Bobby Orr's Power Play
Bally, 1978
Gilligan's Island
Bally, 1991
Space Jam
Sega, 1996Quoted from mark532011:One thing I am still curious about. How do you get the wax off?
If you carnuba wax a playfield and decide later that you want to do some paint touchup. Is it possible to ever get the wax off enough to paint?
Naphtha removes the wax, same as on a car
Quoted from mark532011:One thing I am still curious about. How do you get the wax off?
If you carnuba wax a playfield and decide later that you want to do some paint touchup. Is it possible to ever get the wax off enough to paint?
Short answer: naptha.
Long (but much better answer): https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-and-waxing-pinball-machines-vids-guide
Important safety tip: This is what happens when brand new plastics are put on a playfield in 1979, the playfield is crated up and not exposed to any heat, weird air conditions, or humidity, and 40 years happens:
The lighter color plastic "leached" the red dye out of the red post. Sorry to say the same thing happened with the Tuff Coat on the playfield.
My guess is that a good way to prevent this would be to spray the top and bottoms of the colored posts with some kind of krylon matte clear coat or something along those lines. vid1900 any thoughts?
FWIW, I don't think this is something you can fix, as the red dye is impregnated deep into the plastic. I'll probably hide this with shiny washers and call it a day. I'll probably also order new red posts and hope that some magic in modern manufacturing makes this happen less frequently.
Quoted from jsa:My guess is that a good way to prevent this would be to spray the top and bottoms of the colored posts with some kind of krylon matte clear coat or something along those lines. vid1900 any thoughts?
You can just use scraps of Mylar on the posts if you want.
New white plastics are $1, and yellowed old ones can be had free for the asking on Pinside.
Quoted from vid1900:You can just use scraps of Mylar on the posts if you want.
New white plastics are $1, and yellowed old ones can be had free for the asking on Pinside.
These plastics are actually white. They weren't exposed to a lot of air so I suspect the bromine in the ABS didn't yellow. It's just the red rings! I'd buy brand new white plastics if I could get them with the Bally logo.
Put mylar over it is probably the easiest. Wax first so it's less likely to bring paint with it when removed.
Currently prepping a play field for restoration. What is the best way to deal with the areas where plastic posts have been installed. I have seen about using a nut driver or punch to flatten the raised areas, but I have round indentations where the bottoms of the post have been screwed too tightly against the play field. Should I use filler on these areas, or top up with clear coat like you would with sunken inserts?
Quoted from tomds:Currently prepping a play field for restoration. What is the best way to deal with the areas where plastic posts have been installed. I have seen about using a nut driver or punch to flatten the raised areas, but I have round indentations where the bottoms of the post have been screwed too tightly against the play field. Should I use filler on these areas, or top up with clear coat like you would with sunken inserts?
The post is going back on. Why do anything?
Quoted from tomds:Should I use filler on these areas, or top up with clear coat like you would with sunken inserts?
Fill with 2PAC just as you would inserts
Be sure to do your best at sanding inside those divots so the clear can have tooth.
Quoted from tomds:I’m going to be repainting and clearing the playfield so need it to be flat.
Not a huge deal imho.
Quoted from tomds:I’m going to be repainting and clearing the playfield so need it to be flat.
Though not a big deal, if you fill them it turns out nicer and you won't have to scuff inside all those divits for each successive coat of clear.
Quoted from pinheadpierre:Though not a big deal, if you fill them it turns out nicer and you won't have to scuff inside all those divits for each successive coat of clear.
Indeed, scuffing then up was kind of a pain.
Hi All,
This isn't really a restoration question, but I'm sure someone here has the answer.
I'm touching up some spots on an EM PF (GTB Kingpin). The usual spots near the upper kick out holes.
I know that we all use acrylic paints for touch ups, but I happen to have some latex that is a very close match. Do you see any issues using latex instead of acrylic? I'm not planning on clear coating this pf, but will either keep the touched up areas well waxed, or perhaps protect it with some mylar. I'm also considering using Tamiya clear acrylic paint on top of the touched areas. It's an acrylic clear but I've never used it before.
TIA
Hey Vid, when it’s time to repopulate, what do you start with? The things that need to be hammered in like the wire guides? Then maybe the wood rails and then the big mechs under the playfield?
Quoted from jboner1058:Hey Vid, when it’s time to repopulate, what do you start with? The things that need to be hammered in like the wire guides? Then maybe the wood rails and then the big mechs under the playfield?
That's an interesting question.
