OP

Quoted from Sinballer:

First of all, I'm not really sure if this is the best Sub-Forum in which to be posting this. If not, please point me towards the right one.
It probably goes without saying but I am a newbie.
I recently acquired a Williams Space Odyssey machine which was stored and non-functional for many years.
I've been able to get the machine going (with lots of Pinside member help!!) and it now seems like it's 100% functional (OK, maybe 99%).
It is still a little sluggish and looks like it needs a bath in some warm soapy water (don't worry - I'm not going to do that!).
Now that it's working, I'd like to turn my attention to making it fast and pretty.
I think I've lucked out in that both my playfield and backglass graphics are in near perfect condition (to my untrained eye, anyway).
I'm not sure if I want to do a full restoration right away or to what extent if/when I do.
My head is spinning from all of the information I've read regarding restorations! I never would have imagined the detail that people have applied to their restorations and I'm suitably impressed.
I'm also impressed with the patience and depth of knowledge of the people that are willing to help out beginners like me.
You have no idea how much it's appreciated!!
The basic advice I'm looking for is what my next moves should be.
My biggest and most immediate concern is in protecting the machine (playfield and backglass) so it can be played on while I decide on the option of a full restoration.
Should a basic cleaning and waxing be sufficient for this?
Any recommendations on products/technique/etc. would be appreciated.
I've read a lot of guides/posts/etc. but most seem to be more advanced info than I'm looking for.
I've also ordered (but not yet installed) a new rubber kit, bulbs, ball, flippers, etc. - I'm assuming that I should be taking care of the cleaning/protection steps before replacing this stuff.
Hopefully, you get the idea of what kind of info I need.
Again, any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.