Cleaning Pinball Switches

Cleaning switches and contacts on pinball machines is nessesary for regular maintenance but be sure to use the right process for the type of switch you are cleaning.

Cleaning Gold Contacts: Use isopropyl alcohol with a Q-tip for cleaning. Avoid abrasives and ensure the area is well-ventilated.

Silver Contact Maintenance: Clean with a Dremel 443 brush or a flexstone file. Do not use sandpaper or metal files as they may be too harsh.

Tungsten Contact Care: File with a standard metal file or consider replacement if worn or dirty. Avoid using a flexstone file as it may get damaged.

Leaf Switch Adjustment: Utilise a dedicated switch adjustment tool for bending near the base. Keep the leafs straight and avoid needle-nosed pliers to prevent twisting.

On most switches I use either a business card or preferably a strip of pencil eraser, I slice strips from a rectangle pencil eraser and pull that through the contacts.

Remember, never use WD40 or contact cleaners on switches due to flammability risks. Always follow safety precautions.

 

Below is a chart for EM Score Reel Switches supplied by Andrew Harris – Click the image for a larger view

 

Pinball Backglass Artwork Repair Guide

 

I used this technique below to repair the backglass on my Abra Ca Dabra with tremendous results. I recommend practicing with test images on scrap glass beforehand so you know exactly what you are dealing with. Two images are required in this process to provide the right amount of colour density and translucency.

 

This approach is not for everyone, you need a steady hand, creativity and photoshop skills but with some planning and taking your time a great result can be achieved. I will eventually replace the backglass but this works a treat in the meantime. Be sure to see the image gallery at the bottom of the page, it shows progress pics and the final result but the photos don’t really show how good it turned out.

Backglass Artwork Repair Guide Progress Images Below

 

 

Backglass Artwork Repair Guide

Image Preparation

1. Preparation:
   • Before starting, apply a clear coat of crystal clear acrylic to the back glass to prevent further damage.
2. Creating the Image:
   • Use Photoshop to create the image that needs to be replaced.
   • Take a clear and as straight as possible photo of the image on the back glass to be replaced.
   • Trace the outline of the image onto tracing paper.
   • For better accuracy, it’s recommended to remove the old paint before tracing.
   • Scan the traced outline into Photoshop at 300 DPI.
3. Adjusting the Image:
   • In Photoshop, use the traced image as the base layer.
   • Add the photo you took as another layer and adjust the contrast to strengthen the traced outline.
   • Reduce the opacity of the photo layer to see the traced outline layer through it.
   • Resize and skew the photo layer to match the outline layer.
   • Redraw the image using a pen tablet or other tools and get your colours as close as possible.
4. Removing Paint:
   • Use a hot knife to remove the paint without chipping.
   • Clean the cleared area thoroughly with a small chisel blade.
5. Printing the Image:
   • Reverse the image in Photoshop and save it as a PDF.
   • Print the image on laser waterslide decal paper on a laser printer, ensuring to select “actual size” in the printer settings.
   • Be sure to print 1 x Transparent and 1 x White backed decal.
   • Write on the back of each page with a pencil (white or transparent).
   • It may take a few test prints to get your best colouring before you print to the decal paper.
6. Coating and Application:
   • Spray both sheets of decal paper with crystal clear acrylic and let them set. (image side)
   • Use a light box and/or plain paper printout of the image taped underneath to align the decal on the back glass. (I used 2 pieces of wood and placed a small light under the glass)
   • Soak the transparent decal in water for a minute and carefully apply it to the glass. (really important to align properly and hold it in place with your finger when squeegeeing)
   • Use a thin cloth on a credit card to squeegee out any water and air bubbles.
   • Let it dry and apply another light spray of crystal clear acrylic.
   • Remember transparent image first then white backed image over it.
7. Second Image Application:
   • Apply the second white-backed image following the same procedure, ensuring alignment. (really important to align it properly and keep it from moving)
8. Finalising:
   • Let it dry overnight and apply a final coat of crystal clear acrylic to seal it.
   • Note that the decal might wrinkle slightly after being sprayed with clear acrylic, but it should settle once dried.

By following this Backglass Artwork Repair Guide carefully, you can effectively repair the back glass with a new image.

Keep an eye out for how to repair a backglass score window. (Coming Soon)

3D Printing

 

Having a 3D printer is very handy when restoring pinball machines. I find it usefull for some hard to get parts as well as being able to make parts to keep a game going until the pty parts are available again. It is also handy for making tools and accessories.

