I have starting using painters tape to line up the art blades and then carefully apply it aplly half the art blade at a time. I have not used rapid tac for a while but it is still great for the first few times until you get more comfortable. JJP games can be a bit trickier since you can't easily remove the playfield. Those ones still stress me a little bit :)
Great video, I own a print shop specializing in reproduction art for arcade machines etc. my only comment would be regarding the use of Rapid tac / soapy water... It can only be used on plain vinyl, if its air egress vinyl (bubble free install as often marketed) doing as wet install isn't recommended by the actual vinyl manufacturer. It has to be dry install only, however it is quite forgivable until you completely press it down. FYI Stern use air egress vinyl for their licensed products.
Thank you for sharing the information. I have since moved to dry applications in the past year or two. Stern blades are easy with the air egress but there are a few out there that don’t offer that so just wanted to offer an option for people who have never done it before. Thanks again for the info and I may make an updated video at some point in my current process.
@@HurryUpPinball yes, the main issue is a lot of people have no idea what vinyl they have. Sellers often don't even specify this information. When looking at the adhesive side of a "bubble free" vinyl there are micro channels within the glue that let the air escape so you know it has to be installed using a dry method. Might be good to add a disclaimer or text to the video at the rapid tac step "for regular vinyl only (not bubble free vinyl)".
Everything else is spot on !!! Love the channel, Watch John's Arcade do side art blades, what an Idiot, he struggled for hours!!! trying to work around the playfield with it installed.
I have seen lots of different posts about things you can use but I prefer the rapid tack just because it’s simple and works really well. I get a little nervous about using something that may lessen the adhesion of the art blades. If you decide to use something other than RapidTac, just be sure to check the pinside forums and see what people recommend.
@@HurryUpPinball thanks for the reply. I installed my Ghostbusters art blades with no issues. I think any art blades that are thinner though will be a little more difficult and probably require some sort of wet application!
I really like mirror blades for games. I will typically put them on if I don’t find a set of art blades I really like. Then can help (a little) to brighten up the playfield on darker games. I think they look great on POTC and LOTR. They are a great option for a lot of games. I always look for art blades first and move over to mirror blades if I don’t find anything I like. They cost a little more than art blades but it is not drastically more expensive. If you get mirror blades or art blades, get cabinet protectors to keep them nice. It sucks when you scratch the mirror blades while moving the playfield.
I added a vinyl playfield overlay to my Bally Star Trek about 20 years ago. The playfield is still beautiful all these years later, but the front half is starting to come up in spots. Any suggestion for what kind of adhesive to use to glue it back down?
That’s a tough one. I can ask around. I have used the freeze spray method to remove big sheets of mylar but no matter how careful you are, if it has been on for a long time, paint will usually lift. If it is peeling up, you will most likely end up with dirt and dust under it even if you put it back down. If it is a very small area, it might be worth it to use an exacting knife and try to remove that tiny area. Old mylar can be really tough to deal with and always makes me anxious when dealing with it in older games. I will ask around to see if anyone I know who restores games has advice on reattaching mylar.
Thanks for video! I saw elsewhere to use windex glass cleaner? Is this an okay replacement for Rapid tac? We just bought blades for Deadpool and Iron Maiden Hope to find time to install them soon. JP pro is our next machine, Are you enjoying it still? Stay safe
The Rapid Tac is not 100 percent necessary and I have recently starting installing art blades on games without the Rapid Tac. I can't speak to Windex being used in place of Rapid Tac but I have concerns it may dissolve the adhesive that holds on the art blades. I have started lining up the art blades using painters tape then removing a section of the backing in the back of the cabinet and sticking it in place then removing the rest of the backing and working out any air pockets back to front. I installed art blades on Wonka yesterday using this method since it is a lot of work to remove the playfield. If you have tight spaces and are not able to remove the playfield, I would recommend using the Rapid Tac until you get comfortable. It makes it easier to reposition the blades if they are not lined up correctly. Just use a very fine mist, don't soak them. I would highly recommend a set of cabinet protectors from Pinball Universe if you are going to install art blades - they are $35 at Pinballlife.com and will make sure you don't damage anything when raising and lowering the playfield. In terms of JP, it is a great game but I was the only one who really played it and I picked the last 15 games so I ended up selling it to purchase Wonka for the family. I am at a point where if I want something new, something has to go unfortunately. I'm sure people will give me heat for selling JP for Wonka but we are having a blast with it thus far.
