Bobby Orr's Power Play
Bally, 1978
Gilligan's Island
Bally, 1991
Space Jam
Sega, 1996You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Tommy-dog.
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Quoted from dr_nybble:I will say though that small text is the hardest to accomplish with paint mask, e.g., the small pieces inside your letter "B".
Yes but once the paint is dry you can either use a razor blade or other means to erase what you don't need. I have done this on several playfields with fine details that were not perfect once painted but is easy to correct after the fact.
Quoted from PinballBillinFL:... HP4670 scanner and have made scans of the playfield. I say scaled because for some reason the scans are not full size, but slightly reduced.
I have used a HP 4670 scanner with a Roland vinyl cutter and never had a scaling issue with the 4670 scan.
Quoted from dr_nybble:[quoted image]
What to do about inserts with clear bubbles/flaws below the surface? Keep sanding until I hit them? Scrape off with a chisel? When I wipe with naphtha they do not disappear so I think they are below the clear.
Thanks for all advice in absence of Vid!
[quoted image]
Williams and Bally playfields were made by Linc Smith, Sun Process and TAG. Before the playfields were screen printed they were primed with a sealer. What you are seeing in the pictures are the lost adhesion between the insert and the sealer. You can tell this because the screen printed text is above this layer. If you remove this sealer, the insert will lose its frosted look. The sealer was not clear and had a whitish tint to it. This lost of adhesion on the sealer is very common on playfields from this time period. Even NOS playfields will show signs of this.
Quoted from harryhoudini:Damnit... now I'm talking with Mirco. You persuasive bastards. My wife is going to be less than excited, lol. But this is her game, so maybe she'll be pleasantly surprised. Now the question is can I boogie through my JP playfield swap before the Mirco arrives.
You might want to wait until Mirco makes a batch of the TAG version playfields. His (Mirco) current offering is just the Sun Process version colors. Most USA TOM games had the TAG playfield and the oversea TOM games had the Sun Process playfields. Most people like the colors on the TAG Theatre of Magic playfields better. There is a post somewhere on Pinside about this I remember reading.
Quoted from harryhoudini:Yeah, I read it and saw all the comparison photos. I was not aware he was going to make the TAG version. I'll ask him timing on that.
I was told by Mirco that he did aquire a TAG version Theatre of Magic playfield and he does plan on making them sometime in the future.
Quoted from Geteos:Can I remove the Mylar if I have diamondcoat clear underneath?
All production Getaway games have a Diamond Plate playfield. I would just remove the mylar. The freeze spray method works best on this title.
Quoted from Geteos:... on the getaway.... Once the Mylar is gone, and I get the glue off with flour and alcohol, should I just wipe the play field down with Naptha and then re wax it?
You will not need flour and alcohol to remove the mylar glue on a Diamond Plate playfield. The naphtha will take it off. Just let the naphtha wet paper towel sit on the glue spot for a few minutes. It will just wipe off.
Quoted from harryhoudini:My plan, per the threads and key posts here, was to clear the insert missing the decal first. At the same time I'd inject and clamp the ghosting one. Then apply the waterslide decal. Then clear the entire playfield.
Is that correct?
The best practice is to clear coat the entire playfield first, sand it flat to achieve an uniform flat surface so all your decals and/or touchups are on the same plane (layer). Your also sanding it flat to get a good surface to adhere to. Use 320-500 grit and a red scuff pad to get a good adherable surface. Do your repairs and then re-clear coat.
Quoted from mark532011:All I have ended up with is blobs and drips all over everything.
Make sure your paint mixture is free of any chunks of junk. You might need to filter it. I always ran my paint through a paint strainer before loading it into the gun. Try setting your gun in the 18-30 psi range. I found that my Iwata gun sprayed better at a lower psi than my other guns that wanted a higher psi.
PRACTICE: Take a large piece of cardboard and practice your spraying. Adjust your psi to achieve a good spray pattern.
Quoted from Atari_Daze:Based on what others had said, I tried vehicle windshield washer fluid on my most recent project and it worked great.
I have always used isopropyl alcohol to reduce or thin out my mixture, if needed.
Another trick you can do without using an airbrush is to get a mini jet. These small HVLP spray guns are more adjustable than an airbrush and hold more paint. I use a Sata Mini-Jet but Harbor Freight sells a very cheap generic mini-jet spray gun that works good.
Quoted from harryhoudini:Ok, so what are the possibilities that I can clear my TOM playfield without removing the under playfield elements?
I personally have done playfields both ways (totally stripped on both sides and left populated on the bottom). You can leave it populated on the bottom side but nothing can be left sticking up on the top side. You do need to make sure your clear does not get into your lamp sockets. Unplug and remove large mech (like your ball trough, etc). Make sure when you do your spraying that your playfield is level so your clear coat flows flat. The more masking you do on the populated parts, the better. Your not just masking for the clear coat, your also masking for your sanding and buffing.
Quoted from pinheadpierre:... 30psi is plenty of pressure to blow a wad of tape or a small piece of foam out of a hole.
Your using a HLVP spray gun, right? Some of your Iwata's spray better at 18-20 psi than at 30. Your Sata's guns usually work good in the 25psi range. Practice on cardboard your gun settings (pattern width, pressures and your saturation levels) before you do your playfield. You do not want to be playing with your gun adjustments on your playfield. Your first coat will be your tack coat (very thin spray coat). Follow your flash times of your particular brand of clear coat. Your second coat will be your hammer coat of clear (thicker coat).
