(Topic ID: 141416)

Why do I see "Clear" plastics for sale?

By PA28steve

8 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 15 posts
  • 11 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 years ago by GRB1959
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

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#1 8 years ago

On EBAY and elsewhere, I've seen "Clear" plastics, already cut for placement on a pinball playfield. Is there some process that is well known/easy for putting the graphics on these arbitrary shapes of plastic, are the people who buy these plastics using them blank, or are they all artists doing the painting freehand? Sorry for the dumb question, but I'm missing a couple Black Knight plastics, and I'd love it if there was some easy way to print the art on a clear piece of plastic, since I could probably get the right shape cut from a CNC with a little bit of practice..

Thanks in advance!!

#2 8 years ago

To protect the real plastics with the graphics on them.

LTG : )™

#3 8 years ago

The clear plastics you see are plastics that came new on games from the factory clear, without graphics, intentionally so. Since they are clear, they aren't subject to licensing issues and anyone can make them without license. An example is the clear plastic on Road Show that sits on the bulldozer blade.

Other clear plastics are called "protectors" which are aftermarket plastics that are cut slightly larger than the original plastics that are mounted under the original plastics on the game. They are "protectors" because when a ball hits the plastic, it hits the clear protector first.

#4 8 years ago

Hmm.. Interesting.. I guess I've never noticed a game with intentional clear plastic before (other than a playfield window like in Black Hole or the old Space Time "tunnel") but then again, I don't get to play too many machines newer than my black knight!

Thanks for the info!

#5 8 years ago

A lot of 90's and later games have clear plastics over ramps as shields to prevent fly-offs.

#6 8 years ago

Beware of the Acrylic clear plastics.

Acrylic is very brittle and will break easily. All tinted plastics, (protectors as well), are Acrylic.

#7 8 years ago
Quoted from PA28steve:

Hmm.. Interesting.. I guess I've never noticed a game with intentional clear plastic before (other than a playfield window like in Black Hole or the old Space Time "tunnel") but then again, I don't get to play too many machines newer than my black knight!
Thanks for the info!

Check out StarTrek: The Mirror Universe plastics ... there are both protectors and clear plastics on the game. Will be at Expo in person if you are interested.

Quoted from indypinhead:

Beware of the Acrylic clear plastics.
Acrylic is very brittle and will break easily. All tinted plastics, (protectors as well), are Acrylic.

I've making my own for several years out of Acrylic... While what you say is true; in practice; I've yet to even have a protector fail in HUO and show situations.

#8 8 years ago

I have plastic protectors for a couple of my games but have not installed them yet. They are getting installed after playfield swap when I will install new plastics at the same time. As much as the plastic sets cost it sure doesnt hurt to try and protect them.

#9 8 years ago
Quoted from Zitt:

I've making my own for several years out of Acrylic... While what you say is true; in practice; I've yet to even have a protector fail in HUO and show situations.

I design/machine plastic protectors for all my pins.

1/16 polycarbonate...practically bullet-proof.

#10 8 years ago

Clear plastics, I just don't see them.

#11 8 years ago

Is there a website that sells plastic protectors for most games?

#12 8 years ago
Quoted from Euchrid:

Is there a website that sells plastic protectors for most games?

Out of all the machines you have in your collection...I've design protectors for several of them, but, at the moment, the only sets I sell are for BadCats, Fishtales, and BSD.

#14 8 years ago

Thanks, guys. Seems no one makes them for Congo?

#15 8 years ago
Quoted from Euchrid:

Thanks, guys. Seems no one makes them for Congo?

In December of 2014 I purchased a 7-piece plastic protector set for my Congo from the following web site (Best of Pinball - Germany):

http://www.bestofpinball.de/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/13560

The plastic protector set is very well done. The web site now says that they are out of stock so you may want to email them and see if they will re-stock them at some point.

Gord

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