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Pinball stinking up the house!

13K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  Johnla 
#1 ·
Okay, I finally moved into a larger house, brand new. I got a game room thing going on and put in a White Water pinball game. Of course, it's used. I bought it off eBay.


This thing smells like the corner bar. I'm not a smoker and neither is my wife, but the new smell of a new house has been replaced by a pinball machine that smells the house up like a lit pack of cigarettes. We burn candles all the time and I just put a box of baking soda under the playfield over the weekend. Will I be able to get rid of 15 years or so of smoke?


Any other ideas to get rid of the smell? I was planning on adding a second pin to the room, but don't want to deal with two machines that smell up the place.


Do all pinball machines smell, or is it just mine?



Don't get me wrong, I love the machine, play it all the time, but I can't get the smell out of my nose. I've had it for almost a month now.


Any suggestions?
 
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#4 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by shepP /forum/post/0


Stupid question, but did you clean it? I got rid of most of the "smell" of one by cleaning it. I then dropped a vanilla air freshener inside of it for good measure.

I washed down the outside of the machine, but the smell is inside the machine, especially when you slide off the glass top to get to the playfield. I don't want to mess with the playfield in fear of screwing it up. What's the best thing to wash it with?


I have air freshen plug ins in the room, but that only masks the smell. I really need to get rid of it. I'm sure the smoke is in the wood under the playfield also. There has to be some way to extract that smell.
 
#6 ·
Clean the outside cabinet with Simple Green or the like. Clean the glass with Windex. Don't spray Windex directly on back glass, but rather spray cloth and then wipe down. Don't put any water on the playfield (actual surface the ball rolls on). It can be cleaned with a product called NOVUS and a clean soft cotton rag or old shirt. NOVUS #2 can also be used to clean the plastics (top side, not bottom). The inside of cabinet should be wiped down and cleaned (a vacuum can be used but be sure not to suck up any small parts or lables). Also be sure to really clean the coin door and jam, and legs. Then, if needed you can throw an air freshener inside, but if cleaned well should not have too.


Steve
 
#8 ·
What jeeper said...


I have had good luck wiping down the inside cabinet wood with a damp cloth of ammonia and water solution. Make sure the machine is unplugged! You can also place a small dish, bowl, etc of ammonia inside the machine for a few days. There is a product called "Smells Begone" that works good with smoke. It's an unscented oxidizer, pump spray, that kills smells, google for it. (I get it at ACO in South Lyon as an FYI Steve)


NOVUS will help give it a "new" pinball smell.


A new home and a pinball puts you on top of the world! Congratulations and enjoy!
 
#9 ·
All good suggestions! A good cleaning inside and out should get rid of most of the smell. Check out the RGP (google rec.games.pinball) and find a local pinhead to help you shop the game your first time.


Congratulations on an excellent choice! White Water is a great game!!


Enjoy,


Brad
 
#11 ·
Very common "problem". I had a particularly stinky machine and what worked for me was a combination of things.

- Febreeze the inside of the cabinet every day or so (don't do it while it's on)

- Dryer sheets inside the cabinet (replace every day or so)

- Paper plate with baking soda inside the cabinet (I think this is what did it)


It will take a week or two but eventually the smell will go away. Make sure you clean the outside of the cabinet. Replace paper towels often as they will get yellow/brown ecchhh!!!
 
#12 ·
I had some arcade machines like that... its a combination of smoke and mold. If you can clean every single part of the game. Unlucky you its a pinbal games with thousands of parts. Open the coin door and place a box of baking soda after you do all the above posts. Baking soda will help kill the mold smell as well....
 
#13 ·
I find having baking soda around works the best. I buy from a lot of estate sales for ham/scanner/swl equipment, and I've found electronics to be the toughest thing to get the smell of smoke out of. Clean the crap out of it, I'm always suprised when people smoke (or in the case of arcades allow smoke) around equipment like that. I smoke and don't even smoke inside or in my car, let alone near my equipment. Some of that stuff ends up with an even 1/4" brown **** over the whole thing.


Oh, and use a little bleach on a cloth on the flippers and around them, not only to kill the germs from the other hundreds of people that touched it, but it keeps the smoke smell from getting on your hands while playing. **I don't reccomend bleaching the whole thing!!**
 
#15 ·
What's wrong with the two machines you have? If you need parts, eBay is good. If you need to change bulbs, rubbers, or fuses, you could probably do it yourself. Go to www.ipdb.org and download the manuals for your pins.


If you need serious repairs, post where you are located and maybe someone will have local suggestions for you.
 
#16 ·
I have "Ship Ahoy" by D. Gottlieb & Company (1976) and "Hi-Deal" by Bally (1975). They are both missing a few flipper rubbers and neither one will turn on now. We had these in our basement when I was growing up and they worked perfect. My dad put them into a rec-room in a CBRf that he owned and I got them as they are now. They are both in good shape, just not working.

I'm in Janesville, WI.

I checked the site you send although no manual was listed for either one.

Thanks
 
#18 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by causeofhim /forum/post/0


Any other "pinball wizards" know where I can get help?

I repair all of my own machines but unfortunately I don't know anything about the electro mechanicals. A good place to ask for help would be the rec.games.pinball newsgroup. You can go here: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.pinball/topics


Another great site is the Marvin3m repair site. He has an area for EM: http://www.marvin3m.com/fix.htm Scroll down to about halfway down and you'll see a link for 1930s to 1978 EM (Electro-Mechanical) Repair Guide.


Good luck,
 
#20 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by tidalwdave /forum/post/0


Will I be able to get rid of 15 years or so of smoke?

Any suggestions?

There is a product called no smoke. It comes in a spray can. It really does work well. I have some and used it on one of my games. You may need more than one treatment but it works. Pinrestore on the web sells it. Look under the supplies tab. Hope this helps.
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Attack From Mars /forum/post/0


There is a product called no smoke. It comes in a spray can. It really does work well. I have some and used it on one of my games. You may need more than one treatment but it works. Pinrestore on the web sells it. Look under the supplies tab. Hope this helps.

Thanks, just ordered some. Baking soda worked a bit. Also will wash with Simple green this weekend. Just used Novus tonight. Hopefully all of this will get rid of the smell. I'll also throw in a dryer sheet after I'm done with the above.


Thanks for all the help/suggestions!


Dave
 
#22 ·
as a 10 year smoker who quit and then had to get the smell of smoke out of EVERYTHING i've ever owned I recommend a simple solution of vinegar, water, baking soda, and a bit of lemon juice. Add 2 cups of warm water, 1 cup white vinegar, a scoop of baking soda (dont worry about the fiz..its supposed to happen). I add a bit of lemon because ive read the acidity of it helps plus it gives a nice smell. Wipe down as much of the machine as you possibly can, inside and out..hell do it multiple times.


If you're not happy with the results...After you're done with that, place a small cup or saucer (or multiple) full of white vinegar somewhere inside the machine if you can. The vinegar will absorb the smell better than baking soda. Also get a fan and see if you can direct some air into the insides of the machine. Airing it out is the next best solution to getting rid of smells. Eventually they'll disapate on their own..using a fan only speeds up the process.


Febreeze is a scam, dont waste your money.
 
#23 ·
My pinball machine was stored in a basement during a hurricane where the basement flooded. Unbelievably it still works, however the outside cabinet has mold and mildew on it. I have tried Orange Mr clean, Lysol, Magic eraser. Some if these have removed the paint but not the mold. Any suggestions?
 
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