a few questions before I dive in

[pinball god]

I have attached a couple of photos on a test playfield. One is a before but really is the other side of the playfield which is indicative of what the side part I painted looked like.

I didn't spend much time at all prepping nor carefully cutting out the frisket tape. In the future I will take more care in ensuring all the edges are firmly in place after cutting, hence a little over spray. But overall I was pleased, but do criticise it if there is something blatantly wrong with what I have done.

My first question is, I used a water base acrylic used for air brushing, is there anything I can do to 'cure' it like hitting it with heat or something? I did use this paint on the pf 3+ months ago and I tried a little wet/dry sand on it and the paint washed away. So I'm concerned it is too unstable to even polish and think a clear or my first choice putting Mylar on it will do the trick. I dunno???

Second question if above is totally bad, what paint to use, currently its the Trident brand.

Last is there a Clear that can be used in air brushes to simply coat over these small touchup areas? The main area I need to do on my SI is the 'special' text on the horseshoe area so I'm not really wanting to clear the whole pf.

I will probably think of other question as I go along. Thanks

[Retropin]

My first question is, I used a water base acrylic used for air brushing, is there anything I can do to 'cure' it like hitting it with heat or something? I did use this paint on the pf 3+ months ago and I tried a little wet/dry sand on it and the paint washed away. So I'm concerned it is too unstable to even polish and think a clear or my first choice putting Mylar on it will do the trick. I dunno???

Youve put a water based paint over a very smooth surface.. the paint has very little to no grip. Minimum to do is lightly sand the area first.
You would be better off using some PENETROL on the surface and instead of acrylics using enamels as you can add Penetrol to the paint also... prevents the paint just wiping off.
I dont know why everyone uses acrlylics.. apparently they are meant to be easier but i just dont see it.. they dry a different colour and once mixed with water turn matte finish... enamels retain colour 100%.. thin and clean up  with turps... take longer to dry thats all.

Last is there a Clear that can be used in air brushes to simply coat over these small touchup areas? The main area I need to do on my SI is the 'special' text on the horseshoe area so I'm not really wanting to clear the whole pf.

You can spot clear with any clear that is compatible to the paint you have used... DO NOT use acrylic lacquer clear.. it will eat your work.
I recommend KBS clear or plain polyurathane ( mix 75% gloss to 25% low sheen)... all you need to do for say the white area you have done is reuse or make another frisket and take the clear up to the black lines... you wont see it as the lines break up the artwork for your eye already.... obviously a light coat is all thats required

[pinball god]

Thanks mate you're a champ. The last thing I want is to do a divinci piece of art and find I sneeze and its all gone. I will investigate the enamels you're talking about.

One thing you stuffed me on is roughing the surface to enable the paint to key into it. My wife suggested that and I told her to go shopping  I hate it when they're right. I'll have to put you on ignore so she can't read your response.

Thanks again for your advise and look forward to my next attempt.

Btw with acrylic, if you stuff up, its a damp clothe and start again, enamels not so easy?????

[Boots]

Thanks mate you're a champ. The last thing I want is to do a divinci piece of art and find I sneeze and its all gone. I will investigate the enamels you're talking about.

One thing you stuffed me on is roughing the surface to enable the paint to key into it. My wife suggested that and I told her to go shopping  I hate it when they're right. I'll have to put you on ignore so she can't read your response.

Thanks again for your advise and look forward to my next attempt.

Btw with acrylic, if you stuff up, its a damp clothe and start again, enamels not so easy?????

Acrylic paint can always be cleaned off with water, it is never water proof.
You need to clear coat over the top once you are happy with it to lock it in, then you can wet rub the clear to smooth it.
Yeah you need to lightly sand any surface before applying any type of paint.

[pinball god]

Ok i've decided to go enamels. I know you can buy an array of premixed colours, but can you mix your own as easily as with acrylics? You know a dab of black go make a colour richer or usinf secondaries etc.

