Due to the industry I'm in I have access to it and would be very cautious that it doesn't have anything such as solvents that could bite the finish over time.

In fact I will as a rep / look into it.

All I use is a pre-clean w novus 1 and wax w "pure" carnauba.

Rod

Should've checked ur games first - I assumed they were clear-coated pf's. My bad.

Rod

Solvent based, rep says (& obviously) not to be used on finishes / clear coats and cannot answer if safe to use on older non cc'd pf's & artwork.

Furthermore clean-up is mineral spirits, varsol or harder (lacquer thinner??).

In a nutshell, better safe than sorry....

-Rod

_{Post edited by Soltic: Speeling}

It's really the only wax I've used for 30 years... never had an issue on any game... new/old/clearcoated/non-clearcoated.

Don O

Johnson's Paste Wax.... formulated for wood and is just wax with no cleaners. Available at Lowe's and Home Depot. It's the only one I use.

Ken

Ken,

Just want to thank you for the Johnson's recommendation. I bought some after reading your post and I find it so much better than the wax I was using (Mothers Carnauba Wax). It has brought back a level of shine I thought the magic eraser had taken off for good. Easier to apply too.

Thanks!

Danny

Don,
Where do you get it?
JR

This stuff is the bomb!
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2589

Same stuff I use and it is great but costly.

Yup... but that 12 ounce jar will last a long time.

Hi Joe... at a local hardware store many moons ago... not sure if they still carry it, but I've seen it at a local ACE last year.

yup, only thing i've ever used since getting the recommendation from vid on it...

yea, it's expensive, but you can do a LOT of pf's with that one can...

I had been using the Blitz One Grand on my cars for the last few years and only recently started using it on playfields.

Great stuff for both applications.

I just bought Minwax Paste Finishing Wax and Johnson's Paste Wax. I figured I would give them both a try. I have been using Mother's Brazillian Wax in the red can and I am starting to think the product sucks. Live and learn. I dunno if I want to use Blitz wax at 30 bucks a tub plus 10 bucks shipping unless you guys swear on your pinball life that it beats the snot out of Minwax and Johnson's.

I just used Johnson's Paste Wax and I feel like I just discovered fire. Absolutely amazing! I know now to be careful when I first open the tin. I spilled oil all over my lap.

Yes. I buy tubs of this stuff at a time from PBL. Best stuff there is IMO.

brazilian_wax.png

Local hardware store... haven't seen it at any of the larger hardware or home improvement stores. I know Lowes/Home Depot, and our local ACE h/w stores don't carry it.

In a hotter climate like Texas that product may have slightly separated. Not a really big problem, now, if it freezes solid I would just return it for a refund or replacement. That yellow tin of Wax should last you more than 5 years. Unless you go nuts on your hardwood flooring or doors and door trim.

Johnsons Wax has 4 main ingredients.
Naptha, a solubilizer, helps to hold the waxes in suspension.
Carnauba Wax.
Paraffin Wax.
Microcrystalline Wax, which should be the Shine ingredient.

Most Automotive Carnauba Waxes are just a wax. A protective layer, not a shine product. Yes, some do have shine products in them.

I switched to Johnson's a couple years ago and haven't looked back...

Another use for the Miniwax Finishing Wax recommended by Steve Fury is for protecting parts. I bought it, tried it and I agree it seems to work. So its on my shelf now.

Me too & it's cheap. Less than $6 for a two lifetimes supply can.

So far I have stripped Fireball..I then did a Iso / ME sponge bath to get rid of swirls. I next did two layers of Millwax. Steve at PBR recommended Millwax so I used it and i love the shine it brought out. I dont know if the wax coating it leaves is thick enough to protect. Where the ball swirls were seem hollow. I figure that if I wax with a carnuba then it will fill with white wax that will then turn black within a week or two or less. If I use Johnson's paste wax I noticed when it dries it does not turn white. I think I may try Blitz (just arrived in the mail today) I am itching to try it out after spending 40 bucks on this tin with shipping.

I used Johnson's on my first three EMs and have tried Blitz on the last two. I don't see a noticeable difference between the two in terms of how they go on and the shine they provide. I like both but wouldn't know the difference in a blind test.

Keep hearing bad things aboot Blitz from others. I've used it and don;t really like it, but I hear a lot of negatives from people that use more than I do.

I will keep the Blitz to try out on other machines...I will stick to Johnson's paste wax for two coats on Fireball this evening.

I told you that stuff was great. Now use that Blitz! Wax on, wax off!

IIRC Tim Arnolds videos has him applying it (Johnsons Paste wax) to an nos field and using a hot air gun to melt it into the microscopic pores of the fields surface.

First coat of Blitz has been applied.

Mmmmm...chunky!

Let the Blitz cure for a minimum of 24 hours before you reapply or the new coat will just cut the previous coat away and be ineffective. I believe it presents this right on the instructions on the container.

So do I keep it on there hardened for 24 hours before I wipe it off? I am confused.

