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Hi all. I picked up my first bandit yesterday and overall its pretty good (I posted the picture on another post). The payouts work, the coins are accepted, spins quite nicely, the jackpot activates but needs some clearning on the underside. Ive got to put a bit of sewing machine oil on the clock as you can hear its a bit dry. The machine is very clean inside, theres no trace of rust anywhere.

Just one problem with it, when you pull the handle it doesnt fully return to its rest position. Is there anything i can do to solve this, e.g. is the spring shot, oil the handle insides, is it something more sinister? I havent attempted to remove the mechanism inside at all, left it all how i picked it up, gonna work real slow.

Secondly, with real strips, they are quite dusty and some of the mild grime brushes off . Im aware they are old and made of coated paper, do any of you guys try and clean your reel strips with anything or is this extrememly risky?

Overall its a great machine for what i paid, its going to be a nice little project but im not going to rush anything on it, so seeking you guys and girls for advice. Ive got a lot of polishing of the metal work today on the outside, the handle chrome is very good as is the jackpot windows. Is there any general maintenance topics on this site, step by step guide on bandit maintenance. Lots of questions i know, but much appreciated, thanks Malc

Glad you got it and are happy.

After you've pulled the handle and let go does it return on the damper gently or does it fly back?
When it's rested do you have to push it back to vertical in order for it to accept the next coin?

I tend to wipe paper reel strips with a fresh cloth onto which I've sprayed a bit of furniture polish, but somebody else will probably come on and scream NO! I always use strawberry jam or something. So you takes your choice ......

Badpenny

Thanks Badpenny, no the handle does not fly back. You have to give it some encouragement by moving the handle back. Inside the machines, the handle pushes down on to the reel activation bit (this is where the tension comes) and because the handle doesnt fly back the returning mechanism on the reels (im not sure what you would call this, i suppose i can call it 'cocking or loading' the reels to spin around. This then Does not come back up fully as the handle mech inside is paritally in the way. Im finding myself pulling then pushing the handle back. I must say though that looking at all the parts they all look pretty dry, so there is no grease or oil visibile. My first thoughts were the spring on the handle, and maybe oiling where the handle joins the case of the machine. My feelings being that the spring looks okay, if it was stronger it would pull the handle back, or its seizing as not lubricated properly. I may be completely on the wrong track, i hear about pistons on other posts etc but the machine is not going bang or anything like that. All help much appreciated.

Okey cokey..........

Firstly don't put grease anywhere near the mech. Grease is a disaster, it dries out and then does the opposite to what you'd require of it. It also attracts all the dust and dirt which just makes everything worse. Light oil on things like the clock are ok, but never on the coin slides (payout)!!

If you see any greased parts WD40 them clear of it.

The piston damper is your first suspect regarding the handle. I'm sure by looking at how it operates you can see how it works. Sometimes the air outlet hole on the top gets blocked so instead of slowly returning it just compresses the air and stops.

Suggest you return handle to vertical by hand and then slide out the mech. If it's dirty and greasy, don't put it on the table without first placing a nice smart piece of lace under it first, better still place it on the new carpet.

Now remove the piston damper. It is connected at the handle and at the top of the cabinet, usually split pins and a nut and bolt jobby.

Dismantle it. Open the the piston up and also unscrew the bleed valve at the other end. Make sure you have a tight fitting piston, you might have to splay it out a bit, the face will be made of either leather or rubber, a drop of oil helps. Clean the bleed valve out , they get gummed up. Re-mantle it, and see how that goes. Finally blame the tortoise for the mess on the carpet.

Thanks Badpenny for this information. I will have a look tomorrow when im feeling fresh so not to cock anything up, therefore i understand that grease is the evil of all evils for machines. I can see some grease on the reel cog plates, i will get this off. The coin payout is perfect, ive used good uncirculated shiney sixpences and its all okay. The jackpot mech works but is a bit stiff underneath. I doubt this machine has had any attention for a long time. I have a long journey, im a master of pachilso (modern equipment with complicated PCBs etc), working out the mechanics of this slot is going to be interesting. Incidentally, there is a manufacture sticker inside the machine, it says the model is a 'silver jubilee'. Not sure what this means, the real strips are silver in background. Im hoping when i remove the whole mech to find some more clues in there as to the age.

For the bare metal alloy payout tray and fascia, i remember having an old mills when i was a lad and it shined up beautifully, i cannot remember what i used, it might of been brasso?? sorry for another question. Just very excited about it all. Thanks, Malc

Sure, no problems, the bare metal bits will polish up a treat, I use autosol.

Let us know how it goes

Its definitely the pump, doesnt do nowt. Im not risking making a pigs ear of it so im getting a reconditioned one from Henry Powell, so i send my one to him and he will do it up. Had a lot of fun getting the gubbings out.
Found lots of old foam of the back door that had perished, luckily not all gone in the mech, just hoovered it all out. The bit of polish on the cloth and very light cleaning of the reel strips is bringing them up a treat. The jackpot mechs are now working brilliantly, grime inside, and now consistant on both sides.

malcymal wrote:Its definitely the pump, doesnt do nowt. Im not risking making a pigs ear of it so im getting a reconditioned one from Henry Powell, so i send my one to him and he will do it up. Had a lot of fun getting the gubbings out.
Found lots of old foam of the back door that had perished, luckily not all gone in the mech, just hoovered it all out. The bit of polish on the cloth and very light cleaning of the reel strips is bringing them up a treat. The jackpot mechs are now working brilliantly, grime inside, and now consistant on both sides.

