# Episode 203 - 1932 Ballyhoo Cleaning Questions

**Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2015-09-30  
**Duration:** 16m 51s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-203-1932-ballyhoo-cleaning-questions

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## Analysis

Nick Baldridge responds to listener Mike Ogilvie's questions about restoring a 1932 Ballyhoo pinball machine, covering playfield cleaning methods (Gojo hand cleaner, waxing techniques), metal pin polishing, and cabinet alignment issues. Baldridge emphasizes careful testing on vintage machines due to fragile artwork, recommends Milwax for protection, and provides specific guidance on pin removal and cabinet assessment using IPDB research.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Gojo hand cleaner can be used for cleaning 1932 Ballyhoo playfields, but must be tested on hidden areas first due to risk of artwork damage — _Nick Baldridge's direct recommendation to Mike Ogilvie, with explicit testing protocol_
- [HIGH] All cleaning chemicals leave behind a haze that must be wiped with circular cloth motions before waxing — _Nick Baldridge's explanation of cleaning residue handling_
- [HIGH] Milwax is preferable to carnauba wax for vintage machines because it is less likely to pull flaking paint during application — _Nick Baldridge's personal preference and reasoning about applicator methods_
- [HIGH] Ballyhoo's playfield is not screwed into the cabinet and does not have a traditional shooter lane, instead using a ramp structure — _Nick Baldridge's IPDB research consultation during the podcast recording_
- [MEDIUM] 1930s pinball cabinets typically held up well due to superior joinery and smaller construction compared to later machines — _Nick Baldridge's general observation based on limited woodworking knowledge and experience_

### Notable Quotes

> "Ballyhoo is a very old machine and as such you have to treat it carefully. So most of the cleaning methods that I recommend will in fact work on the Ballyhoo, but you're going to want to very carefully check."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, ~02:45
> _Sets the overarching principle for vintage machine restoration—caution and testing_

> "You'll need to assess the condition of the game by running your hand over and see if there's any flaking paint. If there is, then you're going to want to be incredibly careful. If there's not, then you should be good to go."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, ~03:00
> _Key diagnostic step for assessing restoration risk before cleaning_

> "Do it in an area that your eye is not immediately drawn to when you look at the game. Doing one closer to the front of the game is more dangerous because if there is an adverse reaction with the playfield artwork, it's unpredictable."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, ~04:15
> _Practical risk mitigation strategy—test in least visible areas first_

> "Milwax does have a bad reputation in some circles because it's silicon based, it smells awful and it's possible to misapply it in such a way that you can get it all over the place because it's a liquid, but it is designed in such a way that you are less likely to damage the game in the application."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, ~07:30
> _Candid assessment of Milwax trade-offs and why it's still recommended for delicate machines_

> "When you pull those pins, if you don't have a good firm grip over fifty percent of the way down the pin when you pull, you're likely to damage the playfield, so be sure that you're using an appropriate tool that can grasp those pins very well."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, ~10:00
> _Critical technical guidance on pin removal technique to prevent playfield damage_

> "Well through the magic of the internet, I just paused my recording for a moment and then looked it up on IPDB instead of being so lazy."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, ~14:30
> _Demonstrates use of IPDB as real-time reference during podcast for accuracy_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Nick Baldridge | person | Podcast host and EM/Bingo pinball expert providing restoration advice |
| Mike Ogilvie | person | Local pinball player and collector restoring a 1932 Ballyhoo, submitted listener questions |
| Ballyhoo | game | 1932 pinball machine being restored by Mike Ogilvie; subject of the episode's technical advice |
| York Show | event | October 9-10 pinball event in York, Pennsylvania, featuring bingo row machines and Jeffrey Lawton autographed books as prizes |
| Jeffrey Lawton | person | Author of pinball/bingo books; prizes offered at York Show |
| Gojo hand cleaner | product | Recommended cleaning product for playfield spot-testing on vintage machines |
| Milwax | product | Silicon-based wax product recommended for protecting playfields on delicate vintage machines; preferred over carnauba for application safety |
| Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish | product | Polish recommended for polishing escutcheon pins and metal parts |
| IPDB | organization | Internet Pinball Database used by Nick Baldridge to verify Ballyhoo construction details |
| For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast | organization | Podcast series hosted by Nick Baldridge covering EM and bingo pinball restoration and gameplay |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Vintage EM playfield restoration and cleaning, 1932 Ballyhoo machine technical details and repair, Cabinet alignment and woodworking repair for 1930s machines, Waxing products and application methods for playfield protection
- **Secondary:** Metal pin and escutcheon polishing techniques, York Show event and bingo pinball celebration, 1930s pinball machine construction and durability

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0)

