Would you mylar a stripped playfield?

[pinnies4me]

Can you honestly use the term "Best Condition ever" when there are amazing restorations going on right here with clear-coating etc seemingly the real way to preserve a playfield?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Captain-Fantastic-Pinball-Machine-Best-Condition-ever-/290555031511?pt=AU_CoinOp&hash=item43a66defd7

[Strangeways]

Most dealers won't go down the path of clearcoating. In fact, I don't know of anyone other than hobbyists who do clearcoating.

You are right, Nick - This machine should have been left without mylar, "if" the playfield was is good condition. Cleaning and waxing an EM playfield is all that is needed. Mylar slows the game down and is not needed for a home EM machine.

Personally, I've seen much better Captain Fantastic Pinballs, especially ones with the correct COLOR and TYPE of Drop Targets. How difficult would it be to install the correct ball shooter rod ? I would think Fireball and Wizard would be much more sought after. They need to do their research a little better !

Good to see some dealers are "having a go" at EM machines, but "best condition ever" is a bit far fetched.

[Caveoftreasures]

A good question. What I wonder about, is what happens to a clear coated playflield after a few hundred games.  Does the clear stay perfect forever or does it go like the clear coat on a car? . I'll agree the work is great that is being done, but what may or may not be proven yet is the long term durability of a clearcoated playfield after many many games. ?
Has anyone got any games that have been clearcoated a year or two ago and how are they holding up to BIG regular use game numbers.
Mylar is original and does last. Some will prefer original. We need to see some 2 or 3 year aged clearcoat jobs after lots of games before I could decide with my longterm keepers. (but yes, clearcoat looks the goods, durability ?)

Can anyone help with their knowledge and experience with clearcoated games after a number of years ?

P.S- i just had a close look at some of my sega games, and they do appear to have had some sort of clearcoat done from factory ? not sure if this is the same as todays clearcoats, or slightly different but they have held up like new. We are talking 1998 and 99 models here.

[MartyJ]

Well the playfields I have personally clearcoated have stood up an still look as good as the day I sprayed them.  Any Williams Bally game from T2 onwards is clearcoated with automotive grade clear. Over the years the coats got thinner and thinner - to cut costs I guess.

[pinnies4me]

It seems odd to me to lay mylar for a home use game, although if you are selling to newbies (I suppose at that price no-one with any experience of knowledge would be buying) maybe it is the cheap way to preserve it as a newbie might not be up with waxing etc.

[Caveoftreasures]

Nick and Marty,

Is there a game that you wouldnt clear coat ? meaning, are all DMD machines ok to be clearcoated ? or are there some that you shouldnt.
You mention T2 etc, was that game not clearcoated from factory ? and also, can u clearcoat over a playfield that has already been factory clearcoated, or only machines that were never clearcoated. ?

I think it would be of interest for alot of the guys on the forum, including me, who dont really know the full story about clearcoating. I only know it looks great, but from a practical point of view, i am a bit in the dark as to where n when u shld or shldnt clearcoat, and what pinball machines etc.

Can u shed some light/add any advice to some of us who r still deciding what to do. Thanks in advance. 

[MartyJ]

Nick and Marty,

Is there a game that you wouldnt clear coat ? meaning, are all DMD machines ok to be clearcoated ? or are there some that you shouldnt.
You mention T2 etc, was that game not clearcoated from factory ? and also, can u clearcoat over a playfield that has already been factory clearcoated, or only machines that were never clearcoated. ?

I think it would be of interest for alot of the guys on the forum, including me, who dont really know the full story about clearcoating. I only know it looks great, but from a practical point of view, i am a bit in the dark as to where n when u shld or shldnt clearcoat, and what pinball machines etc.

Can u shed some light/add any advice to some of us who r still deciding what to do. Thanks in advance. 

Sorry Brett, as far as I know ALL WMS/BLY games from T2 onwards were factory clearcoated.  There were a handful of proto's done previously but certainly from then onwards were.  The process was still being refined with the T2's..

