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Cleaning metal ball returns

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davejuk

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Joined
Nov 19, 2015
Messages
125
Location
Bristol, UK
The metal ball returns on my Roadshow are grubby and corroded - what product/method should I be using to clean them?

Also, I am reading confusing advice about cleaning the playfield. Water based cleaners are a bad idea (being wood and all) but something solvent based will take the paint off won't it?

Thanks
 
Metal ball returns - remove from game and use a metal cleaner/polish such as Autosol.

Playfield - modern pins 1992+, most folk go with Novus 2 for general cleaning. You can then apply a carnuba wax for extra protection/shine if you so wish.

If you do a search on here you'll find its been discussed numerous times :) Probably as often as IDC vs Molex connectors :rofl:
 
Lighter fluid will not damage a relatively modern (DMD era+) playfield, but you only really need to use it before doing touch ups with paint to dissolve any oily residues (which I would not recommend unless you really want to get into playfield touchups - it is too easy to make it worse than leaving it as it was). Novus 2 like @Sgt GrizZ said would be more appropriate, or even just slightly soapy warm water on a damp cloth (assuming the playfield is realatively modern). Isopropyl alcohol is good for getting rid of all manner of greasy residue too, but Novus should be quite adequate for general cleaning. This stuff is also great for cleaning metal work - ramps, rails, unpainted legs etc (even removes a degree of rust) - and very dirty glass too: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonish-Oven-Cookware-Cleaner-500g/dp/B000TBK7PI

Carnuba wax for polishing if you want to - and avoid spray can polish like pledge, etc, which contains silicone that is all but impossible to remove, and causes havoc if you or someone in the future wants to re-clear-coat the playfield with automotive varnish.
 
If you're after retraining the stainless ball guides I use a scothchbrite pad (or green pan scourer) it removes the small areas where the ball polishes the surface and gives it the original brushed look back. Add autosol to Polish it up a bit if you want it shinier. Take it off the game first.
If you are doing the wire ones then you can buy a wire wheel cleaning kit. It's just autosol and a cotton tape which is wrapped around the wire and pulled back and forth to clean. It does speed things up a bit.
 
No no no. Sorry, I wasn't clear. It's a cleaning kit for classic car wire wheels. They've got many wires, like a bicycle wheel and are a swine to clean. The clever bit of the kit is a cloth webbing tape, which you wrap around the wire and draw it back and forth, that cleans the whole wire,easier than s cloth, especially where the reinforcements on the wire rails are welded on.
 
Ah ok, I thought you meant one of these (skip to 3 min) ::

I'm struggling to find a supplier for the tape - Metalace appears to be one brand name but I can't find anywhere to buy it.
 
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