complete rookie question about cleaning/shopping pins

tron guy

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complete rookie question about cleaning/shopping pins

I want to get my whirlwind pin to run a little 'faster' .

What do guys use to clean the ramps and playfield? I have a nice playfield with virtually no wear so I'd like to keep it that way.
 
I am also a pin newbie, but it seems to be the consensus that for the first cleaning use some novus 2 and follow that up with a couple coats of carnauba wax. Follow up cleanings should just need novus 1 and the wax. You do not want to be using novus 2 every time you wipe down the playfield as it is an abrasive.

If the ramps are plastic, can still use novus. If they are metal, just use a metal cleaner/polisher like never dull, and buff them out.
 
If you want it to run faster, a Flipper rebuild is probably in order. Most pins will have some wear on their flipper links when you buy them. If you replace these, and the dirty sleeve for the solonoid, your flippers will be more powerful.
 
I've only cleaned/polished/waxed one playfield so far and it was a Revenge From Mars which is factory clearcoated. I stripped the playfield of 95% of the parts to make it easier.

I used simple green and a microfiber cloth to clean, then the Treasure Cove polishing kit and their wax. I tried Novus 2 and the results were mediocre and time consuming. With the polishing kit I had all 3 steps done in 45 minutes and it shines like new.

http://www.treasure-cove.net/PolishingKit.htm

-Barry
 
I want to get my whirlwind pin to run a little 'faster' .

What do guys use to clean the ramps and playfield? I have a nice playfield with virtually no wear so I'd like to keep it that way.

Cleaning helps, but tighten the gap on the slings and pop bumpers as well as put a little more incline on the playfield angle
 
If it has an automotive clear coat (Diamondplate):

Novus 2 by hand.
Finesse-It II - By Machine
Pure Carnuba Wax - By Hand.

If it doesn't have an automotive clear coat (all by hand):

(If topcoat is cracked or defective - CAREFULLY use Magic Eraser with Alcohol)
Novus 2
Johnson's paste wax - hit with a heat gun - wait to cool - Remove excess - repeat 2 times more.
(THis is a variation on Tim Arnold's Hot Wax method).

Your mileage may vary. Finesse-It II is available at Automotive Finishing dealers and is really expensive.
 
I want to get my whirlwind pin to run a little 'faster' .

What do guys use to clean the ramps and playfield? I have a nice playfield with virtually no wear so I'd like to keep it that way.

If Whirlwind is a diamond plate game I'd recommend checking out something like treasure cove's polishing kit. You could also go buy some Mcquire's auto polishing compounds and get same effect. For non-diamond plate games novus 2 seems to be the most aggressive polish safe to use. Lots of guys also use the alcohol + magic eraser on older games too.

After cleaning the biggest bang for you $ is to adjust bumper and kicker switches to make them more sensitive. Cleaning mechanisms and putting in new coil sleeves makes a huge difference.
 
I am also a pin newbie, but it seems to be the consensus that for the first cleaning use some novus 2 and follow that up with a couple coats of carnauba wax. Follow up cleanings should just need novus 1 and the wax. You do not want to be using novus 2 every time you wipe down the playfield as it is an abrasive.

If the ramps are plastic, can still use novus. If they are metal, just use a metal cleaner/polisher like never dull, and buff them out.

HEY TRON GUY..Daley is Right...when i cleaned all 17 pinball machines in the arcade i was a tech at..i used novus 2 for the dirtiest parts but after that i used pure carnuba wax....it tends to clean the playfield up and makes it very slick.....now you have to find a routine that you get in...I.E.. maybe remove plastics or playfield parts maybe...but i had a whirlwind and the carnuba usually works great after ya get rid of the dirt....sometimes i'd use naphla..aka lighter fluid to clean the hardest of stuff but only lightly..most of the time the novus would clean it off after i used naphla first....the spinner disks i'd use novus then carnuba to keep them clean and fast... another thing that owners forget is to rotate the rubbers..or replace them..if ya can't...wash the rubbers in Dawn dish soap...tends to make them clean and pretty :D ..i did it :D ALSO CLEAN AND WAX the PINBALLS !

Good Luck !

and remember Daley is Right ;)


Daniel.
 
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