Star Tech Journal
Issue: 1996-March - Vol 18 Issue 1 - Page 21
March 1996
CID
TECH T1Ps FROM THE
FLATTENING
Liz:
V OUR PLAYFIELD PLASTICS
We had 2 pieces of 1/4" thick
plate glass cut to fit the rack in
our ELECTRIC oven, about 14"
X 20". (Make sure you ask to
have the glass edges beveled for
safe handling.)
We clean the glass and plastic
r'ieces with glass cleaner, set the
oven to 180 to 200 degrees F, put
a glass sheet on a middle oven
Bulletin Board . Systtm.:
coUn'try antlthe world.
rack, place the plastics on the
glass, set the second sheet of glass
on top, then weight the "sand-
wich" with a heavy iron skillet.
We turn the oven "ON" for 2
hours or more, monitoring things
to see when the plastics finally
soften and begin to lay down.
Once everybody is flat, we turn
the oven "OFF" and let the
whole thing cool down over-
night. We don't remove them
right away so they don't warp
again from too rapid cooling.
SOLlITION
PROCEDURE
STAR1tTECH
Share• game se~i~e·informapon
with coin-6ps across the
PROBLEM
So how do you get them nice and
flat? Here is our method. We
have heard of many others. We
know this works. If you think you
have a better idea and modify
what we suggest, you are on your
own! Experiment carefully!
Journal
Get Online for . FREE!
Joel Cook & Vickie Huisenga
The Pinball Lizard
Tucson, Arizona
It is a common problem to find
the light shields or "playfield plas-
tics" warped in a newly pur-
chased game, especially here in
sunny Arid-zona where the sun
shines (HOT) about 360 days a
year. (We ALWAYS cover the
playfield of our games when
transporting them. Or ask us
about the time we bought black
leather furniture and moved it
about 1/2 mile from the store to
our house, in June, in an open
pickup truck .... )
STAR*TEcH
NOTES
Large pieces that have metal
standoffs riveted to them can be
flattened by letting the standoffs
hang out the edges of the large
glass sheets.
T emperature is critical. Hotter
can burn the graphics or the
piece might "flow" and change
shape.
W e have done this on plastic
sets from the 60's on up to the
newest games, but not 40's and
S0's games.
We have NOT tried this in a
GAS oven.
W e have heard of hair dryers,
heat guns, and toaster ovens be-
ing used, sometimes even suc-
cessfully!
0PE&lXORS ANi> .fqQHNICWVS
postprohlemslsolutio1ti.
We all encounterfrustrating
maintenance headaches as the
course.,of doing business in the
coin-op game world.
Going online with your problem
or solution can save you
and others time & money.
This servi(e is provided
PREE
to paid'subscribenof
STA.R:kTECH]ournal.
To access the . Bbs through your
computer, you'll nee and communications software.
Items you pro~~bly already have
with your system . .Itnot, they are
an inexpensive purchase -and
well worththe investment towards
a mote efficient coin-op business!
Bbs: 610/251-9387.
(8/l/N)
Speed: Up to 9600 baud.
Check It Out!
Log On&
PostOften
CID
TECH T1Ps FROM THE
FLATTENING
Liz:
V OUR PLAYFIELD PLASTICS
We had 2 pieces of 1/4" thick
plate glass cut to fit the rack in
our ELECTRIC oven, about 14"
X 20". (Make sure you ask to
have the glass edges beveled for
safe handling.)
We clean the glass and plastic
r'ieces with glass cleaner, set the
oven to 180 to 200 degrees F, put
a glass sheet on a middle oven
Bulletin Board . Systtm.:
coUn'try antlthe world.
rack, place the plastics on the
glass, set the second sheet of glass
on top, then weight the "sand-
wich" with a heavy iron skillet.
We turn the oven "ON" for 2
hours or more, monitoring things
to see when the plastics finally
soften and begin to lay down.
Once everybody is flat, we turn
the oven "OFF" and let the
whole thing cool down over-
night. We don't remove them
right away so they don't warp
again from too rapid cooling.
SOLlITION
PROCEDURE
STAR1tTECH
Share• game se~i~e·informapon
with coin-6ps across the
PROBLEM
So how do you get them nice and
flat? Here is our method. We
have heard of many others. We
know this works. If you think you
have a better idea and modify
what we suggest, you are on your
own! Experiment carefully!
Journal
Get Online for . FREE!
Joel Cook & Vickie Huisenga
The Pinball Lizard
Tucson, Arizona
It is a common problem to find
the light shields or "playfield plas-
tics" warped in a newly pur-
chased game, especially here in
sunny Arid-zona where the sun
shines (HOT) about 360 days a
year. (We ALWAYS cover the
playfield of our games when
transporting them. Or ask us
about the time we bought black
leather furniture and moved it
about 1/2 mile from the store to
our house, in June, in an open
pickup truck .... )
STAR*TEcH
NOTES
Large pieces that have metal
standoffs riveted to them can be
flattened by letting the standoffs
hang out the edges of the large
glass sheets.
T emperature is critical. Hotter
can burn the graphics or the
piece might "flow" and change
shape.
W e have done this on plastic
sets from the 60's on up to the
newest games, but not 40's and
S0's games.
We have NOT tried this in a
GAS oven.
W e have heard of hair dryers,
heat guns, and toaster ovens be-
ing used, sometimes even suc-
cessfully!
0PE&lXORS ANi> .fqQHNICWVS
postprohlemslsolutio1ti.
We all encounterfrustrating
maintenance headaches as the
course.,of doing business in the
coin-op game world.
Going online with your problem
or solution can save you
and others time & money.
This servi(e is provided
PREE
to paid'subscribenof
STA.R:kTECH]ournal.
To access the . Bbs through your
computer, you'll nee and communications software.
Items you pro~~bly already have
with your system . .Itnot, they are
an inexpensive purchase -and
well worththe investment towards
a mote efficient coin-op business!
Bbs: 610/251-9387.
(8/l/N)
Speed: Up to 9600 baud.
Check It Out!
Log On&
PostOften
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).