Vertical and horizontal fingers - Aristocrat Mad Melons

[perre64]

And here comes my next question...
Thanks for your patience.

On the attached photos you can see how the fingers are positioned. Maybe you can tell me if they look OK and are in the right position.

Vertical fingers (from right to left)
A17 22
A17 23
A17 23
A17 24
A17 25
A17 25
A17 27
A17 28
A17 28

Horizontal fingers (top to bottom)
55 851
55 851
55 850
55 849
55 848
55 836

The finger at the bottom are too thick to fit in any slot, so it is placed underneath.

[treefrog]

Did you not check this when removing them, always recommended. I cannot tell you for certain and am not enough of a geek to know part numbers. The vertical fingers looks ok, although whether all three left hand jackpot fingers are correct you will need to check against the awards on the reels, so assume melons, 7’s and bars.

Horizontal again look ok, but when you position them back into machine, you can see if each lines up correctly to the relevant slide as one to match each of them precisely

[perre64]

I did put them back in the same order as when I removed them.
Since the machine didn't work when I bought it I wasn't sure if the fingers were in the right order.
I will try against the awards and see if they match.
Thanks for your help, treefrog.

[perre64]

Now I've tried everything against the awards and I also got the jackpot box in place.

Everything pays out correctly according to the paycard and the jackpot drops when I get three melons, 7's or bars.

Just one little problem:
Three bells drops the jackpot (should only pay 18).

Is there a simple and logical solution?

[badpenny]

Have you stopped the fan and tested every single win combination? To ensure every finger is in the correct order.
The bottom shape of a vertical finger dictates how many slides it will free up for paying out.
Where it sits against the discs dictates which symbols it pays out on.

So if your finger which is currently engaging Bells is knocking out all of the Horizontal Fingers, in theory it doesn't really matter where in the order it sits, so long as it can access three discs (3 oranges - 3 plums etc) it is likely that you'll get the Jack Pot.
I'd be tempted to remove the one's that trip three melons, 7's & bars and compare the shapes to the Bell one.
If the Bell trip has a smaller block at the bottom, then you need to increase the gap between the top horizontal finger and the one beneath it.
If it does match them then it's the wrong finger, however trimming the block so it misses the top H. Finger will do it.

BP

[perre64]

I have stopped the fan and tested every single win combination and it pays out correctly, except for the bells.
So if I understand it right, moving the horizontal finger (marked in the photo) one step up could solve the problem?

[perre64]

It was the spring to the upper horizontal finger that was too slack.
Replaced it and now everything is working just fine.
Thanks again for your patience, badpenny.

[badpenny]

Yay!

[perre64]

As I said, now everything is working just fine and only some fine-tuning remains.
The handle is a little hard/sluggish to pull and the only way I know to adjust it is by moving the dog and anvil (or whatever it is called).
As the timing now is perfect and don't wanna move it anymore.
Is there any other way to fix the handle so it's not that hard to pull?

[badpenny]

That depends on why.
The Dog and Anvil cause shows itself at the end of the pull.
Make sure the bearing caps on the back horizontal bar are oiled, likewise the kicker and slide reset mech.
If they're ok then post a photo of the dog and anvil the very moment before they trip.

BP

[tallstory]

Isn't the Dog and Anvil the pub where Mad Melons works behind the bar? If you go in there, watch out for Bearing Caps as he's a bit of a kicker especially when he's well oiled.

[perre64]

[perre64]

Hello BP.
Everything is oiled and this is what it looks like the very moment before they trip.

[badpenny]

From an initial glance it doesn't look like it's overstretched.
From the angle of the dog I reckon the handle isn't bottoming out before it fires.

I would remove the mech from the case, use a long screwdriver to crank it slowly and investigate the different parts of the mech as they come into action. Prod around with a small screwdriver and see if you can pry anything loose or ease anything on its way..
You might have to uncouple parts of the mechanism like the coupling levers between the clock and the timing bar so as to narrow down the culprit.

BP

[perre64]

OK, I'll keep on tryin.

[perre64]

I can't find anything that seems strange, but I guess you guys can.
Made a small film (from different angles)

[badpenny]

Seeing it in the flesh, I guess you could afford to wind the Anvil back in a couple of mm. But that's not a lot and it's hard to say how much difference that would make. Like I said a couple of days ago The Dog and Anvil cause shows itself at the end of the pull.
Is that what's happening or is the stiffness constant?

[perre64]

At the end of the pull.
Not constant.

[badpenny]

Then use a black permanent marker and draw two lines on the shank of the anvil.
One either side of the collar it slips through. This will allow you to reposition it to exactly where it is now before you move it.
Undo the securing nut on the top and tap it back a couple of mm.
You might want to try a bigger move if that doesn't help. If no good you can always put it back where you started by using the black marks.

[perre64]