Pinballorama #21 - Varathane Clearcoat Part 2 - level and spray

[@Fraspe]

Glad you’re back buddy, you’ve been sorely missed! 👍🏻

[@Pinballorama]

Thanks. Just trying to get back into the swing of things (and having time to work on videos and stuff).

[@krulos9664]

Nice! Greetings from Sweden 😀

[@Pinballorama]

Hej från Kanada (That's what Google translate thought I should say).

[@krulos9664]

@@Pinballorama Hej från is the correct word yes 😀👌

[@lj666ful]

Quick question… do you put anything in the holes before you clear? For context, I have removed everything from the top of the playfield but have not removed everything from under. I have put disposable earplugs in the holes where they fit and old bulbs in sockets but still have other holes like drop targets.

[@Pinballorama]

On the playfield in the video, everything had been removed. I've done machines with the bottom of the playfield still populated. I tape off things like drop targets, switches, etc. Bulb sockets have old bulbs in them.

[@lj666ful]

Got it. Thank you.

[@alexmacias2988]

Hey STEVE, what brand aerosol clear are you using here? Is it Verathane?

[@Pinballorama]

Varathane Premium Diamond Wood Finish - Outdoor (FYI: My name is Seven)

[@fixeverything4u]

Most of my inserts are cupped on my playfield can I use liquid varathane and fill them level with an eyedropper and let them dry first and then clear coat using the rest of the can?

[@Pinballorama]

You can, and I've done that before. You have to be careful not to get the varathane too thick or it will cloud the paints below it. Add a few coats to the inserts, let it cure, carefully sand with 1000 grit on a sanding block. Repeat until they're flat. Then clear the rest of the playfield.

[@fixeverything4u]

@@Pinballorama ok, So fill the inserts in a few steps and let each layer harden, dry and sand until level, otherwise it will be cloudy. So doing the cupped inserts in steps with verithane will make it clear and not cloudy?

[@fixeverything4u]

How does the diamond clear varathane differ from varathane ultimate clear polyurethane? (Blue and white can) I did a playfield with that a few years ago but I put one giant heavy thick coat on and I have milky inserts where they are hazy and it looks terrible. I'm trying to avoid this. So from what I understand letting each coat dry in between will avoid this milky haze, is that correct?

[@Pinballorama]

@@fixeverything4u It depends. If you just goop the stuff on, it will get too thick and can get cloudy. That's why you go slow, thin layers, and see how far you can push it. The nice thing is if you start getting a little cloudy you can finely sand the surface and the colour will come back.

[@Pinballorama]

@@fixeverything4u Like I said in the previous post, doing thin layers lets you know how far you can push it - how thick you can go. Black colours cloud more than light colours. I mean, not really, but visually the dark seems to cloud easier. Go slow, thin layers, repeat until you just start to get clouding. You have to fully sand everything smooth so if you stop right when it starts to cloud, that will resolve itself when you sand.

[@MRNBricks]

Do you have a link to where you bought that stuff? I’m having trouble finding it in Texas.

[@Pinballorama]

I commonly get it locally from places like Lowes, Home Depot, etc. This is the product page for the item. It's Rustoleum, Varathane Diamond Wood Finish - Outdoor, Gloss, in the rattle can. www.rustoleum.ca/en-CA/product-catalog/consumer-brands/varathane/water-based-clear-finishes/outdoor-diamond-wood-finish

[@bjorn3977]

Are you wet sanding afterwards or between the layers?

[@Pinballorama]

For the first few coats of Varathane, no. There isn't enough Varathane on there yet and you'd probably cut into the paint. Part 3 goes into this a bit more.

[@jimmyhuesandthehouserocker1069]

Without really knowing what I was doing, on a 1969 Target Pool playfield, too hopelessly dirty to ever clean up again, I used lacquer thinner to remove the original factory clear lacquer, what left me with a factory-fresh, pristine playfield underneath. I then applied 2 coats of Deft-brand polyurethane varnish, like what's used on bar tops, with an automotive spray gun. The varnish did not react with the playfield artwork.

[@Pinballorama]

Good job. How's the varnish holding up?