Coin Slot Magazine - #076 - 1981 - June [International Arcade Museum]
bly, such as an escalator, reel basket, bonus mecha
nism, or the like, including not just what to do, but how
THIS MONTH'S HINTSON
and why as well, so that you will fully understand the
function of each particular component. Additionally, I
would like to answer individual questions asking for
service hints or tips on both mechanical bell and
RESTORATION
AND
electric console repairs.
REPAIR
If there is something you want to know--or want to
tell me--write to me in care of THE COIN SLOT, and
By Marc Harrison
everything you want to know about slot engines, from
"fan to flywheel", will be revealed. Remember, it's the
engine that turns the wheels, or in our case, the reefs.
THE ENGINE TURNS THE WHEELS
| THIS MONTH'S HINT:"]
When preparing club-type handles for rechroming,
All of us love to see a perfectly restored slot machine.
Beautifully finished oak cabinets with shining chrome
and polished aluminum, intricate castings with painted
details, even new carriage bolts and trademark decals-
-truly a marvel to behold. We all understand what a
labor of love such a machine represents and appre
ciate the skill and craftsmanship possessed by the
restorer. But the job is incomplete, if inside this won
derful exterior resides a dirty, rusty, maladjusted
mechanism which works about as poorly as it looks.
one must remove the ball from the end. In order to
accomplish this, it is often necessary to destroy the
ball--and then the hunt is on for a replacement. A gear
shift ball is the right size, but the shift pattern on the top
renders it unsatisfactory. The answer? It's as close as
your nearest Sears store hardware department. A two
inch diameter unfinished wooden ball #9-61433 can
be had for about fifty cents. The ball has one small flat
spot suitable for drilling to accommodate your handle
shaft. If your shaft is threaded, you can drill and tap the
ball, or drill and insert a tee-nut of the appropriate size.
In my eyes, beauty is the perfect blending of form
and function--a beautiful enclosure married to a preci
sion mechanism. All too often, however, we see a
These balls can be painted with wet-look spray paint to
magnificent cabinet coupled with the flaming wreck
age of a once proud slot machine engine. This can only
be considered a half-baked job and is certainly not a
varnish orclearlaquerforthat natural finish. Eitherway
they look great and are the least expensive way to
solve an otherwise costly problem.
restoration. After all, it's the engine that turns the
wheels, and each mechanism deserves the same type
of comprehensive restoration that everyone seems so
give them that extra hard and slick appearance, or, for
a change of pace, sand them very smooth and apply
ready to lavish on the cabinets.
It is my observation that for many people the first
step in a restoration is to remove the mechanism and
set it aside until it can be reinserted in its newly
finished cabinet. Perhaps this is because so many
owners find that the slot engine is a complicated
mystery beyond the scope of their knowledge or
understanding. Not so, for if you have the slightest
affinity for mechanical things then you can rebuild a
mechanism from the frame up.
It is my desire to turn all of my readers into expert slot
mechanics with a full knowledge of all aspects of the
rebuilding, repair and adjustment of every single part
of every popular bell machine mechanism. Sounds like
a big project, but keep in mind that most of these
machines were designed and developed during the
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List of Advertisers — June
Americana
Amusement Sales Co
Bernie Berten
Page 11
Page 23
Page 25
Chicago Antique Slot Machine Co
Coin-Op Amusement Co
Coin Slot Books
Coin Slot Books
Page 7
Page 9
Page 15
Page 39
Page 2
Page 10
Bill Harris
Stan Harris
Home Amusement Co
Jukebox Jim
Jukebox Junction
Page 40
Page 14
Al Meekins
St. Louis Slot Machine Co
Schneir
Sotheby's
Wagon Wheel
Page 35
Page 5
Page 11
Page 3
Page 23
Page 31
In each subsequent article I will give step-by-step
instructions on how to rebuild a particular bell assem
© 36
The
International
—THE
COIN Arcade
SLOT Museum
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
June 1981