Here is a pilot hole chart:
I use somewhere between the hardwood and softwood sizes, sometimes, as I have numeric sizes bits, but its a good reference:

https://handtoolessentials.com/blog/tools/drill-bit-sizes-wood-screw-pilot-holes/

Just had this gorgeous Future Spa delivered from US. Don’t want to mess with it but would like to clean the playfield a little. Suggestions? Magic eraser and isopropyl? Naptha?

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Thanks Vid

Thanks for posting this. Good reference.

Hi restorers!

I’ve been working away at restoring my Captain Fantastic playfield. So far I have:

1. Sanded the wooded area (shooter lane right up to and included the ball arch)
2. Applied Polyurethane to the above wooded areas. Sanded with 220, 320 then applied another coat of Polyurethane
3. Created stencils for the piano, Elton’s clothes and other white areas.
4 Air brushed badly faded white areas with Createx White mixed with balancing clear 4030 and 4011 reducer
I’m using Photoshop, along with Illustrator and Silhouette Cameo software (designer edition). I normally create vectors using the pen tool (straight or curved) but today I used the Lasso tool to create a path and used that as my vector for Cameo software.

I’m wondering if there a better way of creating a path for vectors, particular for letters and numbers, text on the playfield (circled). I’ve used water slide decals for lettering previously because it just looks sharper but I would love to learn how to get an accurate vector of the playfield text as well as a technique for getting the finer detail like that circled in the attached image. If anyone can make any suggestions, I’d greatly appreciate it!

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Someone else may have a speedier process, but this is what works well for me:

- open scan in Pshop. Use magic wand tool to select all of a given color. Open a new layer. Use the eye dropper to select the color from background layer, then use the bucket tool in your new layer to create a big splash of color out of your magic wand selection. This will be rough and ugly.

- repeat for however many colors you want to repaint. Each color in its own layer.

- using a digital drawing tablet, use the pen tool to fill in missing areas and to smooth rough patches. Pay attention to the edges, you want them well defined.
Name your layers according to color. You’re basically recreating silkscreen layers.

- save the file with layers intact (pshop will ask you how you want to save.)

- open the file in AI. Use image trace to vectorize your layers, one at a time. You will probably have to use the smoother tool to iron out the bumps. If you took your time in pshop, your work at this stage will be minimized.

- that’s it. Save each layer as its own file, exported to whichever file format the silhouette prefers (I like .tiff as it never creates scaling problems.)

This is one of those processes that are self explanatory with a visual aid… because I understood everything you just said, just have no idea why you did what you did.

If you are reproducing multiple layers using stencils cut on a vinyl cutter, this process makes it logical to my mind - mimics the original screen process.

Using AI might only really be necessary when printing decals. Crisp lines that look original vs. pixelated graphics. I’ve had to do some complicated decals which then get cut out using the silhouette. Halftones introduce another curve ball - you can’t vectorize those.

Basically if I’m putting in the time working digitally, I like to make a file that gives me the option of recreating everything layer by layer. I find that my decals end up looking way better this way, and it’s what you need to do to get good stencils. I can get a pretty smooth workflow going, but it may not be something that others want to delve into.

What an amazing thread!

Hi vid1900 thanks for sharing all your expertise.

My other half bought a priest creech yesterday, I told her it's not worth it, knowing I'd likely be stuck trying to fix it up.

The main deal breaker for me was the pf damage here.

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I found these insert decals at Pinball Center (I am hoping it's just a bad photo and not representative of the quality)
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We have a Diner I used decals on but I just popped a playfield protector over the top as I didn't have the confidence to clear plus diner being an uncleared game I thought I'd have to get the entire pf done or if would be silly .

But with Creech it's only two inserts (so far) and it's diamond plated , I think? So I figured I could just clear that small area.

Is there any rattle can product that's affordable we can use and just apply to that area by masking around it?
We have different products available in the UK and I've not been able to find any listed in the thread so far.

I found this on Amazon UK
Deal: Hycote Clear Lacquer 400ml https://amzn.eu/d/0z0Lm9V

But really would appreciate if someone could help me find something suitable on Amazon UK or UK in general.

The description just says
"Precision Cut Insert Decals, just peel and stick.
High Quality Print!"

I suppose they are just stickers going by that? When these companies make decals like this do they intend you to stick them directly onto the playfield and do nothing else?
I had similar for Diner but I put a pf protector over the top so didn't worry about it.

I am intending to scan them so I have the ability to make some waterslide decals in future and have backups.

I know of some people who have sprayed a thin layer of clear over an area where they have used decals. But I'm still unsure what kind of decals suit this, if any.

Also, if scanning them I suppose I could use them for now and see how they last?

Keep in mind those stickers are the full heart image, so they cover more area than just the insert. That means you'd want to either fill your insert with something first (to avoid a dip, but you're left with a bump), or cut out the portion of the sticker that can fit inside the insert. In my minimal experience, the sticker thickness has been comparable to the insert depth--in other words, there's a good chance that once you put the sticker on the insert, it will be level with the playfield.

If you go the waterslide decal route, you can take a look at using a UV resin (e.g. solarez) to spot-clear the insert. It goes on thin and cures with a UV flashlight in a few minutes. It's not going to win any beauty contests though or turn your playfield into a collector's item.

Will probably try this and hope I can line them up well enough.
We're going to strip most of the topside as it's not been cleaned for close to a decade.
Restoring the pf is a job for someone other than me, for sure.

I can't believe I didn't notice the shape of the insert decals.

Do you mean if I cut the decal to fit in the hole where there's no art it'll be flat with the pf?

