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Aussie Pinball Forums => Technical Matters => Handy hints and tips => Topic started by: beaky on February 17, 2010, 10:41:46 PM

Title: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: beaky on February 17, 2010, 10:41:46 PM
I have been shopping one of cave of treasures stng pins, i took off the sub ramp and i don't think it has been cleaned since it left the factory.
any way here are the before and after pics
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: ddstoys on February 17, 2010, 10:45:32 PM
WOW  you wouldnt believe it was supposed to be clear my creatures looks similar hope it comes out that good
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: beaky on February 17, 2010, 10:51:17 PM
when i took it out i thought it was a smokey grey colour but it turned out to be clear

it had about 7 cracks in it so i drilled a 1mm hole at the end of the cracks (to stop the cracks progressing) then repaired it with some 5 min epoxy.

eventually it will be replaced but the epoxy will do until then
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: MartyJ on February 17, 2010, 10:58:53 PM
Nice work!  What did you use to clean it with?
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: Strangeways on February 17, 2010, 11:04:34 PM

Very good job mate - usually these are broken, so you have done well scoring a great ramp.
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: beaky on February 17, 2010, 11:33:44 PM
Nice work!  What did you use to clean it with?
5 star engine degreaser, 50% water. 50% degreaser,
this is a chepo detergent engine degreaser which is safe to use on plastics. most engine degreasers are not safe on plastics but this one is.
just spray it on and let it sit for 5 minutes, and for the ground in dirt just use a tooth brush. then clean off with water

it cost me $4 for 5 litres.

I did a test 6 months ago, I soaked an old ramp in it (undiluted) for 24 hours and it did not affect the plastic so i thought i would try it on the next gen ramp.

as far as the epoxy goes the one i used flexes like the ramp plastic so if i flex the ramp it flexes with it and does not crack or let go. i did give the areas around the cracks a light sand so the epoxy could adhere better.

as far as drilling the 1mm hole at the end of the crack goes, i was taught that when i used to install iluminated signs, if we needed to repair a sign with a crack in it we would drill a hole at the end of the crack then glue a thin piece of perspex over the crack, worked every time.
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: markc on February 18, 2010, 12:22:13 AM
funny how most people pins when re built never get the underneath ramps done ,  we have seen some real dirty ones
they look so much better cleaned  well done

keep an eye on my ramp section as i might just have that one . will be listing more this weekend

mark
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: Caveoftreasures on February 18, 2010, 12:50:08 AM
Mark, I went to purchase that STAR TREK NEXT GEN underneath ramp but couldnt see it on ya website.  !@#

It must be hiding with those elusive bloody bugs bunny ramps i hope u can locate somewhere in the 8 million boxes. Got 2 x bugs bunny ramps from u so far, just need 2 of the left hand side ones now. !  &&

will keep searching the psp site this next weeks or so, cheers,

Caveman  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: Caveoftreasures on February 18, 2010, 12:56:59 AM
oh, i forgot. BLOODY GOOD WORK BEAKY, as usual.

p.s- how lucky am i to have my own personal pinball tech looking after me. Andrew is a legend. Nothing the man cant fix or do on pinballs, and almost everything and anything else. GO GO GADGET BEAKY.  %.%  %.%  %.%  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: johnwartjr on February 18, 2010, 03:32:49 AM
back in the day, we would drill a small hole at the end of cracks in R/C car bodies made of lexan to stop the crack as well.

looks much better now! ST:TNG is a real pain to shop IMO
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: v8racefan on February 18, 2010, 12:03:01 PM
Good work beaky ^^^
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: Strangeways on February 18, 2010, 01:27:11 PM
back in the day, we would drill a small hole at the end of cracks in R/C car bodies made of lexan to stop the crack as well.

looks much better now! ST:TNG is a real pain to shop IMO

Absolutely - and those pesky cannons ALWAYS need to be rewired !
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: beaky on February 18, 2010, 02:50:29 PM
one thing i forgot to mention was there was a 13 years of small metal filings in the sub ramp from the ball hitting the metal entrances that lead into it.
Title: Re: make sure you clean your sub ramp
Post by: ajlaird on February 18, 2010, 09:27:13 PM
You are right, no point cleaning the playfield and ramps if the pinball is going to get filthy underneath the playfield!

Nice work.