avoiding the crack

KazooBR

Well-known member

Donor 3 years: 2023-2025
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Messages
1,887
Reaction score
1,555
Location
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Is there any way to avoid cracks in CPOs? These were both newly installed a few years ago and my games get very little play. It seems like time just makes them fall apart!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4687.jpg
    IMG_4687.jpg
    90.7 KB · Views: 95
  • IMG_4690.jpg
    IMG_4690.jpg
    92.4 KB · Views: 99
I recently started using a hair dryer to heat the cpo as I firmly press it onto the contour of the bend. My Burgertime CPO has only been on for a year, so time will tell on that.
 
as mentioned, heating the cpo when applying or even before applying helps. Also make sure the paint on the cp has had enough time to fully dry and out gas fumes. Even then some cpo's will still crack. I chalk it up to the quality of the cpo or the environment it was stored in.
 
I wonder if you could armor-all it or could use some sort of moisturizing type stuff to keep it from cracking...similiar to the stuff they put on leather to keep it from drying out and cracking.
 
Cpo

Heating the CPO before applying is the trick. If a cpo has poor adhesion around the bend. IE not nouching th metal completely. It will most likely crack in a year or so.
 
That totally sucks... How do you put them on? I have about 6or7done here including old nos stuff with no cracks... And I have never heated one, or done wet.. I usually clean the old, paint with a satin black, let dry.. To apply I center on the holes, and work outwards in both directions slowly with a lot of pressure from thumbs. On the lower curve I spend quite a bit of time working it down to make sure it has stuck before finishing the lower lip. Heating does sound like it would help tho...
 
I was very careful to stick them completely. These were done probably 7 years ago and they are stored in a cool dry basement. The games just don't get played much (bummer!) so it certainly isn't from overtouching. Seems like they just decided to start cracking from age.

Heating seems like it would help.
 
I was very careful to stick them completely. These were done probably 7 years ago and they are stored in a cool dry basement. The games just don't get played much (bummer!) so it certainly isn't from overtouching. Seems like they just decided to start cracking from age.

Heating seems like it would help.

It may just be the material used is wrong for that CPO - if the material is too thick/inflexible, then eventually the stress of the bend is going to cause it to crack no matter what you do.

I don't know if heat will help (it might), but really I think the problem is that the plastic used for those CPOs is just too heavy for the bend they have to make.
 
My Galaga did the same thing after about a year. I was pretty bummed. I got it from a reputable source, so I dont think its the material. Its prolly the way I applied it. I didnt heat it as well. But, none of my other cpo's did that. Just the Galaga. A shame indeed.
 
Yeah I have the same problem with my Mappy, but again, I didn't heat it when applying. Kinda sucks, but considering how nasty the original overlay was, some cracking at the bend is no big deal. It was a Phoenixarcade.com repro so I'm confident it's not a quality issue. When I go to apply my Q*Bert cpo I'll have to keep this in mind.
 
I don't know if heat will help (it might), but really I think the problem is that the plastic used for those CPOs is just too heavy for the bend they have to make.

That's where the heat "should" help. (actually just really warm, not super hot or anything)

The heat should relax the stresses in the material the cpo is printed on so that it will conform to the bend rather than be forced to make the bend. Once it cools it would be like having a preformed cpo versus stressing it to conform to the bend.
(if any of that makes sense)

The key is to warm it and let it naturally follow the contour......not to force it around the contour.

My $.02
 
I've been heating the bends after installing CPO's, so far the results have been good. I think the stiffness of the Lexan can eventually cause it to crack regardless of how well it's applied otherwise.

As mentioned, gentle heating will help the Lexan contour to the control panel, relieving stress that can eventually cause cracking. For best results, test a fresh scrap from the just trimmed overlay to get a feel for the amount of heat it will take to soften it up.

Usually a button hole cut out works well for testing, eventually you'll just know what setting and pass rate to use on your heat gun.
 
Yeah I have the same problem with my Mappy, but again, I didn't heat it when applying. Kinda sucks, but considering how nasty the original overlay was, some cracking at the bend is no big deal. It was a Phoenixarcade.com repro so I'm confident it's not a quality issue. When I go to apply my Q*Bert cpo I'll have to keep this in mind.


It won't matter. I used heat, Chris did not. Both of our Qbert CPO's were cracking within the year. This is the reason I refuse to replace my cpo's if the only real flaw is cracking at the bend. It doesn't pay in the long run, as you spend $45-80, several hours of stripping, cleaning and painting, and you still have the same issue you started with one year later. Simple green, water, a rag and a sharpie for me thanks.
 
I applied new overlays on my Centipede & Tempest cabarets right around the same time a couple of years ago. I got both from ArcadeShop. The Centipede overlay is cracking like crazy along the front bend (just like the OP's picture) but the Tempest overlay is perfect. Both were applied the same way and no heat was used.

The material is obviously different (Tempest is more textured overlay whereas Centipede is smooth). It must be the Centipede overlay material doesn't hold up as well along bends.
 
Back
Top Bottom