See-Saw

[JC]

Here's my latest project, a wall machine called See-Saw, which I completed in August. It's a unique design, not copied from any other machine. The game-play is quite simple: On inserting a coin, the right-hand knob is turned and a ball pops out at the top of the playfield. The left-hand knob is turned in order to rock the see-saws, the object of the game being to guide the ball to the bottom centre of the playfield for coin return.
When half way through completing the machine, I began to have doubts as to whether it would actually work, as I thought the ball might prove to be uncontrolable when it landed on the top see-saw, and just instantly roll to the bottom left or right of the playfield. As it turned out, it's a fun game to play, and not too difficult to win.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the end result.

[pennymachines]

Let me be the first to say FANTASTIC JOB JC!
Most impressive! Nice to see a game in the spirit of the old mechanicals but also quite unique.
I've "invented" a dozen coin-operated skill games in my head - but actually building them is another matter.
Dare I ask how long it took?
Now we need a video of the See-Saw earning cash in your arcade.

[JC]

Thanks Pennymachines, you'll have to come down to Brighton sometime and play it. As you will have read in the magazine, See-Saw is in 'number 2' arcade, which is now closed for the winter, so I'll try to get some video footage next year.
As for how long it took to build, I hate to think! I was working on it over a period of about five months, along with half a dozen other machines. Unfortunately, only one other is finished! (Details of which I shall post shortly).

[bryans fan]

Let me be the second to say what a great job you have made of it. Looks really smart, and I can`t see MDF anywhere. The mechanism looks very neat and robust! Your engineering background has obviously come in handy. I think you have done well to get it done so quickly.

Excellent Jerry.

[slotalot]

Hi , I was down at Jerry's No 2 arcade a few weeks before it opened and had a preview and play on both of Jerry's new machines, and they are every bit as good as the photo's, the workmanship is top rate and they should last for years, well done Jerry I can't wait to see the others...

[badpenny]

Well done matey, it certainly looks the part, I know you've sweated blood on this so it's great to see such a superb result.

[speedwell]

STUNNING ! I trust the ghost of Mr. Bryan is looking on with pleasure. I note out of interest that the control knob is for the left hand (which would suit me !) -- any reason and are you by any chance left-handed?

[JC]

Thank you all for your comments - seems See-Saw has a universal thumbs-up, which should at least inspire me to complete all the other half finished machines lying around the house!
In answer to Speedwell, no I'm not left-handed. The design of the machine required the ball tube to be adjacent to the coin chute. I had originally intended the ball tube to be on the other side, but the ball release and coin return parts of the mechanism wouldn't have worked this way, without winning and losing balls having to take an unnatural route. As the coin chute is designed to be mounted on the left side of the back-board (viewed from the rear), then the ball tube had to be mounted this side also. The position of the knob controlling the see-saws doesn't seem to be a problem when playing the machine.