How to Clean and Restore a Pinball Machine Play Field 

You did an amazing job with this. You are truly a master of your craft.

Yeah, you really did a great job :)

+Vida Klocke Looks much better now.

+Vida Klocke I must agree, very nicely done job. I did my homework on clear coating with spray can and automotive clear coat. The automotive clear will be the best and I'm not in a hurry and the cost isn't my issue so automotive clear it shall be. I did more research and the tools and supplies to apply a good automotive clear coat is over $200 if I do all the work myself. I contacted a local custom automotive paint shop and they have done many pinball clear coats. They charge $150, so this is a "no brainier" I go with the pros. I packed it up and it is currently in their shop. I should get it back this week. I will have to do all the levels of sanding up to 2000 grit, buffing and waxing myself. I'll shoot a video on that process.

Todd Harrison hi Todd , did you made that video ? Thanx in advance

+The Bright Pixel So much work but it is coming along. I sent it out to get an automotive clear coat but will shoot some video on sanding it out to 2000 grig, buffing and waxing later this week. Then on to the cabinet, chrome and some electronics for the next few months.

+DoItYourselfMusician Very. I have lots of her artwork in my home. From vases, baby shoes, crosses, plates and many Christmas ornaments. www.vidascollectibles.com/

Glad you liked it! Fun to share this video series.

Thanks I will let her know!

+Aaron Hurd Thanks Aaron! It's coming along. Out for a custom automotive clear coat now.

+DC Rickerson It's currently out for an automotive clear coat at a custom paint shop. I should get it back this week or next. I will show the sanding out to 2000 grit, buffing and waxing. Then onto the next part I guess. There will be many more videos I'm sure. I too never played pinball, but this art work and Star Trek theme really appeals to me, plus with the super bright LED's it looks amazing in the den. I might have to change the sounds a bit as I would like to make a custom sound options with more Star Trek themed noises instead of the beep-boop-bing it has now.

Yes it does. Thanks.

+themaconeau I thought so too but she didn't seem to enamored with the work. She loves her porcelain work and that is the art she does best. I think she could save so many machines but then will people really want to pay for such nice restoration work? Only collectors really, too bad there are no such thing where she lives. People could ship a stripped play field to her I'm sure, maybe that will happen?

***** The enquiries may not flood into Aunt Vida but if they are serious, they will find her and offer competitive compensation. :) Whatever happens, she is such a sweetheart. Give her a huge hug next time you see her, for she is a very special and patient human being :)

+themaconeau Will do! Thanks.

Thanks. I'll let Vida know you like her work.

:-)

Fun and I'm going to make some hacks to make it even more fun or as I say "funner".

@@ToddFun mabey add extra score bumpers, led lights etc.

+Video Québec I have 4 of these. They are very nice to have around the bench and for shooting close up videos.

I have not seen an overlay for this game but I have seen new play fields by www.classicplayfields.com/ but WOW the good grades go for $800 to a $1000 and the crap fails are still $600 so painting was my only real option.

Not from me but maybe google/RU-vid for help.

No, when it started to look a bit to much paint on the sponge I stopped and by then it was quite clean. Very minor paint lost for me.

Come on Dave come on now 😂

+Eddie O I did have it clear coated by an custom automotive paint shop that has done many pin playfields. It did turn out ok really but I want the finish to be like a mirror. Right now you can see the rolling surface imperfections around the inserts. So I'm going to setup shop in my garage and video how to clear coat, sand and buff a field using automotive clear option. The two coats that are on it now are ok but need to be sanded and the low spots filled with new clear coat then a few repeats. I could keep taking it back to the automotive paint shop for the clear coats but for the cost of just the one run I can purchase all the product and do the run 4 times myself which is what it will take to make a mirror finish that will last forever. Here are some links to what I plan on doing however these videos leaves out some details, not much but some and are a bit hard to follow in my opinion. Watch his clear coat videos 1 through 5 in order. But make sure to really clean the field and watch and follow his touch-up videos first. ru-vid.comvideos

Thanks so much Todd for the information. I might follow your process. Sounds like if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. I'm an artist too so I will give the touch up method your aunt used on my playfield. Hopefully I can do a good job too.

+Eddie O Great, let me know how it goes. Maybe think about opening a YT account and posting some before and after vids?

