Vid, and Christopher - thanks for all the contributions and insight. It's clear now more than ever how much labor is required to get it done right. I also learned recently how even NOS playfields are far from flawless (thanks for the Gorgar pf work Christopher - wonderful work considering what I handed you).
For those that are willing to invest the time, either by labor of love or budgetary constraints, great results are obtainable by following the steps and precautions outlined here. And for those that are willing to farm the work out to a top-end pro this thread helps justify the expense.
Brian