In my case for the top side, so far, i always took detailled notes when dismantling and i repopulated in the exact opposite order.
For the bottom side, dont think i will be able to do that. I stripped right down to the ground wires for the first time on this GP im working on. So although the staples holding down the ground wires are amongst the first things i pulled, they will never be the last thing i staple back down. It will be impossible to get in there even with a long nose stapler. In fact, I will likely have to desolder the sockets from the old wire, set them i place, staple the new ground wire in, install all the remaining mech and resolder the harness back on to the ground wire. Looks like its going to be a tedious job and require a lot of wire marking to make sure the right wire gets resoldered in the right spot.
Ill be curious to see how Vid or anybody else do it.
Quoted from DropTarget:Hi All,
This isn't really a restoration question, but I'm sure someone here has the answer.
I'm touching up some spots on an EM PF (GTB Kingpin). The usual spots near the upper kick out holes.
I know that we all use acrylic paints for touch ups, but I happen to have some latex that is a very close match. Do you see any issues using latex instead of acrylic? I'm not planning on clear coating this pf, but will either keep the touched up areas well waxed, or perhaps protect it with some mylar. I'm also considering using Tamiya clear acrylic paint on top of the touched areas. It's an acrylic clear but I've never used it before.
TIA
Any paint will wear off without an overcoat, so you can try either one and see how long it holds on.
Quoted from jboner1058:Hey Vid, when it’s time to repopulate, what do you start with? The things that need to be hammered in like the wire guides? Then maybe the wood rails and then the big mechs under the playfield?
Simple answer: go in reverse order of how you took it apart. Look through your pictures, and it will remind you of stuff you would have forgotten.
Older games, the GI wires go first.
A guy on AA is restoring a Williams A-Go-Go he found at the dump ( https://www.aussiearcade.com/showthread.php/91465-Williams-A-Go-Go-1966/ ). One of the things that's come up is how to treat the wear around the pops and protect it.
20180325_125138.jpg
Some kind of fill to level the surface and then mylar?
Quoted from ajfclark:A guy on AA is restoring a Williams A-Go-Go he found at the dump ( https://www.aussiearcade.com/showthread.php/91465-Williams-A-Go-Go-1966/ ). One of the things that's come up is how to treat the wear around the pops and protect it.
Some kind of fill to level the surface and then mylar?
Those are vinyl woodgrain decals around the pops.
Use a plastic razor blade (find at the auto store) and a hair dryer and those will lift right up.
Then post a pic of what's under them.....
Quoted from Atari_Daze:Vid, what is the preferred method to remove the old insert lettering if one is not replacing the entire insert? Quite a few inserts on my Atlantis need help.
Thanks!
Get a 1/4" chisel, sharpen it, hold it at 90* and scrape off the lettering.
Sharpen again as you go, because this dulls the chisel fast.
Remember 90*, not 15* like you normally use a chisel.
Quoted from vid1900:Remember 90*, not 15* like you normally use a chisel.
I know you always recommend it, I am guessing due to experience, is it because of the chance of gouging?
Quoted from mark532011:I know you always recommend it, I am guessing due to experience, is it because of the chance of gouging?
It is the most perfect tool for the job.
An Xacto #18 works for those who can't sharpen tools
Quoted from vid1900:an Xacto #18 works for those who can't sharpen tools
Holy cow, vid you read my mind.
I thought I had a 1/4 chisel, even picked up sharpening stones on the way home from work. I didn't have that small of chisel so i tried that xacto blade and aside from giving me arthritis, it worked beautifully.
Is there anything that guy doesn't know.
Thanks vid!!
Quoted from Atari_Daze:Holy cow, vid you read my mind.
I thought I had a 1/4 chisel, even picked up sharpening stones on the way home from work. I didn't have that small of chisel so i tried that xacto blade and aside from giving me arthritis, it worked beautifully.
Is there anything that guy doesn't know.
Thanks vid!!
It is strange. He does seem to know everything. Wait a minute... MAYBE HE ISN'T ONE PERSON.
Quoted from jsa:Wait a minute... MAYBE HE ISN'T ONE PERSON.
Vid is kinda like Banksy that way.
For scuffing up those little playfield indentations and tight spots these fiberglass pens are great. Just make sure you give the playfield a good wipe down after to get rid of the left over fibres.
https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/iM8AAOSwYXVYzoWI/s-l400.jpg
Quoted from Moonbus:For scuffing up those little playfield indentations and tight spots these fiberglass pens are great. Just make sure you give the playfield a good wipe down after to get rid of the left over fibres.
https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/iM8AAOSwYXVYzoWI/s-l400.jpg
Those things are the devil. I still find fiberglass (and get them stuck in me) months after using them. A neccesary evil for borked up circuits and soldering onto lamp bases, but I would never put one of those on a playfield. You’d never get them cleaned out.