Anyways...I just wiped off the first coat and OMG! AWESOME is an understatement! This playfield GLEAMS like a 400k Italian sports car.

So here is my final order....

1. 91% alcohol on Magic Eraser for ball swirls. Ring out the Magic Eraser so it is just slightly damp. Work slow 3 inch by 3 inch areas with very light pressure. Do this for no more than 5 seconds on an inconspicuous area first. Check for any paint loss. Work 3 inch by 3 inch circles for no more than 10 seconds. Immediately use a dry clean microfiber cloth to soak and dry the area just wiped. Repeat until desired results are reached and entire playfield is clean and ball swirl free. I can't emphasize this enough....Go slow as a turtle...This is not a race. If you see a yellowing lacquer on the Magic Eraser then immediately stop. If you see small chips of paint or any paint...STOP.

2. Use a microfiber applicator and pour light amounts of Novus #2. Use this to rub down the playfield and it does a nice job of cleaning up white residue from the alcohol along with any surface ball swirls you might have missed. After it dries and hazes up use another (different) clean microfiber cloth and wipe off the dried up Novus #2.

3. Grab a bottle of Millwax and use a clean microfiber applicator and apply liberal amounts to the playfield. Let it dry about 15-20 minutes and wipe off. You should notice a HUGE difference in the shine of your playfield. Apply a second coat of Millwax. Again wait for it to dry and haze up and then wipe off. Your playfield should be very clean and shiny.

4. Grab a container of Blitz "One Grand" wax and a "blitz applicator sponge" they are yellow and cost a buck a piece (both available at Pinball Life's web site) Let it dry and haze up and then wipe off.

This is as far as I have gotten and my results are beyond amazing! Don't believe me? Try it yourself on a moderately ball swirled playfield that is moderately dirty from a normal 500 plays. Everybody has what works for them but I really went the extra mile testing all this stuff out. I must of spent a week asking people what they though of all the different products

I do like Johnson's paste wax and I would give it a B+ but Blitz is OMG an A++++ worth every penny. To quote Odin "It is The Shit"

So you used o-din's 4 step method, did you? Congrats! Now I won't have to do it when Fireball gets back here.

My jaw is still wide open and hanging on the floor. Just simply amazing results!

The directions say to wait 5-7 days before you add another coat...LOL

Here are some pics of my results so far...

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You have to let it haze over 30-60 minutes before you polish it off. You want it to be difficult to polish.

The Miniwax paste is amazing stuff.
I discovered it a couple decades ago while restoring antique radios with a steel chassis. I would wire-wheel them clean but the steel would quickly rust, even over night.

I had to find a solution and tried a few things.
Clear lacquer didn't look original. Car wax offered zero corrosion protection but the Miniwax paste wax was the winner. I have a couple radios I've kept over the decades I polished and protected with Miniwax and still rust-free. Must be good at preventing oxygen from reaching the surface.

Which Minwax paste do you use? I see different ones for wood, etc and I'd like to try using it for keeping the metal parts corrosion free.

Is this it?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-1-lbs-Paste-Finishing-Wax-785004444/100376194?keyword=minwax+finishing+paste

When you're ready to take it up a notch:
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/professional+3+inch+random+orbital.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=

So I could use this orbital buffer with Blitz? After buying the buffer and pads would I need any other instructions?

It's for application, not buffing. Still need to buff by hand (the orbital will stop spinning automatically with too much pressure, to avoid burning through finishes).

But it's great for applying the cleaning (Millwax), polishing (auto polishing compound), and then several coats of wax. Just have to manually buff after each.

Besides, it's just darn fun to use.

Yes, that's it.
You can do a test. Take 3 large nails and wire-wheel or grind the protective coating from them. One nail is your "control" item and it doesn't get any treatment at all. Then use your best car wax on the second nail. Apply that Miniwax paste wax to the third.

Set all 3 nails somewhere (outside) where they are prone to rust.
See the results.

Thanks, that's a good recommendation. I'll order and pick it up at the local Home Depot.

Now, I am totally confused. I thought that Millwax was absolutely verboten on playfields. I have a bottle of this that was inherited from A POTC that I bought a while back. I have always been reluctant to use it given the negative comments on Pinside. What is the verdict on Millwax?

The verdict is some of us like it. Most of us don't...From what I understand if you use Millwax on your playfield that you can't clearcoat it later? *shrug* I am a purist and will never clear a PF. Steve at PBR told me to use it and it is what he has used to clean and wax PF's for decades. Take a beater PF or a machine you dont care as much about and try it out. Come to your own conclusions.

From what I understand it has a very mild abrasive polymer in it as well. If it does....nothing came up in my rag except for dirt and the rubbed off wax. I hope to only use Millwax just the one time of major cleaning... with regular cleaning and waxing I shouldn't have to use Millwax. In the future I should be able to novus #2 old wax and then two coats of Blitz.

Wait, I think we're confusing terms. Some of you are talking about "Millwax" (with two L's) and some are talking about "Minwax" (with an "N") paste. Two different products, no?