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John T. Peterson wrote:It's back again, the original one that started this thread: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111598460413?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

The USA is in fact a small world after all - another one of these just sold there and with identical park paint to the previous one John spotted a couple of times. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Penny-arcade-pe ... 7675.l2557

And interestingly I just found I'd saved both images of the interior door instruction papers to replace in my own machine. Note both have had the Bolland name and address torn off exactly the same. I'm sure both these machines came from the same operator before being shipped to the USA in the 1970s.

Good detective work, Gameswat.
I remain in semi-constant amazement at the number of British amusement machines that landed here. At some point, we Yanks need to organize a museum display of British coin-op. Then you lads can come to the US to see your mechanical heritage. For the time being, I'm offering my garage so all who feel the desire to contribute should contact me immediately.

J Peterson
American curator of British history

Let me guess, Gameswat - you detected the model of typewriter and sourced one at your local car boot sale to hammer out an authentic looking reproduction.
Clearly they were individually hand typed because the wording varies slightly.

I do keep a vintage typewriter around for just such occasions. I once tried using computer fonts to replicate typewritering - it took forever and sucked!!

So I'm thinking that the Auto Stereo never had a tin or wooden cash-box, but can anybody confirm if they do have what they think is an original? The typed paper instruction sheet glued inside some of the doors states "Battery is inside money box". The locking money box does not lend itself to really taking a cash-box because the coins enter absolutely against the side of the wood, so there would need to be a funnel to direct the coins from falling down between the cashbox and cabinet. The floor wood directly below the coin entry on my machine does have a small depression from coins having slowly beaten into it. Obviously once a few coins build up this would stop happening though. Also there are two wooden strips glued and nailed to either side of the door aperture to stop the door pushing inwards, and these stop you using a tin cash-box that's a tight fit inside the money box. Though I have tried using a smaller one that was a tight fit with the battery to push against the coin entry point wall. But I always had Pennies that were jammed beside the cashbox and made it hard to get out. There are a few scratches on the right hand side wood caused by my cashbox going in and out over the last 15 years, but no other signs of anything else. Cheers.

Just been remaking the printed and typed instruction sheet that was glued inside the door. I've only ever seen the two examples as shown that turned up on eBay machines in the US, both with the Bolland name and address scratched off. Does anybody happen to have this surviving in their machine they could please take a photo of? Looks like they might have used a shipping label as there is some printed words they typed over. "Per" & "Date" along the bottom typed line and I think "FROM" at the top of the second box above scratched out address.

So after looking at Bolland's letter heads and adverts for cues I based the missing name graphics on the Auto Stereo advert script since this is most likely the same one they had used. I didn't bother with the small "Per" and "Date" (as mentioned above), or the "From" since that was just a guess. I'll add the basic graphic to resources minus the typed in wording since each one should be hand typed and unique. And will also make anybody that wants one have to get their hands dirty since they're getting off easy compared to me! I obviously need a new ribbon as pretty light compared to the others.

OK, so after 15 years I've only just got the machine to where I'm finally happy with the restoration..............and it's sold. Oh well. Took a lot of attempts and layering different stains etc to eventually match the newer base wood with the old cabinet veneer. Made a lot harder than normal as I was trying to age the limed finish on top of the oak, and not straight onto the highly absorbent wood that I normally have to work with. I can't remember having to go to so much effort to achieve a cohesive result as this. Over time I would deliberately bash the broom and mop into the feet to try and build up some patina. Last week I got serious though and attacked them in my workshop with various shaped objects laying around, then some dark staining. When I'd purchased the machine it had nearly all new chrome on it, except the handle. I left the new plating alone until now as always better things to do, but was never very happy so took it all off and scuffed the hell out of it with light sandpapers and wire brushes. Has now blended the whole machine together quite nicely.

You'll notice the girl changed on the mint condition marquee poster. The glued on photo was in perfect cond, but the girl looked a little too young. So I scanned a better example from one of the cards in the machine and printed in sepia tone, then attached over the original with tiny spots of gum based glue that is easily removable.

Well worth the 15 year wait!

pennymachines wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2013 6:06 pm You didn't happen to keep your measurements for the stand did you? I'm not the only collector in the UK who's talked about getting one made...

PM your post above goes back to 2013, did you in fact ever get around to having any stands made? Coin-op hasn't never mentioned those plans I lent him since then either so presumably no.......?

'Presumably no' is correct. There was an example sold for £1000 at the EH in 2014, complete with stand. It looked great, but I don't recall whether it was also a remake. I think it was at that time I decided I didn't need a stand for mine. Space is an ongoing issue on this tiny island, which may be why (when there's an option) I prefer wall-mounted and couner-top to floor-standing games.

Great machines.

gameswat wrote: ↑Fri May 21, 2021 7:34 pmCoin-op hasn't never mentioned those plans I lent him since then either so presumably no.......?

I still have your plans along with your other bits (just need to locate the one item). I thought about making the stand, but ultimately decided that although it would add a degree of ‘completeness’ it didn’t, to my mind, add to the machine and would have required floor space which just wasn’t available.