Flash Cleaning/Waxing advice wanted

I have a 1979 Flash pin that I acquired and am in the process of getting it up and running. I’m new to the whole pinball thing so please bear with me.

I currently have all four circuit boards out to be repaired/upgraded. While I am waiting I’d like to start cleaning and waxing the playfield.

I’ve read a ton of posts regarding this subject and I’ve what I’ve garnered so far is to use Naptha, maybe some Novus 1, and a good carnuba paste wax.

The playfield appears to be in generally good condition for its age. There are a few isolated spots where some paint has been lost. Mostly around the ring of numbers just above the flippers as you can see in the photo I attached.

I am not trying to create a museum piece but I’d like to preserve what is left.

Please let me know the best way to proceed on a pin of this era.

Thank you!!!
DCDB6A83-36D5-4B56-9BB3-3E957B2F76FE.jpeg

#2 3 years ago

JJG

jgreene

Pinside member

11y 53,550 823 9

Clean it then polish the playfield with Novus 2. Good wax after that. Novus 1 is really only good for buffing up plastics.

#3 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member

Quoted from jgreene:
Clean it then polish the playfield with Novus 2. Good wax after that. Novus 1 is really only good for buffing up plastics.

Thanks! I read so many differing opinions on another lengthy post my brain was spinning.

Given that things have evolved over years I was wondering if there is a specific regime so this era of machines.

#4 3 years ago

237

slochar

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Stephan28:
I read so many differing opinions on another lengthy post my brain was spinning.

Put 10 pinheads in a room and ask them their wax/playfield cleaning opinions, and you will get 11 opinions back. (One person will change their mind mid-way through....)

Long term pinheads call this 'wax wars'.

If you want to protect it without touching up paint and clearcoating it, clean it with the novus 2 (which is abrasive, so use care you want to just get the dirt off and not remove too much of what's left) wax it with something that doesn't have a lot of petroleum distillates in it (I use Staples' crystal clear wax, but any carnauba wax that isn't totally liquid should be ok.... just make sure it doesn't have any tint to it if it's a wood wax.) Stick some mylar down on it AFTER you wax it really well (this way it could be removed in the future easier) - the mylar would prevent any farther paint loss, although mylared surfaces do play differently. Yours looks pretty much like mine I have a little more paint loss but I just play it and watch it. I'm sure at some point I might do something to restore it but probably not.

#5 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/66-MAS

Quoted from slochar:
Put 10 pinheads in a room and ask them their wax/playfield cleaning opinions, and you will get 11 opinions back. (One person will change their mind mid-way through....)
Long term pinheads call this 'wax wars'.
If you want to protect it without touching up paint and clearcoating it, clean it with the novus 2 (which is abrasive, so use care you want to just get the dirt off and not remove too much of what's left) wax it with something that doesn't have a lot of petroleum distillates in it (I use Staples' crystal clear wax, but any carnauba wax that isn't totally liquid should be ok.... just make sure it doesn't have any tint to it if it's a wood wax.) Stick some mylar down on it AFTER you wax it really well (this way it could be removed in the future easier) - the mylar would prevent any farther paint loss, although mylared surfaces do play differently. Yours looks pretty much like mine I have a little more paint loss but I just play it and watch it. I'm sure at some point I might do something to restore it but probably not.

Thank you! I presume you mean to put the Mylar down on the wear areas and not the entire field. I did find a generic Mylar kit however I’m not sure of the actual diameter of the circles included in the kit. Looks like I’d have to order several kits to get enough circles for my application as most of my wear is on the circular lights just above the flippers. Maybe someone else sells a kit with just circles? IDK.

2E2A22E6-A7CA-4BA9-9272-BF77B0BCEA34 (resized).jpeg

#6 3 years ago

237

slochar

Pinside member

Just buy sheets of the mylar and cut to fit. Yes, wax everywhere you're going to put mylar. I'd cover sling to sling on flash and probably stop just over the bonus area. You don't want a bunch of individual circles on each of the lamps, that would make it play funny.

#7 3 years ago

RAC

Gunnut40

Pinside+ Frequent

Spottsville, KY

6y 75,800 1,442 8

Use blitz wax. It’s pricey but worth it.

#8 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-and-waxing-pinball-machines-vids-guide

Quoted from slochar:
Just buy sheets of the mylar and cut to fit. Yes, wax everywhere you're going to put mylar. I'd cover sling to sling on flash and probably stop just over the bonus area. You don't want a bunch of individual circles on each of the lamps, that would make it play funny.

Just to clarify, you think I should put one large piece of Mylar over the entire circle of circles spanning from left slingshot to right sling?

#9 3 years ago

WOT

Atari_Daze

Spd

Houston, TX

7y 141K 10,052 7

#10 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member

Quoted from Atari_Daze:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-and-waxing-pinball-machines-vids-guide

Thanks. That’s a great resource but with all the comments and differing opinions it made my head spin. The key points I got out of it was to use Naptha, Novus 1 and a good carnuba paste wax.

#11 3 years ago

237

slochar

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from Stephan28:
Just to clarify, you think I should put one large piece of Mylar over the entire circle of circles spanning from left slingshot to right sling?

Yes, the sling area is a major wear spot on a lot of machines - protect it.

#12 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member

Any thoughts on this? Seems like a nice solution to my wear area but I wonder how well it would work.

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#13 3 years ago

237

slochar

Pinside member

I wouldn't that kind of decal usually stands out.

#14 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member

Quoted from slochar:
I wouldn't that kind of decal usually stands out.

Good point. I wish he sold a clear version of it.

#15 3 years ago

SRA

Stephan28

Inactive member