Tron MCP Film Care

Phetishboy

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The back lit MCP film from a TRON cab. Best way to clean it? Also, when you reinstall the original or install a new repro, do you reinstall the staples? Or leave them out? I removed mine to clean and it is filthy. I just don't wanna wreck the surface or scratch it. I also don't wanna risk tearing it when I reinstall it.
 
Is it possible to just remove one staple or a corner and shoot compressed air up in there? Sounds to me like the steps involved in cleaning it are going to be potentially more dangerous than leaving it as-is.
 
Is it possible to just remove one staple or a corner and shoot compressed air up in there? Sounds to me like the steps involved in cleaning it are going to be potentially more dangerous than leaving it as-is.

This will take more than compressed air. I am afraid shooting 160 psi at this brittle film will be more dangerous than wiping it down anyway.
 
I tried some light wiping with windex on a paper towel...and ended up with an orange/purple/blue-ish colored paper towel, meaning I was removing color.

I stopped right away and the translight still looks fine, but the idea of compressed air or another dry method is definitely best. Or, if that's not enough, maybe just a very light wipe down with a dry towel...or just water or something weaker than windex.
 
I cleaned up my DOT translite with a wet paper towel and then a dry one. It cleaned up fine, but there were some smudges I couldn't completely remove on the painted side (the front), and if I rubbed too hard, the paint came off onto the paper towel. It didn't damage the translite at all, but I stopped cleaning it at that point. Also be careful as you go over it, if you catch an edge or corner on the paper towel, it can crack easily.
 
but the idea of compressed air or another dry method is definitely best. Or, if that's not enough, maybe just a very light wipe down with a dry towel...or just water or something weaker than windex.

I definitely wouldn't try compressed air. I have tried compressed air on caked on dust inside a cabinet, and couldn't get it all even if I got real close at high PSI. Still had to use a wet rag. Translite is just too delicate.
 
I did mine with a slightly soapy, wet cloth. Worked fine. Just be very careful with it. It certainly is fragile. I don't recall for sure how I reinstalled it. Probably with staples.
 
Well I tried glass cleaner first, then quickly changed to a spray bottle of water. It looks a hundred times better, but now I have a few water spots that formed toward the bottom after the water evaporated. Don't wanna scrub too hard, so I'll just leave them. Still wondering on the staple thing. Is it worth reinstalling them? What do they really do, hold it tight to the shroud window??
 
It's a translite, same on pinball back glasses. Water and papertowel is safe. The ink is applied on the backside.

My staples came off on the bottom when the bulb was changed. No biggie. Not needed.
 
i stopped using paper towels and starting using the microfiber towels. They don't leave any little fibers like paper towels do and in the long term are cheaper. I would just take it out and use a really soaking wet microfiber towel, seems like the more water you use the less scrubbing and less scratching there will be.Once its clean blot it dry with another towel.
 
i stopped using paper towels and starting using the microfiber towels. They don't leave any little fibers like paper towels do and in the long term are cheaper. I would just take it out and use a really soaking wet microfiber towel, seems like the more water you use the less scrubbing and less scratching there will be.Once its clean blot it dry with another towel.

That's what I did. I learned a long time ago that paper towels are good for leaving severe lint trails and scratches behind. I held it up to the window and it looked glorious. What a great graphic. The illusion of space is immense.
 
You guys need to try out Swiffer Dusters. I read about them on a truck forum a couple years back for cleaning gauge clusters.

Now I use them all the time, especially around freshly cleaned bezels to take off any towel lint and for preservation work on really old stuff in jukeboxes that won't tolerate any type of liquid contact.

As an added bonus, they're great for cleaning any tiny crumbs off pinball playfields after waxing. Truly an all around great product!
 
Both my Tron and DoT translights have like a 4 inch horizontal crack right in the center where the middle staple was. If the angle is right, you can see the background flourescent light through the crack as you play.

Hopefully someday someone will repro these.
 
Both my Tron and DoT translights have like a 4 inch horizontal crack right in the center where the middle staple was. If the angle is right, you can see the background flourescent light through the crack as you play.

Hopefully someday someone will repro these.

Darin does the Tron:
http://www.phoenixarcade.com/art.htm#tron
trontransnew.jpg


Someone was trying to work on the DOT. Fortunately, mine are both pretty good. I've used all of the suggestions mentioned on both of mine. Compressed air will do nothing, Windex and water will both remove slight amounts of ink and streak it. However, the streaks are only visible outside of the game. The key is to wipe it with a water dampened microfiber or paper towel and overlap your strokes, like painting. This will minimize the streaking. If it's too bad, just go over it again with just a little water. I also used compressed air to help dry it more quickly. They are scary to remove...especially DOT. I used Scotch tape to reinforce my holes before re-installing. I also had a very small white spot on my DOT that I tried coloring in with various markers. It's a little noticeable if you're looking for it, but otherwise you can't see it.
 
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