What bandit to restore?

[badpenny]

Go to B&Q buy yourself a thin sheet of metal and make one.

BP

PS ~ Top Box that is, not a bandit ……. you'd need about four bits of metal for one of those!

[brianh]

BP - I think you're confusing me with someone who knows what they are doing Most of my handiwork keeps our local recycling centre busy

But I may, being serious for a few secs, have a crack at it - after all it can't really be that difficult can it ???

[badpenny]

Once you've got dimensions right you'd then fashion a strip which when bent forms the required shape blank at the back with a frame around the front. The graphic sits inside the front frame and a square of metal forms a back to it. Two pieces of chromed tube (B&Q bathroom fittings) will cover a couple of bolts to secure it.
You could also run wires up them if you wanted to fit a light inside. Coppinpr could help you with a suitable graphic.
Jobs a good'un and packed full of self satisfaction.

BP

[treefrog]

Ha ha BP you do make me chuckle.

[malcymal]

Well late seeing this post but here's a list of my purchases and my experiences in them.

Jubilee Mk1 twin jackpots - The guys on here helped me a lot, and yes, no electric was a big plus. This was a good machine to get to grips with as you could open the front door straight up and remove the mech easily to work out what wasn't working then easily slot back in. Things like reels going slowly, handle pump not working etc, adjusting clock fins to get speed of reels correct etc.

Second was a Sega light up clone - Very easy to work on but access to mech is from the rear. Not too much a problem if you are leaving machine out somewhere but I didn't have a lot of space and the Jubilee could sit on a stand and I could remove the mech a lot quicker when it was playing up.

Third - British refurb of a German machine (the Roma, it's on this forum). This just involved me picking the locks and just playing it a lot as I was lucky in that it was all there but just gunked up.

Fourth - Sega Windsor. Not so good to get to grips with as it used electricity for solenoids on play cycles and of course electricity worries me a lot. I got there in the end but these have chrome doors and get pitted. Massively expensive to rechrome.

Fifth - Jubilee OXO (Powell's conversion). Easy to understand, it had two plays for one coin and this took some fixing, electric just used for lighting.

Sixth - Sega Continental - I'd avoid these like the plague; they are massively heavy; lot of brightware which gets pitted which is expensive to get done; even with the mech out they are like lifting a safe. The only ingenious thing about them is that the mech can be pulled forward still in the cabinet and has a swivel turntable at the bottom. I guess this explains why they are so heavy as they won't tip.

Seventh - Bally Gold Award - Nice size machine but all uses electric for coin in and out and got a sting off one; they burn out a lot (friend owns local amusement arcade in Pagham with around 20 Ballys and slowly they are dying out as he can't find replacement parts).

Eighth - Aristocrat Olympic (it's like an Arcadian mk2) - lovely machine to work on, easy to understand, electric only for lights, great starter machine. If you get a 1p one you can get the coin entry laser cut to take 20p coin, fabulous money box.

Ninth - Aristocrat Esprit - Another easy to understand machine, uses plastic reels and plastic cogs (which can wear), but it's simple and electric just for lighting.

So that's my take on the bandits I've bought and everybody on this forum has helped me with each and every purchase. I concur with the guys here: Jubilee or Aristocrat to get going. Take your time over it; don't rush in. Photos on ebay etc. can be deceptive to condition. Ask if you can view, play the machine, see if coins go in, pay out etc. Check the chrome work out. Is machine open? The times I've seen the words "we have no keys and the machine is locked but easy to drill out". Believe me, Ace locks are really hard to drill out and then you've still got to find the door opening component somehow through the drilled out hole. If the machine is open locks can easily be replaced and some locksmiths can rework a new key to fit the existing lock. Good luck with your hunt but be warned, you will end up buying more!!

[brianh]

Thanks for all your help and advice guys.

Malcymal - lot of useful info there and will bear in mind. Hadn't intended getting more than 1 but, as your last comment confirms, that'll never happen! Got one Allwin 3 years ago just for the fun of getting it working and am now on number 7!

[malcymal]

Well there you go! They are addictive. Importantly too when you buy one get what moves you or will fit in the decor of the home. Too much emphasis placed on value of machines imo rather than what actually looks good on your eye. I’d rather have an aristocrat regal than a mills hi-top; burn each to their own and for me it’s about memories of playing the make and model when younger. Get something honest for about £250 that needs little work, paint jobs are relatively easy and good fun to do, if things needs major rechrome walk away, such as a Jennings ! I’m sure there are folk on here who have something tucked away who can message you with stuff they are willing to part with.

[coppinpr]

There are often top boxes at Coventry (especially now you said you need one ). If the artwork is wrong, you can easily change it.

[brianh]

Thanks coppinpr but in fact I was outbid on that one by a computer app with 1 second to go but if you see my subsequent post on the subject of a jubilee rivierra colossus -
(Postby coppinpr » Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:49 am The payouts are, of course, harder to troubleshoot without seeing the machine. First thing to check is that the reel strips are on in the right positions, although unlikely. What makes me wonder is that it pays the jackpot. Oe of the basic mistakes made when replacing reel strips is to simply line up the BARS and think all the others will line up. The first thing to check is if the payouts are indeed random or are they paying on the same odd combinations each time).
- I bought the Jubilee instead. I am currently keeping a log of the payouts which, apart from one of the jackpot lines - COL-OS-SUS, which pays out correctly, the rest appear to be quite random with the symbols and the coin amounts. As a complete novice with bandits but keen to learn, may I then post the results and seek your (and brigham's who was also helpful) kind advice please on what to do next?
Many thanks......Brian (if this should be put on the jubilee rivierra post, apologies, and feel free to move it)

[coppinpr]

The more info and photos you post the more we will help.
If they are truly random then it's possibly the fact that it's paying out WITHOUT any symbol combination. This can be caused by the slide brake not holding the slides back every time after the machine cycles. Dirt and small timing adjustment would be the most likely cause. The jackpot line paying out correctly would be because the jackpot releases all the slides and is overriding the error, if you see what I mean. What does the machine do on say 3 oranges? Anything? Random? Correct?

I was outbid on that one by a computer app with 1 second to go

I always use "esnipe" - that way you have as much chance as anyone else and (in the UK at least) it costs only $1 per item to use.