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Cleaning Pins

Kenny Taylor

Kenny Taylor

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5Years
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
3,187
Location
North East of Scotland
As a beginner who is not yet skilled at removing parts but would like to give a general tidy up of playfield. What gentle cleaner would you recommend using on the playfield and some plastics. I've heard about Novus 1-3 range but thought that was just for plastics?
 
Novus is a scratch remover for plastics, I would just use a damp soapy cloth, or some might use magic erasers but I never tried those yet

Ronnie
 
Novus 2 can be used on the playfield. If it's a game I've just got I start with foam cleaner to get rid of the grime, then novus 2 then a coat or 2 of carnuba wax
 
If you're not looking to strip any parts off the game then just stick with Novus 2 and a micro fibre cloth for now. Squirt some Novus 2 on the areas you can get too and then work it in with the cloth. Let the remaining film of Novus 2 dry for 5 mins and it'll go slightly hazy....buff that off with a second clean micro fibre cloth. At that point you could put on some carnuba wax if you want (apply over the area, let it dry to a haze and then buff out).

I wouldn't use a damp soapy cloth, the Novus will do a better job and not expose the playfield to water.
The foaming cleaner I would use if you were stripping the playfield down and it was proper mucky but I'd suggest not bothering if you're not taking anything off the game.
Same with Magic Erasers, only really for when you're stripping the playfield for a deep clean.

Don't waste your money on Millwax, some people like using it on older games (EMs particularly) but Novus is better for the diamond plate or mylar finish that will be on your games. I don't like Millwax at all and don't use it on EM's or any type of game...things have moved on and there are better options these days.

When I clean the playfield in my Robot shop log I'll try and put detail and pics in for the various stages I do...remind me if I forget :) Also remember that everyone has there own cleaning rituals they swear by so you'll get differing opinions :thumbs:

All the above is IMHO and your mileage may vary etc etc
 
For starting out with I wouldn't bother with Novus 1 or Novus 3....just get yourself a bottle of Novus 2 :thumbs: Novus 1 is a very light cleaner that's a bit useless tbh....I've got a bottle and hardly ever use it and I'm always shopping pins :) Novus 3 is for getting deep scratches out of plastics or if you want to have a go at mixing your own playfield polishing concoction but both of these will involve removing parts from the game so you don't need it yet....maybe in the future when you start thinking about taking your games to bits :D
 
Can you use general household polish? (like furniture polish) applied to the cloth not directly on the table? I was going to try this earlier but thought I'd ask first just in case it took away any kind of protective layer on my play field or caused fading.
 
Pledge or Mr Sheen are fine and used by quite a few for quick general cleaning. There is one exception to this though, if you're planning on having your playfield clear coated with auto clear then polishes like these are advised against as some of the chemicals in them can react with the clear coat and cause problems. If you're not planning on stripping your game and having the playfield cleared then polish away :)

I use Pledge to clean in between any major shop outs/deep cleaning :thumbs:
 
Simoniz carnuba wax. It's cheap and available at motor factors. Or order the gerlirz guitar wax on ebay
 
All great advice thanks. I've just given my TAF a quick going over with a Mr Sheen (Aldi equivalent :D ) I'd love to strip the play field down and give every part a good clean as I imagine I'd find it quite relaxing and satisfying...but it's the thought of not being able to put it all back together that puts me off! :confused:
 
strongs_uk said:
All great advice thanks. I've just given my TAF a quick going over with a Mr Sheen (Aldi equivalent :D ) I'd love to strip the play field down and give every part a good clean as I imagine I'd find it quite relaxing and satisfying...but it's the thought of not being able to put it all back together that puts me off! :confused:
Click to expand...

The key is take loads of pics at intervals of the stripdown and you will be fine

Ronnie
 
strongs_uk said:
All great advice thanks. I've just given my TAF a quick going over with a Mr Sheen (Aldi equivalent :D ) I'd love to strip the play field down and give every part a good clean as I imagine I'd find it quite relaxing and satisfying...but it's the thought of not being able to put it all back together that puts me off! :confused:
Click to expand...

Agree I think it would be very satisfying job. My worry is it wouldn't work again..
 
I've cleaned my machines an area at a time (so I can keep playing them). Find some gunge hiding under plastics, ramps etc dismantle just that area, clean it then reassemble.

