Using Acrylic Plastics
Our clear plastics are cut from acrylic. We chose acrylic because it doesn't yellow; has a superb surface finish that does not mark as easily as other plastics; and has a polished edge. These features make machines look sharper. Acrylic is one of the strongest plastics, but can also be brittle.
Where a clear plastic is exposed to high-energy balls from flippers, we substitute a part made from PETG. We also use .093" plastic, a shade thicker than the original, as it is significantly stronger than .080". We have found that .118 acrylic is practically impossible to break in a pinball machine, but it is a bit too thick for most tastes.
There are three things to watch for when handling and installing acrylics.
1) Don't overtighten! Overdoing it with the nutdriver can cause the acrylic to craze around the hole. Maybe 1/8 - 1/4 turns after the nut hits the surface.
2) Don't use solvent cleaners. Acrylic retains stresses after fabrication, and solvents cause stress crazing around cut edges. Plus, some solvents damage the surface. Alcohol specifically should not be used, although Novus 1 is just fine.
3) Don't bend them. Acrylic will flex, but not much. Exceed its elastic limit and it will simply crack. Once installed in the machine, it will be held level and bending it will not be an issue.
We warranty our clears against ball breakage; just drop us a line if you have a problem. We may substitute a part made from PETG if we believe that it is necessary to do so.
