Sourcing & making springs for slot machines

Advice and guidance on repair and restoration techniques.
geofflove
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Sourcing & making springs for slot machines

Post by geofflove »

I need some very small extension springs and can’t find a reasonable source. There are lots of mixed spring sets on eBay but all too big.

The ones I need are the light ones which return the penny trip lever on Oli Whales machines and also the spring on the ratchet lug.

Ideally a mixed set of tinys would be great as I know I’ll need various ones in time but if not if anyone know the rough spec and source of these particular springs it would be very helpful.
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pennymachines
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by pennymachines »

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badpenny
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by badpenny »

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht394- ... ollection/
Is where I get mine.
Alternatively: -


BP !!YIPPEE!!
pennymachines
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by pennymachines »

Or...

geofflove
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by geofflove »

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I’ll take a look. And may try the home made route
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special when lit
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by special when lit »

I recently needed a long, weak spring for a Sega jackpot, & got one from here.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304-Stainles ... 2749.l2649

Took a couple of weeks to arrive, but was cheap & what I wanted.
tallstory
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by tallstory »

I have made my own and it's easier than you might think using piano wire. It is the thickness of the wire and the spring diameter that determine the strength and you can get these dimensions from the one you want to replace. It takes a bit of experimenting to get the size of the mandrel right as the spring is always bigger once the tension is released. All you need is a speed controlled electric drill to turn the mandrel slowly while you feed the wire onto it wearing leather gloves to protect you hand. The mandrel doesn't have to be anything sophisticated - I used an old nail.

If you need an exactly specified spring, try Flexo Springs who have an enormous range to choose from and supply from stock in a day or two. Not as cheap as making your own but a top quality product. Their website is at flexosprings.com
geofflove
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by geofflove »

Thanks. I’ve ordered some piano wire so once that comes I’ll give it a try. How hard can it be?! Lol.
santelmann
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Re: Springs for allwins

Post by santelmann »

It's officially documented that J&M use hardened piano wire for their skill system and main springs in the '30s. :cool:
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badpenny
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Springs and Sprungs.

Post by badpenny »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

The time comes when it occurs to you that correct springs are critical to the smooth working of your machines.
Then it's not long before you also realise that “Any old spring fitted any old way” is a hit and miss affair.
We often see questions on here “Where can I get the proper springs for my ….”

And we point out you can send lots of dosh to Americaland, then wait bucket loads of time for a small envelope to turn up. Often you'll also see a miserable reply from yours truly here pointing out you can buy a box of 200 assorted springs (compression and expansion) all diameters and lengths. About £8 from Machine Mart or from China via eBay.

Wherever you source them from, it's guaranteed that at some point you're going to have to adjust one, if only to get the length right or alter the loop on the end.

Here is how to construct perfect fittings/loops to the ends while also making your springs adjustable in length for future tinkering ….

For effective Spring Smithing I recommend gathering yourself a kit consisting of: -
Assorted Springs X 200 £8.00
Assorted Springs X 200 £8.00


Assorted Split Pins £5.00
Assorted Split Pins £5.00


Wire Cutters £6.00
Wire Cutters £6.00


Long Nose Pliers £6.00
Long Nose Pliers £6.00
Long nose pliers.jpg (3 KiB) Viewed 3180 times


Dental Picks £5.00
Dental Picks £5.00

If you've had to adjust a spring's length, you'll end up with one that is missing at least one of its end loops, perhaps both. The loops you'll manufacture will add length to the spring and will also retract into the spring making it possible to shorten the stretch for adjustment.

Choose a suitable split pin and cut the head off leaving an inch length on its legs.
Now bend the legs 90 degrees away from each other. Opening up the spiral at the end of the spring feed one leg into the wall of the spring and twist until the other leg also winds itself on. Now it's secure use your long nose pliers to bend the legs up, thus trapping it in place. The more you turn it the further in it'll wind and the shorter will be the reach and of course vice versa.
New and adjustable end loops in place
New and adjustable end loops in place

The Dental Picks will allow you to reach into the middle of the machine and pull springs into place and attach the ends.
It's not so complicated as I've made it sound, and with little practice you'll soon be knocking them out.
grains
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by grains »

Great advice badpenny, very helpful indeed - Thank you
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watlingman
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by watlingman »

Those Clarke springs are OK for simple jobs but not good for 3 reel mechanisms. They don't have enough longevity in them and stay stretched almost! '!'
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badpenny
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by badpenny »

Agreed David, there are wishy washy ones included for those needing to adjust their nail scissors or renovate paperclips.
If you're looking to change anything beefy like a clock spring or a kicker's then you'll need substantial replacements.
Otherwise I've done ok.
Like most I've never thrown anything anyway and the point I'm making most is how to effectively adjust and reuse.
After all David we haven't all got our own high tech engineering company ;-)

In the 60s when I would turn up to do my Summer stint at Uncle Gordon's arcade in Paignton, I knew that every machine he was operating would contain rubber bands somewhere inside, and would have been like that since Easter. My first week would be spent nicking ball point pens in order to rob out the springs. I soon learnt they would fit pay out fingers, and let's face it if they weren't strong enough to actuate a win, Uncle Gordon wasn't going to lose any sleep.

BP !SAINT!
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dickywink
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by dickywink »

I was lucky enough to buy on Ebay some 40 year old spring kits from RS... They are really good and still turn up on Ebay occasionally... Do and save a search for RS spring kits and you will be surprised. :)

all the best ..... dicky
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badpenny
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by badpenny »

I did search and it came up with drum brakes and shock absorbers.
I think it's identifying RS as in Ford RS?
You said made by RS, who are they?

BP
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badpenny
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by badpenny »

Belay that last one, I found this https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/spring-kits/0684428
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arrgee
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by arrgee »

As always a sage snippet of useful and creative information BP regarding adjustable end loops to springs. !SMARTY!
I am sure that the dental picks will also be very useful in readjusting my incisors as the gleaming tooth enamel gives way under the high velocity impact from the spring as I fail to locate it correctly on its holding lug.
o0O0o
tallstory
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Re: Springs and Sprungs.

Post by tallstory »

badpenny wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:20 pm I did search and it came up with drum brakes and shock absorbers.
I think it's identifying RS as in Ford RS?
You said made by RS, who are they?

BP
Old folks in the electrical trade, like me, remember RS as Radio Spares and that is just what they sold. They do much more now and have moved up market and won't call themselves Radio Spares any more - just RS Components. They are really a distributor rather than a manufacturer.
sutty
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Sega Mad Money clock spring

Post by sutty »

Topic moved & merged - Site Admin.

In April 21, I ordered a clock spring, and a few others, together with a bunch of bolts, from Mr Slot, in the US, but nothing ever came of it, or my money, so I have given up waiting and ordered some piano wire, of various sizes.

I decided to tackle the clock spring first, because it's the thickest I have to do, and I figured it would be the hardest. I used a DOS based calculator, and a resource I found online to work out the mandrel size, and looked at pictures of the spring to try and work out its size, and wire thickness. My calculations showed I needed less than 1m of my chosen wire, to make 40 turns, plus a few extras for the hook ends, but I was mistaken.

I ended up winding the whole metre, and after putting the ends on, ended up about 5 turns short. However, it seems to be working okay, and it looks sort of okay, so I'm going to have to live with it, at least for now. One thing's for sure, it's a damned sight better than the elastic bands I had been using, to test my mechanism.



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Sutty
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special when lit
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Re: Sega Mad Money clock spring

Post by special when lit »

Looks good. Was it difficult to do?
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