"Cleaning" or "restoration" - how badly am I infected?

[bundito]

So, as I've said before... I bought this grimy, non-working machine for $15. Once I started inspecting it and seeing how it worked - it's all nifty balances and gravity and mechanical linkages - I think my brain skipped past "cleaning" and went to "restoration".

Now I'm afraid.

I've completely disassembled the rear panel. Some of the springs are rusty and will need to be replaced. The plastic is grimy and will get scrubbed with soapy water. There's a threaded rod that (I think) adjusts the length of the jackpot payout linkage. The nuts and springs that operate the glass latches are corroded and will need to be cleaned and/or replaced. The entire thing needs to be lubricated. All the metal needs to be Brasso'd. The plexiglass front glass has scratched and might get replaced. The electrics are shot and will be replaced with LEDs. It's going to need a cabinet. I'm thinking about how to build an automatic ball lifting/refilling mechanism. I know I can have any broken plastic parts 3D printed at Shapeways.

Am I totally screwed? Did my impulse purchase just become an obsession? Is there any help for me? Or am I already doomed?


-Dito

[Moparformances]

to use your own words

your screwed..

carefull with the "lube" I have yet to find a machine that required it.. its the easy way out and will do nothing but cause your grief later

[browne92]

You're doomed. It is the way of things.

Don't lubricate anything. Oil just collects dirt. If something doesn't operate smoothly, it's either bent or dirty. Everything should be kept clean and dry, IMHO.

If you do have any plastic parts replicated by a 3D printer, I'd be curious as to the part and what it cost you.

Welcome to the Dark Side.

[bundito]

I've got dry graphite spray. I know better than to use liquid stuff. It's mainly for the latches and hinges on the cabinet and front glass.

Should I be sad that I'm obviously addicted?

[p.opus]

Should I be sad that I'm obviously addicted?

Nope...You are right where you belong. Here's how it works. You're gonna make this a project and you're gonna screw up some things, but not in an apocalyptic way, just in a "I could have done that easier/better" way. And when you get done, you will not believe the transformation. Then you'll see another one that catches your eye. Maybe it's model "A" recycler or perhaps something with a neat center feature. It might even be in better initial condition as the first. But the first one looks so good, you can't allow any machine to stay in the house that looks "worse". So you go through the same thing again, and again, the results blow you away.

And so it goes. If you have a home, you are really screwed...Plenty of room to buy machines to keep you busy for a life time. If you rent, like I do, you have to find a way to moderate, so you list your self as someone in your area that can actually fix these things and you get the occasional customer who will drag one out of an attic somewhere and ask you to fix it, and you get to keep doing what you love and making a little extra change in your pocket.

Or worse...you actually get interested in playing these things, and you start communicating with "those people" Yeah, those people who play...Modern machines!!!(gasp). Maybe you start with an early modern like a 80's era Hanemono that you see listed on Craigslist... Not so different from the vintages you are working on now. But you experience your first fever mode and the lights flash, and the balls never stop coming out and your eyes glaze over... Well that was something...Then you may see a more recent modern on Craigslist or at Akimono.com or Five Brothers.. Maybe it's a Pachinko that is based on your favorite movie or cartoon you watched while growing up...Oh oh...Dual addiction time. Before you know it, your'e talking about reaches, Kakuhen bonus and the advantages of a yupachi version vs a normal...

AAAAAAAGHHHHHHH...(mommy???)

[cardwwi]

This is going to be a shock so sit down "There is no cure"! One becomes two, two become ten, and then you try and find room for more! This is what works best for me, use Evapo Rust to remove rust, Simple green for cleaning, Turtle wax chrome polish and Mothers aluminum mag polish for the brass. Now if you are going to do a background replacement that going to take some time on your first one but the new look make it worth it.

[takethecastle57]

3 Miracle Polishing Cloth W Lemon OIL | eBay


6x9 SZ Miracle Polishing Cloth Silver Brass | eBay

[mxfaiman]

I've got dry graphite spray. I know better than to use liquid stuff. It's mainly for the latches and hinges on the cabinet and front glass.

Don't use it.

The only thing I would use is a silicon spray. You want something that will leave slippery film yet completely evaporate. Graphite just gets everywhere and falls out and could possibly wear out parts (acts sorta like sand paper)

[bundito]

One pin polished. I'll have the rest done tomorrow, no problem. Yeah. Uh-huh.

Speaking of... any tips on how to deal with spinners and stuff that are held on with pins, I'd really like to clean mine up good (and nudge out a few small dings and dents), but they're pinned on.

Is it possible to remove these pins (or any pins) and replace them?


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[mxfaiman]

You could remove the pins and reuse them. Finding replacements in solid brass will be hard.

My special tool for removing this I made. 1/16" steel sheet metal, bend one end at a 90 cut small V shape in it. Works great. Only issue is it bends so make sure you have a vice to flatten out the head again.

[bundito]

Is there a "safe" or "community recommended" product I can use to lubricate a few badly rusted/scuzzy parts? PLEASE hear me out before telling me "never use anything".

I'm working on the spring-loaded lock that opens the front panel. Mine is rusted and corroded, but it all works - just not easily. As in, it takes far too much effort to move the latches. I removed it from the machine last night and it's a mess. I think it would benefit from a few drops of some kind of lubricating or rust-breaking oil or solvent.

The same is true for the latches on the opposite side that let the whole playfield swing out from the cabinet. The lock has been disabled, but I want to replace it (for fun). The latches are also scuzzed up and need some love.

Any suggestions on what to use?

(PS: To repeat: I am not talking about using WD40 on the shooter mechanism, the jackpot levers, coating the balls in canola oil, etc. Mmm-kay? )

[whitedawg]

Is there a "safe" or "community recommended" product I can use to lubricate a few badly rusted/scuzzy parts? PLEASE hear me out before telling me "never use anything".

