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Best way to clean inserts?

quarter grabber

Active Member
May 29, 2013
515
49
28
Ottawa
The underside of my inserts are filthy black. What is the best way to clean these? I read somewhere on here break cleaner and it had an instructional video too but I can't find it. Any ideas?
 

Menace

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
2,440
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Santiago de Aurora
Wow, brake cleaner is pretty harsh. If you want to try it be my guest, but 99% Iso and a q-tip works great for me.

D
 

Vengeance

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2012
1,990
138
63
Keswick, ON
compressed air FTW.

I just take my air compressor since the black dust isn't ground into the insert it just blows off like dust.
 

quarter grabber

Active Member
May 29, 2013
515
49
28
Ottawa
They are those inserts that are rippled in a star pattern on the underside, they are not smooth. I will try compressed air can first, but it seem like some kind of ground in grease so I will try the iso on a q-tip second, but man that will take forever. I could have swore I saw a video on here where someone took a can of something and turned it upside down and it sprayed the insert out in a second. It left a residue on the wood but at lease the insert was clean. Thanks guys :)
 

quarter grabber

Active Member
May 29, 2013
515
49
28
Ottawa
Yes it was you that left that response, I remember now. You said to do it at your own risk because it pushed the dirt into the wood. We'll that is what I'll do then, I don't care about a bit of dirt in the wood. Thanks Brock! For some reason I thought it was break cleaner? :FP:
 

mwong168

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
6,657
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Toronto
REVOLUTION said:
I vote you take that compressed air can and turn it upside down... but people get angry when I suggest that. :D (it's what I do).

Where is the damn thumbs down icon?? :lol:

quarter grabber said:
The underside of my inserts are filthy black. What is the best way to clean these? I read somewhere on here break cleaner and it had an instructional video too but I can't find it. Any ideas?

Here is the "instructional" video by Jeri Ellsworth

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hK7G_H7uXfY[/youtube]

If you are going to go as far as removing lamp boards and have easy access to the inserts as shown in the video why not just do it properly with a Q-tip and alcohol? Might as well have left the board on at least it would act as a protective barrier for when you spray from the sides :FP:

This method appears to work but look at the stains it leaves on the underside of your playfield! So if the bottom of your game looks like that you know either it was previous owned by Jeri or Brock.

Protip: Century Duster doesn't smell nearly as bad as 3M Dust Remover

Quarter you have down full top side tear downs to install your whole playfield protectors. Clearly you are not intimidated or more comfortable then others when it comes to working on your games. So take your time and get comfortable taking apart mechanisms under your playfield to clean your inserts and other areas properly.
 

quarter grabber

Active Member
May 29, 2013
515
49
28
Ottawa
mwong168 said:
REVOLUTION said:
I vote you take that compressed air can and turn it upside down... but people get angry when I suggest that. :D (it's what I do).

Where is the damn thumbs down icon?? :lol:

quarter grabber said:
The underside of my inserts are filthy black. What is the best way to clean these? I read somewhere on here break cleaner and it had an instructional video too but I can't find it. Any ideas?

Here is the "instructional" video by Jeri Ellsworth

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hK7G_H7uXfY[/youtube]

If you are going to go as far as removing lamp boards and have easy access to the inserts as shown in the video why not just do it properly with a Q-tip and alcohol? Might as well have left the board on at least it would act as a protective barrier for when you spray from the sides :FP:

This method appears to work but look at the stains it leaves on the underside of your playfield! So if the bottom of your game looks like that you know either it was previous owned by Jeri or Brock.

Protip: Century Duster doesn't smell nearly as bad as 3M Dust Remover

Quarter you have down full top side tear downs to install your whole playfield protectors. Clearly you are not intimidated or more comfortable then others when it comes to working on your games. So take your time and get comfortable taking apart mechanisms under your playfield to clean your inserts and other areas properly.

Ah you found it, that is the video I was talking about. Thanks. I have the entire bottom of the playfield stripped because I cleaned all the drop targets and solenoid sleeves and shafts. So the underside of all the inserts are easily accessible but the dirt is so bad that the q-tip and alcohol isn't really putting a dent in it. Think container pin dirty. I think the only solution will be the one in the video.
 

mwong168

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
6,657
1,416
113
45
Toronto
quarter grabber said:
I have the entire bottom of the playfield stripped because I cleaned all the drop targets and solenoid sleeves and shafts. So the underside of all the inserts are easily accessible but the dirt is so bad that the q-tip and alcohol isn't really putting a dent in it. Think container pin dirty. I think the only solution will be the one in the video.

Safe to assume the top side is all stripped too? If so then I would say try the upside down air dust can method on one insert and see how it works. If it works well then worse case after you are done you can give the bottom side a sanding to clean up before you re-install all the assemblies. Can you post up some pics so we can see what you are actually deal with here and assuming this is Flintstones you picked up recently right?
 

quarter grabber

Active Member
May 29, 2013
515
49
28
Ottawa
mwong168 said:
quarter grabber said:
I have the entire bottom of the playfield stripped because I cleaned all the drop targets and solenoid sleeves and shafts. So the underside of all the inserts are easily accessible but the dirt is so bad that the q-tip and alcohol isn't really putting a dent in it. Think container pin dirty. I think the only solution will be the one in the video.

Safe to assume the top side is all stripped too? If so then I would say try the upside down air dust can method on one insert and see how it works. If it works well then worse case after you are done you can give the bottom side a sanding to clean up before you re-install all the assemblies. Can you post up some pics so we can see what you are actually deal with here and assuming this is Flintstones you picked up recently right?

Yes it is. Once I am done it will look like brand new. I just have to get through all this cleaning first. I will post before and after pics.