Quoted from TwoHeartedMale:if i do touch ups by hand and then put down a play field protector, will the PF protector mess up the touch ups?
Usually no but if you remove the protector or if the protector shifts, it can damage your painted areas.
Quoted from chubtoad13:I have a question about color matching. I read in this thread previously that if you put naphtha on the touchup, it will simulate a more accurate representation of the color you end up with after clear coat.
The touch ups I have done look to be a little off color when dried on the original playfield, however with a little naphtha, they can’t be seen at all.
Should I try to make the dried color a closer match, or will it most likely look fine after clear is applied?
Thanks!
The idea with naphtha is that it wets the playfield and give it a gloss, just like how it looks when it is clear coated. If you are happy on what it looks like when wet with naphtha then your ready to clear coat it.
Quoted from gdonovan:.... I was planning on cleaning, a thin clear coating and playing but keep looking at it thinking.
You already have the playfield stripped down. Lay a base layer of clear to lock in the artwork. I would then let it cure, sand the clear flat and re-clear coat it to level out the playfield. A level / flat playfield will play better anyways. Then you can either play on it and in the future you can just do your restoration on top of the layer of clear.
Quoted from mark532011:I don't see an easy way to put down a layer of clear and sand it smooth when there are dozens of "hills" - if I hammer them in, will they stay? I don't see any easy way to cut the top off without messing up the graphics around them.
Tap those high spots down. Use a red scuff pad and scuff up your playfield before laying down your base layer of 2PAC. Make sure you do not have any shinny spots on your playfield. The 2PAC (automotive clear coat) needs a good surface to adhere to.
Quoted from bssbllr:... I do believe they tell the customer not to wash it for sometime but not sure.
Ok to wash but no wax for at least 30 days.
Quoted from yellowghost:.... seal the bare spots with 2 part clear first. But a dab of clear nail polish or oil based primer should be good enough no? If its a chip and you can see and feel a edge around it, might be better to fill it with bondo or wood filler and sand it smooth after.
Make sure all the paint, sealers, etc are all compatible with each other. Automotive clear is an acrylic clear coat. I would not recommend using acrylics with oil paints (like Testors) or oil based enamel products. Automotive bondo is compatible with automotive acrylic urethane clear but oil based enamels are not. Spraymax and all 2PACs are all considered acrylic urethane clears and Createx paints are also acrylic based.
Quoted from pinballinreno:No. Dont use acrylic clear.
You are wrong about this. Automotive clear is a two component (or three with a reducer), high build, acrylic urethane clear for topcoating automotive base coats.
Quoted from PinballAir:... I know it is forbidden but I use all kinds of paints under the 2PAC.
I use a lot of spray bomb paint.
Sometimes I spray it , sometimes I mix it and brush it (if it is a small touch up)
I use createx and the air brush.
I occasionally use the craft paints.
Most craft paints are acrylic and Createx airbrush paint is acrylic so that is automotive acrylic urethane clear coat safe. Some spray paints are also acrylic based. Sharpie markers, Testors and most oil based products will not work with acrylic clears. That is why if someone signs a playfield with a Sharpie marker and you try to clear coat over it, it (Sharpie ink) will run/bleed.
Quoted from mrm_4:Any thoughts on how to fill these gaps around the inserts prior to clear coating? Thinking maybe a syringe full of paint. Maybe super glue. Just don’t want to deal with dripping clear with an eye dropper with gaps that wide after laying down the first coat.
Do not use super glue. Your playfield IS going to require more than one application of clear to level it out. You need to lay down a tack coat (a thin coat of clear) first. Wait about 10 minutes for the clear to flash. Then mix up a small batch of un-reduced clear (just the clear with harder, no reducer). Using an eye dropper, use the thicker small batch of clear that you just mixed and fill up those gaps. Wait about 10 mins and then repeat. Let that flash and then using your spray gun lay down a full coat (hammer coat) of clear. I would then let the playfield cure for about a least a week, then sand flat. Finish your touchups, and then re-clear.
This is why I do not use SprayMax. I have tried several brands and types of automotive clear coats. I found high-solids 3-part clears to work the best. The 3-part clears allow you to control the flowability by adjusting the amount of reducer that is mixed.
Quoted from toasterman04:... was worried installing them when looked so hazy.
They will not be hazy once clear coated. I have done a lot of playfields and I usually prep new inserts with 320-400 before installing them back into the playfield. You need a mechanical bond and if you use anything higher than 600 grit you are going to ask for problems.
Quoted from Mathazar:What could this be? Leftover Goo Gone residue (even tho I sanded 800-1000-1500 after wiping it up)? Advice on removing it (sand with lower grit, maybe 200-300)?
This is my third hardtop install (and my 2nd EBD) and I've never seen this before.
Thanx....[quoted image]
Quoted from John_in_NC:Who here has recreated/airbrushed wood grain? Would love to add that to my skill set.
[quoted image]
That is a HSA restored playfield. I know exactly how to do that. It is all done by airbrushing. You need to airbrush the darker woodgrain lines and then do the lighter tan flesh color on top of it. Your doing the flesh tan color in very light coats so the darker brown paint under it can be seen.
Quoted from Frogroar:I asked an automotive place if they could clear coat my White Water. They’re using Lesonal Titanium Clear (https://www.lesonal.co.uk/en/products/clearcoats/2k-titanium-clear). Is This product safe to use on a Diamond Plate playfield?
Thanks!
I have personally used Lesonal clear. It can be used on a playfield.
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Walnut Creek, CA