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Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 5:13 am
by ls14garlo
Hi everyone.....
I bit the bullet a week ago after months of searching. I always wanted a 1950s/1960s Sega machine but realised people were usually asking "mad money" (see what I did there?) I managed to get hold of a Bonanza Star, completely original (apart from the coin acceptor - I think it's a Shefras?) I only say that because it's got an escalator window which it bypasses. Anyway, it worked a treat when I picked it up (from Redditch), I'm in Leeds.... It was quite rough because it had been sat in the chap's garage for the last ten years. so when I got it home I took it apart and cleaned and oiled (if needed) bit by bit. I am pretty good at stripping and rebuilding machines (it's my job at a printers). It's cleaned up quite well and operates as well when the reel mechanism is out, but I have a problem.... When the mechanism is back in it, the arm won't pull unless I pull it part way and then pull the levers back first, then it works fine and pays out. The coin mechanism works correctly and it looks like every-thing's doing what it should do, it just seems to lock unless I do what I said with the arm and levers. If there's anyone who might have an idea where I'm going wrong or lives in Leeds who can give me a lightbulb moment, any help would be appreciated!! I haven't been able to get the illumination to work but that's for another day - it could be anything. If I need to post in the help section moderators, just let me know... Sorry for the lengthy introduction ha ha, but everyone's desperate for a proper old fashioned play on my new bandit!!

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:09 am
by coppinpr
Hi, welcome to what is definitely the best slot site in the world (that is not an idle boast).
Firstly good machine to start with... pretty much indestructible, secondly you do realise this will lead to many more machines... a shortage of space at home (unless the hobby causes the wife to leave which has many disadvantages but does free up slot machine space.

As to the problem, two things, post in the Q&A section as well as here and answers will come thick and fast. second photos, we love photos. Problems are quickly fixed if we have photos. So I'm just guessing without a photo of the mech IN the case from the rear.
It could just be you have slid the mech in wrong. This is easy to do. Either it's not in all the way (check it slips past the slightly raised notches on the base plate and the lock hole for the retaining bolt aligns). If that's not it, look to see if the top vertical bars that link the mech to the case are slotting in correctly. The hooked one should go over the adjoining bar on the case coin escalator, not under, which can happen. Other than that, photos please.

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 1:34 pm
by ls14garlo
Thanks coppinpr..... I'll post some pics on the Q&A, I'm pretty sure it's seated right,everything lines up..only problem I think is how the reel mech is lined up in relation to the handle,I took photos as I took it apart for reference but what I need to look at when it's all in,you can't actually see because it's all back in the machine. I'll take the mechanism out and get a decent photo of it,on the lever side,there could be something obvious that I'm missing!! Thanks again....

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:09 pm
by badpenny
Are you saying ........
The mech works fine outside of the case when you manually operate the coin detecting lever?
However when you replace the mech in the case and insert a coin it doesn't?

You're talking about pulling the levers back.
Are you describing the horizontal lever up near the escalator that locates the coin?
Or are you referring to the numerous vertical levers (fingers) on the side that locate a winning combination through the reel discs?


I suspect there's nothing wrong with your mech, I think you're Shefras escalator needs adjusting.
Follow this link Click Here and go to third post down

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:32 pm
by ls14garlo
Thanks for the advice badpenny.... I'm pretty certain the escalator is adjusted right - it all works in and out but only if I pull the lever that has the rod over the coin tube about 3mm (it's not yet, by then, moving the rod at all, like there's a bit too much play on the lever?) So long as I do that it works in and out of the case with a coin... By the way, is the Shefras designed to hold one coin about half way down (just beyond the adjusting holding pin), 'cos it releases it when another coin is put in the slot? I maybe barking up the wrong tree but it seems there is a bit much play on that lever (it's bolt upright but will draw back that 3mm or so before it "bites" as if it could be worn). I seem to be going round in circles ha ha. I'm sure I'm looking too hard for a problem that probably doesn't exist!!

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:58 pm
by coppinpr
If, as BP suggests, you're saying the rod that detects the coin needs to be just a little further back for the machine to work then it's a very simply adjustment, but one that caught me out recently and BP cured. I'll find the thread and you can see if that's the problem.

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 4:06 pm
by coppinpr
Here is the thread. Are we talking about the the area in the small photo? The adjustment is the screw marked with an arrow, but read the thread to see if you have the same problem: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5417&p=37164#p37164

And, yes the roll down type escalator will, usually, hold a coin until the next one enters.

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 4:47 pm
by ls14garlo
I followed a tutorial I found on YouTube to adjust the coin detector pin. It said that it needs to be barely touching the coin - that's how I've set it. I'm not 100% sure it's correct. It was a Mills escalator, but I'm assuming it would work the same way? The lever I mean pulls back a rod that sits over the coin tube and moves out of the way when the arm is pulled to let the coin drop into the tube. If there's one thing, I've learnt loads about bandits this past week. I've got to say they're an amazing bit of kit... and I hit the jackpot this afternoon when I was messing with it and it paid out correctly as well, which is a bonus 'cos I accidentally dropped the payout slides when I took them out and had to work out which one went where... Oops!

Re: Another noob!!

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:59 pm
by coppinpr
The bar you're talking about is not critical in any way. By the time the coin gets to that point the handle should be free to pull.
The thing about the roll down escalator compared with the Mills is it's not so well made. If you look at the other end of the coin detector bar you will see the hanging arm that needs to be in the right place for the handle to move. Yes, the coin needs to just touch the feeler but the hanging bar at the other end needs to be all but touching the mech connection at that same point in time. What happens when you pull the handle is this:

An upright arm on the mech tries to move forward towards the case; if it can move forward the handle can't be pulled. If there is a coin in the escalator, it will stop the detector pin moving forward which will hold the hanging bar firm, the mech arm will push against the hanging arm can't move forward thus allowing the handle to work.