+MH MH I really struggled in my mind with doing the clear coat myself. I researched how others have done this using "Krylon Triple-Thick 12 oz. spray can" as well as others that have a shop air compressor and put on an automotive clear coat themselves. The spray can jobs never look too smooth and the home automotive clear coat was going to cost me $200 in supplies to do it right. I called around and found a shop that does "custom!" automotive paint jobs and learned they have done lots of pinball play fields. They charged me $150 and it's out for clear now. I should get it back in about a week. I will shoot video on sanding it 600 to 2000 grit in levels then buffing out and later waxing once it sets for a few weeks. However, if it helps here are my notes if I was going to try myself. Two clear coat options: 1) Krylon Triple-Thick 12 oz. spray can 2) Automotive clear coat using air gun 1) Spray can clear coat steps: 0. Strip playfield of stuff. 1. Blow off playfield with compressed air and Vacuum 2. Clean with Mean Green enough to remove surface dirt 3. Wipe down with Naptha (lighter fluid) 4. Clean deep cracks with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and with Iso Alcohol 5. Wipe down again with Naptha 6. Touch up with water based acrylic paint 7. Wipe down with Naptha 8. Clean off PF with compressed air 9. Spray a misting coating of Krylon Triple-Thick 12 oz. spray can 9.1 let dry 9.2 Lightly sand with 600 grit 9.3 Wipe down with Naptha 9.4 Repeat four more times 9.5 Then orbital sand with 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 grit sandpaper 10. Polish with Novus 2 10.1 let dry and then buff off good with clean buffing pad. 10.2 clean with Naptha 10.3 clean all wholes out with window cleaner 10.4 repeat polish with Novus 2 10.5 let dry and then buff off good with clean buffing pad. 10.6 let field harden for 2 weeks!! 11. Put down your Mylar for bumpers and sling shots. 12. Wax twice with Wild Cat #125 (or) Johnson Paste Wax (or) Best option - Blitz Carnauba Paste Wax from: www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2589 13. Buff out wax with buffing pad to a high gloss finish 14. replace all playfield stuff. done 2) Automotive clear coat steps: Watch how to automotive clear coat ru-vid.comvideos Read this: This describes "diamond plating" a playfield using Automotive clears www.pinrepair.com/clear/index.htm Blow out garage a lot, get all dirt out and vac garage let dust settle and sweep again. Build a plastic drop wall all around to form a booth -buy plastic rolls Dry out compressor and put on line driers -buy in-line driers from Harbor Freight, maybe get a better gun at Harbor Freight? Scuff play field with ~1500 grit Wipe down with Naptha before clear to get off ALL OILs (2 or three times) Use lacquer cleaner to clean gun and set/test gun before spraying clear coat Also remember to use lacquer cleaner to clean gun after spraying clear coat -buy lacquer cleaner Best to Clear coat with DuPont: ChromaClear HC-7776S (4 parts) ChromaBase 7775S (1 part) Add "Smoothie" too to clear coat mix to prevent fish-eye from oils on field. (about two drops) Other Clear coat options: ChromaClear G2-7779S With ChromaBase 7765S or EuroClear works too I guess Get mixing buckets and mix 4 to 1 with 2-3 drops of Smoothie Tack with tack cloth just before clear coat goes down. Put on first "LIGHT" clear coat not too much clear need. This coat is about a 5 count spary path longways and for about 10 passes where down and back is 2 passes. Spray about 1.5 feet from play field Clean gun with lacquer cleaner Wait for flash over ~20 minutes Then immediately put on second clear coat heavy so make sure to have lots of clear in gun this time. Clean gun with lacquer cleaner Let dry for a day Wet sand with 600 grit to as close to level as possible Clean with naptha If there are low spots: Level field dead-on using bubble level and shims Level inserts and low spots with eye dropper of small amount of clear mix 4 to 1 with 2 drops of smoothie Let level drops dry over night Sand level drop even with play field Clean with naptha again Get mixing buckets and mix 4 to 1 with 2-3 drops of Smoothie Tack with tack cloth just before clear coat goes down. Put on another "LIGHT" clear coat not too much clear need. This coat is about a 5 count longways and about 10 passes where down and back is 2 passes. Spray about 1.5 feet from PF Clean gun with lacquer cleaner Wait for flash over ~20 minutes Then immediately put on second clear coat heavy so make sure to have lots of clear in gun this time. Clean gun with lacquer cleaner Let dry for a day Sand wet with 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 grit sandpaper Buff out with: first: 3M 39060 Perfect-It Rubbing Compound (then clean up) second: 3M 39061 Perfect-It Machine Polish (then clean up) third: 3M 39062 Perfect-It Ultrafine Machine Polish (then clean up) Clean with Naptha Clean all wholes out with window cleaner Let field harden for 2 weeks!! Wax twice with Wild Cat #125 (or) Johnson Paste Wax (or) Best option - Blitz Carnauba Paste Wax from: www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2589 Buff out wax with buffing pad to a high gloss finish replace all playfield stuff. done

+Todd Harrison (ToddFun) I appreciate the update - still want to see it all. I agree automotive would be best but I was try to not strip the whole field and take it in, just to save a little work. If you can show how you stripped the bottom and as much as you did. I was hoping to keep some of the wiring attached to the bottom. I have fixed a few machines but this can be the tedious part. Like you I have to have someone else touch up my playfield wear areas - I have no skill there. What I like about your video is that it is so typical of what you see on a playfield and how you fix it. There are other videos out there but they are old yours is the most current.