In my opinion I would be confident to clearcoat a T2 onwards, as this was they way they were designed and intended.  Yes - any game with existing clear is easier to clear, but certainly a lot of work still goes into the prep to avoid reactions.  I would be hesitant to clear coat Sys11 games, as it really changes the way they play (ie speed).  I only clear coat playfields which require repair and wouldn't do it just for the sake of making it shiny, as this process can be achieved with a TC kit or another process I use..

I would not clear an EM ever.

On some games where artwork needs to be touched up, I put down mylar only to protect the area from further wear and damaging the touchups.  I think water based paints may wear / be wiped away and I am unsure as to whether wax would be sufficient to protect.

[ktm450]

My guess would be that they had done some major touchup work and mylar was the quickest way to seal the touchups in without Clear Coating.
If I had the choice I would never mylar a full game, it slows the game down and shrinks and moves around over the years.
If it had been on there for years already and they didn't want to risk removing it would be understandable

[Greg]

A good question. What I wonder about, is what happens to a clear coated playflield after a few hundred games.  Does the clear stay perfect forever or does it go like the clear coat on a car? . I'll agree the work is great that is being done, but what may or may not be proven yet is the long term durability of a clearcoated playfield after many many games. ?
Has anyone got any games that have been clearcoated a year or two ago and how are they holding up to BIG regular use game numbers.
Mylar is original and does last. Some will prefer original. We need to see some 2 or 3 year aged clearcoat jobs after lots of games before I could decide with my longterm keepers. (but yes, clearcoat looks the goods, durability ?)

Can anyone help with their knowledge and experience with clearcoated games after a number of years ?

P.S- i just had a close look at some of my sega games, and they do appear to have had some sort of clearcoat done from factory ? not sure if this is the same as todays clearcoats, or slightly different but they have held up like new. We are talking 1998 and 99 models here.

WMS CALLED IT DIAMOND PLATE (  bright and really lifted the colours on the PF)
but
(late) Sega's called it Stealth Finish or Stealth  hardcoat  look on your SST its written on the pf  ( really dull even when the games were new it dulled the art work down...it was friggin crap)

I've had a few Sega pf re- cleared to a WMS like finish  they look fantastic and lift the art work up

[punter]

No need to do anything to an EM playfield ,just keep the wax up to it and alls good.I have two 1976 machines on which i use mothers pure wax and they are both in top nick.Both of these machines are played every week and i am yet to see a better playfield on a Card Whiz than the one i have.

[Greg]

My guess would be that they had done some major touchup work and mylar was the quickest way to seal the touchups in without Clear Coating.

If it had been on there for years already and they didn't want to risk removing it would be understandable

I would think either of these would be close to the truth
Bumper does seem to like using full mylar

but if I was going to do/sell a "collector quality " machine at that price
then I'd clear coat.

[mildflame]

that machine looks perfect but it doesn't look like it has been mylared properly. REALLY SAD! a collector honestly wouldn't want to touch it! would they? honestly think a machine at that age in that good cond, would you really take the risk of removing the mylar and clear coating it. if it is original mylar witch it couldn't be for that age than there is no reason to mylar a pf. to be honest I now believe that mylaring the pf is worse than no mylar, clear coating is really the only way of protecting a pf in my book

[Retropin]

You have to go back to the late 40's early 50's to find a PF that didnt have SOME sort of protective coating on it.

ALL have yellowed over the years and are what gives many machines that "old" warm look. But in all honesty, these games had BRIGHT whites, yellows, reds etc .... remember... they had to catch your eye when you walked into an establishment and make you want to play them. These machines were VERY bright indeed!

Mylar was really used at factory for high traffic areas and was laid down to assist operators to make the games last longer. Ops didnt have time to keep going round waxing PFs... that kind of maintenance went ignored.

Waxing is all thats required for home use or any use for that matter - we can do this as we have the time and inclination.
You are though waxing over an already protected PF, be it linseed finish, Diamond Plate or CC... the era of the machine determined what product was used not whether it was used or not