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Sad Backglass :(

Nedreud

Nedreud

Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
3,092
Location
Aldershot, UK
As you can see below the backglass from my GOLD BALL has seen better days. Or, put another way, is almost if not entirely, buggered.

Bearing in mind this is GOLD BALL, an unpopular machine with a production run of just 1,750, the chances of sourcing a decent replacement are almost zilch. So, this is a plea for help and/or technical advice on what I might be able to do to salvage this? Anyone managed to stabilize a backglass in this condition? I'm not going in for restoration at this stage, I'd just want to stop it getting any worse. Can I do the Krylon Triple Thick and Cling Film trick on this?

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Mine wasn't quite as bad but the Triple Thick and Cling Film did the trick. The key is to spray some TT under the lifted areas to glue it down. Then leave the cling film on for a long time (days)! What I did was cover flat objects with cling film so it was already smooth and placed them on the lifted areas to hold them down, I found that easier than trying to smooth cling film over wet TT.
 
I've found a photo of the work in progress which also reminds me you need to mask the clear areas and score around them after TT'ing.
534.jpg
 
Thanks @astyy. I'm going to have to clean the glass under the peeling artwork along the bottom edge. Looking at those photos you can see it's filthy. Hopefully the KTT will soften the peeling paint enough that it'll flatten out without cracking. I'll try a small patch first.

Good tip about the cling film. I've got some sheets of white Melamine that are perfectly flat, so I could pre-stretch the cling film across that then use it as a weight too.

Better go get some decent extra-wide commercial cling film instead of the roll of Asda SmartPrice I've got!
 
So, @astyy, when you did your little "patch repair" how long did you leave the cling film on for? And did you then remove it and let the Krylon Triple Thick dry? Or does it eventually dry underneath the cling film, just very very slowly?
 
I found the method documented online. But basically I had several cling film weights ready to go (this was my only tweak) for the lifting areas. I sprayed under the lifting paint then did a complete spray over the whole glass then put the weights in place. It takes a couple of days to dry under the cling film but then you can carefully peal it off and the flakes are sealed down and around. Then do another coat over the whole glass (not too much as I need that can back ;))
 
Yeah... just been searching online trying to find somewhere, anywhere, that sells it! None on eBay and the last one sold a couple of weeks ago for £25! There were a few links to places in the UK on other threads here but they no longer have any stock. Can't find anywhere else in the UK that sells it.

I looked at buying a crate of 10-12 cans to do a group buy which gets the price down to a very reasonable £4/can but can't find anywhere in the US that will ship it internationally as it's a hazardous substance, i.e., flammable and pressurised container.

Got to be somewhere in the UK that has it? Surely there must be an alternative product. I can't believe Krylon are the only manufacturer in the world who make thick clear acrylic spray...
 
Bought mine of ebay ,it was an arts & craft shop (will check later )

Use this stuff on only 3 backglasses now but not to the extent as what you have !
All good advice given above !!

Only thing I would say is to leave the cling film on for at list 2 weeks !

DO NOT be tempted to take a look sooner , if it is not dry it WILL take the paint off.

O and have at look at the warning label on the tin ,I nearly sh1t myself when I read it !!image.jpg,
 
carl lawrence said:
Bought mine of ebay ,it was an arts & craft shop (will check later
Click to expand...

Me too, eBay user 'pondskippercrafts' based in Peterborough. They have Krylon products listed but not TT anymore so I've messaged them.

Interesting, this copy cat product is available on eBay but similar price, I don't think I'll be testing it on one of mine!

i.ebayimg.com_00_s_MTQ0MFg4MTA__z_uh4AAOSwLqFV_CI7___57.JPG
 
That DecoArt stuff was the topic of the other thread I mentioned. Could be ok. Impossible to tell without testing.

The health warning is due to large quantities of Toluene in Krylon Triple Thick (and acetone, propane and butane too). Toluene is very nasty. Bad for short- and long-term health.
 
I'd give the DecoArt stuff a go if it was £5-6 a can but £18 is way too much. Might as well get the tried and tested KTT.
 
I've just heard back from pondskippercrafts they will have the proper Krylon Triple Thick back in stock and on eBay in the next few days
 
Do they only sell via eBay? Surely better deal for them and us if direct.

