Quoted from aflamesfan:Noob question - do you ever tear down the whole playfield to properly clean and wax everything?
In general I focus on the major wear areas, but it really is true that hard-to-reach places end up being where playfields wear consistently - nobody cleans them or waxes them because it’s more work than they want to get into.
On older machines it’s really easy to just take off all the light shields and clean every nook and cranny, but of course as you get into the more complicated layouts with more ramps and wire forms, a good cleaning becomes more of a commitment.
The first time I worked on an Indian Jones Pinball Adventure was pretty informative. The back end of that playfield was full of grime, almost like the junk you always find in the back of a pinball cabinet. Solid grit, dirt, plastic granules, the gamut. This on a game that had been playing decently on location. I found the same to be true when I worked on Whitewater, ST:TNG…these machines don’t get cleaned because people don’t want to put in the time.
So, in the ordinary course of home use play, you’re probably fine putting a microfiber cloth on a stick and/or using automotive detailing brushes on your shop vac once in a while. But it’s also probably a pretty good idea to commit to a partial teardown once a year or so and really get the playfield clean. You can also do a way better job of waxing once you have all those obstacles out of the way - and you have the opportunity to inspect things for wear or cracks and replace parts before they become a problem.
In an arcade setting I’d do this every 6 months. My take on it is, it’s just like home or car ownership; maintenance sucks and nobody wants to do it, but regular small bits of work prevent expensive big problems for presenting themselves out of the blue. (Please don’t ask to see my work van! Do as I say, not as I do!!! Lol)
Boynton Beach, FL
20230421_111702 (resized).jpg
Sana'a
Calgary, AB