@@HurryUpPinball Thanks for the great advice i bought rapid tac and hope to find time between hockey games to install them this weekend enjoy wonka , I haven't played wonka yet again thanks stay safe
Hi there! I'm thinking about getting blades for my Avengers IQ soon.. but I've always been terrible with stickers, cell phone protectors..etc.... so its freaked me out a bit.. Are these like stickers? i.e once they touch that's where the stay? It looks like you are moving and repositioning them even after they touched the cabinets though. Thanks.
The decal solution will make it so you can reposition them as needed. One of the other methods I really like, once you remove the playfield, is to use painters tape and hang the art blades exactly where you wanna place them. I use 4 to 5 pieces of tape to hold them in place from the top and then I cut a small section of the art blade backing off and put that section down. If you’ve lined everything up properly with the painters tape, you can easily remove the other half of the backing, and the graphics should be exactly where you want them.
Nice, but if you know your washer sits on top of the blade, why do you cut it rather than removing the washer, applying the blade and then screw the washer back in...
When the issue arises, I have started removing the washer (if necessary) as opposed to cutting the art blade. It can depend on the manufacturer of the art blades as well regarding how low they go and if the barely touch the washer. Loosening it prior to install works too.
Hey, question for you if you dont mind.. is the Rapid Tac used so you can slide the decal around to get it in place during application or does it just make it easier to remove it if you need to try again? Also, how come your art blades don't have holes in them like the Stern ones?
The rapid tac is good to use the first few times but as long as you get them in place properly, you can skip the rapid tac. Since I started removing the playfields on sterns, I use painters tape to hang the blades in place, uncover a small portion of the blades, then stick it down. I then move to the other end and finish peeling off the backing. As long as they are lined up, it’s all good. JJP and older games are difficult to remove the playfield so you can try the rapid tac or position them correctly using painters tape then raise the playfield and do the two end method. The area where the standing playfield is can be a bit tricky. The art blades I installed were not sterns so I had to cut them out for the holes. The stern ones are super easy to line up and install because of the holes.
Since mirror blades are screwed into the cabinet, you shouldn’t need to remove the playfield. I would recommend a second set of hands to help line them up before installing the screws. I would also recommend the pinball universe cabinet protectors so you don’t scratch the mirror blades when raising and lowering the playfield. www.pinballlife.com/interior-cabinet-protector-blade-set.html
Is dish soap and water (like the guy mentioned above) the same as that rapid tac? I'm about to try a Batman Forever art blade, but I'm nervous coz I'm the umhandiest human alive. Any advice ?
I have heard of people using that but never tried it myself. If it is your first time installing art blades and you cannot remove the playfield, I would suggest rapid-tac. It will let you slide them around a bit. Regardless of what you use, just mist them lightly and don’t soak them. I have started installing them without rapid tac lately. I use painters tape to perfectly position the art blade then peel the back half, cut away the backing, and stick it on then repeat for the front. For games where you cannot remove the playfield, you can use this method but it can be tricky. For games where you can’t remove the playfield, rapid tac is the way to go if it is your first go at it.
@@HurryUpPinball mate thanks so so much for talking a rookie through. So nervous though and intimidated by the process, but I guess everyone gotta start somewhere.
I remember being really nervous about it too. Rapid tac allows you to reposition them and makes it much less stressful until you get the hang of it. Always test fit them with the backing on so you know how they should sit and be sure to take into account the hinge bolts one each side. If your art blades do not have a pre cut hole for the hinge bolt, be sure to remove the bolt before installing the art blade and then use an exacto knife to trim the circle out then replace the bolt. Also make sure the art blade is not so high that it interferes with the glass channeling. Just go slow and test fit the blade to look for any potential issues.