It's tempting to see if I can scan the decal, modify them and then print on waterslide.
I only have a hp inkjet with scanner ontop, not sure how good this will be?

Yes. But first try cutting a scrap corner off the sticker sheet to check on that.

Decals came and they're not very good. The milkshake one is missing the pink part on the bottom, they've made it white.

KISS letters are a totally different pink.

We're going to scan them and see about matching the colour and making our own.

The other half has been looking into a laser printer for a while so it might be a worthwhile investment in general.
I'd be fine using the decals for now but they're so inaccurate that the white part and the pink would drive me mad

Is there a way to tell if they're waterslide or whatever else ?

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Those look like stickers to me.

do you have to soak them in water to get them off the backing? (hence the name water slide...)

Or do they just peel off?

That chip looks clean enough to just glue it back down with a little thin CA glue.

Sticking it back did cross my mind but the rest of the insert art is cracked and brittle where it's lifted so I think it will have to be addressed or cut out. It was suggested I could pop glue under it but I think it's too far gone.

What is CA Glue? Could it be a type of superglue? Products vary between USA and UK where I am
I'll try peeling a bit of the sheet later

CA glue is superglue… cyanoacrylate

Anyone use a color matching light like this before?

https://www.acmetools.com/milwaukee-m12-paint-detailing-color--2127-20/045242598847.html

Didn’t know something like this existed, came across it by accident and just curious if it would be useful for PF color matching.

OH wow that is neat

I thought that might analyze paint and tell you what to adjust, but its just a light with different temperatures. Is that useful?

It’s because the color match might look fine in one kind of light but stick out like a sore thumb in others. I had a car that got keyed in college and the repair job looked great in my garage but liked like shit in the sun.

Hello all. After 5 years into the hobby I finally got enough courage to clearcoat my T2 playfield. I red almost all of this topic but I still have 2 questions.
1. Those metal tubes used to allign the flippers protrude from the bottom part with about 5 milimeters. Should I take them out, do the clearcoat, drill 2 holes and put them back in or can I hammer them flat on the top side and cut them flush on the bottom and clearcoat top and bottom side with those pieces in there?
2. What to do with the bumper screws? Should I leave them there and try to go around? It will be difficult to sand on both sides because of them. Should I take them out? How? I could not find any post or picture with someone doing this part, only the install on a new playfield.
Thank you for this topic and all the knowlege that came from it.

Yes I want to clearcoat the back too. Is there any purpose of those things being longer than the playfield? If I cut them it will be easier to sand the back. Thanks for your effort for the pinball community.

Is there a reason you are clearcoating the back? I’m not aware of any benefits besides it not getting dirty as quickly?

Clearcoating the back side is just silly and leads to problems.

If you want to finish the backside, just a quick coat or 2 of polyacrylic, it doesnt have to be perfect.

Ron Kruzman does it this way to keep finger prints off down the road.

Hello All
Working on an old pin that the rubber rings have rotted and appear that they have melted and now I have little spitballs of old rubber on the playfield. Any way to clean these off? I have tried gently scrapping with plastic razor blade. It does take some off, but when I rub my hand over the PF, I can feel them still.
Thanks
Mike

OMG!!!
My HP Flatbed scanner died!!! What is the best replacement for it?
Mike

Ebay:

ebay.com link: itm

Going to do a little touch up on my Space Shuttle today. Just three or four spots where I have some bare wood. Was thinking about going over the entire playfield with magic eraser before I start. I never did this when I got the machine; just cleaned it up and waxed it. My question is, do Williams playfields from this era have a small clear coat (albeit, thin) on them? Would I actually be removing that with the magic eraser? Overall the playfield looks pretty decent, but the art faded a bit; could use to be brightened up. Might benefit from it. Thanks.

Ok, that’s a thought I remember reading somewhere. Thanks

Well, I botched the clear coat. I think I put too much on…. Or maybe I didn’t get the wax all the way off. It’s all blotchy and hazy in the area around the pop bumpers. Is their anything I can do to fix it? It looks horrible. Any tips would be appreciated.

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I used Rustoelum satin clear enamel

Just realized I think I used the wrong stuff. Should’ve got the Krylon satin Acrylic clear. Maybe. I don’t know. Ugh!

Sand it all off, finish removing all the mylar and mechs you left on. Just let them hang by their wires and tape them up the masking tape.

You really cant do a good job if you leave the mylar and all the mechs in place....

Sand it totally flat.

Brush this stuff on thick enough to cover brush strokes, it will cover almost anything and is not as finicky as P2K, no respitator or spray booth needed, just brush it on:

https://www.amazon.com/KBS-Coatings-8404-DiamondFinish-Clear/dp/B00DMIDEMS

Sand it flat and buff it off.

You have used this? The reviews on Amazon are okay but not great. Some of the pics of folk's work are bad. Do you have pics of PFs you did with this?
Mike

I've done 3 playfields with it, all holding up great.

others have used a roller to great success as well

while you can polish out to high sheen I purposely left this one not
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Thanks everyone. Fixed it. Sanded it out with 1000, 1500, 2000 and cleaned and re-cleared and it came out good.

What I really like about that product is that you can easily repair chips and defects WAY after the fact.
It bonds very well to the cured product, unlike P2K.

Its nearly ideal for pinball and dries ROCK hard just like P2K. It also "dies" back like P2K.

You can also thin it out to "wick" it into cracks or loose chips.

It takes a bit longer to dry, but if your not in too much of a hurry, it works VERY well.

They also claim that it bonds to old P2K. I havent tried it yet, but it looks VER/Y promising for repairs.