Mills B-O-N-U-S, Horse Head etc.

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gameswat
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Re: Advice for a new collector

Post by gameswat »

The other machine does look very nice original, but you can still see the faint blanked off outline of the Gold award placement. So they didn't spray them with a filler first to smooth them down. I guess it comes down to the factory painters were doing this every day and were bloody good at their job. Though these were not high end objects but workhorses so I've often seen original paintwork that was flawed in a lot of ways from new. Overspray & poor stencilling etc. I prefer to paint with auto lacquer as it's thin and you can build up layers to get the required look - oh and it dries really quick! :D Usually a primer coat fills any bad marks. Then between light color coats I rub down with 000 steel wool which evens out the fine high and low points somewhat. And when I'm done I always rub down again with steel wool to scratch and abrade the surface a little or lot so it doesn't look at all glossy and brand new. Sometimes I rub over this with an oil based walnut wood stain and this, once buffed off, leaves some yellow/brownish staining to the paint. Then a hand rub with some kind of polish to give a low sheen. I do the same with new plating to give that lived in look so it matches any original plated parts. I also like to wear the new nickel away on coin entries and handles etc. so some brass shows through, this really looks right on old machines.
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coppinpr
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Re: Advice for a new collector

Post by coppinpr »

It was suggested at the time that this may be Ruffler and Walker that did the reel strips. Would this mean that the machine was made in the U.S.A and then imported here to the UK?... or would it be that the reel strips were changed at some point in its lifetime!
The machine must have been made in the USA and exported to a distributor. R&W were a huge distributor (when I was a kid every machine in the South of England seemed to have their name on it). R&W almost certainly changed things on the machine when it arrived, the coin mech, the denomination marker (6d, 3d etc.) and perhaps the reel strips at that time. More likely they were the service engineers and when the strips got worn they replaced them.
funky
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Re: Advice for a new collector

Post by funky »

thanks coppingr for ur reply, !!YIPPEE!! ...just puts my mind at rest that my roman head is machine is most certainly as original as it can b then?....was just a bit dubious because of the name r.w on reel strips but as this horses head had the exact same reel strips on it and it made good money :shock: ....im more than certain this was all original, mines is a fish mouth coin entry and plays on the old penny !!YIPPEE!!
mervyngoodhew
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mills bonus

Post by mervyngoodhew »

I keep seeing the Mills Bonus popping up. I thought he sold it twice already.
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treefrog
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Re: Mills B-O-N-U-S, Horse Head etc.

Post by treefrog »

Yes, I assume there is nothing wrong with it and it is just timewasters... a lot of people I have bought off recently have been having the same problem with non-payers or people turning up and trying to bargain.....
kenson
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Re: Mills B-O-N-U-S, Horse Head etc.

Post by kenson »

I thought I had sold it twice too!

This was the first machine I ever tried to sell on eBay and it's been quite an experience!
The first bidder claims one of his kids was bidding on it and it was more than he wanted to pay and proceeded to offer less than half of his winning bid. He never even looked at the machine and probably thought he would just win it and then haggle.

The second winning bidder never made contact at all despite several emails and my phone number being on the listing, hence relist number three.........

Interesting to note that both winning bidders had 100% feedback but for nothing machine related. The following week I listed other machines from my collection and contacted any bidders with no machine or machine parts buying history as they placed bids in the hope of removing them before the listings ended. My Crane, Rol-A-Top and Jennings Chief all sold without a problem. Still waiting for the buyer of my Bryans Fruit Bowl but I'm sure he is OK.

It's a shame that I have become cautious of bidders with low or non related feedback, we all bought our first machine at some point! As in most situations it's a small minority that spoil things for the vast majority.........

Chris.
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