Answered my own question, they have a website and on-line shop:

http://www.pondskippercrafts.co.uk/index.php?searchStr=krylon&_a=viewCat&Submit=Go

They've got the normal Krylon acrylic for £18.99 but do discount on bulk and free postage over £25:

Quantity Discounts:
Quantity: 2+ 3+
Price: £18.49 £17.99
You save: 2.6% 5.3%

Anyone one interested in a GROUP BUY and distribute them at NLP?
 
Definitely cheaper direct. The Krylon UV Resistant Acrylic is £18.99 + £2.99 P&P from their site but is £19.99 + £6.49 on eBay.
 
Nedreud said:
The health warning is due to large quantities of Toluene in Krylon Triple Thick (and acetone, propane and butane too). Toluene is very nasty. Bad for short- and long-term health.
Click to expand...

Just how nasty is underlined by the fact that it's the second 'T' in the abbreviation TNT (Tri-Nitro-Toluene).
 
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astyy said:
Mine wasn't quite as bad but the Triple Thick and Cling Film did the trick. The key is to spray some TT under the lifted areas to glue it down. Then leave the cling film on for a long time (days)! What I did was cover flat objects with cling film so it was already smooth and placed them on the lifted areas to hold them down, I found that easier than trying to smooth cling film over wet TT.
Click to expand...

astyy said:
I found the method documented online. But basically I had several cling film weights ready to go (this was my only tweak) for the lifting areas. I sprayed under the lifting paint then did a complete spray over the whole glass then put the weights in place. It takes a couple of days to dry under the cling film but then you can carefully peal it off and the flakes are sealed down and around. Then do another coat over the whole glass (not too much as I need that can back ;))
Click to expand...

I have a Paragon back glass that has some lifting paint and have not done this before. Can I ask you to give a little more detail of the cling film method :hmm: Am I right to assume that you spray the triple thick under the affected paint area then on top of the paint and then put the cling film held down by a weight. The cling film then just stays there?
 
Off subject.....have you still got the gold ball?........I used to quite like this game....some of the low production games of the eighties are quite addictive....thinking of ballys lost world:):p
 
Matt Adams said:
I have a Paragon back glass that has some lifting paint and have not done this before. Can I ask you to give a little more detail of the cling film method :hmm: Am I right to assume that you spray the triple thick under the affected paint area then on top of the paint and then put the cling film held down by a weight. The cling film then just stays there?
Click to expand...

Yes I sprayed TT on top and under the flaking areas then put flat weights covered in cling film on top. This you leave for as long as possible (days/weeks) then remove the weight and peel back the cling film.

530.jpg

new forest pinball said:
Off subject.....have you still got the gold ball?........I used to quite like this game....some of the low production games of the eighties are quite addictive....thinking of ballys lost world:):p
Click to expand...

You bet we have, we were stars of the show at NLP! That's mine on the left and @Nedreud on the right.

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Matt Adams said:
I have a Paragon back glass that has some lifting paint and have not done this before. Can I ask you to give a little more detail of the cling film method :hmm: Am I right to assume that you spray the triple thick under the affected paint area then on top of the paint and then put the cling film held down by a weight. The cling film then just stays there?
Click to expand...
Here's my shop log of doing my GOLD BALL backglass: http://www.pinballinfo.com/communit...-budget-restoration.14097/page-10#post-132706

I didn't take any photos during the actual spraying and putting the cling film on as you have to work fast! The KTT dries pretty quick. The idea is to get it on really thick so that it stays wet and gloppy - don't worry about runs, you aren't going to see it. Then get the cling film on it. This is easier said than done. One tip is get some good quality commercial extra-wide film. The stuff I had was cheap, thin and not very wide. Would have been so much easier with an 18" roll and a bit thicker. You can spray small spots first to stick down any detached flakes you may have managed to save. Then work on the cracks. I used a scalpel to lift the paint as much as I dared to get the KTT underneath (once it's under capillary action sucks it right in). After 5 minutes you'll notice that the curliest paint has started to go soft so you can flatten it without cracking off (see the bottom edge of my GB backglass). But get the cling film on ASAP whilst it's all dripping wet and try to smooth it out as best as possible. Then get some flat weight on it. I used 3 backglasses topped with some more MDF boards! Don't expect miracles, this technique isn't going to make it like new. It will slightly improve bubbling but it can't get rid of wobbly paint that's been stretched by bubbling. But once done not a lot else is going to happen, hopefully for many decades to come! Oh, and I still haven't removed the cling film from my GB. I don't really see the point. You can't see it, light shines straight through it and removing it could be disastrous!
 
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