Playfield Color Variances

[Guest]

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

I am lucky to have 2 AFM pins right now, which is the first time I have
ever had 2 of the same WMS pin at the same time. Sitting next to each
other I have noticed quite the difference in some of the colors on the
playfield, mainly the shade of red in the insert outlines. On one it
is almost a hot pink, the other a much deeper red. Both playfields are
in good condition and both look really good, but there is definitely a
difference. I was wondering if this is common with WMS playfields??

DG

 

[Guest]

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

I think playfields can suffer from fade just as cabinets can.

 

[Guest]

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

Also there are color variations when the playfields are screened - they
made up batches of color as needed and there could be variations when
this happens. Usually it's "OK" and really close, but it's possible
also that some care was not taken or not noticed before it was
corrected.

 

[Guest]

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

I thought of that, but the color is perfectly uniform throughout the
playfield, even in places where it's not exposed. In looking at
pictures of AFM playfields on the internet, I've seen some that are
pinkish and others that are red, so this seems to just be the way it is.

 

[Guest]

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

Being in the printing business I can tell you I see a lot of variations
in color (of course only on things printed by the 'other' guys ; ) ).
There are a lot of variables that need to be controlled. With screen
printing, things such as ink viscosity, ink film thickness, how clean
or clogged the screen is, the pressure, angle and speed of the squegee
pull, the register of one color to the others, the substraight, the
coverage of the white ink under all of the other colors, the person
doing the screening may use a different technique, first run vs.
subsequent runs, etc. etc.

Bob S

 

[Guest]

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

Bob, how about a related question. Assuming that Williams specified a
PMS color code for each individual color on the playfield, would the
screen printer ever mix any of the inks themselves, or do they always
buy pre-mixed inks? I think I've seen references to mixing Pantone
colors from "stock" colors, but don't know if that's applicable in this
case.

Joseph "Tony" Dziedzic

 

[Guest]

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

I have noticed this with other games that I own (those are probably the
only games I am familiar with, to be absolutely sure of a color
variation).

I have noticed that some WCS'94 machines have a much lighter purple on
the field than mine does. I have also noticed the baby blue on some
Who Dunnit machines being a different shade. At first, I think they
look "wrong", but then I realize that it is not fading, it was just
manufacturing variations.

So yes, there are (some very wide!) variations in colors on
Williams/Bally fields, at least in the 90's.

Wade

llabrevlis wrote:
> I am lucky to have 2 AFM pins right now, which is the first time I have
> ever had 2 of the same WMS pin at the same time. Sitting next to each
> other I have noticed quite the difference in some of the colors on the
> playfield, mainly the shade of red in the insert outlines. On one it
> is almost a hot pink, the other a much deeper red. Both playfields are
> in good condition and both look really good, but there is definitely a
> difference. I was wondering if this is common with WMS playfields??
>
> DG

 

[Guest]

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

Hey Tony, you are right, the way the printer mixes the ink is another
BIG variable. When using Pantone colors, there are 13 Basic 'mixing'
colors plus black that are used to formulare all of the other PANTONE
colors. Each PANTONE color has a formula, for example: PMS 185 red is 3
parts 'warm red' + 1 part 'Rubine Red'. So depending on how the mixer
measures the 'parts' of the formula, this can effect how closely the
color matches. I have seen the mixing processes vary from very
accurate... measuring each color precisely on a scale then checking
color using a spectrometer to ensure the color is correct, to more
approximate mixing methods where a guy will dip his ink knife into the
Warm Red bucket three times and then once into the Rubine Red bucket
and figure he has it 'close enough' to the right ratio. Most shops will
have the inks mixed at the plant where the printing happens. They order
the 13 mixing colors from the ink supplier.... usually.

Bob Stemmler

 

[Guest]

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

Oh, the big secret is out. Yes, there is a fair amount of variance between
some production runs and in some cases within a run. It's not on all games
but it does show up. It doesn't only apply to 90s pfs, it goes all the way
back. EM cabs for example have large variances too, both in coloring,
spotting or webbing and sharpness of edges. I've seen like four examples of
a certain pin right next to each other (EM) and not one cab was identical to
the other.

GRY

<wadelanham@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126548165.722263.170300@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>I have noticed this with other games that I own (those are probably the
> only games I am familiar with, to be absolutely sure of a color
> variation).
>
> I have noticed that some WCS'94 machines have a much lighter purple on
> the field than mine does. I have also noticed the baby blue on some
> Who Dunnit machines being a different shade. At first, I think they
> look "wrong", but then I realize that it is not fading, it was just
> manufacturing variations.
>
> So yes, there are (some very wide!) variations in colors on
> Williams/Bally fields, at least in the 90's.
>
> Wade
>
> llabrevlis wrote:
>> I am lucky to have 2 AFM pins right now, which is the first time I have
>> ever had 2 of the same WMS pin at the same time. Sitting next to each
>> other I have noticed quite the difference in some of the colors on the
>> playfield, mainly the shade of red in the insert outlines. On one it
>> is almost a hot pink, the other a much deeper red. Both playfields are
>> in good condition and both look really good, but there is definitely a
>> difference. I was wondering if this is common with WMS playfields??
>>
>> DG
>

 

[Guest]

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

OK. the colors do vary, but for AFM which is more common for the
outlines, red or hot pink???

Thanks
DG

 

[Guest]

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

On 14 Sep 2005 23:46:05 -0700, "llabrevlis" <llabrevlis@shaw.ca>
wrote:

>OK. the colors do vary, but for AFM which is more common for the
>outlines, red or hot pink???
>

I've got an AFM and a spare AFM playfield and they are both the deeper
red color.

 

[Guest]

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

> >OK. the colors do vary, but for AFM which is more common for the
> >outlines, red or hot pink???


Mine has red outlines.