Help!!! A small ink flake has lifted from from the (otherwise pristine) backglass on my 1976 Gottlieb Royal Flush. The area is about 2mm by 5mm in size. Right now it 's detached on 3 sides and hanging in place from the top. What is the best preservation method to re-attach and stick it back down?

Thanks, MFL

http://www.marvin3m.com/restore/index1.htm#bg

Check out the section about "cling wrap". Should help in your situation.

booked marked the page.  about to do some paint work on laser ball bg.  helpfull hints on the page you left.  thanks

Thanks, I thought about it but I hesitate to spray a whole backglass with Triple Thick in order to do a tiny repair. The flake isn't much larger than this "X". It's like taking a sledgehammer to drive in a tumb tack and I'm trying to be conservative here. Has anyone here done a touch-up to stick down a very small area?

If you want to ensure that your backglass remains in good shape for a long time to come, you should coat it with triple thick even if it isn't flaking at all. I have a Sorcerer backglass that is pristine, but I'm going to be clearcoating it to make sure it stays that way. It's not overkill, it's preventative maintenence and makes a lot of sense. Of course, it's your machine and you are free to do whatever you want with it. But if it were MINE, I'd be clearing it right away.

There was a thread on r.p.g discussing Triple Thick and a few folks have said the product doesn't work as well as it used to. You can read the thread here:

http://tinyurl.com/sxzue

One poster mentioned:

"For flaking backglasses I use Dupli-Color automotive clear coat.  No
plastic wrap required.  Melts any lifting paint right back down to the
glass.  Doesn't shrink or yellow.  Costs $2 bucks more than TT.  I quit using TT a while ago... and I don't miss it."

After reading the complaints, I'm going to look into this product for my Sorcerer backglass.

Duane

Thanks Duane: The Dupli-Color Automotive Clear Coat sounds like a viable option for a tiny touch-up. Have you sourced this product yet?

Your opinion is appreciated Cooke: It's my opinion that I'd like to keep my EM machines as original as possible to perserve them for the future generation who's been lost to video gaming.. I have no problems TTing a glass that wouldn't hold up without it (more damaged) but I'm looking for a alternative to a heavy-handed approach. Check out this guy, Michael Sands... http://www.sandsmuseum.com/coinop/index.html and check out his restorations. That's the work I'd be doing if only I had only a fraction of his (or many of you on the forums') knowledge and patience.

I know it's nuts but I'll only use old replacement posts on my machines.

Any other ideas floating around?
MFL

Duane:
Have you used the The Dupli-Color Automotive Clear Coat on your Sorcerer backglass yet?

mfl

No, the Sorcerer is set up, but I haven't even looked at it except to play a few games. I started shopping EaTPM. Took ALOT longer than I expected and I only finished it last week. Now I want to finish my Banzai Run. After that is done, I may get to the Sorcerer.

Duane

TZ...Let me know when you finally get to that Sorcerer backglass.

If anyone cares I received a reply to my question from Michael Sands from the Sands Mechanical Coin_op museum. Do check out his site at http://www.sandsmuseum.com/coinop/index.html it's a virtual museum that's got some real cool restoration work.


Michael writes:
You bring up an interesting question.  First, you are lucky that the original flake is still there.  The repair might be more difficult if you had to reproduce the colors and artwork.

I agree that applying Triple Thick is a drastic measure.  I am old  enough to remember Cover Your Glass as a solution and everyone considered it safe.  Then, under duress of dramatic temperature changes, it peeled off and took the artwork with it.  I am worried that over time, the difference in coefficient of heat expansion will result in the same with Triple Thick.

Unfortunately if you apply a glue between the glass and the paint chip, you will notice it from the front.  The glue media will not cover the area uniformly or completely and will show where it is and is not attached to the glass.  This might already be a problem because the detached paint may already look different from the surrounding paint area.

If you apply a "brace" on the backside to hold the chip in place, it will be difficult to attach.  It will be difficult to keep the glue material from entering through the crack and getting to the glass.

What to do?  I always start with the least invasive...

I wish I could experiment with a worthless piece first.  I might try using a clear glue and, using a magnifying glass and a pin, apply glue only to the edges of the chip, tacking it into place.  Test the glue on a hidden portion to make sure it does not craze the paint.

If you do not like the way it looks from the front, you will have to float some clear glue between the chip and the glass to make it look similar.  Triple Thick might be the stuff you float between the chip  and the glass.  There is also a product used in plastic fabrication that is clear and flows completely.

I am sorry I could not help more.  Please let me know how it turns out.

Michael


Again I urge you all to check out his site if you havn't. His attention to detail is totally amazing. If I gather any new imformation I'll add it here.

Regards
mfl

here is what i came across buying pins. i bought a firepower and the back glass looked mint. but when i looked at the back side here is what i seen.i have a backglass in bad shape i  will be trying this in a day or so.after i knew the paint was there i did notice it but at first glance or a for non collector it looked good.does anyone know helpful hints before the paint hits the glass? i don't want to @#$% it right up!!

I'm unsure as to what you are attempting to achive because the blurry photos only show a small part of the problem. You say that the business side of the backglass actually looks OK, so exactly where's the problem? I think your problem is that opacity of the ink has been affected. If the opacity hasn't been affected or if you're only concerned about about the cosmetic condition of the back side of the glass leave it alone, you'll soon move on to other machines and forget about it.

Determine why someone felt the need to put that junk on the backglass... you could wind up with a bigger problem.

If you actually want to remove all the spray/airbrush paint, the first thing you have to determine is if the Backglass was sealed prior to the application of the touch-up. that will form a barrier between the touch-up from the art work. The second question is what kind of paint was used. Start by gently dabbing a cotton swab in a less visible area with distilled water, If it's ink, you're lucky... it should come up. But my guess is that you're dealing with an enamel paint so I don't think it will work so give up.

If you choose to proceed, work with various solvents from watered down Varsol up to acetone (nail polish remover).  Do be carefull! Most  commercial strippers will do a good job of removing the unwanted paint but the draw back is that the artwork will also be removed by the stripper as well.

Good luck. I hope this helps.... I still need backglasses to destroy.