Good oh! That was an easy one then. The foam thing is common with Jubilees also with Aristocrats, must be an Australian fetish. Gets everywhere though. When you say the back door I think you mean back of the cabinet?

Enjoy!

Badpenny wrote:Okey cokey..........

The piston damper is your first suspect regarding the handle. I'm sure by looking at how it operates you can see how it works. Sometimes the air outlet hole on the top gets blocked so instead of slowly returning it just compresses the air and stops.

Suggest you return handle to vertical by hand and then slide out the mech. If it's dirty and greasy, don't put it on the table without first placing a nice smart piece of lace under it first, better still place it on the new carpet.

Now remove the piston damper. It is connected at the handle and at the top of the cabinet, usually split pins and a nut and bolt jobby.

Dismantle it. Open the the piston up and also unscrew the bleed valve at the other end. Make sure you have a tight fitting piston, you might have to splay it out a bit, the face will be made of either leather or rubber, a drop of oil helps. Clean the bleed valve out , they get gummed up. Re-mantle it, and see how that goes. Finally blame the tortoise for the mess on the carpet.

When you say the air outlet hole on the top, i can see a hole. The piston is lying down, the hole is facing to the front of the machine as the pump lies (is this what you mean on the top?) . The bleed valve (i think ive found this, it has a column like bolt about 2.5inches tall, with a slot for a flat screwdriver, this is then screwed into the pump at the rear nearside to the back case of machine, should this be tight or have a recommended position? it was very dirty and oily on the bottom) Im tempted to have a go following your instructions, it sounds easy. Any pitfulls, will i need a new piston face (can i make one?)

I'm working from memory here, as I don't currently have a Jubilee to look at.

I'm going to start at the beginning in case somebody else has the problem and doesn't have it dismantled in front of them like you have.

I believe the manufacturer called it the handle buffer assembly.
The pump and linkage (part Nos 240A, 246,247 & 247A.....just showing off now, ask me where my specs are and I'm buggered!) sits inside the cabinet on the right hand side.
The pump itself sits at the top and its barrel is hinged to bracket (245 attached to the cabinet) Out of the bottom of the barrel is a long rod that goes inside the barrel and has the leather piston screwed on the end of it. The other end of the rod is attached to the lever assembly that bolts through the cabinet to the handle.
Both ends of the buffer assembly are held in place by a split pin. By removing the split pins you may remove the pump assembly, it will drip oil, gunge and and all manner of tablecloth staining muck.
Locate the bleed valve. In my time I've seen several variations but it is a very small hollow bolt that screws into the pump barrel and tends to have an even smaller screw tapped into it. This can be adjusted to vary the outlet thus speeding up or slowing down the return speed. It will be located near the top end of the pump barrel to keep it away from the oil etc. inside the barrel.
The bottom end of the barrel (where the rod linkage enters) needs to be removed to allow access to the leather piston). Again variations exist, sometimes they just unscrew sometimes there is a tiny screw tapped through the wall of the cylinder which holds the bottom in place.

Yes you can make your own replacement leather seal, often the old one just needs a bit of reforming.
I'm puzzled by your comment "The bleed valve (i think ive found this, it has a column like bolt about 2.5inches tall" That sounds tall to me.

Have a go, you can't do any harm.

Badpenny wrote: Have a go, you can't do any harm.

You can if you try hard enough.

Bent Copper wrote:

Badpenny wrote: Have a go, you can't do any harm.

You can if you try hard enough.

LOL !! Guess that's always been my problem, no perseverance!

Well, the mighty Badpenny solved my problem identifying it was a mills pump in the machine. I set to work, the bleed valve was filthy, the rear of the pump was covered in orange foam, the piston was grimey and sticky.
After a lot of cleaning and patience and a tiny bit of 3in1 oil on the handle fixing, the handle all runs like a dream now and smoothly returns to the correct position without a thud, crash...lovely and smooth. Jackpots are now really perfect, there was a couple of small springs off on the rear of the machine on payout slides, combined with grime its all brilliant. Under the payout tray i found 75 sixpences, lost in time.... My sincerest thanks to the grand master, Badpenny, cheers mate, youre a star.

Okey cokey..........

Firstly don't put grease anywhere near the mech. Grease is a disaster, it dries out and then does the opposite to what you'd require of it. It also attracts all the dust and dirt which just makes everything worse. Light oil on things like the clock are ok, but never on the coin slides (payout)!!

If you see any greased parts WD40 them clear of it.

The piston damper is your first suspect regarding the handle. I'm sure by looking at how it operates you can see how it works. Sometimes the air outlet hole on the top gets blocked so instead of slowly returning it just compresses the air and stops.

Suggest you return handle to vertical by hand and then slide out the mech. If it's dirty and greasy, don't put it on the table without first placing a nice smart piece of lace under it first, better still place it on the new carpet.

Now remove the piston damper. It is connected at the handle and at the top of the cabinet, usually split pins and a nut and bolt jobby.

Dismantle it. Open the the piston up and also unscrew the bleed valve at the other end. Make sure you have a tight fitting piston, you might have to splay it out a bit, the face will be made of either leather or rubber, a drop of oil helps. Clean the bleed valve out , they get gummed up. Re-mantle it, and see how that goes. Finally blame the tortoise for the mess on the carpet.

This helped for me ..... thanks Badpenny
Here are some pictures ..
[url]http://www.flickr.com/photos/95340567@N ... 509391011/[/url]

Edited by mods.

An excellent set of relevant photos to put meaning to my verbal dribble ....... which ....... incidentally I don't remember writing.

BP