The 1951 Niagara I just picked up has a not so good "repair" on the playfield. It appears that a part of the playfield plywood delaminated and lifted up and/or a part of the playfield broke off, can't tell until I get into the "repair" more.

Someone tried to patch the area with what I almost positive is joint compound used for finishing drywall.

But they patched a 3" x 3" area, much larger than the damaged spot on the playfield. It is put on pretty thinly over most of that area and I can see through the joint compound and see the playfield paint underneith, which looks OK.

What solvents are safe for these Gottlieb playfields? I know that water will dissolve the joint compound right off(hot water is all I use to clean up my drywalling tools). But I am guessing that water is not the best choice for the playfield.

I was thinking of trying 91% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to start with, but I wanted to make sure that would not be a problem for this paint.

Hopefully someone has some experience with this vintage and manufactures paint and can tell me what will and will not harm the paint. Hopefully one of those solvents will soften/remove the joint compound.

Thanks for the help.

#2 11 years ago

GTB

DirtFlipper

Inactive member

Twin Cities, MN

12y 43,900 6,190 38

Iso alcohol will be OK on the playfield.

Don't use water, or any water-based stuff. Don't use anything with acetone or any type of 'paint' thinners or solvents.

Goo Gone is also OK to use.

The playfields are silk-screened ink with lacquer finishes, so anything that will dissolve lacquer or ink would be risky.

#3 11 years ago

???

mg81

Pinside member

Bellefonte, PA

11y 49,050 1,001

Thank you for the info.

1 week later

#4 11 years ago

???

Pinball-Muggle

Inactive member

Richmond, VA

12y 5,400 81

The kids here will tell you all kinds of things to use - but sometimes it pays to listen to the old guys - which I'm one of (as well as a former kid).

The easiest - The best - The safest - The fastest ... way to clean an old playfield is using these TWO products.

For super dirty PFs use GoJo "cream" hand-cleaner applied with a toothbrush an area a time

BUT! ... this is THE stuff ... Gel-Gloss ... http://gel-gloss.com/index.php?pageId=351
(Got mine at ACE hardware).
Cuts through old wax and removes ALL the dirt including the deep stuff in the shooter lane and ball arch. Cleans down to the ink/clearcoat and shines like it's waxed. Then two or three coats of carnauba wax and your golden.
Makes Novus 2 look like kids stuff (I use N2 for cleaning other things).
If you try it once you'll be in the club.
"No Brag - Just Fact"

#5 11 years ago

???

mg81

Pinside member

Bellefonte, PA

11y 49,050 1,001

I will have to give the gel-gloss a try sometime.

I used my standard 91% IPA (rubbing alcohol) and rags for most everything with novus 2 and wax to finish.

The 91% IPA did not damage the playfield paint even with vigorous rubbing.

1 week later

#6 11 years ago

BOB

0geist0

Pinside member

Royal Palm Beach, FL

14y 60,050 1,778 4

I just tried the Gel Gloss, I wasn't very impressed with the results

#7 11 years ago

???

Pinball-Muggle

Inactive member

Richmond, VA

12y 5,400 81

That's too bad - You are the first person I've heard of that claims to have used it without great results. Maybe try using a clean cotton cloth and scrub the area while it's the cleaner is still wet - you can see the dirt coming out during this phase. Allow it to dry then buff it off with another clean cotton cloth and "blamo". Of course there's a chance the playfield you’re trying it on is to far gone anyway.

This Monday I "re-tried" the Gel Gloss and was "re-impressed" with the results! It removed the ground in dirt from the shooter lane and ball arch on an old Top Hand I'm working on. It also removed lighter colored wax build-up from the exposed wood where the finish was worn and evened out the wood's color to the same shade as the wood where the clear-coat's intact.
It's tried & true - I stand behind my original statement and wish you good luck.

#8 11 years ago

BOB

0geist0

Pinside member

Royal Palm Beach, FL

14y 60,050 1,778 4

Quoted from Pinball-Muggle:
That's too bad - You are the first person I've heard of that claims to have used it without great results. Maybe try using a clean cotton cloth and scrub the area while it's the cleaner is still wet - you can see the dirt coming out during this phase. Allow it to dry then buff it off with another clean cotton cloth and "blamo". Of course there's a chance the playfield you’re trying it on is to far gone anyway.
This Monday I "re-tried" the Gel Gloss and was "re-impressed" with the results! It removed the ground in dirt from the shooter lane and ball arch on an old Top Hand I'm working on. It also removed lighter colored wax build-up from the exposed wood where the finish was worn and evened out the wood's color to the same shade as the wood where the clear-coat's intact.
It's tried & true - I stand behind my original statement and wish you good luck.

I start with W/D 40 on a rag, I don't spray it on the playfield that would be too much. Then Novus and then Carnuba wax. I tried the Gel Gloss after all that and the results were no change. I'm an older guy too and I know that the kids today will say never use W/D 40 on a pin, but it works great. I also know a guy that will caburator cleaner on real tough dirt, but that scares me...lol

#9 11 years ago

FRX

Frax

Pinside member

Conyers, GA

12y 103K 16,662 2 9

From the description on their site, Gel Gloss doesn't sound all that different from Mill Wax, lol.

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