WPC-95 Playfield with strange issue...

Betelgeuse

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May 7, 2011, 5:47:48 PM5/7/11

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This was the first winter that I used a room at the back of my
basement for several pins. The room is dry and heated, but tends to
get colder than the rest of the basement because it's not well
insulated. I live in PA. Anyways, I was cleaning up my games the
other day and noticed that one of the games had barely visible
vertical lines (about .8mm apart) running through the *entire*
playfield. They seem to be superficial and are very even and
parallel. I can't be sure if it was like that before, but I had never
noticed it. The other games in the room all looked fine. Even the
one backglass seemed unaffected. Could this be caused by the colder
temps? I wouldn't think it get's colder than maybe 45 degrees ever in
that room. Has anyone seen this before?

seymour.shabow

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May 7, 2011, 6:00:27 PM5/7/11

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Yup, that's what's meant by the term 'planking'.

A combination of the cold and low humidity probably was the cause of yours.

Betelgeuse

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May 7, 2011, 5:59:07 PM5/7/11

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That was my first thought, but I hadn't seen planking like this.
Everything I had read said it was safe to keep games in these types of
temps, with the backglass being the chief concern. Could the
playfield really be more fragile than a backglass? :(

seymour.shabow

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May 7, 2011, 6:15:37 PM5/7/11

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It really depends on the moisture content, and how quickly it changes.

Betelgeuse

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May 8, 2011, 9:48:36 AM5/8/11

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So, what can I do to prevent this type of damage? A humidifier? I
really don't know that the humidity in the room is that different from
the rest of the basement, it's an open entrance way to the room from
the main game room. After reading lots of posts about guys keeping
their games in below-freezing storage for years with no ill effect, I
have to wonder if they looked closely at their playfields. I mean,
you really have to squint and look at the right angle to see the
'damage', but this game was never even subjected to freezing
temperatures or quick temp fluctuations.

seymour.shabow

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May 8, 2011, 10:14:54 AM5/8/11

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Betelgeuse wrote:
>
> So, what can I do to prevent this type of damage? A humidifier? I
> really don't know that the humidity in the room is that different from
> the rest of the basement, it's an open entrance way to the room from
> the main game room. After reading lots of posts about guys keeping
> their games in below-freezing storage for years with no ill effect, I
> have to wonder if they looked closely at their playfields. I mean,
> you really have to squint and look at the right angle to see the
> 'damage', but this game was never even subjected to freezing
> temperatures or quick temp fluctuations.

You want the temperature and humidity to be as stable as possible. If
they are going to swing, you want them to swing as slowly as possible.

It depends on the topcoat on the PF too - the older thinner topcoats
breathe better vs. diamondplate's sealing.

kmoore88

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May 8, 2011, 10:15:02 AM5/8/11

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A fiberglass or composite PF would address many issues that arise with
plywood

seymour.shabow

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May 8, 2011, 10:45:26 AM5/8/11

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Now, if they could just fix the problem of the mechs falling off that
type of pf.....

(Bally tried this back in the late 70s/early 80s, and while the artwork
and top side of the PF stayed pristine, the mechs have a tendency to
fall off.....)