Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

General vintage slot machine related topics.
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coppinpr
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Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

True, I do like to work on machines that are pretty far gone, but this poor chap is on life support. I think the allwin serial killer kidnapped him and tortured him with a paint brush at some time in the past. Still, as you can see, I've made a start. :o
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brigham
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Re: win a spangles..I do like a challange

Post by brigham »

Oh Lor'!
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treefrog
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by treefrog »

I am the odd one out here and love painted allwins....perhaps not this colour scheme ;-)

Have seen many in the past, especially the BM co’s with fairground folk art scrawls on the front. Trouble is they get in the hands of the collector who wish to turn them back into coffins. I do not blame operators for brightening up their dull machines, I still have a Giant Wonders in fire engine red and prefer it to the other three in my collection....

Not sure the pink will be a loss here though. :lol:
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coppinpr
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

There are some odd things about this machine. First, of course, it could never have looked good in this paint, the lock has been removed, blocked up and a small padlock hasp fitted(?), then there is the coin box access. It's nailed shut!! and I do mean nailed shut. Thing is, the coins still go straight down the chute into the lower area - you just can't get them out... ever! Not as it's set up at the moment. !PUZZLED!
Strange thing is considering the outside, it works fine and has very little wrong inside, one small spring (I think) missing and the coin entry is not authentic, but it works fine in every respect. Nothing I can do with the backflash - it's not that it's worn but that it has corroded away over the whole surface. Poorly stored I suspect, but at least the paint protected the case in storage.
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special when lit
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by special when lit »

I once painted an Anglia van in the same colours!
221590018_aef5565a38.jpg

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coppinpr
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

You didn't have an arcade full of allwins at the time did you? I shouldn't think so, your brush work looks far superior. My allwin looks like the painter used used a yard broom as a paint brush. !!ARTIST!!
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badpenny
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by badpenny »

That allwin along with the other one you are aware of Paul came from Kings Hall Aberystwyth
Both machines were discovered in the cellar at the time of the demolition of the building in1989.
They were rescued by a young man who just squirreled them away.

If I recall correctly, at some time in the 90s he suffered poor mental health when his Father died unexpectedly. After not leaving the house for a long time his situation worsened and he tried to busy himself by repairing and "prettying" them up. He clearly had no practical skills and soon gave up, along with several other activities he'd tried to fill his life with.
Sadly he shortly afterwards decided his life was unbearable and ended it.
The machines were gifted to a wonderful old man who had been a window cleaner in the town and knew the Mother & Son. He'd feigned interest in the lad's activities to try and help him. The Mother couldn't bear seeing them around so she gave them to him thinking he was interested.

Trying to research them led him to your website http://www.penny-arcade.info/ You passed the contact to me, and I collected and paid for them. He only released them because he knew we were genuine enthusiasts and would do our utmost to do the best for them.

I restored the other one, which apart from the same paint job, was missing glass, locks, back, parts of mechanism etc. and it was sold on two auctions ago. It ended as a fine machine bearing none of its previous scars.
The amount it realised at Coventry covered the cost of the two machines and probably the petrol, but not the materials used.
I released the other to you as it's now your turn.
Good luck with it, I know you will do it proud and recall its past and experience before we got involved, as you do so.

BP :cool:
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by dutchboy »

I like the stories behind the machines I have. Sadly, many times it’s unknown or people are not interested to share it. Nice read badpenny! Greetings.
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arrgee
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by arrgee »

If this were my machine I would print out the story that BP has told, laminate it and then fix it to the inside of the back of the machine for posterity where it can be seen. So little is known of many of our allwins that I think this is a great piece of heritage to have with the machine.

Good luck with the resto PC
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john t peterson
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by john t peterson »

It's the humanity behind these machines that ultimately binds us together. A nice story, BP, complete with charitable work all around.
Well done. !THUMBS!

J Peterson
Allwins 4 all, USA
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coppinpr
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

Although the two pink allwins came to BP and me as a joint venture through our www.penny-arcade.info website, this is the first time I've heard the history and I will for sure laminate it up and mount inside the finished machine.

I've now removed the paint from the door - turns out it's first coat of paint was white, then deep purple before it acquired its green and pink livery.

The backflash was completely covered in a rough white corrosion. To my surprise, this rubbed off to expose a very bright and clean backflash. Unfortunately, long splits and very bad buckling mean it's not salvageable, so it's going to be replaced. The mechanics are all there and working. It does have a makeshift internal coin drop from the coin entry to the coin chute, so I'll need to find one of those.
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badpenny
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by badpenny »

john t peterson wrote: Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:09 pm It's the humanity behind these machines that ultimately binds us together. A nice story, BP, complete with charitable work all around.
Well done. !THUMBS!

J Peterson
Allwins 4 all, USA
Thanks for all the comments guys. It's good, every now and again to give back a bit to this hobby of ours.

BP |/XX\|
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coppinpr
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

Well the interesting bit is finished, paint removed, new backflash, top flash, replacement lock, and a couple of springs, plus a good polish up for the chrome... Now for the case :#:
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by jimmy55 »

You don't hang around Paul! Looks really good.
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special when lit
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by special when lit »

Lovely job.
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coppinpr
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

What did strike me as odd is all seven spaces on the ball gallery are set as winners. I'm no expert on allwins, but I seem to see all others with a lose at each end? The gallery and internal ball hopper are definitely original and have no way of delivering a loser. Was this common? With the ball return set to free play on a win it seems to make the machine a poor earner for sure.
As you can see the ball gallery was one of those areas that needed a bit of work :lol:
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john t peterson
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by john t peterson »

These sweets allwins normally keep the ball if it misses the gallery "win" slots and drops down to the out hole at the bottom of the interior rail. Most that I've seen even have a small metal piece that swings from a nail right over the out hole which stops the ball as it careens around the bottom of the rail. If your game just drops the ball back into play, you should be able to make an interior adjustment to prevent this and make the punter put in another penny for another go.

J Peterson
Swinging free in America
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coppinpr
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by coppinpr »

No, you misunderstand me, the machine has the usual internal switch to allow the operator to switch from free ball on a win to dead ball on a win. I've intentionally got it on free ball as I'm not trying to make a profit. :D It the ball misses the gallery it does fall into the drain and is a loser, but even with the free ball on a win switched off the machine is a poor earner with seven winning tubes on the gallery.
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brigham
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by brigham »

There is either a 'lost' hole, or one or more 'lost' tubes in the gallery.
I can't say I've noticed both, although I imagine itinerant operators have created some.
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badpenny
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Re: Win a Spangles... I do like a challenge

Post by badpenny »

Not all allwins have a lose hole at either end of the gallery.
If they do then they have the metal shoulders at each end which deadens the energy and makes the ball drop into the lose holes.

Without the shoulders it's much more difficult to power the ball into the centre of the gallery without it hitting a pin and bouncing off and into the lose gulley.

I'd bet a bottle of Scotch you could easily lose the vast majority of games with that set up.
I'd also have a tenner on the Dalai Lama …… if I were a Tibetan Man.

BP !!UHOH!!
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