I'm using Ball Baron Ninja balls...finest balls you can buy. Same situation, every game. The wax provides no benefit to me. Makes the ball way too fast and only seems to protect for a handful of games before it wears off. Another reason is:

Yes thats the stuff, expensive but one can of either will last a long time.
You only use tiny amounts. More doesnt do anything and you cant build coats because each new coat melts off the old one.

Wax keeps the clearcoat from getting hazy too fast between buffings.
Same with cars.

Hi solid content waxes last a long time. Liquids rub off in a day as they are mostly solvent.

The Ninja balls are very nice, they look almost as good as regular balls after being in the polisher for a day.

Perfect in the picture, Im sure I applied way too much that day.
(always in a hurry, always screwing things up etc..)

@Vid1900, you mention earlier in this thread about drilling clear on a new playfield do you have any tips or tutorials for drilling out the holes and prepping a clear coated play field to repopulate it again.

Would really like to hear discussion on this

Been reading your guides for the past few weeks/months. So much valuable information I just wanted to thank you for sharing and answering questions.

This thread is priceless!

You can also get a couple of tips on the CPR site under CPR install guides

This is the first of five "key posts" on the topic from that thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration/page/45#post-2611546

I don't think this question was answered but is Naphtha the best solution for cleaning the outside cabinet walls or do you recommend something else?

Been combing through this incredibly insightful thread, and just wanted to clarify that Novus 1 might not be the best choice for regularly scheduled cleaning, and that Naphtha can be use more safely to clean your pf?

All my games are HUO, but get quite a bit of use. Is Naphtha safe to use everytime my games need a cleaning? And is there is there still a point of using Novus 1? I get that for ball trails or light scratches I could bring out the Novus 2 on occasion.

And lastly, is Blitz still the top choice for wax?

Cheers

Almost everything that I've learned, I learned from this thread. So, take it with a grain of salt. I believe that Naphtha will remove wax, so probably should not be used for regularly scheduled cleaning, unless you are also waxing it. I don't know whether Novus 1 will remove wax.

I believe that the thought is to use the lightest touch able to clean. So, for regular cleaning, you may be able to just vacuum or clean micro fiber cloth.

For wax, Blitz wasn't readily available to me, so I went with Mother's Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax (item 5550) (NOT the cleaner wax which is item 5500). I think the key points for wax are: no abrasives or cleaners; and no silicon or synthetic waxes.

Naptha (lighter fluid) is hard to beat for degreasing and dewaxing. And its way cheap.
But it can be smelly. But its waterless, and thats important on older games that might have some bare wood showing or cracks in the clear.

Right now I like Mist n Shine on the new games (its what JJP uses on the line). Its a detailers quick clean product and looks great on clearcoat. Also way cheaper than novus 1.
I use it for between waxing cleanups. It has some wax in it and smells great.

I use novus1 on plastics after they are cleaned up. I think it shines better than the mist n shine. Mist n shine has a higher wax content it looks a tiny bit duller on plastics but still works good.

Other than that, I use sparkle glass cleaner on tons of stuff (even black dust). It wont ruin coated (Anti-glare) playfield glass or melt plastics or posts (unlike 409 this crap is deadly)at all. And its also a pretty good, mild cleaner of itself.

Is this the product you're referring to:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B005ZFR7VA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2

And is it advised to use this every month or two when I clean my games before waxing?

I'm still a bit unsure of why and when I'd need Naphtha. If I'm already cleaning and then waxing with something like the above product, why would I need to use it?

Also, what's best for ball trails, ball swirls, and light scratches? Novus 2?

Does it make sense to wax a clearcoated playfield. I have heard some people say it makes the ball fly too much and that the clearcoat these guys would take years to tear up in a home environment

Exactly what I was thinking with my old woodrail which has cracks revealing bare wood.

Does the smell go away with fan and open window? A smelly game wouldn't be good.

Yes thats the stuff.

Maintenance has more to do with games played than time.

I do a wipe down, general cleaning and black dust removal every 250 games.
I do a wax job in all the areas I can reach every 350-450 games.

