Dont spray the first coat heavy. Way too many bad things can happen.
Before the first coat, eye dropper over any inserts, cups or irregularities.

First coat: Light mist looks cloudy and matte finish, but completely covered.

Wait 7 mins spray a slightly heavier coat to "wet" up the surface, slightly heavier.

Wait 10 mins, spray a medium coat, not heavy. It doesnt have to be perfect, you are going to sand it all out to flatten it anyways

Wait 24 hrs.

Block sand and Do touch-ups and keylines with matched paint and molotow black marker at this time.

Spray second coat, apply another mist coat to keep the marker from bleeding, wait 12 mins.

Apply more eye dropper over inserts.

Apply 2 medium coats, first one lighter than the second, 7 mins apart, should be somewhat wet looking. wait to dry 24 hours and block sand flat.

3rd coat: more eye dripping over inserts apply a very heavy coat, wait 10 mins apply another heavy coat, use up the whole can.

wait 24 hours and look at it, if any imperfections block sand and do the 3rd coat again.

after 7 days look at it, if its mostly perfect you are ok, if not, apply a 4th coat same as the 3rd.

Wait 10 weeks and look at it again.

Block sand it down and either polish or do the 3rd coat yet again.

After that you should have a near perfect surface.

The near perfect surface is actually too smooth for the ball to roll properly.

At this point block sand with 1200 grit and cascade up to 4000 grit and then polish to mirror glaze.

this will still look way better than it needs to, but the ball will roll properly.

I forgot to mention about the drops. I do it using a different 2 part that i mix on the side and just do the inserts and any low spots just on their own first and let that set for about 30 min. After that 30min is up i do the first lock in clear and that sits for about 2 months to let it die back. Then i sand and start painting. Any other low spots or die back is taken up in all the lock in clears after anyways.

I was trying to find if there are any issues in getting the bulbs out of the sockets after clearing. Is there a better way to prevent the clear from getting sockets?

I used those foam ear plugs you can buy at CVS or any drug store. I snip them a little short so they don't stick out above the play field when sanding.

I use blown bulbs i would throw out anyway.
They come right out as very little 2K lands up in the sides of those holes.

When I clear coated my Cleopatra play field I filled the holes with closed cell polyethylene foam. The material I used was left over underlayment for laminate flooring purchased at Home Depot. The same material is also used as sill gasket. You might even find some being used as packing material. I cut it into strips about 1" wide, rolled it up and squeezed it into the holes. I was able to roll it into all kinds of shapes a sizes. I even used it to fill the holes in the star rollovers. I also used backer rod for large holes but afterwards decided it wasn't worth it.
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After the clear coat cured it was easy to pull out. I had to clean up 3 or 4 holes with a scalpel where the foam stuck to the edge of the hole.

Is there a problem doing the painting prior to any clear coat? I’d prefer to do the pf touch ups before starting the clear bc It ill be easier for me logistically. Just want to be sure there are no one has encountered issues proceeding in that order .

Always apply a lite "mist" coat of clear before any paint.

This keeps the paint from soaking in and keeps the wood fibers down. It also stabilizes the wood from planking etc.

I did not clear mine before repainting. I had no issues with Spraymax.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hideous-target-alpha-playfield-needs-art/page/2#post-6039852

The biggest advantage I have found for the lockdown coat is in the name.
Many times when I am touching up, the original paint is loose. If I use frisket to mask off, ( or masking tape) I pull up the mask and take up some of the original paint underneath. Then, I have more work.

But, if the original paint is well stuck on there, this is not an issue.

As far as the paint not sinking in if I make a mistake ( on lockdown coat), I find that even if the paint does sink into the wood (without lockdown coat), I am so low in relation to the paint around it that I can repaint over the mistake without penalty.
If the mistake goes onto other paint unintentionally, then it can be an issue. In this case having a lockdown coat makes cleaning up a mistake much easier because I can clean it up with the solvent of my choice.
Hope this makes sense.
Cliff

I’m restoring a BSD playfield that has some pretty significant planking. Is it worth finishing with seriousness or should I forget it? I’m afraid after a while the clear coat will ghost because the wood is too soft and not secure. Anyone have a really bad planking situation that is holding up under the clear?

My OPINION is that if it is badly planked, eventually the planking will telegraph thru the clear. On the PF's I did with minimal planking, the lines showed up 6 months down the road. In those cases I had enough material on the PF to re-sand and buff. Deep planking would be hard to fill even with a super wet coat.

