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(Topic ID: 199077)

Polishing tilt mech

By DCRand

3 years ago

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33 posts
20 Pinsiders participating
Latest reply 3 years ago by bigehrl
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Linked Games

Spot Bowler Gottlieb, 1950

#1 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

So is it ok, bad karma, just not worth the effort, or good idea to polish the tilt bob and hardware. Working on my one woodrail tonight, and thought, oh yea that stuff is all brass. So polished and clear coated it. Then wondered if this is like taking the patina off of your 17th century Bostonian wood furniture?

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#2 3 years ago

MVP

Grizlyrig

Pinside member

6y 2,831

If you clear coated it, does it still pass the signal? I would think you just blocked it.
-Mike

#3 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

Quoted from Grizlyrig:
If you clear coated it, does it still pass the signal? I would think you just blocked it.
-Mike

You know, thought about that just as I was putting it back in the game, but haven't tested it yet. But even if it does, since have it set very liberal due to the difficulty of the game, would break my heart if it was a little more difficult to tilt.

#4 3 years ago

???

soren

Dots and Loops

Copenhagen

10y 1,195 3

I was experimenting with polishing tilt mech bits during my work on the Tilt film.

I found that it is difficult to polish lead. And also, that lead is resistant to corrosion and might never need to be polished in order to have better conductivity.

So, with exception of lead plumbs, go ahead.

Also, find a way to have firm metal-to-metal contact all the way from the plumb to the wire.

#5 3 years ago

???

Marvin

Blocked

4y 966

If this isn't the stupidest thing I've seen done on this site it's clearly in the team photo. This is up there with powder coating a shooter rod.

#6 3 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member

Berea, OH

8y 10,759 1 10

Quoted from Marvin:
If this isn't the stupidest thing I've seen done on this site it's clearly in the team photo. This is up there with powder coating a shooter rod.

As said, clear coat negatively impacts the conductivity of the mech. Making sure the unit is clean and functional is good enough. The only time I would advocate going whole hog on polishing it to pure beauty would be when making a transparent machine. Otherwise, nobody sees the innards.

18rb4ij1svplvjpg (resized).jpg

#7 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

Quoted from Marvin:
If this isn't the stupidest thing I've seen done on this site it's clearly in the team photo. This is up there with powder coating a shooter rod.

Yea, that is kind of what happens when I stay up way past bed time. Sleep deprivation makes you do odd things.

#8 3 years ago

???

Marvin

Blocked

4y 966

OP
Quoted from DCRand:
Yea, that is kind of what happens when I stay up way past bed time. Sleep deprivation makes you do odd things.

Sleep deprivation and paint fumes, sounds like my weekend. WOOOO!

polishing is is one thing, it'll make better contact. At least you took the abuse without getting all defensive like most people here. Strip the clear, clean the bob to get good contact, tighten the tilt and play pinball. Setting it hard just makes a good score feel even better.

#9 3 years ago

???

KenLayton

Pinside member

Olympia, WA

9y 5,715

Polish it with Brasso and do not clear coat it. Otherwise, the clear coat insulates the electrical parts so no connection can be made.

#10 3 years ago

???

Marvin

Blocked

4y 966

Quoted from KenLayton:
Polish it with Brasso and do not clear coat it. Otherwise, the clear coat insulates the electrical parts so no connection can be made.

How the f$!# does someone disagree with this?

#11 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

Thanks all, need to try adding paint fumes to the sleep deprivation, sounds fun. And did use brasso, but had quite a bit of oxidation so used polishing wheel on my grinder. Came out pretty nice. As for tilt on this game, couldn't score over 100 if tilt was too sensitive, and yes I am a fair at best player.

#12 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

Final note: Tilt wasn't working, so used emery cloth on inside of ring and wire just below tilt bob. Slightly unhappy to say from experience ---- tilt working just fine.

#13 3 years ago

Shapeshifter

Pinside member

10y 9,727 15 142

This is also from a 1950 Gottlieb.

Brasso only.

I like seeing how a part made 67 years ago, looks like the day it was made, with just a simple clean.

Quality of most of the parts is off the charts compared to today.

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#14 3 years ago

JON

bigehrl

Jackbar

New York, NY

9y 2,676 60

Quoted from Marvin:
If this isn't the stupidest thing I've seen done on this site it's clearly in the team photo.

i nominate this for funniest comment of the year. who's with me?!?

#15 3 years ago

LEV

CrazyLevi

Crazy Levi's Pinball

New York, NY

7y 19,906 1

Lol @ "team photo."

So who is gonna be the first one to powdercoat some circuit boards?

#16 3 years ago

PAB

MustangPaul

LED Leg Light-Ups

Saint Paul, MN

8y 23,131 12

Quoted from KenLayton:
Polish it with Brasso and do not clear coat it. Otherwise, the clear coat insulates the electrical parts so no connection can be made.

