own too, if you're already doing touchups. I'm still massively proud of the work my wife and I did on our Crescendo. Maybe more than I should be, but completely repainting an entire playfield is still something I never thought I'd do.....much less for a game that doesn't get much love to start with.

Prior to clearing, no GI, handheld UV lamp...
353723-i.jpg

Assembled/cleared playfield, mostly UV GI.....titan glow in the dark rings.
416806.jpg

416805-i.jpg

#6 8 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

OP
Quoted from HighProtein:
Spooky line-up!
Just inspired me to wonder what rails painted with glow in the dark paint would look like.

A Pinsider did that, coin door, lock bar and legs too but I can't remember who.

#7 8 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member

I saw this one online, looks like a UV sensitive powder coat of some kind.

images.jpg

#8 8 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member

The EM gun games often got it right:

haunted5.jpg

#9 8 years ago

DJT

Taxman

In Memoriam

11y 90,950 6,228 34 30

Many years ago I purchased a bunch of black light tubes and holders I was going to mount in my games room. I was warned by people that the increased UV would rapidly accelerate the color fading of the colors on the games. Just like the cabinet fade you find on the side of a game that was facing a window for years.

It was not worth the risk so I donated the lights to my friend for her bar.

#10 8 years ago

RUM

Rum-Z

Pinside member

Adrian, MI

13y 150K 3,968 29

Quoted from Taxman:
Many years ago I purchased a bunch of black light tubes and holders I was going to mount in my games room. I was warned by people that the increased UV would rapidly accelerate the color fading of the colors on the games. Just like the cabinet fade you find on the side of a game that was facing a window for years.
It was not worth the risk so I donated the lights to my friend for her bar.

I love the look of blacklight, but was worried about this as well.

#11 8 years ago

SAZ

Baiter

Pinside member

Westminster, CO

12y 69,400 3,910 13 15

Batman Forever ramps are fluorescent, plus, I believe, some of the artwork. I'll have to get pics with a blacklight some day.

#12 8 years ago

???

littlecammi

Pinside member

Carol Stream, IL

11y 82,650 4,532 19

Aren't SEGA Viper Night Drivin' and Big Bang Bar black light friendly? They both have black lights built in.

#13 8 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Quoted from Baiter:
Batman Forever ramps are fluorescent, plus, I believe, some of the artwork. I'll have to get pics with a blacklight some day.

2013-05-12_08-00-55_951_zps84bd5cce.jpg

#14 8 years ago

KAW

viper001

Pinside+ Frequent

11y 73,650 962 15

We put CFTBL out in our garage every year along with several other monster-themed games for Trick or Treat and I have noticed the green on the side of the cabinet reacts well to black lights.

#15 8 years ago

DEW

Damonator

Pinside+ Addict

10y 121K 3,150 35 8

I think they have black light LED strips now - not sure if they are any good though. I've been thinking about trying them out.

#16 8 years ago

OZZ

PoMC

Pinside+ Member

10y 121K 8,832

I have UV lightstrips on each side of my TFTC and the green on the playfield glows brilliantly.

#17 8 years ago

DEF

DefaultGen

Pinside member

11y 123K 2,806

Quoted from Taxman:
Many years ago I purchased a bunch of black light tubes and holders I was going to mount in my games room. I was warned by people that the increased UV would rapidly accelerate the color fading of the colors on the games. Just like the cabinet fade you find on the side of a game that was facing a window for years.
It was not worth the risk so I donated the lights to my friend for her bar.

I have UV filters on my fluorescent bulbs in the garage. I planned on UV bulbs until realizing UV radiation is the reason my Getaway is white instead of red. In the end the bulbs are only on a couple hours a day and life is short. Still not planning on bringing my nice unfaded TZ decals out there just in case...

#18 8 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Quoted from DefaultGen:
I have UV filters on my fluorescent bulbs in the garage. I planned on UV bulbs until realizing UV radiation is the reason my Getaway is white instead of red. In the end the bulbs are only on a couple hours a day and life is short. Still not planning on bringing my nice unfaded TZ decals out there just in case...

Nope. Blacklight bulbs don't put out the same UV wavelength as the sun. It won't do anything to your cab or decals.

Just don't use commercial tanning bed bulbs... They will damage stuff.

#19 8 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member

Quoted from tamoore:
Nope. Blacklight bulbs don't put out the same UV wavelength as the sun.

This is not true. They do put out the same wavelength of UV as the sun, in the UV-A wavelengths, just below the visible spectrum. However, the intensity of your "standard" black light bulb is much less than a commercial tanning bed bulb.

