Replacement glass recommendations

[pauljt71]

Topic moved - Site Admin.

Hi folks,

I have a couple of machines, a Brenner and an Oliver Whales that need replacement glass.

What is the best option? Toughened glass or laminated glass?

Thanks Paul

[gameswat]

Neither, just use standard plate glass as the makers did.

[pauljt71]

I have spoken with two glass merchants and neither supply traditional plate glass any longer.....

[treefrog]

Correct, I use whatever gives me the correct thickness for the job, as you do not want rattling glass or loose balls. You see so many allwins with loose glass - not great.

On a recent large arcade machine I used Anti Bandit laminate glass, so double thickness laminate, not because of safety, but because it matched the thickness I needed. Problem is laminate is more expensive and difficult to cut, so plate or toughened to correct thickness would be best option. Also it is all metric now, so old imperial measures are not available and sometimes end up either tight or too loose... Get your vernier calipers out.

[gameswat]

New glass has always been expensive. 30 years ago a glazier told my father they worked on a 400% profit margin! I hate new glass in vintage machines and can spot it at 10 paces. So for decades have been buying up old mirrors that are damaged and sell for almost nothing. Either a chip on the edge or flaking silver. I often find them for free on roadside rubbish heaps. The old glass is a much paler colour and I try to match to existing pieces from pale yellow to pale green. Also comes in Imperial sizes which as Tree pointed out is usually an issue. The perfect thing with mirrors is the backside has been protected from scuffing all these years, while the outside will show some ageing, scuffs and small scratches etc, just like a coin op machine - locked on the inside and usually perfect, while open to the public on the outside and showing age!

[brianh]

Not one for the purists but when I had to replace a damaged glass front I had the glass cut to slightly thinner than the gap then used 2 sticky dots in top corners out of sight (cost 2.99 for 100 from Amazon). The glass then slides in and out without risk of scratching or sticking, but doesn't rattle.

[special when lit]

Just replaced the glass in an allwin I have. 6mm toughened, cost £6 from my local glass place.

[treefrog]

I remember someone telling me ages ago certain glass types should not be used in ball bearing type machines due to risk of shattering, not sure which one.

My understanding is that old plate glass is no longer used for obvious reasons, but was replaced by annealed glass, which can be cut to size and does not break into large shards like old plate. It is very cheap and can be cut while you wait.

Toughened or tempered glass is heat treated to build up strength and tends to shatter into small non sharp pieces. It has to be tempered (heat treated) after it has been cut to size, so a lot more money and not available while you wait unless standard size.

Laminate varies in both varieties above with plastic layer in between.....

So I reckon most glass people go and buy is annealed. Also I believe toughened has the logo I printed on to confirm the standard.

[pauljt71]

Just replaced the glass in an allwin I have. 6mm toughened, cost £6 from my local glass place.

My local glass merchant has just quoted me for two panes of glass in 6 mm toughened and it’s £40!

[gameswat]

I've personally never seen nor heard of a machine glass of any kind ever breaking during play. Especially not anything with a ball the size of an allwin. You do often see the glasses with holes chipped into them when the hammer is badly adjusted or damaged. We had many hundreds of pinball machines of all ages and playfield depths come though our hands and never once did it happen. I only had an old toughened pinball glass explode in my hands as I was carrying it and the pieces flew 20ft. Scared the crap out of me! It was a very cold day though and the glass was old and had small scratches.