@@GlennTwiddle1 For bolts, nuts, switches, and game specific parts, I usually order from Pinball Life, Marco Specialties, or Cointaker. For changing bulbs, I like to order from Comet Pinball. For art blades, I like tilt graphics if not going with factory art blades. There are a bunch of great sites out there and these are just a few. There are a ton of great mod makers out there and I usually just google the game title with “pinball mods” to see what is available.
Wayyy to difficult. I use some dish soap and water in a spray bottle. I place it on first with the backing to see where it will line up, then I remove the backing, spray it down, and shimmy it into place with he playfield installed, just vertical. I takes 10 minutes tops and comes out great.
It all depends on the game really. It’s really easy to take out the new stern playfields. I find JJPs can be a bit tougher based on clearance but doable for sure. It really just depends on comfort level. For non-stern games, I use the method you mention.
WRONG !!!!!! put a table of similar height (kitchen table)next to the machine, lift the play field onto the table, this way you don't have to unplug anything, why risk pulling on those plugs?
Thanks for another educational tutorial. I was not aware of the Rapid Tac product, so that alone is going to be very helpful!
I have starting using painters tape to line up the art blades and then carefully apply it aplly half the art blade at a time. I have not used rapid tac for a while but it is still great for the first few times until you get more comfortable. JJP games can be a bit trickier since you can't easily remove the playfield. Those ones still stress me a little bit :)
Thanks for the video... have a set ordered for my pin.
Since learning to use soap and water,,perfect install every time!!!
Decent video. I see in later comments you moved away from rapidtac. I don’t see the need and did a install with a distilled water mist.
Great video, I own a print shop specializing in reproduction art for arcade machines etc. my only comment would be regarding the use of Rapid tac / soapy water... It can only be used on plain vinyl, if its air egress vinyl (bubble free install as often marketed) doing as wet install isn't recommended by the actual vinyl manufacturer. It has to be dry install only, however it is quite forgivable until you completely press it down. FYI Stern use air egress vinyl for their licensed products.
Thank you for sharing the information. I have since moved to dry applications in the past year or two. Stern blades are easy with the air egress but there are a few out there that don’t offer that so just wanted to offer an option for people who have never done it before. Thanks again for the info and I may make an updated video at some point in my current process.
@@HurryUpPinball yes, the main issue is a lot of people have no idea what vinyl they have. Sellers often don't even specify this information. When looking at the adhesive side of a "bubble free" vinyl there are micro channels within the glue that let the air escape so you know it has to be installed using a dry method. Might be good to add a disclaimer or text to the video at the rapid tac step "for regular vinyl only (not bubble free vinyl)".
Yeah - this is a good instructional video and just seems like the correct way to do a good job. Thanks for the help.
Happy to help. I still remove the playfield on sterns and it makes things really easy. I am a huge Dougie Fresh and Slick Rick fan too.
Thank you for sharing. This video helped me install my art blades on my JP!
Glad to hear it. I have been real busy with work but hope to have a few new videos up soon. Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
Everything else is spot on !!! Love the channel, Watch John's Arcade do side art blades, what an Idiot, he struggled for hours!!! trying to work around the playfield with it installed.
Thanks! This is a big help! 👍👍👍
Thats what I am here for. Thanks for the feedback and the support!
Great vid thanks! Can one use some other type of spray? Maybe Windex or something laying around the house?
I have seen lots of different posts about things you can use but I prefer the rapid tack just because it’s simple and works really well. I get a little nervous about using something that may lessen the adhesion of the art blades. If you decide to use something other than RapidTac, just be sure to check the pinside forums and see what people recommend.
@@HurryUpPinball thanks for the reply. I installed my Ghostbusters art blades with no issues. I think any art blades that are thinner though will be a little more difficult and probably require some sort of wet application!