WP_20150619_09_02_26_Pro__highres.jpg 20150620_132834.jpg
 
Just go for it Kenny. Honestly. You'll wonder why you never did it.
I'm the worlds worst DIY man. Not a practical guy at all. It took me several machines to get my confidence up. I stated taking off the sling shot plastics and associated posts, then cleaned the in lanes. Found it really simple and made cleaning easier so slowly branched out to stripping the bottom half of the playfield. Took loads of pics and before I knew it I was stripping the entire playfield.

Infact Just tonight after 6 years of owning and shopping machines, I removed my first pop bumper and I'm like, why the hell didn't I do this before, it's easy!!

And at the end of the day, if it doesn't work when you put it back together again, ask on here and we'll get you up and running again. Or someone local may even be able to pop round and help. It can't make you pregnant so it's not all that bad.

Good luck
Gaz
 
I laid out a piece of cardboard and sketched out the game and pushed screws/posts etc into the cardboard in the right areas. That and loads of pics and job done!
 
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I use a notepad and a load of ziplock plastic bags with numbers on. First load of bits goes in bag 1 and if possible the screws and washers and nuts etc back in their holes inside that bag. Notes in book then go to bag 2. When everything in bags then clean the playfield. Then clean bag contents, one by one to keep them separate, and reassemble in reverse order. Plus lots of photos.

It's actually quite fun and I never thought I'd say that but it's true. Also makes you feel more united and one with your machine.
 
Unless your using a tumbler to clean parts which I do now, but it's a pain getting the bits out the posts and screw slots etc!
 
cooldan said:
I use a notepad and a load of ziplock plastic bags with numbers on. First load of bits goes in bag 1 and if possible the screws and washers and nuts etc back in their holes inside that bag. Notes in book then go to bag 2. When everything in bags then clean the playfield. Then clean bag contents, one by one to keep them separate, and reassemble in reverse order. Plus lots of photos.

It's actually quite fun and I never thought I'd say that but it's true. Also makes you feel more united and one with your machine.
Click to expand...

Nice tip Dan, I'm using this technique now for my TOTAN playfield strip :). I'm stripping that to do playfield touchups, or if I can't do that well enough, then to replace the playfield, but personally I wouldn't bother stripping the playfield unless I really needed to (i.e. it was an absolute mess in places I couldn't reach with a cloth). I don't think you'll have problems getting it back together, there are plenty of people here who could help if it's a common machine, but you just risk damaging something like the plastics or ramps, which is fairly pointless if it is already pretty clean anyway.
 
Just to iterate what others have said

Nothing wrong with using Mr Sheen to clean just about everything on the machine, I never use any other type of cleaner as I hate seeing machines with Novus dried into the grooves and cracks which people haven't cleared properly.

Definitely have a go at stripping and cleaning your machine. You don't have to go for a full strip down first time, start small until you build your confidence. I started by removing the bits around the slingshots and ball guides as they generally can be removed completely without worry of having to detach bulbs, or switches. The trick when doing more extensive strip downs is definitely lots of photos, in order, while stripping down. I spent hours trying to figure out where one particular piece went on my DM, before realising I'd have to take off virtually every ramp I'd already put back to be able to fit it!
 
Thanks guys for your comments, most helpful and have saved me a few bob. I've bought myself a few tins of Mr Sheen, wipes and Gerlitz. Anyone used the Mr Sheen wipes?
 
Bathroom wipes or similar are good on manky old looms, but on the pf I'd use spray with microfibre cloth, and clean soft paintbrush to tickle the polish off under the covered areas is mentioned.

Saying that I'm still a Novus #1 fan on plastics.
 
astyy said:
On the subject of cleaning has anybody tried this 'Miracle Cleaner' that Mel @ 1stoppinball is stocking
http://www.1stoppinball.com/collect...all-related/products/bag-of-miracle-cleaner-1
Click to expand...

I use it all the time when shopping out pins, ( i shop quite a lot of pins) and i think it's brilliant! i use it on as many parts as i can, plastics, metal scoops, other metal parts, ramps etc. even lamps boards with the bulbs in. its got to be worth anyone getting a bag for the price it is and giving it a go? especially if your buying from him anyway.
IMG_20150616_212905.jpg IMG_20150616_215451.jpg
cheers
Neil
 
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