I do a full cleaning/ball track removal/wax removal with naptha and partial tear down when I replace the rubber, every 3000-5000 games. Sooner if the game isnt being played much and the rubber is drying out. Like car tires, I think the rubber dries out less if its being played.
For me at least the rubber is getting replaced every 3 years or so depending on how it looks and plays. And of course when a piece breaks.

Others might have a different schedule, but this works for me.

Ball tracking/swirls and wear areas is easily taken car of with novus2. Go easy on this stuff and rub gently. Its an abrasive and will thin down the clearcoat in time.

Always wax over the area you used novus2 on after the area is clean.

Its best to clean off the ball tracking as it occurs. Often it will come up with wax or a cleaner. Leaving it on a long time will bury the grit into the clearcoat.

Al games, all cars, everything with clearcoat should be waxed they will look nicer much longer.
Just use a 100% carnauba past wax not a liquid.

You dont really want to wait until the clear is so dirty that the grit is embedded into it.
Its better the let the grit set into the wax instead of the clearcoat, remove the wax with grit in it then re-wax.

Its true that the clear will last a long time. But ball wear areas will need a renewable coating to help the clear last its longest.
Its simpler to just wax the areas you can reach periodically.

The playfield will thank you later.

Ahh makes sense thanks. They suggested to use mothers quick spray if anything but sounds like that’s no good.

Finally product meant for Pinball that contain what we have all been asking for! Carnauba wax, UV protectants, and playfield safe cleaner. www.pinhedz.com

Available at
www.pinballpro.com
www.thepinballwizard.net
www.mezelmods.com
www.tiltgraphicsinc.com

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IMG_0845 (resized).JPG

I love this thread and I love all of Vid's tutorials but I think I am more confused now then I was before, mostly about waxing. Between all of the conflicting opinions and I expected that but i think i am just overwhelmed

anyone have any tips for cleaning orbits without taking ramps and such off? There doesn't seem to be too much discussion of that. What tools do you use?

Couple options - for areas that need some elbow grease, a relatively thin microfiber cloth w/naptha + a long PLASTIC (nothing than can scratch) wand or other long pointy tool that you can push up and down along the hard to reach areas like orbits.

For areas that don't require elbow grease and/or applying wax, a foam brush (pictured) works great. Awesome for inlanes/outlanes too so you don't get wax/cleaner everywhere.

For just vacuuming, that awesome mini vac attachment set on Amazon can't be beat and can reach practically anywhere in most games.

jen-paint-brushes-4251-64_300 (resized).jpg

I'll have to scour my local Menards/Home Depot for the plastic rod/wand, unless there is something specific you use? Was thinking something with a microfiber cloth wrapped around it with rubber bands that can get pushed into the orbits. I've got a Dyson cordless mini-vac that works well for vacuuming.

Do you do this for waxing also? Or do you do a partial tear down?

Vid will hate this but I do not wax my machines. I keep them clean religiously with vacuuming and naphta but because naphta removes wax, it would be a huge burden to have to keep waxing them. Plus waxing makes the ball travel way too fast.

Think about it’s purpose...

Wax does two things. It’s a filler and a sacrificial layer of protection. The wax fills in the pits in the surface making it smoother and will wear less because of that. Second, it coats the entire surface in a soft but reasonably durable layer that also reduces friction and hence wear on the surface below. Over time, that coating breaks down... and can collect dirt itself too. That’s why over time you clean it up and reapply.

So for older more rough surfaces... wax is pretty helpful. On a modern glass smooth clear coat it has less jobs to do... plus the clearcoat is very durable itself. So it’s less needed. But the wax can still be used to be that sacrificial layer. Just sometimes people feel it can play too fast. It can always help... it just has the potential for too much speed and of course more work.

In home play, most clearcoated games won’t see the amount of cycles to say “always wax it!” To avoid premature wear. So it’s not mandatory... but it’s helpful.

On older games with just lacquer topcoats, the sacrificial barrier wax provides is much more helpful.

On material to use... the principal is simple. You want wax only and less of other shit. Cleaning waxes are polishes plus wax. You just want a wax. Liquid waxes are wax plus solvent to make it soft. You want a harder wax that is more durable.. so no liquid wax. Pure wax is hard... so you need something to soften it.. and that’s where the paste waxes are used.

