STAR*TECH Journal
0
November 1993
AMOA1993
THE BEST AND WORST
Todd Erickson
Summit Amusement
St. Paul, Minnesota
SURPRISE
Many times we purchase a
new game and we don't see an
increase in gross from our pur-
chase. In these tight times we
can always use a cost saver to
increase our bottom line. Just
such an item, to my surprise,
was at this year's AMOA show
in Anaheim, California (Octo-
ber 22-24, 1993).
COIN JAMS
Coin jams are around 25% to
35% of our service calls. Our
industry has been plagued
with a coin mechanism that
dates back about 50 years. The
cradle is probably the biggest
problem 'with the standard
mechs.
'I'HEOLDWAY
The coin must stop then start
again. The magnet slows the
coin down for acceptance. A
Canadian coin will hang up on
the magnet causing a problem
if it is not ejected. The mech
must be adjusted correctly and
the button pushed in all the
way. Once a coin stops and
then more coins are inserted, a
major jam starts. Not a very
good system.
THE NEW WAY
Imonex showed their new one-
coin mech at the show for the
first time in our industry.
Their three-coin mech is stan-
dard in the Rowe Jukebox.
This mechanical rejecter is
completely new. It has no
cradle. The coin rolls on the
edge and it is sized with
ramps. For Canadian coins it
has a magnet which works like
a Valley Pool Table-it doesn't
hold a Canadian coin, it pulls
the coin off of the ramp.
CONCLUSION
I fell this coin mech will elimi-
nate between 75% to 90% of all
coin-related~
service calls.
What
we
don't know is
how much
more money
we will ac-
cept by not
having "walk
aways"
players los-
ing
their
coins,
smacking
the machine
and leaving.
Once a coin
mech
1s
jammed ev-
eryone loses
their money. ,-.,
TESTING
I have tested
the mechs at