UV-Spectrum-1024x561.jpg

#20 8 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from wayout440:
I saw this one online, looks like a UV sensitive powder coat of some kind.

images.jpg

Yeah that's the one, a Pinsider did that.

#21 8 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from Taxman:
Many years ago I purchased a bunch of black light tubes and holders I was going to mount in my games room. I was warned by people that the increased UV would rapidly accelerate the color fading of the colors on the games. Just like the cabinet fade you find on the side of a game that was facing a window for years.
It was not worth the risk so I donated the lights to my friend for her bar.

I've had my bl in my gameroom for over a year now and I can't see any diff. I only have the bl on when I have people over. Don't worry about, the sun is just a wee bit more powerful then all the bl you need in a gameroom.

#22 8 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from viper001:
We put CFTBL out in our garage every year along with several other monster-themed games for Trick or Treat and I have noticed the green on the side of the cabinet reacts well to black lights.

That's funny cuz I have the cab art on my walls and they really don't do anything. These were taken with regular light.

GR_13.jpg

GR_14.jpg

#23 8 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Quoted from wayout440:
This is not true. They do put out the same wavelength of UV as the sun, in the UV-A wavelengths, just below the visible spectrum. However, the intensity of your "standard" black light bulb is much less than a commercial tanning bed bulb.

UV-Spectrum-1024x561.jpg

You are correct, I didn't speak correctly. What I meant to say is UVA bulbs don't put out the damaging UV wavelength that is associated with sun fade issues. Clearly UVA is present in the sun.

Point is, use UVA bulbs all you want. They won't fade anything more quickly than your average fluorescent bulb.

#24 8 years ago

JMB

Monster_Bash

Pinside member

12y 79,800 2,564 23 17

This is also incorrect.

I just tested this with a piece of plastic under a 'black light.' The purples in plastic were turned pink...and even white in some spots.

Quoted from tamoore:
You are correct, I didn't speak correctly. What I meant to say is UVA bulbs don't put out the damaging UV wavelength that is associated with sun fade issues. Clearly UVA is present in the sun.
Point is, use UVA bulbs all you want. They won't fade anything more quickly than your average fluorescent bulb.

432057-i.jpg

433610.jpg

#25 8 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Quoted from Monster_Bash:
This is also incorrect.
I just tested this with a piece of plastic under a 'black light.' The purples in plastic were turned pink...and even white in some spots.

432057-i.jpg433610.jpg

Under what conditions? Where was the plastic in relation to the light, what was the duration, etc?

#26 8 years ago

SAM

M055781

Pinside member

Colbert, WA

11y 61,800 110 24 43

Party Zone looks sweet under black lights. I put a few led strips in it and it lights up real nice! I'll post a pic later this evening....

1 month later

#27 8 years ago

DJB

brenna98

Pinside+ Frequent

Wind Point, WI

10y 132K 2,245 59 54 1

Quoted from Monster_Bash:
I just tested this with a piece of plastic under a 'black light.' The purples in plastic were turned pink...and even white in some spots.

I remember seeing this exact same plastic in a thread about peroxide and taking out yellowing: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/say-goodbye-to-old-yellowed-plastics/page/4

Its not a fair scientific conclusion to say the black light alone was the cause for your color fade. You chose to exclude the peroxide it was swimming in.

As for Black Lights in general. I don't see any of this as an issue. How long to do really have your games on in a Home environment??

#28 8 years ago

RJP

Patofnaud

Pinside member

Tilton, NH

11y 67,150 3,621 7

Quoted from MustangPaul:
Yeah that's the one, a Pinsider did that.

Guilty as charged. Still have her. Still play her. I've since swapped her to GlowBalls in the same green.

#29 8 years ago

RJP

Patofnaud

Pinside member

Tilton, NH

11y 67,150 3,621 7

Quoted from brenna98:
I don't see any of this as an issue. How long to do really have your games on in a Home environment??

And don't forget, back in the 'Tron' days of arcades, a lot of arcades had black lights on 7x24 and how many faded out Tron vids have you ever seen? I can't remember any. They all survived just fine.

#30 8 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from brenna98:
As for Black Lights in general. I don't see any of this as an issue. How long to do really have your games on in a Home environment??

Exactly, my gameroom is bl and I don't see any problems.

1 year later

#31 7 years ago

DJB

brenna98

Pinside+ Frequent

Wind Point, WI

10y 132K 2,245 59 54 1

IMG_1777 (resized).JPG

#32 7 years ago

ART

OLDPINGUY

Arts Arcade

12y 171K 12,507 7

The pic made my Friday!

#33 7 years ago

DJB

brenna98

Pinside+ Frequent

Wind Point, WI

10y 132K 2,245 59 54 1

sorry it isn't better. my phone sucks for dark picks. in person, it's stunning!