Hey Craig, great video. New to the hobby... what are your thoughts on mirror blades? Which games do you think they would go best on?
I really like mirror blades for games. I will typically put them on if I don’t find a set of art blades I really like. Then can help (a little) to brighten up the playfield on darker games. I think they look great on POTC and LOTR. They are a great option for a lot of games. I always look for art blades first and move over to mirror blades if I don’t find anything I like. They cost a little more than art blades but it is not drastically more expensive. If you get mirror blades or art blades, get cabinet protectors to keep them nice. It sucks when you scratch the mirror blades while moving the playfield.
@@HurryUpPinball Thanks for the advice man! Take care and keep up the great work on the vids!
I added a vinyl playfield overlay to my Bally Star Trek about 20 years ago. The playfield is still beautiful all these years later, but the front half is starting to come up in spots. Any suggestion for what kind of adhesive to use to glue it back down?
That’s a tough one. I can ask around. I have used the freeze spray method to remove big sheets of mylar but no matter how careful you are, if it has been on for a long time, paint will usually lift. If it is peeling up, you will most likely end up with dirt and dust under it even if you put it back down. If it is a very small area, it might be worth it to use an exacting knife and try to remove that tiny area. Old mylar can be really tough to deal with and always makes me anxious when dealing with it in older games. I will ask around to see if anyone I know who restores games has advice on reattaching mylar.
@@HurryUpPinball thanks, I really appreciate it!
Thanks for video!
I saw elsewhere to use windex glass cleaner? Is this an okay replacement for Rapid tac?
We just bought blades for Deadpool and Iron Maiden
Hope to find time to install them soon.
JP pro is our next machine, Are you enjoying it still?
Stay safe
The Rapid Tac is not 100 percent necessary and I have recently starting installing art blades on games without the Rapid Tac. I can't speak to Windex being used in place of Rapid Tac but I have concerns it may dissolve the adhesive that holds on the art blades. I have started lining up the art blades using painters tape then removing a section of the backing in the back of the cabinet and sticking it in place then removing the rest of the backing and working out any air pockets back to front. I installed art blades on Wonka yesterday using this method since it is a lot of work to remove the playfield. If you have tight spaces and are not able to remove the playfield, I would recommend using the Rapid Tac until you get comfortable. It makes it easier to reposition the blades if they are not lined up correctly. Just use a very fine mist, don't soak them. I would highly recommend a set of cabinet protectors from Pinball Universe if you are going to install art blades - they are $35 at Pinballlife.com and will make sure you don't damage anything when raising and lowering the playfield. In terms of JP, it is a great game but I was the only one who really played it and I picked the last 15 games so I ended up selling it to purchase Wonka for the family. I am at a point where if I want something new, something has to go unfortunately. I'm sure people will give me heat for selling JP for Wonka but we are having a blast with it thus far.
@@HurryUpPinball Thanks for the great advice
i bought rapid tac and hope to find time between hockey games to install them this weekend
enjoy wonka ,
I haven't played wonka yet
again thanks
stay safe
Hi there! I'm thinking about getting blades for my Avengers IQ soon.. but I've always been terrible with stickers, cell phone protectors..etc.... so its freaked me out a bit.. Are these like stickers? i.e once they touch that's where the stay? It looks like you are moving and repositioning them even after they touched the cabinets though. Thanks.
The decal solution will make it so you can reposition them as needed. One of the other methods I really like, once you remove the playfield, is to use painters tape and hang the art blades exactly where you wanna place them. I use 4 to 5 pieces of tape to hold them in place from the top and then I cut a small section of the art blade backing off and put that section down. If you’ve lined everything up properly with the painters tape, you can easily remove the other half of the backing, and the graphics should be exactly where you want them.
Nice, but if you know your washer sits on top of the blade, why do you cut it rather than removing the washer, applying the blade and then screw the washer back in...
