I'd recommend one of these before it gets worse. Can't go wrong for 25 Cents.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1980

Looks like your magnet core is up high too...it should be level with the play field. Be careful of mushrooming though.

My last game with a magnet was mushroomed so much when I got it, I actually had problems getting the magnet core out and not break the ramp. I think cores are around $12. Not familiar with Spiderman particularly but PBL I'm sure has the replacement part. May be worth it to get that mylar and replace the core (not the whole magnet). Just my .02 though.

You need to immediately replace the magnet core with a new one ($10.95 from PBL) and put a Cliffy on it or a Mylar circle.

I wouldn't bother with the PBL magnet protector. Not a bad idea on a magnet installed underneath the playfield wood; but one with an exposed core = bad idea - the magnet just heats the glue up and softens it and the ball beats the crap out of them (on exposed core magnets)

I agree with pimp, the magnet core looks way too high; in this case it may be a good idea to see if you can get a suitable replacement rather than rework what's there. Careful taking it out so that you don't damage the wood, one edge looks severely damaged.

edit : oh yes i forgot to mention : make sure when you install the new part to make sure you use a straight edge and get the magnet core as level as possible to the playfield wood.

No matter what though, he is going to have to pull the core through the top of the play field. He could file it down and reuse and add the cliffy.

I just pulled mine and filed, although it was in a little better shape than the one pictured.

image.jpg

I used one from my MET kit. (didn't use one on the grave marker magnet). Standard size I believe. PBL or Cliffy direct.

What would you recommend to protect the are of the magnet then? I have the Mylar circle and the circle cliffy. Which is better? I would likely use the same on the exposed magnets on my TZ.
Thanks guys. Great forum.

Will the circular cliffy prevent mushrooming better than the Mylar square? Maybe I should use both the cliffy to
Prevent mushrooming and the Mylar square to protect the playfield.
Any thoughts on this? Thanks

I have been through three cliffys on my xmen wolverine magnet. They keep cupping and pulling off the playfield. Ii'm thinking it has to do with the back and forth motion caused by the wolverine magnet. I also have the same cliffy on my rbion with no problems whatsoever, but rbion doesn't have the back and forth motion. not sure if spiderman magnet moves the ball back and forth like on xmen, but thought I would pass along my experience with the cliffy on xmen.

Thank you. Maybe using both the cliffy and Mylar may work well.

had the same thing happen on my x men le as well . it curls up and cups

Does it affect the ball at all on Ripley's?

Seeing the curl up a little on sparky, but none of the others on MET. Perhaps the cliffys could be treated as consumables? Just order a dozen for a few bucks. Still beats playfield wear.

That's beautiful Bandit!

Doesn't affect the play at all and looks great.

I wonder if it would work to put the cliffy down and then Mylar over it. I think the back and forth motion of the ball on the wolverine magnet catches the edge of the cliffy. The Mylar would seem to smooth the abrupt transition.

I have never had an issue with just adding the mylar circle. IM, SM, etc...It does the job and looks like its not there.

I just put one and so far so good

Thanks to Cliffy!!

Looks good! Keep an eye on the mylar; the heat from the magnet may soften it and make a bit of a gooey mess over time - or maybe not; depending on how long the magnet is on for.

So you just put the mylar circle right over on top of the magnet? I have 3 magnets to deal with on MET Premium. The hammer magnet will need to be cut out, but Sparky and the grave marker magnets, can I just put down the magnet circle ontop of the magnet without any issues? Thanks

No, cut out the mylar under the magnet. You are protecting the area around the magnet, not the magnet. If you stick it over the entire area the mylar will get torn up

Bumping to see what the best solution was over time. Have the cliffy's held up? What about the mylar, did it stop damage to the core?

I had a mylar donut on mine when I had it. Installed in the first week. The damage to the core is no big deal. It can be filed down and adjusted up or replaced if necessary.

If you cover the core with mylar the magnet doesn't work properly.

So did you notice damage still to the core after time as much?

Has anyone with the cliffy notice improved results, or was it a situation where it came up and they went with mylar?

Wear on the core was normal. It was not covered by mylar (affects gameplay adversely).

You want to protect the playfield around the core. The core is going to get chewed up and is inxpensive. There is no effective protector for the core.

What about the cliffy though, how does it hold up? Which is better, cliffy or mylar, does anyone have anything to note about this? I've asked this in two threads with no real answer.

From what I have heard, the Cliffy for magnets curl up. Mylar or static cling vinyl are probably better choices. The area of the mylar at the core needs to be cut away or else it will bubble/deform.

I heard that about the cliffy for x-men, but haven't seen anything about it for SM. As for the mylar, I would be cutting a ring only, I would not mylar over the post.

I have extra magnets, and when they start to mushroom I switch them. When I have 2 damaged ones I give them to my brother who works at a machine shop and he cleans them up nice. I also keep mylar on them (SM and XMLE). The mylar covering the magnet too holds up until the magnet gets trashed, then its time to switch both.
I know it sounds like a pain in the ass, but its just a part of regular maintenance if you don't want your playfield to get trashed.

How hard is it to change to magnet cores ?

I absolutely hate the look of the Cliffy's there, put some mylar on it, play the F out of it and change it out when it gets all mangled up.

I have the mylar circle on SM. There is no adverse affect on the magnet performance, and the mylar eventually gets chewed up (along with the magnet), but generally does the job. Considering the mylar is far cheaper than new balls you can replace it as often as you like. Those magnet cores can be buffed out, no real need to replace with a new one, but you definitely want to avoid magnet mushrooming, as that will damage the wood. My magnet core was buffed to a super high shine, and adding the mylar on top was the only real way to retain that polish for as long as possible, along with protecting the edge of the wood, which was also repaired.

For games like XM and IM, the goal is also to protect the playfied around the magnet.. for that I've installed the mylar donuts which sit on the playfield completely around the magnet core, and they hold up very well. They are best for magnets that whip the ball around the playfield as over time the wear will extend beyond the lip around the magnet. I have yet to see any wear on the mylar donuts.

http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/803-5000-MG

Here are pics of the SM with mylar on top and XM with mylar around..

sm_magnet.jpg
xm_magnet.jpg

how do you get it loose. mine is so super tight I am now afraid to try it at all. I felt if I tried to turn that deep socket wrench any harder I would have broken it off with part of the playfield

All these pics of the top.. I need a shot of the bottom with arrows pointing to where and how you got it loose.. Thanks

You aren't going to break anything, muscle up and tear it off. Not kidding.

I try and use a lighter to heat the nut just a bit to loosen the glue, and then turn.
To reglue the nut, grab some nail polish and use that as glue, next time will be easy.

well I will try again very soon, , and when at it , not that I want to , but before it gets like doc oc . I must do in front of sparky and the one in the Graveyard Inline drops too.on my Metallica . Does any new stern come with this nut perfectly flush or not .. seems like a simple thing for the guy at Stern doing it all day . Geeesh