#34 7 years ago

LEB

pinbum

Frozen

Unknown

11y 62k 2,179

Gameshow is also made for the blacklight.

#35 7 years ago

ENO

pinaholic

In Memoriam

New York, NY

12y 68,550 2,118 49

I like the UV strips. Mount them inside of apron.

#36 7 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Here's a couple of good pictures of my bl carpet lit from above and from below each game. It looks like the games are floating on the carpet.

IMG_0494 (resized).JPG

IMG_0507 (resized).JPG

#37 7 years ago

ART

OLDPINGUY

Arts Arcade

12y 171K 12,507 7

Your right, Paul! They would and do look like they are floating....

Time to reintroduce your lit T molding, but add a Dimmer, and Im ready!!

#38 7 years ago

RUM

Rum-Z

Pinside member

Adrian, MI

13y 150K 3,968 29

I dig the reef graphics on that carpet Paul. I haven't seen those graphics. Looks killer!!!

#39 7 years ago

PBC

Pinballerchef

Pinside member

New Windsor, MD

12y 79,300 2,860 10

Dunno bout floating 300# pins

#40 7 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from OLDPINGUY:
Your right, Paul! They would and do look like they are floating....
Time to reintroduce your lit T molding, but add a Dimmer, and Im ready!!

Hey Art, the led strips are the non waterproof RGB kind so it comes with a remote control that has a lot of effects. The non waterproof strips are the only strip that will slide into the channel of the T molding. The channel in the wood of the bb where the barb of the T molding has to be widened for that T molding to go on so my games had to be permanently modified, I don't know if regular molding will go back on. The T molding doesn't light up solid and overpowering like that in real life so at all brightness settings you still see the individual led spots of light. I wish it did light up solid but it doesn't. Some guy came up with a way to light it solid but wouldn't tell how he did it and never came out with the product. I saw it on FB.

#41 7 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from Rum-Z:
I dig the reef graphics on that carpet Paul. I haven't seen those graphics. Looks killer!!!

It's called Under the Sea. Google it. Only $19.99 sq yard. I have 3/8 inch Memory foam padding under it and it's perfect, it's antimicrobal and is a vapor barrier also. Just the right amount of cush too.

#42 7 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from Pinballerchef:
Dunno bout floating 300# pins

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

#43 7 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Here's another good shot.

16003310_10208614604505441_4751088574681129041_n (resized).jpg

1 year later

#44 5 years ago

RVH

MrsHardy

Inactive member

Cameron, NC

6y 26,150 37 5

Old thread, but just found it today. Can we get more pics going !? Here is half of my place, which is kinda blacklight centric. Would love to see more ideas/inspiration. Always looking for fluorescent/glow mods.

IMG_1269 (resized).PNG

#45 5 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

Quoted from MrsHardy:
Old thread, but just found it today. Can we get more pics going !? Here is half of my place, which is kinda blacklight centric. Would love to see more ideas/inspiration. Always looking for fluorescent/glow mods.

The best thing for your pins and bl carpet is to put a 20 inch bl florescent bulb on the underside of each game, they light the carpet under each game like the rest of the carpet. I did that on all 14 of my games.

3 weeks later

#46 5 years ago

904

HighProtein

904 Pinball Zine

13y 167K 6,347

Anyone else have any groovy black light or uv pinball photos?

#47 5 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

OP
Quoted from HighProtein:
Anyone else have any groovy black light or uv pinball photos?

Only a couple bl black felt posters on the bb's of a row of games in my gr.

15972482_10209058214997419_7338044514613267051_o (resized).jpg

16107504_10209058216437455_7878985632371622225_o (resized).jpg

IMG_0490 (resized).JPG

#48 5 years ago

GIR

girloveswaffles

Pinside member

Norwalk, CA

11y 116K 8,134

I can't find the picture right now, but at Arcade Expo 3.0 there was a small room done in black-light that had a Big Bang Bar and Gottlieb Roller Disco in it and both really glowed in the UV light.

#49 5 years ago

GIR

girloveswaffles

Pinside member

Norwalk, CA

11y 116K 8,134

Quoted from wayout440:
This is not true. They do put out the same wavelength of UV as the sun, in the UV-A wavelengths, just below the visible spectrum. However, the intensity of your "standard" black light bulb is much less than a commercial tanning bed bulb.

[quoted image]

That's an odd chart. It's backwards to the usual EM spectrum charts I've seen. They normally go from the lowest frequency to the highest:
1-electromagnetic-spectrum-m (resized).jpg

#50 5 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member