### Signals

- **[restoration_signal]** Detailed guidance on safe cleaning methods for vintage 1930s playfields using Gojo hand cleaner with spot-testing protocol to assess artwork condition before full application (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge's comprehensive methodology for testing and applying cleaning products, emphasizing area-specific testing and residue removal
- **[restoration_signal]** Milwax recommended over carnauba wax for delicate machines due to lower risk of pulling flaking paint; cost estimated at ~$10 total (confidence: high) — Explicit comparison of wax products with reasoning about applicator methods and paint preservation
- **[restoration_signal]** Critical guidance on proper grip position (50%+ down the pin) using appropriate tools to prevent playfield damage; alternative methods using drill with fine sandpaper or Mothers Mag polish (confidence: high) — Detailed technical instruction with safety emphasis and mention of fear factor for first pin removal
- **[restoration_signal]** Assessment of Ballyhoo cabinet construction (unscrew playfield, ramp-based shooter assembly) using IPDB research; guidance on spring cabinet gluing/clamping for open seams (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge's real-time IPDB lookup during podcast, comparison to other 1930s machines, explanation of playfield seating and shooter rod alignment
- **[historical_signal]** 1930s pinball machines typically featured superior joinery, smaller construction, and greater durability than later machines; spring cabinets less common but do occur (confidence: medium) — Nick Baldridge's general observation based on limited woodworking knowledge and experience with 1930s machines
- **[community_signal]** Listener Mike Ogilvie submitted detailed restoration questions via email, citing podcast as valuable resource for EM restoration guidance (confidence: high) — Listener email and Nick Baldridge's acknowledgment of podcast's utility for community
- **[event_signal]** York Show scheduled for October 9-10 in York, Pennsylvania, featuring first-ever bingo row with machines from across eastern US; Jeffrey Lawton autographed books as prizes for bingo winners (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge's opening announcement of event details and promotional information
- **[restoration_signal]** Pre-cleaning assessment critical for 1932 machines: hand-test for flaking paint before applying any cleaning products to determine safe cleaning approach (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge's diagnostic methodology emphasizing flaking paint detection as gating factor for cleaning method selection

