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Mylar Removal

  • Thread starter Thread starter Groom of The Machine
  • Start date Start date
G

Groom of The Machine

I have Pinbot, BOP and Jack Bot and am contemplating tearing down removing mylar, cleaning playfield plastics etc and re assembling. Any tips or comments regarding Mylar removal would be appreciated. If anyone has done this already on these pins and encountered problems with paint coming off on play field please do tell so I can weigh up the pros and cons/risk. i have a glue remover I use for adhesive label remover at work which works really well and will test to see if this works, if I decide to go ahead.
Have restored a few arcade cabs before but this will be my first Pin restoration.
 
If the Mylar isn't lifting or bubbling I would leave it. With the right products and a bit of graft, Mylar can polish up real nice.
If its bubbling and lifting and generally annoying you then the preferred option seems to be freeze spray. I'm sure folk on here will chip in with their experiences. Inevitably though, there will be some art work lifted around inserts, hence insert decals are available. These decals are the same thickness as Mylar though so will be raised slightly.
There are also YouTube vids on the subject.

Good luck with it mate
 
It's lifting on Bop, which is only pin I have at home. The others are in storage so will check em out. Thanks for tips sop far.
 
I use the upside-down air can freeze method.

Use a sharp blade or your finger nail and VERY carefully lift a small corner of the Mylar. (You may not have to do this if it's already lifting). Holding the Mylar up with tweezers, spray a can of air held upside down so that the fluid in the can sprays out and direct it under the Mylar. It will turn cloudy under the Mylar and when this happens give it a tug with the tweezers and it will start to come off really easily. Continue spraying, wait for it to go cloudy and pulling and it will soon be all off. Once it's removed go over the playfield with a paper towel soaked in Goo-Gone to remove the sticky residue and you'll be left with a nice shiny playfield.
 
Steve said:
I use the upside-down air can freeze method.

Use a sharp blade or your finger nail and VERY carefully lift a small corner of the Mylar. (You may not have to do this if it's already lifting). Holding the Mylar up with tweezers, spray a can of air held upside down so that the fluid in the can sprays out and direct it under the Mylar. It will turn cloudy under the Mylar and when this happens give it a tug with the tweezers and it will start to come off really easily. Continue spraying, wait for it to go cloudy and pulling and it will soon be all off. Once it's removed go over the playfield with a paper towel soaked in Goo-Gone to remove the sticky residue and you'll be left with a nice shiny playfield.
Click to expand...
Nice tip thanks, what air can (is it freeze or just air for cleaning pc's etc) where you buy it from?
 
It's not just air though, so that won't work.

Why does canned air freeze stuff when flipped upside down?

Because it uses 1,1-Difluoroethane as a propellant.

1,1-Difluoroethane is a colorless gas normally used as a refrigerant.

Used properly, small amounts of it come out when you spray the air. When turned upside down you invert the gases in the can placing the 1,1-Difluoroethane at the end with the nozzle. Then, when sprayed, you get the 1,1-Difluoroethane in its concentrated form.
Click to expand...
 
You can get proper freeze spray at Maplins. Once the Mylar is up all the glue is left behind. I used 'Sticky Stuff Remover' from B&Q to shift the glue
 
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