Message #45853

[Strangeways]

Teardown continued ..

Once we have everything removed from the top and bottom, we need to move through each assembly. I usually start with the flipper assemblies. I remove the bushing and give the base a clean. The bushing needs to be inspected for excessive wear, or cracks. I replace them if either problem is encountered. I just soak them in nifti / water and then clean with a toothbrush / scotchbrite. Leave them in the sun or dry them with compressed air. Top LHS assy has been done - others are yet to be done ! No point in installing flipper kits if the rest of the assembly is filthy !





Upper Playfield and plastics

A quick clean with Nifti and a rag on the stripped playfield and we have this to look at !





Now that looks VERY nice. I was really pleased with the playfield. Not perfect, but really good around the outholes and the mansion is sweet !





Plastics are soaked in a bucket of arm water and nifti. Then washed with a toothbrush or small paintbrush. Leave in the sun or dry by hand. Next I will polish with Novus. Notice ALL the hardware is removed - no screws etc !





Metal


Metal is washed with Windex - not Nifti. I place the smaller bits into small containers and drop boiling water and Windex. Leave for and hour or two and then place into smaller container - like plastic tea containers. Spray Windex, and shake ! Drop the parts into clear water, then leave in the sun or hand dry - they are ready for the Tumbler ! The ball guides and everything elase are cleaned with Windex and regrained with green scotchbrite. don't waste you time or money on cheap windex - it smears - use the real stuff.











Tumber

Whats so good about a tumber ?

I have a GRAF tumbler that I swear by. I bought corncob media and I only use Flitz (only from the USA). I've tried everything else, and although Brasso is GREAT - it takes 8 - 12 hours to give the same result as Flitz in 4 hours. The corncob lasts TWICE as long. I cleaned the posts etc for a very good reason - so the tumber POLISHES the parts - No CLEAN them ! If you don't clean your metal - the dirt gets picked up by the corncob - and it does not polish as effectively.

So IMPORTANT notes for tumbling ;

CLEAN anything you want to polish FIRST - It's a polishing tool - not a cleaning tool !

So what EXACTLY is Flitz ? Here's my tumbler all set up.





Here's my cleaned metal - But you think it looks clean - why polish ?


I squeeze out around about two or three rotations of Flitz - looks like this ;





Switch the tumbler on for 4 hours and find something else to do !