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## Transcript

 What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Still gearing up for the York Show. The York Show is October 9th and 10th in York, Pennsylvania. Correct数 vinden Over attracted to the home to the first-ever bingo row will be a large number of bingos a different cream. Connectmonteconsmilecard этогоziehся Here is all around the eastern United States. Knapp very exciting first time impact but able to celebrate if you come and play.. if you come and play the machine.. And you get four or five in a line. You can win one of Jeffrey Lawton's autographed Ballybingo pinball books. But for tonight, I received an email from Mike Ogilvie. Mike is a local pinball player and relatively new pinball collector. Emails. Nick, I'm gearing up to restore a 1932 Ballyhoo. I've listened to a lot of your podcasts on cleaning playfields, metal parts, and cabinets and had a few follow-up questions. Number 1. I'm planning on using the products you recommended to clean the playfield and the metal parts. For me, that's mostly escutcheon pins. Did they leave behind any type of residue or film that I would need to worry about before applying wax? And number two, the cabinet for my ballyhoo is a bit askew, not square. You can't really tell by looking at it. But a few corners have open external seams, and the lane that feeds the ball into the shooter lane is off by just enough that there's not enough clearance above the plunger for the balls to drop in front of the plunger. Do you have any recommendations on how to correct this? There are no obvious defects in the cabinet woodwork. I was thinking of using long clamps to apply pressure diagonally. Thanks for providing the podcast. It's a huge help. Mike Ogilvie. Well, thanks Mike for your email. I'm really happy that you're enjoying the podcast and I'm happy to keep making it. Now to answer your questions. Ballyhoo is a very old machine and as such you have to treat it carefully. So most of the cleaning methods that I recommend will in fact work on the Ballyhoo, but you're going to want to very carefully check. You'll need to assess the condition of the game uh... and by that i mean the actual playfield artwork run your hand over and see if there's any flaking paint if there is then you're going to want to be incredibly careful if there's not then you should be good to go And here's what I'd recommend for cleaning. The first thing is that you'll have to pull all of those pins. What I would suggest, because all the pins are going to be the same height, is to measure before you pull how much of the pin is above the playfield surface Write this down Pull all the pins in one area which is relatively far away from your eye And then what I would do is use that Gojo hand cleaner and you're going to want to be again very careful and Just clean a small area around the hole for one of the pins. Do it in an area that your eye is not immediately drawn to when you look at the game. Doing one closer to the front of the game is more dangerous because if there is an adverse reaction with the playfield artwork, Captined July 20,��b우�rustu unpredictable, Musleascateurs C którą?. Tomo Chh 파이더 발�ctorérique아하�사�치야? k counted молод alleine카냑 베 Jessie진약상아하에어를자도 royal mélmart 활용기 arm양조용기 after The artwork. Then you're going to need to clean in a different way. And the method that you choose, you're going to have to do the same stop and test before just going full bore because it's quite possible that you can end up removing all of the artwork. Now, you would ask if any residue would be left behind. And the answer with any cleaning chemical or formula is that yes, there will be some haze left behind by this product. You want to wipe it up. So you want to take a clean cloth and rub in circles and wipe it up. Once that's done and you've managed to clean the entire playfield then you should be able to wax and you do in fact want to wax. This will protect the artwork that you've exposed 43 O gridin No Sand to Kill Pins So, 43 multi- para pincè of It's hard to use. You can either use the Milwax or you can use something like Milwax. Milwax is what I use and it does have a bad reputation in some circles because it's silicon based, it smells awful and it's possible to misapply it in such a way that you can get All over the place because it a liquid but it is designed in such a way that you are less likely to damage the game in the application it doesn take a whole heck of a lot of mill wax to apply to a playfield and for a game this old I would highly suggest using that However you can use a carnauba wax as well The only issue with those is that typically you have to apply using an applicator or a microfiber cloth or something of that nature When you do so it possible to pull up flaking paint Now you want to apply with a cloth or a rag for the mill wax as well. You don't want to just pour it all over your playfield, but it's easier to push too hard with a Caranuba applicator than it is with some kind of rag with mill wax on it. It's my personal opinion, my personal preference. You do what feels right to you as far as wax goes. But you want to let it haze up, whatever it is, and then wipe it off, again using a circular motion. Go slowly, test frequently, and make sure that you're not doing more harm than good. When you pull those pins if you don't have a good firm grip over fifty percent of the way down the pin when you pull you're likely to damage the playfield so be sure that you're using an appropriate tool that can grasp those pins very well and pull otherwise again you're going to pull up uh... the wood surrounding the pin once you've done one and see how it's done the rest will be very simple to you the first one though there's a bit of a fear factor involved if the cabinet seems to have opened Second question regarded the cabinet and if it's a skew if the seams have opened if you're able to visually see that the cabinet is popping apart then yes you want to glue and clamp but I happen to own a game from the thirties myself and the way the playfield sets the shooter rod is built in to the cabinet It's a separate piece but uh... it sits on its own piece of wood which mates up with the wood of the playfield. I'm not familiar with Ballyhoo's shooting rod arrangement although I believe I've played one at the York Show in years past. If it's anything like the game from the thirties that I own, which is from an entirely different manufacturer and much later in the thirties, but assuming it's anything like it, it is possible to set the playfield in in such a way that the shooter lane and the block of wood that the shooter rod is mated to are not flush if this happens when you serve a ball it's gonna hop over that little gap every single time and this of course greatly reduces force with which the ball is struck by the shooter on so you want to take some time and inspect and make sure that that playfield is actually sitting down as it should Now another thing to note on games of this vintage is that the playfields are typically screwed down into the cabinet There are some side rails which typically extend into the cabinet that the playfield sits on and there are Hey there t meow tffective classes Early dobrd UN under the Again, I'm not 100% sure with Ballyhoo if it uses the screw down method or not. Well through the magic of the internet, I just paused my recording for a moment and then looked it up on IPDB instead of being so lazy and It appears that the playfield is not screwed into place. It also does not have the shooter lane The ramp up to the playfield and this is where that mating happens right at the top of that ramp at least if this picture can be believed which I think it can. So hopefully that gives you some ideas. I've seen several games from the thirties that certainly have sprung cabinets and require gluing and clamping, but that tends to be the exception. These games tended to hold up fairly well due to the nature of their cabinetry. The The joints were much nicer and so forth with my limited woodworking knowledge. And they tended to survive better because they're smaller. Of course stuff happens and maybe someone dropped it or stepped on it. You never know. All kinds of stuff could So, hopefully that helps. As far as the pins themselves, you can either chuck them up in a drill and take a very fine sandpaper and then drill them into the sandpaper, essentially polishing the heads, or you can The the more consistent approach polish the entire nail with mothers mag in aluminum Polish as far as cleaning supplies is still set you back you know total about 10 bucks if you got some racks hanging out on so it's relatively inexpensive approach Only Àl You can reach me at 4amusementonlypodcast at gmail.com or you can call me on the bingos line at 724-BINGOS1, 724-246-4671. You can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Casts via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter at bingopodcast. You can follow me on Instagram at nbaldridge or you can listen to us on our website which is 4amusementonly.libson.com. Thank you very much for listening and I'll talk to you next time.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 151b712d-ee39-43c3-97b3-70d9cb74f02f*