Topic: Hi all. cleaning/restoring questions...

[pharoah007]

I recently purchased my first foosball table (we called it "jitoni" or "jits" when I was a kid) and am in the process of restoration it.
It looks like this... (not my pic)....
http://www.franglo.com/classifieds/files/small/42761.jpg

I did a bit of research and then used some isoprophynol alcohol to clean of the play-field.

Play-field is nice and clean now, however I am wondering....does anyone the further treat there play-field? 
Examples
            Wax (carnuba 100%)
             Other polish type products
             Mylar sheet (HEAVY duty see through plastic used in pinball machines to protect the play-field from HEAVY metal pinball's)
             Ect ect ect



2nd question is about balls...

Is there a better type of ball brand ball out there? Or are they all the same? 

Thanks everyone.
           

[kayko2000]

Not too sure about specific balls on specific tables, but the latest and greatest balls right now seem to be the ITSF balls (look like Tornado balls, but are a darker red).  Apparently, these balls aren't supposed to lose their fuzziness from use.  The pink Tornado balls were the standard before, but do get slick after a while and require some soaking and cleaning.

[pharoah007]

Not too sure about specific balls on specific tables, but the latest and greatest balls right now seem to be the ITSF balls (look like Tornado balls, but are a darker red).  Apparently, these balls aren't supposed to lose their fuzziness from use.  The pink Tornado balls were the standard before, but do get slick after a while and require some soaking and cleaning.

Thanks man, I will look in to those balls.

What about the playfield. Is something like 100% carnuba wax good to use or bad?

[foozkillah]

Not too sure about specific balls on specific tables, but the latest and greatest balls right now seem to be the ITSF balls (look like Tornado balls, but are a darker red).  Apparently, these balls aren't supposed to lose their fuzziness from use.  The pink Tornado balls were the standard before, but do get slick after a while and require some soaking and cleaning. 

Thanks man, I will look in to those balls.
What about the playfield. Is something like 100% carnuba wax good to use or bad?

Sorry Kevin (kayko2K), but I believe that although the latest darker red ITSF Tornado balls are much improved for grip and roundness, as well as playability out of the box, I'm pretty darn sure the consensus best balls for pharaoh007's and similar type Tornado/Warrior/Harvard surfaces are the yellow Warrior balls.  From the pic, it looks like a '74--79 TS green/bluetop knockoff but with the "coke bottle" '79-'84 TS browntop handles.

Anything from Tornado-play-only players without experience of the Warriors as well as others like Bonzini, RenePierre, std hard Harvard, American, etc.. balls, could only be a pretty limited analysis from limited experience.

There are hundreds who've played both Mary and Brendan's IFP Warrior tour, as well as always having played the Tornado ITSF majors and most of their locals and regioinals are on coin-op Tornados, of course, and they pretty much give full approval to the yellow 2008-9 Warrior ball.  Hands down.

[Old Meister]

Don't wax! Just keep it clean.

[bbtuna]

wax is BAD BAD BAD....nothing on the table surface except Hot water and elbow grease or if you have to use a cleaner use a 50/50 mix of water and 409 cleaner

check out my discussion in the link below, part 5...not everything pertains to you but a lot does...I would recommend getting the silicone Tornado uses

http://www.foosball.com/forum/index.php?topic=2704.0

on the ball, you definately don't want hard white fake soccer balls - I would get some of the new Tornado and the Warrior balls and you decide which you like best on that surface...probably with those early Tournament Soccer men, the Warrior ball will be the best...I would probably order 4-6 War and 2 Tornado

[pharoah007]

tanks again all.

here are some pictures of my actual table. Maybe this will help with a positive identification. It as a Wilson brand and the ball serve holes have "Sport Craft" printed on them, the same Sport Craft company seen on the air hokey table at center ice.

I can get some dedicated pics if need be.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/pharoah007/DSC04943.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/pharoah007/DSC04947.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/pharoah007/DSC04950.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/pharoah007/DSC04949.jpg

[foozkillah]

;;;
on the ball, you definately don't want hard white fake soccer balls - I would get some of the new Tornado and the Warrior balls and you decide which you like best on that surface...probably with those early Tournament Soccer men, the Warrior ball will be the best...I would probably order 4-6 War and 2 Tornado

Ohh.. I dunno..  I used to disdain those funny little hard white plastic soccer balls..  But I got curious one day many years ago, and there were often a few thrown in at many venues, probably by a lazy provider or distributor worker when balls went missing.  I started purposely learning to PIN and TIC TAC and COMPLETE PASSING SERIES' with those really slick non-round balls on an older DeutschMeister at the student union, one with the DM men with the big squareblock toes and absolutely square edges.   I even started practicing and playing with these on an old old outdoor glasstop Tornado WITH LOOSE PLAYER SCREWS at an old drive-in movie theater and flea market arcade.  BACK and FRONT PINS or SHOTS were an adventure. 

Over the years, I still played locals wherever I was with either the standard DM white, the rockhard Harvard white, the much better TS whites, the superior yellow paraffin Dynamo ball, and of course three or four variations of the red Tornado "moonrocks."  I made sure to warm up with those on match days..  Adjusting back was a lot easier.  One thing I immediately noticed, especially on the 5bar, was my increased feel for ball control on the more "standard" playing balls.   I also eventually started getting the impression that 99% of the mundane rightsided players, even up to pro level, I met over those years seemed sort of "crippled", with myself being a converted leftie.  I'm kinda thankful for my adopted but "dumber" right side, which I pull, pin, tic tac and rollover with using body memory from drills and practice...  More consistent than that "frisky" right side wrist and forearm I see with a lot of righties.

So it might be a good idea to keep a few of those... I use a set of those 90's superslick supershiny "Red Hots" Tornado balls, almost no grip, warp and all, and just make sure I get to warm up on the newer 5hr darkred wannabeWarrior Tornado balls before matches at locals.  The initial experience is MIND BENDING, at first, trying to control them, much less tic tac and practice passing series, but it's fun now ...  And I keep my ball control at a high level with these.  You would think the difference in touch and feel would hurt, but not if you switch soon enough to the softer grippier modern balls... they are extremely forgiving.

Oh and yeah... one other thing I learned... never practice shooting with rocks or the soccer balls  ... they do royally screw up one's shots... but for 5bar and overall ballcontrol...  they twist yer mind and body well ...