Yup did that to my Jackbot and it shines like a new penny. My plumb is lead so I just ran it under a fine wire wheel and it looks great.

#17 3 years ago

ART

OLDPINGUY

Arts Arcade

9y 11,267 7

Ive Polished my bob many times in the past, and have always had a smile at the results!

Looks good!

#18 3 years ago

MAX

pinballkyle

Pinside member

Vancouver, BC

8y 478 1

Clear coating a tilt bob - rediculous But whatever floats your boat

#19 3 years ago

Darcy

Pinside member

Leduc, AB

8y 6,171 16

Quoted from Marvin:
How the f$!# does someone disagree with this?

Some one who works for a competitor product to Brasso?

#20 3 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

Dallas, TX

8y 15,096 2 9

Quoted from Marvin:
How the f$!# does someone disagree with this?

Fake science, LMAO.

#21 3 years ago

MSC

D-Gottlieb

Pinside member

5y 1,614

Polishing a tilt bob is right up there with painting and stenciling the inside of the cabinet.

#22 3 years ago

GIR

girloveswaffles

Pinside member

Norwalk, CA

8y 4,953

Quoted from D-Gottlieb:
Polishing a tilt bob is right up there with painting and stenciling the inside of the cabinet.

... or powder coating coin acceptors.

#23 3 years ago

ALK

Goonie

Pinside member

Geneva, IL

9y 1,551 19

Quoted from D-Gottlieb:
Polishing a tilt bob is right up there with painting and stenciling the inside of the cabinet.

Hmmmm....

Quoted from girloveswaffles:
... or powder coating coin acceptors.

Ohhhhh....

#24 3 years ago

MJG

Mikala

Pinside member

6y 1,016

Quoted from D-Gottlieb:
Polishing a tilt bob is right up there with painting and stenciling the inside of the cabinet.

Does that go for the top of the head too? Oh, and this.

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#25 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

Wow, didn't mean to stir up so much interesting commentary. But did lift the pf last night and kind of smile at the gleaming tilt bob. Until I tilted it mid game 10 minutes later.

#26 3 years ago

???

Joker2415

Inactive member

5y 497 2

OP
Quoted from DCRand:
Wow, didn't mean to stir up so much interesting commentary. But did lift the pf last night and kind of smile at the gleaming tilt bob. Until I tilted it mid game 10 minutes later.

Hey! Just remember! It's your tilt bob!! You can polish it as much as you want!

I think some oils or waxes will keep it shiny with out the clear and it will still make contact. If I remember right? Mineral oil?

#27 3 years ago

000

o-din

Pinside member

8y 54,341

Quoted from D-Gottlieb:
Polishing a tilt bob is right up there with painting and stenciling the inside of the cabinet.

Not exactly.

Although I agree clearcoating is silly and would render the parts useless, on many occasions I have needed to polish the bob and ring to get good continuity and get it to work properly.

Quoted from Shapeshifter:
I like seeing how a part made 67 years ago, looks like the day it was made, with just a simple clean.

Quality of most of the parts is off the charts compared to today.

They sure don't make lead weights like they used to.

#28 3 years ago

MSC

D-Gottlieb

Pinside member

5y 1,614

Quoted from o-din:
Not exactly.
Although I agree clearcoating is silly and would render the parts useless, on many occasions I have needed to polish the bob and ring to get good continuity and get it to work properly.

They sure don't make lead weights like they used to.

Actually, I can totally agree on the functionality needing to be maintained by cleaning it. I was referring more to the clear coat and such.

#29 3 years ago

Shapeshifter

Pinside member

10y 9,727 15 142

Quoted from D-Gottlieb:
Polishing a tilt bob is right up there with painting and stenciling the inside of the cabinet.

A quick polish/clean is just putting it back to it's original state.

Painting/stenciling is in the restoration category and no longer original.

How far can this thread go?

#30 3 years ago

DCR

DCRand

Pinside member

4y 1,092 11

How far can this thread go?

I kind of expected 1 or 2 responses then a quick fade into oblivion. Guess you never know what trivia will get way more attention than you expect.

#31 3 years ago

000

o-din

Pinside member

8y 54,341

OP
Quoted from DCRand:
How far can this thread go?

Until our nads have a semi gloss finish.

#32 3 years ago

DAV

wayout440

Pinside member

Berea, OH

8y 10,759 1 10

Quoted from o-din:
Until our nads have a semi gloss finish.

Cock_1c4ba3_67825 (resized).jpg

#33 3 years ago

JON

bigehrl

Jackbar

New York, NY

9y 2,676 60

OP
Quoted from DCRand:
I kind of expected 1 or 2 responses then a quick fade into oblivion.

mistake number 2

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