Shine On

I enjoy collecting old stuff, but I don't restore anything. I just try to make whatever I've found better. I like to take something broken and make it work again. If something is dirty, then I want to clean it. I enjoy removing surface rust, and I like to polish what's dull into a shine.

The coin door on my Teacher's Pet pinball machine is a good example of how I work. The eBay seller ranked the coin door's condition at a 5 out of 10. Here's a picture from the listing.

I cleaned the painted surface with a couple of SOS pads. I don't think SOS pads get enough press in the hobbyist world. The steel wool does a great job at removing deep seeded grime, and the soap keeps the surface from getting scratched. After being scrubbed, I used a cleaner car wax to give the old paint some sheen. Here's what it looks like now. 

I don’t repaint most of my projects. I think an imperfect, polished surface looks pretty good if the chrome near it shines. That's why I replaced the bolts that hold the door to the cabinet with new ones. I also let the coin slot, the coin return lever, and the coin return door spend a few days in the tumbler. 

This part was all but black before.

The Schwinn bicycle that I rescued is another example of this idea.

I think the chrome distracts you from the scratches in the paint.

The bike is currently hanging upside down from the garage's ceiling, but you can get the idea.

Then there's my Bug: shiny paint and shiny chrome. It doesn't seem to matter if the original paint is pitted, chipped, and scratched. Few people notice. They just see the shine.

I don't think I'll keep these things forever, and sooner or later I'll sell them. The next person will have the opportunity to keep them original. Old stuff is only original once.