It seems to me that when they were brand new, they were screened with fluorescent colors? They were a cash cow and we put a lot of them out there, but every one I see now, the playfield is in just terrible shape. Faded, planked and the un Mylared areas are just chalk.

I think I'm just going to re screen the playfields rather than a conventional restore.

Does anyone remember, or have an actual un faded playfield to reference?

11 months later

#2 10 years ago

AMB

flipper_nutz

Pinside+ Frequent

Banning, CA

11y 46,400 49 5 23 1

Hello vid1900, I came across a post from almost a year ago stating you might be re screening comet playfields? I have one and would be interested please bring me up to speed on this. Thank You! Anthony

#3 10 years ago

BEC

BigB

Inactive member

Dike, IA

11y 66,900 1,498 5 56

Same here. What exactly is this process and what costs are involved?

#4 10 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 169K 40,241 18

I got sent on the road by my employer, so I've not made much progress.

The artwork, I've been told, has been completed.

A set of screens is burned (one for each color) and the playfield is re-manufactured. I found a shop with a monster 38x52" press that screens plywood signs. It has laser registration, so the playfields will actually be better printed than the slop from 30 years ago.

I figure that with a real clear coat and buff out (something the orig never had) they will run ~$500, or clearcoat them yourself for $350.

#5 10 years ago

BEC

BigB

Inactive member

Dike, IA

11y 66,900 1,498 5 56

How do we go about getting one done?

#6 10 years ago

RJP

Patofnaud

Pinside member

Tilton, NH

11y 67,150 3,621 7

Vid I had a Comet in my collection until a couple months ago with a nice original playfield, and I use black lights in my gameroom. I do not remember it having UV reactive paint. (It sat next to my EATPM which does have UV reactive paint).

#7 10 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 169K 40,241 18

Quoted from BigB:
How do we go about getting one done?

Once I'm back living at home, and I approve the test panels, there will be some kind of announcement .

I won't keep it a secret, I promise.

#8 10 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 169K 40,241 18

Quoted from Patofnaud:
Vid I had a Comet in my collection until a couple months ago with a nice original playfield, and I use black lights in my gameroom. I do not remember it having UV reactive paint. (It sat next to my EATPM which does have UV reactive paint).

I tested 2 of them with a black light and they seemed just very slightly reactive.

I wondered if they simply had faded.

It might be fun to screen them with UV inks and then wire black light strips to the playfield flash relay. When the playfield goes black, the UV comes on.

#9 10 years ago

RJP

Patofnaud

Pinside member

Tilton, NH

11y 67,150 3,621 7

OP
Quoted from vid1900:
I tested 2 of them with a black light and they seemed just very slightly reactive.
I wondered if they simply had faded.
It might be fun to screen them with UV inks and then wire black light strips to the playfield flash relay. When the playfield goes black, the UV comes on.

Hmmmmm, interesting concept.

In EATPM, TFTC or other machine that uses UV reactive ink that may be a cool mod. On most machines that us a relay to turn GI on/off the other set of contacts are unused. It would not be that hard to make the 'GI OFF' side of the relay turn on a UV strip.

#10 10 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 169K 40,241 18

Quoted from Patofnaud:
It would not be that hard to make the 'GI OFF' side of the relay turn on a UV strip.

Exactly.

#11 10 years ago

AMB

flipper_nutz

Pinside+ Frequent

Banning, CA

11y 46,400 49 5 23 1

I'll keep checking back I'm definitely in on either UV reactive or non paint. I kind of like the reactive idea though. In the meantime I'm rereading your clear
coat article.

1 month later

#12 10 years ago

SMC

DallasPinball

Pinside member

Dallas, TX

13y 48,650 136 64

I am interested in the Cyclone playfield rescreen if it looks like it will happen. I just picked up a really rough Comet that is in rough shape where the mylar was not protecting. I got the game for a great price but the cabinet is falling apart and the playfield is a mess where the mylar did not protect it. The good news is that other than a melted knocker coil, it appears to be working and looks like it won't need much repair or board work... I dug it out of an old operators warehouse after work yesterday and will try doing some cleaning on it later this week to see how bad the playfield really is... The upper area above the pop bumpers has lots of planking and wear... Paint has turned to dust... Now I just need to find a better shape donor cabinet body and to fix the head... Lots of water damage...

-- Shawn

3 months later

#13 10 years ago

AJF

PinballTilt

Pinside member

Akron, OH

10y 84,550 1,131 5 11

OP
Quoted from vid1900:
Once I'm back living at home, and I approve the test panels, there will be some kind of announcement .
I won't keep it a secret, I promise.

Put me on the list! There is $500 worth of work and tools required just to restore my comet playfield anyway, I would take the $350 option though. Thanks

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