Backglass Breaking Question

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I placed my Alien Poker head with the backglass locked in placed into the
bed of my truck. I covered the head with a moving blanket and secured it
with a rachet rope thing.

Then while standing there locking the dolly in place so it would not slip on
the othe side of the truck, the backglass popped and shattered.

Now I am gunshy in moving machines. Should I chalk it up to that happens
once in a while and get on with life?

Should I have taken the glass off, wrapped it in a moving blanket and placed
it into the cab of my truck? If so, then should I have "air conditioned" the
cab first.

Is it the hot weather that cause the problem? Humidy? The fact that the
glass is 25 years old? Randomness?

Any suggestions for moving future machines?

Thanks
Michael

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

My college chemistry professor once told the class that glass was a finicky
thing. At any moment in time the slightest touch in the "right" spot can
cause it to self destruct. So long as you didn't stress it unusually you
weren't the cause. By chance did the glass have the protective plastic
edging on it? That needs to be there.

Mark Hooks

"Michael Belofsky" <mbelofsky@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:jP-dnbEL__bnRSjfRVn-1Q@adelphia.com...
>I placed my Alien Poker head with the backglass locked in placed into the
>bed of my truck. I covered the head with a moving blanket and secured it
>with a rachet rope thing.
>
> Then while standing there locking the dolly in place so it would not slip
> on the othe side of the truck, the backglass popped and shattered.
>
> Now I am gunshy in moving machines. Should I chalk it up to that happens
> once in a while and get on with life?
>
> Should I have taken the glass off, wrapped it in a moving blanket and
> placed it into the cab of my truck? If so, then should I have "air
> conditioned" the cab first.
>
> Is it the hot weather that cause the problem? Humidy? The fact that the
> glass is 25 years old? Randomness?
>
> Any suggestions for moving future machines?
>
> Thanks
> Michael
>

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Plastic stuff. Good news is, while the original style may be difficult or
impossible to find, Alien Poker uses the thinner glass - same as late model
machines. You can use the WPC style translite trim on these glasses. Available
from almost any pin parts supplier.

Richard

On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 20:14:12 -0400, "Michael Belofsky" <mbelofsky@adelphia.net>
wrote:

>In hindsight, I believe it was missing some off the top. Would placing
>electrical tape around the edges do or should it have the plastic stuff?
>
>Thanks
>Michael
>
>"Mark Hooks" <markhooks@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>news:j0nte.8346$VK4.8241@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>> My college chemistry professor once told the class that glass was a
>> finicky thing. At any moment in time the slightest touch in the "right"
>> spot can cause it to self destruct. So long as you didn't stress it
>> unusually you weren't the cause. By chance did the glass have the
>> protective plastic edging on it? That needs to be there.
>>
>> Mark Hooks
>>
>> "Michael Belofsky" <mbelofsky@adelphia.net> wrote in message
>> news:jP-dnbEL__bnRSjfRVn-1Q@adelphia.com...
>>>I placed my Alien Poker head with the backglass locked in placed into the
>>>bed of my truck. I covered the head with a moving blanket and secured it
>>>with a rachet rope thing.
>>>
>>> Then while standing there locking the dolly in place so it would not slip
>>> on the othe side of the truck, the backglass popped and shattered.
>>>
>>> Now I am gunshy in moving machines. Should I chalk it up to that happens
>>> once in a while and get on with life?
>>>
>>> Should I have taken the glass off, wrapped it in a moving blanket and
>>> placed it into the cab of my truck? If so, then should I have "air
>>> conditioned" the cab first.
>>>
>>> Is it the hot weather that cause the problem? Humidy? The fact that the
>>> glass is 25 years old? Randomness?
>>>
>>> Any suggestions for moving future machines?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Michael
>>>
>>
>>
>

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Inside a sheet of tempered glass you have stresses of the order of
20,000 pounds per square inch, just below the surface. Cut into a
stress layer, and it all lets go. You can have damaged glass that lets
go when you move it. It is a good reason not to put pinball glass on
concrete.

Bottom line is that your glass was probably doomed anyway.

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I feel your pain: http://tinyurl.com/5jawz

It's strange...you can practically smack a glass with a hammer and it
wont break, but you accidently "tink" one edge on something and BLAM!

Barry - NY

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Actually I was referring to EM backglasses. I've never had one break when
shipped in the head (or when moving heads around my workshop), but obviously
if the mechs came loose that would be a problem ;-)

Randy

"Josh A." <josh489@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1119280386.046026.259230@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Randy P. wrote:
>
>> I always feel that glass is safest when left in the head. They seem to
>> be a
>> lot safer shipped in the head than removed
>
> That may be true for newer games, but many of the older EM heads had
> lots of stepper units and other weighty mechanisms in them. More mass
> means it's more likely to get loose during transit and create havoc.
> Also, the glue holding an old backbox together seems to fail in direct
> relation to the rarity of the backglass that it's holding. Woodrail
> heads generally seem sturdier than 60s/70s heads, and they also have
> fewer guts in them. Nowadays, I almost always have backglasses shipped
> to me separately in boxes like Steve Engel uses at Mayfair Amusements.
>
> - Josh A.
>