How Long do Air Hockey Tables Last? 8 Maintenance Tips
You can get a lot of fun out of your air hockey table. Your kids and you can have hours of fun playing air hockey. Besides fun time on rainy days, you could set up your own league and have your own records. There is a lot of fun t be had if you treat your air hockey table right
How long do air hockey tables last? We would say between 1 to 5 years. You can stretch that time if you properly take care of your air hockey table. With knockoffs and cheap construction materials you would be lucky to hit year 2 even if you take care of it.
How long your air hockey table lasts is dependent on how you treat it during play, how you maintain it, and what construction materials were used to build it. Keep reading to find out some good maintenance trips yo help your table last you a long time.
6 Air Hockey Maintenance Tips
Taking care of your things is the way to make them last. Cleaning your table once a week will help the table last you a long time. Here are some good tips on how to take care of your air hockey table:
#1. No food or drinks- if you need to hydrate or calm your hunger pains, then it is best to move away from the table before eating or drinking.
#2. Keep it clean- you should use rubbing alcohol or non-ammonia cleaners to keep the surface free from dirt and grime. Just remember to turn on the blower before you start cleaning
#3. Fix the dents- the laminate surface can be dented by the puck or paddles. All you need to do is use just enough epoxy to bring the dent level to the rest of the table. When it dries, sand it down to avoid bumps, etc. You may need to re-drill the air holes if the epoxy plugs them up
#4. Keep the air holes clear- us a 1/32 inch drill to clean out the air holes. Turn the blower on and place the drill bit into the hole. Go about 3.8 of an inch deep, less f the surface is thinner. Vacuum the table top after you finish drilling the holes
#5. The air blower- you should clean this and its filter at least once a year. If you notice that the puck is not moving that quickly or the air flow is low, then you should clean the blower. An air compressor should handle the job easily enough
#6. Cover up- one of the easiest and cheapest maintenance tricks you can use is to cover your air hockey table. The cover you use depends on you. It can be a plastic tarp, a blanket and so on. A cover keeps dirt, grime and other contaminants off the table and makes your cleaning a lot easier to do.
Air Hockey Puck Maintenance
You may not think about it but air hockey pucks need top maintenance to keep your games competitive. Here are a few situations and their solutions:
Dents & nicks- the paddles, the sides of the game and even outside objects can put dents or nicks in your air hockey puck. A little fine grit, 150, sandpaper and some light sanding will smooth out the pucks and have them last longer.
Bent pucks- the only thing to do in this situation is to replace them.
Non-floating puck- time to replace it.
Paddles also get nicks and dents in them. But unlike pucks, you do not need these to float and you can always use them when they bend a little. When they bend you should replace them.
For nicks and dents, the same grit sandpaper you use on the pucks will work here. Just lightly sand till they are smooth again.
Air Hockey Table Surface Maintenance
Maintenance on the table surface is going to take a little time. You should exercise some patience as you go over the surface and see what areas need help. When it comes time to work on the table surface, one of the things you do not do is clean the side rails.
According to the experts, a little dirt on these help the puck bounce a lot better. Leave the side rails alone. When you get to cleaning or re[pairing your air hockey table, the first step is always to turn the blower on.
The air flow keeps the dirt, wax, etc., from getting inside the holes and clogging them up. If the air holes do get clogged there are numerous ways to clean them out. You can use needles, thin metal strips or your electric drill.
It is not recommended that you use wax or silicone on your air hockey table surface but the jury is still out on that treatment. Some people think it is okay as long as you do not over do it and put too much wax on.
Answering your questions
#1. Is 150 grit sandpaper the only grit I can use to sand pucks and paddles?
No but it is the smallest of the grits you should use. You can go as high as 240 grit if you want.
#2. Blowers are expensive, can I use a cheaper smaller unit on my air hockey table?
You could but your game would be less fun. Smaller units do not blow enough air to help the puck slide and a slower puck means less action and less fun. The blower is the most important part of an air hockey game and you shouldn’t cut corners here.
Some Final Words
How long your air hockey game lasts is essentially up to you. If you treat it badly then do not expect it to last you a long time. Watch the rough play, the bumps and the jolts and you should still have years of use.
Plus, if you follow the maintenance tips given above, you should have that air hockey game lasting your for a very long time. Preventive maintenance is always better than trying to repair a problem. It is also cheaper to do.
Take care of your air hockey table and you will build a lot of great family memories.
