Banzai Run Plastic Guards

I designed the guards to support Classic Playfield Reproduction's acrylic plastic set. CPR used .093" acrylic for its surface and edge quality. Although the thick material is quite strong, a little extra protection is an option for many. We know that an unlucky hit from a high-energy ball can break almost any plastic. Banzai Run does deliver airballs and fast balls. Our material is 0.060" PETG, which will not break from ball strikes. For this set, we have extended the edge out a little more than usual to keep the ball well away from the acrylic.

And many thanks to Joe, John, and Kevin for all their help on this project.

The installation, fit and play tests resulted in a few small changes. There are a few points to note.

1) The game has posts of different heights. This makes the plastics ripple. I don't know why this is, and didn't try to troubleshoot it - but it needs a look.

2) The threads on some of the posts are just too short. With the plastics and the guards installed, there's barely enough thread to bite. That may be a problem with the thicker acrylics, and I don't have a solution other than leaving the studs bare. It doesn't affect function.

3) The installation process is such that you should not have to remove the tree plastics.

4) The gate at the top of the playfield interferes with the plastic; we'll probably cut the guard back a fraction.

5) Don't overtighten! hand tight + 1/4 turn is plenty. More than that, and things start to warp and crack.