Honestly, I had a little chip on my POTC but I was in the camp of eh, not a big deal. Now, on wonka, the same issue with clear bunching up. I really didn’t notice it until my brother in law pointed it out, because he has a Beatles pin with the same issue. Truthfully, If both JJP and stern (to whatever extent they use mircos PF) are having issues, then they need to address it quickly. Both companies are getting a substandard product from the supplier, and in turn are losing sales and people’s confidence in their products.

I read that people had messaged and called mirco with zero response, but manufacturers need to nip this in the bud ASAP. There’s zero excuse for us to pay as much as we do for these pins, only to have issues like this popping up. If I was JJP or stern, I would get with mirco and figure out what has changed, because this wasn’t a problem on any pin before the last year. They’ve obviously changed something in the playfield manufacturing process and some sort of explanation is definitely warranted.

The buck obviously stops at the manufacturers, but this is starting to be a relatively serious problem. Hopefully they start to hold mircos feet to the fire, because These issues weren’t present in the years before. Whatever it is, I hope they figure it out soon.

Good lord, I’ve never seen someone talk with so much authority but be completely wrong every single time....

It seems like the puddling started on a few POTC and has shown up in higher frequency on wonka. DI had a few clear issues, but never actually puddled around standoffs. My WozRR, TH, and DI were perfect, but my POTC has one post with puddling, and my wonka has 3-4. Clearly it’s getting worse before it’s getting better, and that’s why they need to come down on Mirco because obviously something has changed on the PF.

Speaking the truth? Pfft, you’ve made a half dozen proclamations that all turn out to be wrong or simply untrue. If calling out people who don’t know what they are talking about makes someone a JJP mole then so be it.

Well, I fell for it, I actually took you seriously for a second. Just a look at your post history, with 50% more downvoted than up, and it’s 95% anti JJP vitriol. Literally almost every comment you make is trashing Not only JJP, but everyone except stern...must just be my JJP bias, pfft.

I like all pin manufacturers and all have their plus’ and minuses. I like my sterns as much as I like my JJP and CGC pins and will continue to support them all. I honestly feel bad for guys like you....spending the majority of their time on some pinball forum trying to trash someone’s business with half truths and flat out incorrect statements....shew, I couldn’t imagine being that sad and miserable. Best of luck to you, you’re clearly on a crusade and I hope it works out for you.

My POTC has one post with a half circle of bubbling, but otherwise good. My wonka has 3-4 of the sling posts bubbled, which obviously is unacceptable. It’s definitely worse on some more than others.

I gotta say though, jimwe5t using holocaust references is pathetic and disgusting. It’s par for the course to see him running to every thread to make sure everyone knows what a rage boner he has for JJP...but when the outright lies and exaggerations aren’t enough, he drops the holocaust comparison. How pathetic.

It’s the same thing when stern has a problem, some insane JJP defenders go and troll their thread and vice versa. Truthfully, both extremes are clearly crazy, But luckily there’s a lot of levelheaded commentary with good info to be gleaned from. Hopefully the one good thing that comes from all this is that manufacturers across the board realize this is a problem, and go back to making the quality product we all expect. Everyone of them has done it right in the past, so there’s no reason to believe they can’t get it back that way moving forward.

Dude, look at your post history...Literally 95% of them trashing JJP. For someone that doesn’t like them you sure spend a lot of time posting about them. Never mind the holocaust comparisons, but claiming people are creating accounts to come defend their manufacturer of choice? Haha project much? Honestly, I feel bad for guys like you....literally nothing better to do than post endless screeds attacking a business. It’s pathetic when people do it to stern, and pathetic when people do it to JJP. Oof, I couldn’t imagine such a sad existence. Best of luck on your mission to set the pinball world straight.

You posted the holocaust reference you dunce. Sexual harassment? I gotta see this...show me where I “sexually harassed” you...

You clearly aren’t playing with a full deck, are you?

Just in case you forgot. I’m sure it’s difficult to remember when you’re in the middle of an 18 day rant on pinside. You can get back to it now, Don’t want to take you away from your rage crusade....

Post a picture of your JJP’s, I don’t believe for second you own one. For someone who has so much disdain for them how could you ever own their product? It absolutely defies logic that you are an owner when you said before they would be closed by 2020? What sense would that make?

I haven't seen them replace a playfield, but I know of three people's machines who were replaced entirely. Two from pinside and one locally. Hell, people have even posted about it before on these post pooling threads. I would be a little more sure of things you say before you post it as fact, because clearly in this case you're wrong.

Hahaha good grief, trading? Pfft... Most people are in agreement it's an issue, but some people, like myself aren't going to let it stop me from enjoying the pins. I just bought a Wonka and JP, and both have pooling. I knew about the risk before hand, and again, even though I think it's an issue, I'm not going to let it stop me from enjoying my pins. Every pin I've ever had started to show wear at some point (unfortunately the newer ones don't last as long as the older ones), and if it's a major concern I'll go back to the manufacturer and hopefully they will make it right. Any issue I've ever had both stern and JJP have been very responsive, and mostly corrected the issues I had. It may of took a little longer than I preferred, but neither have left me out to dry as of yet. YMMV, but my experience has been mostly positive with most pin manufacturers.

Again, I said it’s an issue. Not sure how I can make that more clear. Both my New wonka and JP have pooling. Does it bother me? Sure, but I’m not letting it stop me from enjoying the pins. My POTC has one post with pooling, but the rest of the pin is solid and doesn’t really show any signs of abnormal wear after 1500 plays. If my wonka and JP start showing crazy signs of wear after 6 months, then I will take it up with my distributor and the manufacturers like I have in the past. Do I wish it didn’t happen? Sure, it’s definitely a shitty situation that needs to be corrected, and I understand those that don’t want to risk buying new pins...But asking people to trade pins because they have a different opinion than you is just foolish.