When the issue arises, I have started removing the washer (if necessary) as opposed to cutting the art blade. It can depend on the manufacturer of the art blades as well regarding how low they go and if the barely touch the washer. Loosening it prior to install works too.
Hey, question for you if you dont mind.. is the Rapid Tac used so you can slide the decal around to get it in place during application or does it just make it easier to remove it if you need to try again? Also, how come your art blades don't have holes in them like the Stern ones?
The rapid tac is good to use the first few times but as long as you get them in place properly, you can skip the rapid tac. Since I started removing the playfields on sterns, I use painters tape to hang the blades in place, uncover a small portion of the blades, then stick it down. I then move to the other end and finish peeling off the backing. As long as they are lined up, it’s all good. JJP and older games are difficult to remove the playfield so you can try the rapid tac or position them correctly using painters tape then raise the playfield and do the two end method. The area where the standing playfield is can be a bit tricky. The art blades I installed were not sterns so I had to cut them out for the holes. The stern ones are super easy to line up and install because of the holes.
Question if I was installing, Mirror blades would I follow the same process.. or do you recommend it being done without taking out the playfield?
Since mirror blades are screwed into the cabinet, you shouldn’t need to remove the playfield. I would recommend a second set of hands to help line them up before installing the screws. I would also recommend the pinball universe cabinet protectors so you don’t scratch the mirror blades when raising and lowering the playfield. www.pinballlife.com/interior-cabinet-protector-blade-set.html
Is dish soap and water (like the guy mentioned above) the same as that rapid tac?
I'm about to try a Batman Forever art blade, but I'm nervous coz I'm the umhandiest human alive.
Any advice ?
I have heard of people using that but never tried it myself. If it is your first time installing art blades and you cannot remove the playfield, I would suggest rapid-tac. It will let you slide them around a bit. Regardless of what you use, just mist them lightly and don’t soak them. I have started installing them without rapid tac lately. I use painters tape to perfectly position the art blade then peel the back half, cut away the backing, and stick it on then repeat for the front. For games where you cannot remove the playfield, you can use this method but it can be tricky. For games where you can’t remove the playfield, rapid tac is the way to go if it is your first go at it.
@@HurryUpPinball mate thanks so so much for talking a rookie through. So nervous though and intimidated by the process, but I guess everyone gotta start somewhere.
I remember being really nervous about it too. Rapid tac allows you to reposition them and makes it much less stressful until you get the hang of it. Always test fit them with the backing on so you know how they should sit and be sure to take into account the hinge bolts one each side. If your art blades do not have a pre cut hole for the hinge bolt, be sure to remove the bolt before installing the art blade and then use an exacto knife to trim the circle out then replace the bolt. Also make sure the art blade is not so high that it interferes with the glass channeling. Just go slow and test fit the blade to look for any potential issues.
@@HurryUpPinball is there a cool site for affordable, but universal lights, switches etc. What's the 'goto' site for bits ?
@@GlennTwiddle1 For bolts, nuts, switches, and game specific parts, I usually order from Pinball Life, Marco Specialties, or Cointaker. For changing bulbs, I like to order from Comet Pinball. For art blades, I like tilt graphics if not going with factory art blades. There are a bunch of great sites out there and these are just a few. There are a ton of great mod makers out there and I usually just google the game title with “pinball mods” to see what is available.
Isn’t there an easy way of doing this?
Wayyy to difficult. I use some dish soap and water in a spray bottle. I place it on first with the backing to see where it will line up, then I remove the backing, spray it down, and shimmy it into place with he playfield installed, just vertical. I takes 10 minutes tops and comes out great.
It all depends on the game really. It’s really easy to take out the new stern playfields. I find JJPs can be a bit tougher based on clearance but doable for sure. It really just depends on comfort level. For non-stern games, I use the method you mention.
NIce machine ..ugly sideblade
WRONG !!!!!! put a table of similar height (kitchen table)next to the machine, lift the play field onto the table, this way you don't have to unplug anything, why risk pulling on those plugs?
Are cables long enough to do this on most machines ?