I'm working on the spring-loaded lock that opens the front panel. Mine is rusted and corroded, but it all works - just not easily. As in, it takes far too much effort to move the latches. I removed it from the machine last night and it's a mess. I think it would benefit from a few drops of some kind of lubricating or rust-breaking oil or solvent.

The same is true for the latches on the opposite side that let the whole playfield swing out from the cabinet. The lock has been disabled, but I want to replace it (for fun). The latches are also scuzzed up and need some love.

Any suggestions on what to use?

(PS: To repeat: I am not talking about using WD40 on the shooter mechanism, the jackpot levers, coating the balls in canola oil, etc. Mmm-kay? )

There are products on the market which will remove rust (Google rust removers). The parts may need to be cleaned afterwards with an evaporating solvent or cleaner (there are aerosol ones available) to get rid of any residue, if any, that's left. After that a good silicone spray will keep things working as they should, the propellants evaporate leaving a dry surface. Ask around at your local building supply and automotive stores as well to see what they recommend and what's available in your area. I use a media blaster to clean rust from parts then spray silicone lubricant if it's a moving part.

There are those that disagree with using any kind of lubricant but any time you have parts rubbing together, whether it be metal to metal, metal to plastic, plastic to plastic, etc., some sort of lubrication is needed to reduce wear and get the lowest amount of friction in the moving parts.

[browne92]

I, too, use media blasting, in this case glass bead. If you want to send them to me, I'll shoot them and send them back. If you don't have access to a blast cabinet and don't want to fool with shipping, a wire wheel on a bench grinder works well also. But be careful. A wire wheel will throw the part across the room and remove finger prints in the time it takes to say "Oh !!!"

I see no problem with a few drops of light oil in things like door hinges. I just don't think there is any need to lubricate the mechanism. The parts move such a small amount. The only thing I can think of in the machine that turns a full 360 degrees are the spinners. I don't think anything else in the machine pivots more than 90 degrees. And nothing moves fast enough to generate any real friction. It's my opinion that the lube catching dirt and gumming up the mechanism is a greater risk than wearing it out with no lube. But we all know how opinions are.

If there is a part of the mechanism that you feel must be lubed, be careful with your application. If you get any in the ball path, those darned little balls are gonna scatter that stuff from hell till breakfast!

[mxfaiman]

There shouldn't be a problem using some lube on the latches. Sometimes those do get stiff and need some help. Though my suggestion is to wash it first before you lubricate. As most of them have gunk built up as a result of lubrication. So then you might not need the lube.

As to what to use I'm not quite sure. I personally would still go with a spray silicon but that is me. There are countless lubes out there you just don't want WD-40 or something similar. Also when applying you won't need much unless you like it dripping all over your machine.

[heima]

Everybody has an opinion on this, and people who have performed far more restoration than me have already chimed in. But...

If I really wanted to remove rust from parts, I would go in steps.

1.Remove parts to be de-rusted from machine.
2. Soak part in degreaser or ultrasonic bath with alcohol.
3. If part is still too rusty, use plastic brush to remove rust.
4. If part is still too rusty, use brash brush to remove rust.
5. If part is still too rusty, use steel brush to remove rust.
6. If part is still too rusty, use media blasting or chemical means to remove rust.
7. If part is still too rusty, lower standards.
8. Use fine steel wool to remove/minimize pitting.
9. Clean part with evaporating solvent.
10. If part is to be painted, do that now.
11. If part is bare/galvanized, use sparse motor oil to wipe down part with rag. (You are putting an oil coating on it)
12. Let part sit for a day.
13. Wipe down part with toilet paper/paper towel/cotton rag to remove any residual oil. (part should not feel wet or slippery, no residue left on fingers when handling)
14. If part is load bearing (hinge, striker) put very small quantity (absolute minimum) of lithium grease on load surfaces. (use toothpick and cottonswabs)
15. If lubricating the pin of a hinge, transfer motor oil with toothpick. (A drop is hanging on toothpick, touch toothpick to gap to transfer oil. Wipe to remove residual.)
16. Reinstall part. (You might reverse steps 16 through 14 if it is easier that way.)

[bundito]

Remember when I asked if I was cleaning or restoring? Well I think this gives me my answer...




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[takethecastle57]

Yepper you got it bad Welcome to the Addiction

[bundito]

Did I mention I'm now cleaning the original screws with partially diluted CLR? I have a Mason jar, a mesh kitchen strainer, and rubber gloves. I really wanted the kind Walter White wears in "Breaking Bad", but I had to settle for what I could get at the grocery store.

I have a horrible phobia of household chemicals, especially that blue stuff you clean toilets with. And Drano. Oh god, Drano. And now CLR. I'm convinced that stuff is made from the blood of Xenomorphs, from the Alien movies. My yellow kitchen gloves aren't going to be worth a damn if I slosh CLR all over me, but it makes me feel better. A little.

I'm positive I could have reused the screws without cleaning them, even if they're tarnished or a little rusty. Or I could have gotten brand-new ones at the hardware store.

But I'm apparently infected.

The disease, it has taken me.

I am so thoroughly screwed.


-Dito

[emmadog]

I'd highly recommend using all new screws. Cheap to do even if you use stainless ones like I do, less time and effort since you're not cleaning old and frequently sketchy screws, and no chemicals.

[bundito]

I'd highly recommend using all new screws. Cheap to do even if you use stainless ones like I do, less time and effort since you're not cleaning old and frequently sketchy screws, and no chemicals.

Well, sure, I could do that. I even considered it. There aren't that many different sizes.

But wouldn't that wreck the whole "mad scientist" vibe I've got going?


-Dito