Mills vest pocket

[backflippin]

Hello pennymachines!

First post here so thought I may as well start in this section.

I have 2 mills vest pocket machines, 1 has been converted to 5p the other is still on sixpence. They are in fairly decent condition and the 5p machine works fine and is only missing the coin return flap. I intend to restore the sixpence machine and would like to hear what experience people on the forum have had with this slot.

Anyway looking forward to reading the posts.

Steve

[badpenny]

Welcome to the forum "backflippin" Glad to know you.

Lovely little mech the vestpocket I'm very fond of them, so boring from the outside but when you crack one open.... WOW!

I read somewhere that they looked the way they did to appear similar to coin operated radios that were seen in Greyhound bus stations.

I first played one in a bar in Jersey in the very early 70's, it was snatched out of my hand and disappeared back under the counter when a stranger walked in. I also know of one that used to be passed around a car factory (in Coventry) always finding its way back to its owner by the end of the day.

Let us know how you progress with the restoration.

Badpenny

[backflippin]

Will keep you posted.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a service manual for these vest pocket. I have found an operators manual but can only find someone selling a reprint on ebay.com.

Can you remeber if the one you played in America was chrome or blue like one of mine. I fancy having a really shiny chome one.
Steve

[operator bell]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a service manual for these vest pocket. I have found an operators manual but can only find someone selling a reprint on ebay.com.

I have a PDF of a service manual somewhere - I'll hunt it down tonight.

I've never seen an original chrome Mills Vest Pocket, they were always hammer finish as I recall, but I guess there's nothing to stop you having yours chromed. You're probably thinking of the Sega version ("Mini Sega") that had a shiny chrome case.

[backflippin]

I spoke with Jack over at MFP Co and he was very helpfull. Apparently the Mills machine came in a chrome version according to the operators manual. After speaking with Jack he has convinced me that trying to chrome the casing is very hard due to the casing being subject to warping at high tempretures.

The machines I have are of the jackpot variety and were mounted on a draw which would open when the jackpot was scored, there is a pin which pops out the bottom to open it to reveal the jackpot.

If you find the PDF of the service manual that would be great I am really getting into documenting a bit of information while I restore them.

Steve

[operator bell]

Rather than post a very large file, I'll just direct you to where I found it - Ray's Antique Slots. There's a shipload of interesting, hard to find manuals and other documentation here. I see from the model list therein that several Mills models were available in chrome.
Phew, thanks for getting the forum back up, Penny Machines. Good job.

[backflippin]

Thanks for the link but that is the operators manual I already have. There is someone selling a reprint in the states for $10 so will probably buy that and scan it.

Steve