I was just responding to your statement that you haven’t seen jjp send out one playfield to anyone. I haven’t seen them replace a playfield, but they typically have just replaced the whole machine. I know one DI and two POTC (one was local to me) where they had them picked up and replaced. Not even disagreeing that stern hasn’t done better when it comes to sending populated playfields out, but just providing some ancillary info that JJP has done it as well.

One of the guys who had his machine replaced posted in one of these “pooling” threads you dunce. My god, I guess that suspension didn’t teach you much, huh?

Again, I’m a fan of pinball, I like them all and have bought from every manufacturer. Do I need to break this down monosyllabically for you, so you finally understand? Can you say the same about the pins you supposedly own? Why don’t you post a pic of your “jjp pins” that you say you have? (You won’t because you don’t own any)..... Out of all the people here posting images or helpful information, you’re the only who continues to make statements of fact, but has been completely wrong 75% of the time.

If I was a less mature person, I would probably assume you’re some mouth breathing incel on a fifth grade reading level that spends the majority of his sad existence antagonizing people on an online forum ....BUT I would NEVER call you those things because that would be against the site rules and would be extremely rude of me. Luckily, thinking those things about you isn’t against any rules, but hopefully this will deter you from tagging me in your ridiculous future posts.

It’s always fun to put you in your place every once in a while, but clearly this isn’t a battle you’re equipped for so I will bow out. If you need me to straighten you out on anything else feel free to PM me.

No, I totally understand. Its definitely an annoying issue to even have to think about.

What’s really strange is even after being a few months old, I installed a new lane post in a untouched position in my wonka, with the included half inch size washer on a pristine portion of clear. Within a week or so it already started pooling around the edges, and I was pretty careful how tight I installed it (firm, but not cranked down). Obviously whatever is wrong with the clear seems to be more of a mix/formula error, than a simple lack of cure time. We’ve all seen the manufacturers do it right in pins before hand, so we can only hope they go back to what was working before...at least that’s the hope anyways.

Years ago? What are you even talking about? POTC has barely been out for a year, and the first thread about pooling was made probably two months ago. Might want to check your facts because you’re completely wrong.

You said it has been going for years, which is wrong. It was brought to their attention 2-3 months ago and they’re handling it. Making it seem like it’s some scandal that was pushed aside for “years” is ridiculous. How exactly do you know what JJP would’ve done for POTC owners? Again, you don’t...theorizing what would’ve happened is silly when you don’t even have the facts/timetables right from the beginning.

Right, You think a CC company will fight for you over a few millimeter of flaking paint chips? Maybe some more than others, but you will absolutely be responsible for shipping it back. Haha you really believe the CC company will force the manufacturers to pick up otherwise you get a refund? Pfft, riggght

Man, you are next level...how many times do you need to be suspended until you finally learn?

I’d love for you to show how this has been an issue for “years” with JJP? You wont have an answer and will just attack me again, but if calling out Incorrect statements and habitual lies makes me a troll, then so be it, I’ll wear it with pride.

Clearly you have trouble reading...I never said anything of the sort. I simply said it’s not as straightforward as some make it out to be. Try again, you actually may say something factual eventually...god knows you had enough tries.

When can we see that sweet JJP collection of yours?!? I’m totally sure you’re an JJP pin owner and have the purest of intentions in your crusade...

Literal lol. It’s amazing that the loudest voices in this thread are mostly the same people who have said they would never own a JJP product....it’s incredible the energy and time they have for a product they have no interest in...

To your knowledge? Can you share some of the info of who had replacement play fields sent out? I’m sure it would go a long way in assuring people there issues would be taken care of, as I haven’t seen anyone that has had a replaced populated playfield for pooling.

Everything is not black and white. No one has said this isn’t an issue and just go ahead and play on, but to act like the pins have zero value because of pooling/chipping? That’s just typical hysterics.

So you don’t know anyone that’s gotten a replacement for the pooling issue, thanks for confirming. Not sure how that’s bait, but appreciate the info.

I have no need to PM you, not sure what that even has to do with my question? Weird.

Good decision on your end.

Hahah good lord, “I know for a fact some people are hoping stern doesn’t fix my issues”...you really believe that? Has someone outright said that to you? How does someone even draw that conclusion?

Edit: just to clarify, I hope anyone and everyone that thinks they deserve a replacement gets what they think is fair resolution. These pins are expensive and should’ve been right from the beginning, I think everything is at least in mutual agreement about that.

...But Since you clearly are unsatisfied with JJP’s resolution, and you have two stern pins with the pooling issue, do you feel the only resolution is two populated play fields from stern? People have said over and over that the clear will wear faster than normal, so stern replacing them seems the only legit way to solve it. I personally don’t think a populated play field is warranted in these situations, but can understand how some people do. If stern does replace both yours with populated play fields I’m sure a lot of people would feel a lot more confident with them and how they support their products. I guess we will see what happens.

If they replace both of them I’ll be impressed. I personally think it’s a pretty tall order, especially if someone only has one or two posts with pooling, And what threshold stern would consider as normal wear and tear on a pin. Obviously pooling isn’t normal, but I don’t see someone with only a single post that shows an issue getting a populated play field. Who knows though, I have been wrong before so I guess we will see.

Wow, what a Thoughtful observation, you really know how to call them.

I hope stern sends out populated play fields to everyone effected. I’ll be seriously impressed. I guess we will see if and when it ever happens for this issue.