(Topic ID: 231258)

Those pesky play field dimples

By cottonm4

5 years ago


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  • 13 posts
  • 11 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by wdennie
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#1 5 years ago

I know there is a post that is talking about play field dimples and opinions are quite strong about play field dimples and do they happen, or do they not happen, etc.

Even with Vid's illustrations, I was of the opinion that play field dimples were a relatively new occurrence because softer wood is being used in this day and age. I've just been educated.

I have a pin I recently restored which included clear coating the play field with automotive clear polyurethane. I sanded and buffed and polished the clear on that play field. It was as smooth as glass and shined like spit polished shoes.

The pin is a Stern Big Game, made in 1980. I have played it a lot since I got it running a few months ago. Actually, I have been playing the hell out of it.

Tonight, I pulled the play field glass to replace to some rubber rings and do general cleanup. And low and behold, in the right kind of light, I have too many dimples to count.

Even though Vid has said repeatedly "all pinball machines get dimples" I did not want to believe it. Now I do. Believe. I'll keep trying to get some pics.

P.S. I wish I could find that original post about dimples. And maybe this post could be tucked into that one and the Mods could close this post.

#2 5 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

I know there is a post that is talking about play field dimples and opinions are quite strong about play field dimples and do they happen, or do they not happen, etc.
Even with Vid's illustrations, I was of the opinion that play field dimples were a relatively new occurrence because softer wood is being used in this day and age. I've just been educated.
I have a pin I recently restored which included clear coating the play field with automotive clear polyurethane. I sanded and buffed and polished the clear on that play field. It was as smooth as glass and shined like spit polished shoes.
The pin is a Stern Big Game, made in 1980. I have played it a lot since I got it running a few months ago. Actually, I have been playing the hell out of it.
Tonight, I pulled the play field glass to replace to some rubber rings and do general cleanup. And low and behold, in the right kind of light, I have too many dimples to count.
Even though Vid has said repeatedly "all pinball machines get dimples" I did not want to believe it. Now I do. Believe. I'll keep trying to get some pics.
P.S. I wish I could find that original post about dimples. And maybe this post could be tucked into that one and the Mods could close this post.

They will smooth out and look better over time and you don't really see them anyway unless you are looking for them so i woukdnt sweat it too much if i were you. I bet that Big Game looks sweet though doesn't it?

#3 5 years ago

I remember when that dude posted his picture of his Indy 500 playfield and said “look at this quality! 20 years old and no dimples!!! Why can’t Stern do this?!?!”

And everybody was all like “dude- that photo shows thousands of little dimples on your Indy 500.” Cause it was covered in tiny little cute lil dimples!

Those were the days!!

#4 5 years ago

We can use that game at pincinnati next year!

#5 5 years ago
Quoted from lancestorm:

We can use that game at pincinnati next year!

Yep. Just need 148 more...

#6 5 years ago

My Genesis almost done..make that 147.

#7 5 years ago
Quoted from Who-Dey:

They will smooth out and look better over time and you don't really see them anyway unless you are looking for them so i woukdnt sweat it too much if i were you. I bet that Big Game looks sweet though doesn't it?

Yeah, I recently started converting all of my home lighting to LED bulbs. Those household LEDs light everything up. A minor scratch is suddenly visible and looks like the Grand Canyon.

The dimples are only visible from a certain diffraction and the play field is still smooth as glass to touch. I may put an incandescent bulb back in and see if there really is a difference with LED.

I am partial, of course, but I do find the BG play field enjoyable to look at. For me, it has centerfold quality.

Now that I am getting comfortable with LEDs, I made an order with Comet to try and take advantage of the recent sale.


.

I recently stumbled onto a youtube video of a guy who puts the lights to his Laser Cue. I have a Laser Cue and know of what he speaks when he talks about LC being hard to play because the play field is so dark.



Feast your eyes.

Anyway, Big Game is a dark play field with some black spots. Since Comet was having a sale, I figured, Why not? I discovered that "On Sale" does not mean inexpensive.

I bought a few of these paddle lights and post lights to try out. I like the way they brighten things up so I am going to buy more to finish the job. I am also going to do my Laser Cue to match what you see in the video.

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I have one post light sitting on top of the rear post at the standup targets. The front post is not lit. The difference is incredible.

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I have the slings and the right side lit up. You can see the difference.

A sharp eye will also notice my flaked back glass. I have a new BG Resto glass to complete the restore but I am waiting for BG Resto to send me the back glass lift channel and locking channel before I can mount it.

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It is still a work in progress.

#8 5 years ago
Quoted from lancestorm:

We can use that game at pincinnati next year!

Dimples and all

I appreciate the invite. Google Earth says that is 782 miles. And I would have to drive thru Indiana with ALL of the trucks---again. I've made two trips to Cleveland. Lots a trucks in Indiana.

#9 5 years ago

I always accepted dimples as normal and they do tend to smooth/blend the more you get.
No way around it though, if a ball gets airborne even an inch and hits PF first, it will leave a simple.
Doesn’t really matter the type of wood they use on the PF and I’m pretty they aren’t using maple or harder on the Janka scale of wood hardness.

I think on newer games the dimple is more into the clearcoat than the wood.
Good test to try, get a small piece of hardwood flooring. Get a dense wood like Brazilian cherry and drop the ball on it from 2-5” of height as this is the most common airball height. It will leave a small dimple!

#10 5 years ago

I restore wooden boats and can tell you, good plywood is a thing of the past. Its not the top Ply (which can be wafer thin) thats the issue. Plywood construction employees layers of glued substrate wood that contains voids. Whenever a void is directly under the top layer dimples occur easily.
Marine plywood is rated according to count of voids per square feet, in a boat water can fill these pockets and rot.
Kinda laugh when I hear about Rock Maple being used, next time the play field is raised observe how thick that top layer is, many times its thin as veneer.

#11 5 years ago

Please do not attack me for saying this.
Just offering 2 cents.
I restored a gottlieb volcano.
The playfield was smooth. I would assume all the dimples had been connected and that is why it looked that way.
I touched it up, clear coated it and played it.
It is now dimpled.
My question: if the wood had already been compressed by dimpling then what is being compressed now?
I think it is the clearcoat.

#12 5 years ago

I just restored a fishtales that had a lot of plays, playfield was pretty smooth, but there were a couple of areas where it was compressed more into almost a groove(by where shooter lane meets outer orbit, and where multiball dumps onto playfield) clearcoated with 2k auto clear, and as others have said, hundreds of fresh dimples after 300 + plays. Also new dimples over the extra compressed bit where multiball dumps, so that tells me the clearcoat is part of the dimple effect.

#13 5 years ago

I thought that the star post led's were spouse to go under the post, never saw one mounted on top before.

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