If I were to do it, and had no other options, I would definitely go extra wet from the beginning. But, there is no guarantee the product will flow into the voids in the plywood sufficiently to prevent its return. It is more the amount of labor that goes into a playfield than the cost of the Spraymax.
ALL PURE OPINION

I was thinking about the same thing. Will be attempting to re-store one soon. I plan to seal the bare "wood" the same way I seal wood before I stain or paint it. There is only 3 bare spots. Most of the repainting will be done over existing silkscreened art to get rid of ball swirls.
On previous touchups, I brushed some white alcohol-based stain-blocking primer over the bare spots and it worked great.

Shadow clear coat has been completed. Sanded with 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit paper. Buffed out with Meguire's number 2 and 3. Very pleased with the end result.

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WOW !

epeabs you’ve inspired me to do this to my Shadow, too. I’m just waiting for weather to warm up a bit as I’ll be doing this outdoors.

Looks amazing!

Looks great, for the sandpaper was that hand sanded, wet or dry, or using a machine?

Dry sanded with a 5" R/A sander. 3M sandpaper.

Has anyone used Montana acrylic paint markers for the key lines? If you have has there been any problems with compatibility with the Spraymax.

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I used them. No incompatibility at all.

I bought the smallest tip and they were still pretty thick. They also tended to bleed a little but the end results were pretty good.

Im using the molotow markers, but any "super high pigment paint markers" will work.

All the pens can bleed unless you put a very fine mist coat over them first before any light or medium coats.

Has anybody had problems applying 2k over insert decals? Plan to sand away the remaining artwork up to maybe 800 or 1000 grit. Then apply the decals.

I have used it several times over waterslide decals. Just a light dusting to lock it down and let dry. Then hit it a bit heavier. No problems whatsoever.

Hey. Thanks. Its not a waterslide. It almost looks like vinyl. But your're idea was what I was reckoning.

That turned out great. How many coats? Cans ?

It was 2 cans. Dust coat, wait 10-15, a bit heavier coat, wait 15, lay down the can. Let it dry for a day or two. Then sanded it out with 600, cleaned, and repeated the process.

I have some areas for a bk playfield that have raised wood from posts.( like a small dome) They are all spots that will be covered up with plastics, do they still need to be sanded flat for clear ?

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I generally gently hammer those down with the round end of a ball peen hammer.
They can get in the way if you block sand your clear coat.

I use my doming/dapping punches to hammer down all those raised areas before the first coat of clear.

If the edges are super loose, I smear a little titebond on them:

https://www.harborfreight.com/25-piece-doming-block-and-punch-set-93539.html

I apologize if this topic has already been covered thoroughly in this thread or others. Does anyone have a method for laying SprayMax 2k on overlays? I read one post on applying around 5 coats of unspecified automotive clear, 30 minutes apart, with 1st and/or second being light coats. Does light coat mean a once over misting? I'm nervous about burning through a brand new vinyl overlay.

Thanks!

One of the problems with vinyl overlays is poor adhesion of the adhesive.

The general consensus is to sand the playfield flat and remove all of the old artwork.

Then properly apply clearcoat in several coats, sand it flat then polish it.

Wait 12 weeks for the clear to cure completely, it should have no smell at all, no gasses should be present.

Outgassing of the clear will loosen the overlay later on.

Apply the overlay and press it down completely. It sticks best on shiny surfaces.

Apply the clear with mist coats allow to dry and then medium coats. Too much solvent will melt the overlay adhesive.

Its best not to apply the clear too heavy, as it shrinks and dies back, also there's the solvent problem, then a huge amount of tension occurs on the surface.

Hopefully this tension will not lift the overlay and cause it to wrinkle, loosen and shrink.

Done properly and with care they look really good.

Thanks pinballinreno! This sounds like excellent advice. Patience is the biggest takeaway from this advice.

Now, after reading all the posts on ventilation and ventilators, I'm having difficulty finding a full mask with compatible ov/n95 cartridges. Can anyone recommend what they've used while applying spraymax 2k? Any links for a specific mask with the ov/n95 cartridges? I want to, at the very least, follow bare minimum ventilator requirements, replacing cartridges every 30 minutes. I'm planning to build the cheap spray room using pvc with cutouts in plastic sheet for air filters and box fans.

