Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

[TheChaser]

Our center is fixing to spruce up our deck shields a bit. Its a toss up, Decals with the center name on them you can stick on, or restoring the look they have on them right know "Brunswick Automatic." I worked at a Don Carter center and we had "Don Carter" decals put on them when we remodled, we painted the shiled a purpleish color, and but the black decal on them, but i noticed the old "C" decal was still on them, we just painted over that. Then i saw a house where for a cosmic upgrade they painted the shiled a Neon Blue and the gold "B" became a neon yellow B. I thought it looked niced with the neon green rake arms. BUt the quesiont is that do you guys preffer, painting or decals? It seems like it would cost a lot to get custom decals made for the pinsetter.

[toon30s]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

Try to find someone supplying decals for local race car drivers. I'll bet they can come up with a cool design at a reasonable cost. We had some sweep sighns made up using plastic "boards" with decals made with the advertiser's artwork, and it cost us about $30 each. If they were making several of the same design, they should be considerably less.
TOON

[8270 pinspotter]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

Get rid of the Brunswick machines and put in AMF!

Just kidding, decals would definatly look neat, but can be expensive like you said. I also think a decal would last longer than paint. If you have blacklights, than glow paint would look awesome.

[TheChaser]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

Yeah true, I saw an AMF House with 82-90s that paitned their spttoing cups neon blue and their sweep arms neon yellow. It created a cool floating effect.

[Ratchetwrist]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

I have worked in centers that have "cool" deck shields [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif[/img] and Centers that have no deck shields [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] . If it is cosmetic only than I would use a Uv sensative paint. We don't have deck shields now and it is a blessing [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] . Waste of time, money, and effort for their upkeep vs. purpose. Really, What does a deck shield do [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif[/img] ? JMO [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

[Androooo]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

I was thinking about this the other night, while having a beer....or 10.

Has anyone tried with an A/A2, taking the the deck sheild off, and painting the outsides of the buckets with a UV paint? Surely that has gotta look freaky with the glow lights. I'm sure to some guys that have had a couple too many, or choofed a bit too much wacky weed, that it would rather cool......sorta like pins dropped by down by an alien spacecraft or something.

[TheChaser]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

Hey Real,
You are right, paint the moving and stationery deck black along with other compenents, and the chutes a neon green or orange color to make the chutes look like they are floating coming down. I saw a center in Atlanta this weekend, US Play, with the GS-98 hcing neon strips across it and it produced a wild glow effect. Hmm maybe we could fin a way to paint UV Desgins on the kickbacks and stuff.

[Aaron]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

Kind of off the subject but still on the "cosmetic side".

Anyways, if you have lightworx or seen lightworx...it looks kind of neat. Well we have lightworx and it uses LED's for the lighting effect, that goes along with the music. Well, what if instead of using LED's you used small bulbs, that would project the light straight up. With the fog you would be able to see the lighting projecting straight up. I understand that it would be A LOT of bulbs, but damn that would look awesome. 48 lanes worth with "lazer looking" lights going down the capping, I think would look very impressive. One of these days I'll try to post a picture of our Cosmic show. I dislike the music, but the lighting effects are 2nd to none.

[tkored-R]

Re: Deck Shields: Painting vs Decals

Brunswick has enough advertising in the center I work at. We prefer our own logo. Have fun with it.