Good to know. Thanks.

After finishing the paint job I took my board to an automotive shop. Had them put three layers of perfectly flat and shined automotive clear coat on. Works amazing.

Still not up and running. Life changes has put this on a back burner. I do have the cabinet stripped and ready for sanding so I am still making progress, just every so slowly.

No, I put down automotive clear coat which will not affect play and will last a lifetime in the home. If I did't coat the paint with any clear coat I would have put down some mylar in select areas. I would never use a full play field mylar overlay as all reports say they never fit these older machines and you will fight with roll overs and other transition area play.

just normal white one-shot paint.

I will be wet sanding this winter and putting down some more automotive clear coat myself. Yes, my aunt did quite a nice job. Thanks.

+2020tesla I really wanted to do as much work myself as possible. I know the automotive clear would be the best so I looked into all the supplies and product needed. I was going to be over $200 to do the job myself, plus I'm not paint pro. I had lots of viewers ask me to check into automotive paint shops but the hardcore shops didn't want the job as they push only cars through. I keep looking and found a custom paint shop the does lots of one-off art jobs and found they have done many pinball fields. They only charge $150 so as you can image I packed it up and it's in their shop now. There are some things that are just best left to a pro if you want it to look great.

If this is your first you're going to regret this. From the should of it I recommend you take it straight to the dump and save yourself a huge amount of money. Look for a better condition solid state machine that is in working condition as a project. Maybe a bad switch or two, maybe a bad bulb or two, maybe needing new coils, flippers and rubbers. What your talking about is way to far from a reasonable condition to be considered even for free.

Todd Harrison well I'm just a kid and I realy don't have money but I do have mad electronic skills so I just figured this would be a good project to do when I'm bored, u know? I was thinking I would see what I could do to it and go from there

That's a good state of mind to have going into such a project. I wish you the best of luck and know you will learn a lot on your adventure. You will find that money is going to be a wall for such a project. You might get a lot of it working depending on current condition. There are lots of websites that can teach you a lot on your way.

Omni Engineering if the back glass is still in good shape and the play field is bad. Make it a wall hanger lamp. Meaning just put the lights in it and turn on and off as you would a lamp. ,😉Then sell it to someone in NY for thousands.

I kind of stalled out. I did get the automotive clear coat done at a specialty automotive paint shop. It looked ok for $100 but really it need sanding and a few more coats to get the mirror finish I want out of the deck. I was going to do the wet standing and the extra coats myself and video that job. I guess I best upload the video on the first coat just so people can see what they might get from such a specialty shop then compare the results of me doing it myself. I'll see if I can get that done this week. Thanks.

That sounds great. I will keep an eye out for your next vid. Thanks for the info.

Just finished the video on the clear coat. www.toddfun.com/2016/10/23/pinball-machine-play-field-automotive-clear-coat-job/

Thanks. Still have to get it all back together. I"m repainting the cabinet this winter.

+SeanBZA I think there is joke there someplace. I will use Maas International 91404 . Stuff does a great job on chrome and smells great too. astore.amazon.com/tod0f5-20/detail/B00TX0VXUO

Not sure if you were were perpetuating the joke, but... Do NOT clean the pinballs! Even if you clean them, they will still have small imperfections that will destroy all your hard work. It's the equivalent of having a round, steel piece of sandpaper rolling around on the PF. At $1 a piece from places like pinballlife or pbresource, replacing them is the only way to go. I replace all the balls in my machines every december.

Good point, Thanks. I have a new pack of 5 so I will just replace the ball every year like you.

+Stephen Hinkle It is Bally 1978 Star Trek, here is the international pinball machine database entry: www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?gid=2355 It is Electronic microprocessor controlled, not EM.

Yes, you are right about goo gone. I think goof off is an acetone type mixed. The felt tip pens didn't run. I did have the play filed clear coated by an automotive shop and and none of the felt marker ran. I did wait like a month or many months before sending it in for clear coat so that might have made a difference.

and they will fade if you don't clear coat. use 1-shot and a #1 kafka or blick scroller (brush)

She used the Sharpie paint marker - not a regular sharpie, so it should be ok, no?

+Mc Pit It was a oil based paint pen made my Sharpie but some of the fine fine lines were done by a normal fine point sharpie. I could be in trouble with that but it's out for clear at a local automotive custom paint shop so if it bleeds I'm just going to be sad. I can only blame myself if it does. We should know in about a week.

@@ToddFun Did it bleed?

No, but close. North Dakota.

Thanks. Got it.

Wish I had such but even then my Aunt is only good with a brush and I'm good with nothing. :(

air brush is a joke .the only thing you need that you don't have is a couple of good lettering quills. the ones you have are junk. I'm amazed she did such a nice job. take it from a pro pin-striper. air brush may come in handy for back glass repair, however.

Done, new video just uploaded on the clear coat.

Good tip. Thanks.