I used this, connected to a pancake compressor: https://www.amazon.com/Supplied-Respirator-Mask-Mask-Connection-Breathing/dp/B01MU2Z17Z/ref=sr_1_7

And I used this for a mask: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JZ1M10/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

I can't confirm their safety - all I can say is that I couldn't smell anything while I was spraying, and I had my pancake compressor 30 feet away from my spray booth via long hose. Worked great for me. I wore a full body rain suit with a bunny hood cinched to the 3m mask + rubber gloves

That's a nice option, Boslaw. I like how it eliminates the need for those filters while providing fresh air when used properly. Very nice alternative. Thank you!

While I am sure this product will work as advertised, be careful with the choice of air compressor. A shop compressor is definitely not rated for human breathing in terms of cleanliness. The biggest issue would be an oil lubricated compressor, you are dependent on the filter removing nasty oil vapours. An oil-less compressor will eject particulate matter for the most part that should be easier for a filter to remove.

Good info, BJM-Maxx. I only have a small red Harbor Freight Husky "hotdog" compressor that I use for filling tires. I can't remember the size or psi. This will require more research on my part.

Yes, I used a husky pancake compressor. The filter system I bought comes with a few filter cartridges. I changed the cartridge once during the process (I shot mine over a period of 2 days) even though the cartridge probably had life left in it. The air I was breathing didn't smell OR taste off in any way, and I have a very sensitive sense of smell.

As I said - I can't vouch for safety. After all, the filter system is made in China. I personally did feel comfortable based on the fact that I couldn't smell anything other than clean air but you have to decide your own tolerance for risk.

The harbor freight disposable automotive paint mask, $16, is sufficient and rated for 40 hours of exposure.

Couple this with eye protection and youre all set.

Careful of terminology here... remember that almost none of the filter-style masks are adequate. The Spraymax cans contain isocyanates and only an organic-vapor OV+N95 filter can be used and it must be replaced every 20 minutes.

There is a good discussion about this at: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-spraymax-2k-auto-clear-in-a-can-club/page/16#post-5017384

a sample from it: "This cannot be used with half masks, as the n-Butyl acetate is quickly absorbed through your eyes and exposed facial skin. n-Butyl acetate is known to cause acute(immediate) symptoms and damage to your central nervous system. It causes immediate damage to your brain.

This cannot be used with OV cartridges alone.There must be an N95 filtration component due to the content of Hexamethylene diisocyanate homopolymer."

You might want to read through the discussion - or get a total isolation air supply system!

Wow, ok lol...

Lol, spraymax is a great product we just have to be careful

As an addition safety, i always spray outdoors, late in the afternoon when there is no breeze.
I spray with pf horizontal and then turn it vertical in my rotisserie between coats.
I have had good results and have not had any crud get into clear.
Even if a small amount of dust did get into it, i always sand and polish it after anyway.

I know we are looking for beyond perfect because we are all so anal but my survival is a little more important than pinball.
You can see the results of spraying outdoors in the Volcano Club thread. That is my game and it WAS sprayed outdoors without a tent.

Good info. I have an interesting layout with my garage detached, facing a shared alleyway. Front of house faces opposite direction, on the main street. A covered breezeway through the yard connects the back of house to back of garage. I'm debating whether I should spray this stuff outdoors, or just do the ventilation setup in my garage. Thanks for all the advice. I'll check out the volcano thread for more info. I'm definitely leaning toward spraymax 2k versus having a pro (or body shop) do the clear for me.

The other advantage to outside is no lingering vapor/ overspray indoors to impact you or your family.
YMMV
Though i have not posted pics, i did my High Speed the same way. I have pics of that as well.

I really like the outdoor idea. Timing will be key. So much bright green pollen now through April. Then, super hot and humid summer.

Yep, I'll second your comments here.

Provided that the source of air is clean, this looks like it's a good solution and far more affordable than disposable cartridges. I think I'm going to pick one up.

I spray in a spray tent outside, $40 from Amazon. With goggles and a half mask; it sprays fast, can usually lay down a coat without even taking a breath!

I've been following this thread and especially the discussion around the PPE and safety precautions required to safely use the product. I always take a better safe than sorry approach to these kinds of things and would much rather listen to the guy that substantiates why N95 masks will only last 30 minutes when spraying clear, than the one that says "nah don't worry about it, you'll be okay".

It really worries me that this product is sold to unknowing hobbyists without any warnings or with incorrect PPE recommendations by the seller.

Thanks to everyone for the excellent advice. I respect everyone's methods because you know what works for you. I've decided to play it a little safe while getting the less pricey full face respirator. Hopefully the air system is compatible with this mask. I still like the idea of spraying outdoors, underneath a cheap tent. The mask and air supply system will need to be tested prior to spray day.

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