The other category is the polymer coatings that are liquid... they aren’t wax, but do a similar job. They are formulated to layer on clearcoats

Right now I use some old wooden spoon handles and a couple rubber spatulas trimmed to fit in some tight areas.
I have a couple old spoons that I let soak outside in a bucket of water for a couple months (I forgot about them) and they warped into gentle curves. I think that I could warp some specially for cleaning tools but I havent had to do that yet. If they get too rough I just sand them a little.
I just wrap either a terry cloth towel or a yellow felt cloth depending on the job.
Sometimes I just push thru a wad of paper towel dampened with whatever cleaner seems proper.

And of course either old or new toothbrushes to clear out cracks and the occasional waxey goop on a star post.

Lastly I really like RC-88 rubber cleaner.
Its mean stuff but works wonders on rubbers. It kills black dust on contact with a q-tip.
Dirty rubber can look like new if cleaned with this stuff, especially the white ones.
Just dont use it on anything else but the rubber or non-decaled stand-up targets.

Quite interesting. I'm thinking something flexible that can bend around the curve, but be sturdy enough that I can put a bit of pressure down towards the playfield to clean.

I havent found anything flexible that I could put enough pressure on to do a light scrubbing.

But wooden spoons can be bent to any shape after boiling, steaming or soaking for a long time.
They are super cheap and they come in a lot of shapes, lengths and widths.
I buy them by the bag once in awhile at the dollar store, especially if there is a new shape I might use.
They can also be cut and trimmed to whatever you want to use them for.

I imagine some 1/4" and 3/8" dowels of assorted length would be similar but no flattened ends for rags attached.

I second Mr. Tantrums California Gold Carnuba Paste wax from Mothers suggestion. Works great and even smells pretty nice.

This is a pretty good cleaner wax.
It has more solvent than I require though.

Right now I just clean off the old wax then apply a very high solids pure carnauba like blitz or P21S.

I like the outcome better and the non-cleaner wax seems longer lasting and harder.

You're saying Steve Ritchie designed his games for environments (i.e. route operation with nicely waxed pfs) that would never actually exist? Not sure that's entirely true:

Looks like he recommended it to keep the playfield nice, and nothing more. God, I hope no designer actually designs a game expecting the pf to be waxed.

It would be ludicrous to imagine that one would design a game that would only play correctly if it was dirty or worn out.

One can only design around new games and ones that are waxed and play like new.

Designers are paid to make "New" games, not old dirty, crusty ones.

Not going to go on and on with this so I'm cutting out after this but "like new" and "waxed" are not the same thing. "Dirty or worn out" is not the opposite of "not waxed". Every machine in my collection has a PF that is "like new" but none of them are waxed. I've purchased NIB games from JJP, CGC, and Stern. None of them arrived with waxed playfields. Look, you want to wax your PF in a home environment where it's totally unnecessary, have at it. But to imply that designers craft the game with this is mind is ludicrous.

I struggle with this a bit. I wax my playfields (with Blitz). Perhaps it's my eyesight, and perhaps it's because these are home use machines that I'll hit up every few months, but it's really hard for me to see what is waxed and what needs cleaning. I feel like it's all pretty clean save some rubber dust.

What would be a simple test to determine there is enough wax on the surface, or if the wax should be replaced entirely?

Totally agree with you my man! No arguments there. Clean machines get played. But I think this conversation revolved around waxing for home use, which having done it in the past, I realized was unnecessary. If you're putting your machine up at TPF or Pintastic, hell yeah you should wax it - armor the crap out of it. But for home use, ESPECIALLY on machines with a nice thick clear coat, I found the ball speed makes it an overall negative. My TAF clearcoated with PPG is so friggin' fast w/o wax it would be nearly unplayable with a coat on. But you've mentioned scenarios where this makes sense - older games especially. No qualms there.

That's the other problem I had with waxing. Wax with Blitz exactly as Vid has instructed. Run your finger. Smooth as butter. After 10-20 games the playfield feels like it did before you waxed. Your results may vary.