What do you all think about these inserts in a project fish tales I picked up. The big fish, little fish, tropical and deep sea inserts have sunk a shade.
Do you think I should heat inserts and try to tap them up and reglue? Or touch up paint on edge, mask out inserts and put a few coats of 2k auto clear to bring them up? This is my first pin paint work, but I have done my fair share of car paint work, and have turned my garage into a reasonably clean paint room before.
Thanks
Justin b
Quoted from vid1900:I'd probably bring them up level, then reglue.
That'll give less area to touch up the paint.
Thanks for the advice vid, and thanks for writing your guides! , they have been of great help to a newbe.
Do you think I should re- clear the whole lot or do local touch ups to the clear over my artwork touch ups and buff the whole thing. All the rest of p.f. is cleaning up nice
Again, thanks
Justin b
So I have a playfield that the Mylar is perfect on. I'm a little hesitant to pull it up and lose more artwork. If I repair the artwork around the edges can I still successfully clear the rest of the playfield? I guess I would have to mask off the Mylar areas. Thoughts?
Quoted from FuryosJustin:Do you think I should re- clear the whole lot or do local touch ups to the clear over my artwork touch ups and buff the whole thing. All the rest of p.f. is cleaning up nice
Again, thanks
Justin b
Reclear the whole playfield.
Just like a car, it's nearly impossible to do a "spot clear" and have the edges not peel up.
Quoted from Muskie82:So I have a playfield that the Mylar is perfect on. I'm a little hesitant to pull it up and lose more artwork. If I repair the artwork around the edges can I still successfully clear the rest of the playfield? I guess I would have to mask off the Mylar areas. Thoughts?
Too many unknowns.
Pics?
Year?
Brand?
Vid,
As promised, a couple pictures of my Nine Ball Playfield.
First picture should show the only area with mylar -- around/under the pop bumper. Mylar looks good with no bubbling, lifting, etc. Artwork under the mylar looks rather intricate -- not something I'd want to ruin by trying to remove the mylar.
Second picture should give some idea of the cupping exhibited by the inserts. I had planned on giving the playfield a couple coats of clear to try and bring everything up to level.
Would masking off the mylar and clearing the rest of the playfield be an acceptable approach in this situation?
Thanks in advance for your insight.
Quoted from TractorDoc:Would masking off the mylar and clearing the rest of the playfield be an acceptable approach in this situation?
The clear would peel at the seam where the clear meets the mylar.
That looks like a very intact 9B paint wise.
If it were mine, I'd GENTLY heat the Mylar and ON THE SIDE AWAY FROM THE PLAYER see if I could lift it with a plastic razor blade (auto shop).
If it won't budge without damaging the paint, then just stop and cut off the lifted edge with a Xacto.
Thanks Vid.
I will try your suggestion -- luckily I picked up two of the same machine, but the other playfield has a lot more wear. I will experiment/practice on the more compromised playfield before moving to the better one.
Quoted from Muskie82:1991 Data East TMNT
Hell no. Data East paint is the devil and comes off inserts under the flashers like it was printed on the Mylar.
While restoring my Fast Draw , I had to airbrush all the light blue. First I airbrushed the area with white and then I proceeded in airbrushing the final "sky blue" color. I would knock off the painted edge with #800 sandpaper but I am afraid that in doing so will probably partially reveal some of the white color under the light blue. I will do another 2 clear coats . one to add the keylines and miscellaneous decals , and another one that should be my final coat.
My question is ... will the edge even out with the 2 clear coats with wet sanding in b2in ?
my other option is to hide the white by touching up with light blue by hand. a PITA but ..if I have to...!
Quoted from phototamer:My question is ... will the edge even out with the 2 clear coats with wet sanding in b2in ?
Yep, it will all even out as long as you block sand.
Quoted from vid1900:Yep, it will all even out as long as you block sand.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration/page/20#post-1795975
Thank you Vid , that makes feel much better and saves me a lot of trouble. After frisketing the whole playfield and especially the 2 sherifs , I guess i have run out of patience 
Quoted from phototamer:After frisketing the whole playfield and especially the 2 sherifs , I guess i have run out of patience
Set it aside for a month, and just play some pinball.
If it gets to be a chore, you've been at it too long.
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