In the shop you will find most items are 3D printed, here is a timelapse video showing a Leg Mount Cup Holder being printed. This is 12 hours of printing shown in 20 seconds of video. Enjoy!

 

 

Pinball Tips and Tricks

Over time you learn a few things, some simple, some amazing and some just outright handy! In this section I will post handy Pinball Tips and Tricks for repairs that I have learnt and helped me along the way.

 

Tip 1 – Rust Removal

When restoring pinball machines rust is nearly always present. The legs and coin door are the usual suspects while brackets, screws, nuts and bolts and so on are also on the list. There are plenty of commercial rust removal products out there but my go to is White Vinegar, it is completely safe to use and is as cheap as anything else you will find plus it works well. It is especially economical when it comes to using large quantities in big tubs etc.

For legs I have a piece of PVC pipe capped at one end and big enough to fit four legs in, it takes about 5 litres of vinegar to fill and cover the legs completely. I also have a large black tub for coin doors, lock bars, mechs etc that I use about 10 litres of vinegar in. The trick is to soak for approx 12 – 24 hrs depending upon how serious the rust is but also you need to scrub the item with a nylon bristle brush every couple of hours to help loosen it up.

It works a treat and once cleaned, rinse with fresh water immediately and dry off. If you are going to paint the item all good, prime and paint as you normally would. If you are going to keep the metal finish remember the rust has probably removed or damaged a lot of the protection it once had such as chrome or nickel plating. For chrome legs that are not in too bad condition usually keeping them polished will help keep any surface rust at bay, I generally paint the inside of the legs to stop the rust returning and to give them a nice finish by colour coding the paint to the machine.

Parts like brackets and mech pieces I like to coat with “Inox”. Polish everything and then spray some Inox onto a cloth and wipe it over the metal surfaces. Ultimately you can re-electroplate some items such as brackets, bolts and screws with zinc, I will create a post about doing this later.

Tip 2 – Removing Light Bulbs

This is an oldie but a goody! Mainly used in the backbox where fat fingers won’t fit, try using the rubber from the end of the ball shooter rod. By placing the open end over the light bulb you can get a better grip to push, twist and pull. The same goes for putting them in. I have a piece of stiff tube about 20cm long and the rubber fits firmly in the end which gives me extra reach and control.

Tip 3 – Get a Sonic Cleaner

Cleaning parts is a must and especially playfield posts, flippers, lane guides etc. Sonic cleaners work extremely well and bring plastic parts up like new.

A trick is to place smaller parts in jars then place the jars in the water filled sonic cleaner. The jars can hold screws and other small bits and you can use vinegar or other cleaners without filling up the whole sonic cleaner. Another product I use is called Scalex, usually used to clean toilets and other places where scale builds up. I use it to clean screws, nuts, bolts etc and used in a jar in the sonic cleaner it removes rust and brings the metal items up real quick, be careful not to leave in too long as the metal items can blacken. Once these small items are cleaned I rinse , dry and coat with Inox.

Tip 4 – Cleaning Products and Uses

Cleaning products are something we all use on pinball machines but what we use and where can vary. This is a list of what I use and where.

1. White Vinegar – Used for rust removal.
2. Simple Green – Used in sonic cleaner and for a lot of general cleaning where there is grime.
3. DeSolveIt – Used after removing mylar to get rid of the adhesive layer that is left on the playfield.
4. Magic Eraser – Used for some deep cleaning on the playfield, used in conjunction with Isopropyl Alcohol but be careful here.
5. Scalex – Used for cleaning screws and small metal items, brings up chrome pieces nicely.
6. Novus 2 – Used for polishing playfields and plastics.
7. Autosol – Used on most metal parts that need to be shiny.
8. Gumption – This stuff is great to remove yellowing on cabinets from nicotine etc.
9. Isopropyl Alcohol – Used in many applications, be very careful on painted surfaces such as aprons and pop bumper caps.
10. FW1 Car Cleaner – Used to clean everything from playfield to cabinet and backglass, I use this last to make everything shine.
11. Mr Sheen – Used when I don’t have FW1 Cleaner, great for keeping everything shiny.
12. Carnubra Wax – Used to protect the playfield after a deep clean.
13. Huggies Baby Wipes – Used for general cleaning and removing hand marks from cabinets, brilliant for cleaning dirty wire looms and also good for cleaning score reels.

Stay Tuned for More Pinball Tips and Tricks