Sorry if some of this is a repeat of a previous thread but since it pertains directly to the question asked it bears repeating.
Being an expert on the subject, it's real simple. Plastic is petrol based and dries out over time, can’t avoid it, that’s the facts. The reason we got into making ramps, eight years ago I bought an NOS TAF ramp (which came from IPB) for $530, within 6 days it was busted. That ramp was just over 10 years old when I bought it.
The original ramps installed in machines usually have a much better lifespan than stored NOS as they are installed on a machine which is usually kept in a controlled environment but as most will note, the main reason they need to be replaced is they have cracked, hazed or at worse been busted to the point of rendering the machine unplayable (which was the case from a recent Strange Science customer). Our research showed the main cause of ramp breaks and cracks was a result of the plastic drying out and becoming brittle.
We "flame" polish every ramp to take out small scratches caused by the production process. Flaming the plastic slightly melts the top surface and makes a smooth clear finish. The reason some NOS ramps which are 10 years old or much older which are scratched or hazed cannot be flamed out is the plastic is too old and has dried up. The life of those dried NOS ramps are minimal as the steel ball hitting dried brittle plastic...well the steel ball will win and the NOS ramp will eventually be toast.
There are some who insist on only NOS. It’s all about preference and if NOS is your choice then good on ya. Right now not all ramps are available new (but the list is continuing to grow) so sometimes NOS is the only choice. Not all NOS ramps are brittle to the point of cracking at anytime, some may have been stored well and still have some moisture left. The easy way to tell is to try and flame polish the surface. If it doesn't take out scratches then the ramp is dried up and you may want to steer clear.
Regardless of your choice, 10 years ago NOS ramps were going for $400+. When we started making replacements the NOS market tanked and now there are cost effective choices for those who want either new or NOS. The good part about new ramps is the source continues to replenish and expand whereas NOS will eventually dry up (no pun intended).
