Bryans clock mechanism questions
Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 6:28 pm
I suspect you saw the Bryans Clock mechanism that sold on eBay last week, which took my fancy as I was really inspired by the conversion Grand National done by Fruitbowl a few years ago, which I though was great.
Mechanisms have often come up at auction for under £100, but I thought £20 was worth the risk to buy blind.
Never worked on a clock and love to occasionally play with something other than the usual bandits. The mechanism looked complete, but was totally solid, had not moved in a long time. After soaking all joints, bearings and pivots and lightly tapping them with a small hammer eventually freed it up. Spent a further 6 hours playing, adjusting and trying to figure out how each part worked. Am pretty now reasonably knowledges on most adjustments now including coin payout which needed to be changed and now runs well.
So some questions I have not worked out....I think this machine is a 6 win and has an early serial number. The 12 and 24 win payout, I see there is a ratchet which operated every 12 rotations of the 12 win position which unlocks a blocking arm that allows the machine to pay the full 24 coins. Does this mean in theory once every 12 wins of 12 coins you would get the 24 win Apologies if this sounds a bit confusing.
Next question, is that the instructions state free plays every so often. I have yet to work out where and how the free play works and where the components are for this
Lastly, my pay disk has been slightly butchered. I removed a bug from the 8 win and as you will see below there is a weird sprung loaded arm on the 12 win slot stopping any wins, no idea why this is sprung loaded Also the operator had trimmed each of the 2 win slots to make it easier to win these, maybe in compensation for the loss of big wins. May have to make sleeves for each of these to return to their given win positions....
Anyway, at some point plan to make a simple cabinet, not Bryans clock shaped with a new theme.....
Also one topic discussed may times in the past which I have now changed my use of is grease. Definitely needed on these machines like the timing bar and other impact points and not oil. I also now use grease on all my bandit restores for certain key points as from experience oil drys up too quickly. All these years you see people discuss removing horrible greasy gunk from machines, this stuff was there for a very good reason
Mechanisms have often come up at auction for under £100, but I thought £20 was worth the risk to buy blind.
Never worked on a clock and love to occasionally play with something other than the usual bandits. The mechanism looked complete, but was totally solid, had not moved in a long time. After soaking all joints, bearings and pivots and lightly tapping them with a small hammer eventually freed it up. Spent a further 6 hours playing, adjusting and trying to figure out how each part worked. Am pretty now reasonably knowledges on most adjustments now including coin payout which needed to be changed and now runs well.
So some questions I have not worked out....I think this machine is a 6 win and has an early serial number. The 12 and 24 win payout, I see there is a ratchet which operated every 12 rotations of the 12 win position which unlocks a blocking arm that allows the machine to pay the full 24 coins. Does this mean in theory once every 12 wins of 12 coins you would get the 24 win Apologies if this sounds a bit confusing.
Next question, is that the instructions state free plays every so often. I have yet to work out where and how the free play works and where the components are for this
Lastly, my pay disk has been slightly butchered. I removed a bug from the 8 win and as you will see below there is a weird sprung loaded arm on the 12 win slot stopping any wins, no idea why this is sprung loaded Also the operator had trimmed each of the 2 win slots to make it easier to win these, maybe in compensation for the loss of big wins. May have to make sleeves for each of these to return to their given win positions....
Anyway, at some point plan to make a simple cabinet, not Bryans clock shaped with a new theme.....
Also one topic discussed may times in the past which I have now changed my use of is grease. Definitely needed on these machines like the timing bar and other impact points and not oil. I also now use grease on all my bandit restores for certain key points as from experience oil drys up too quickly. All these years you see people discuss removing horrible greasy gunk from machines, this stuff was there for a very good reason