Wet Spots Under the Protector — Removal Tips
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What are wet spots?
On a new machine the clear coat can outgas. The vapour gets trapped between the playfield and the protector and shows up as small moisture patches — "wet spots". They look strange but cause no damage.
How to remove them
Remove the slingshot plastics and the rubber rings. Lift the protector carefully at the slingshot area.
Blow the evaporations away with an air compressor — quickest method. Alternatively use a hair dryer on the cool setting only (no heat). The cool air takes longer but works.
Once the spots are gone, refit the slingshot plastics and rubbers.
They may come back — and that is fine
As long as the clear coat is not fully hardened, the wet spots may reappear. Just repeat the process — they will stop coming back once the playfield is fully cured.
Tools
- Air compressor (or a cool hair dryer)
FAQ
- Are wet spots a defect?
- No. They are evaporations of the clear coat — a sign the playfield is still curing. They cause no damage.
- Why do they come back?
- As long as the clear coat is not fully hardened it continues to outgas. Once cured, the spots stop appearing.
- Hair dryer — heat or no heat?
- No heat. Use the cool setting only. Heat can damage the playfield artwork and the protector.
Related Guides
Stranger Things Playfield Protector — Installation Guide
This guide walks you through fitting a Playfield Protector to a Stern Stranger Things pinball machine. Plan roughly 60–90 minutes. You remove flippers, slingshots, ramps and the backboard, lay the protector on the playfield, then reinstall every part and re-level the drop target bank.
The Beatles Playfield Protector — Installation Guide
A relatively quick install — most of the work is removing flippers, plastics and bumper caps. After laying the protector you adjust the turntable and the drop target banks to the new playfield height.
Jurassic Park Premium / LE Playfield Protector — Installation Guide
The most complex install in our catalogue — plan two hours. You remove flippers, slingshots, several ramps, the Jeep, the raptor plastic, the T-Rex ramp and the backboard before the protector goes on. Take photos as you go.
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