What kind of ratios of paint and thinners is required for:

1. Air brushing?
2. Washng into planking, minor cracks?

And finally what type and grades of sand paper should be used to:

1. Prep the surface or is prepsol sufficient?
2. To level the freshly painted/washed painted surface?

Sorry for all the questions but I've now changed tact and am pretty much at the start again

[pinball god]

Purchased some penetrol and had some modelling paint on hand, tried my hand at some painting using a brush. I thinned the paint with the penetrol and started brushing with little care for brush stroke etc. I was amazed how well the paint 1. Covered the area and 2. Self levelled. I don't have the greatest of eyes anymore but it is difficult to see any if they exist.

There are hollows in my example as I didn't fill the bare wood parts. I wanted to see what happens and will try to fill them with another coat or two. Am interested to see what it looks like when dry.

The can does say you cannot use a 2 Pac over the top of this penetrol stuff. In my case, I have no intentions of using such a clear on this test pf or the space invaders one.

Big thanks to Retropin for the tip and hope I haven't exhausted my opportunities for further questions and tips 

[pinball god]

Here are some photos. Like I said I spent no more than a minute painting to get a result I'm sure I can improve upon (maybe thin the paint a little more?) with this result I'm thinking no need to spray as the area is so small for the resto????

The purple ring is like a before of the reds.

That other two shots show my first attempt at magic eraser and alcohol. Again happy with the result and confident can improve upon it when taking more time.

[goodolddays]

Looking great . Looks like I will have to try enamels+penetrol for my playfield touchups from now on

[pinball god]

Looking great . Looks like I will have to try enamels+penetrol for my playfield touchups from now on

thanks but like I said I'm doing a little r&d so cutting lots of corners to get a real handle on what needs to be done and what doesn't effect what I'm looking for. I will try air brushing next to see the results and whether I personally have the skill.

Hoping this thread shows the trials and tribulations of pf touch ups where the victim is a poor Cleopatra playfield. It sure has seen the wars with my Mylar removal tests. You probably noticed some paint lifting and where you see tiny dots of paint missing was when I used freeze spray.

[Strangeways]

I use acrylics as they are much more forgiving for a beginner. If the work is no good, just wipe it off and start again. Color matching and mixing colors looks to be much easier as well. One day I will move on to enamels, but for now, I've had plenty of success with acrylics.

[Retropin]

Great results... looks nicely blended in.

Enamel can be removed very easily with turps or white spirit. You have some 12 hours to decide if you like the work or not before its really starting to set.
Once acrylics dry they are semi permanent and cannot be removed with water unless you are using childs powder paints.
Dried acrylic is a polymer and therefore is akin to a plastic and can only really be removed with acetone or All Purpose Thinners.
Acrylic paint is small plastic like particles suspended in a water based solution.. the smaller the particles, the better the acrylic which is why you have to buy acrylic suitable to airbrushing to get really good results.
Quality enamels like the Humbrol brand are similar tiny plastic like particles suspended in an oil based solution.
Both dry like a plastic - both dissolve with All Purpose or acetone

[pinball god]

Please tell me if this is wasting people's time. I have attached a photo of my attempt at airbrushing enamel paint on my cleo test playfield. I am absolutely rapt with the result. It's glossy, smooth and my cutting out of the frisket was good.

The humbrol paint flowed well out of the airbrush at a 50/50 mix of enamel thinner and paint. I cut around the frisket a bees dick from the black line as retropin, Gav, reckons the eye won't really pick it up and saves time in redoing the line.

Where I think I failed was in the prep work. I'm hopeless at filling holes and making them smooth but again you don't notice it unless you plant your nose on the pf and get a magnifier out.....well maybe a little exaggeration. The bits of missing paint would be touched up with a fine brush if I was planning on doing a good job on this pf.

All in all I think I'll go enamel with my spacies. Confidence is high. I will start a resto sme time soon.

Thanks for listening

[Ford Fairlane]

certainly not wasting our time! i love these resto threads!! looking great so keep up the good work. i look forward to seeing more 

[Retropin]

Doing a great job.. keep the posts coming!!

[Strangeways]

Rob - You are not wasting anyone's time. I started doing my own airbrushing and clearcoating after asking for tips from Gavin and Tim. You will learn a lot from these guys - as I have 

Your first attempt looks very good - and isn't it satisfying once you take the first steps ?