The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

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cheeky
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The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by cheeky »

In terms of build quality, engineering and reliability, which in your opinion, is the best one arm bandit?

Maybe not in terms of aesthetic qualities but I reckon it must be the Aristocrat.
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badpenny
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by badpenny »

I agree that the Australian bandits are bomb proof, we keep saying so on here don't we?

However when we look to include escalators and jack pots as a common fitting (I know both Aristocrat & Jubilee did issue machines with either or both) I've always rated the latter Jennings (Governors and Chiefs) as very efficient ..... when well maintained.
The weakest part being the chain driven escalator.

It was always my Uncle's ambition to have a line of them, but it never happened due to: -
-High purchase price
-Lowest denomination commonly was a thrupenny bit, punters preferred 1d at seaside arcades.
.... so until the end he retained his uneven line of oddly painted Segas and Arcadians not to mention the English Gunther Wullf conversions.

BP !THUMBS!
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treefrog
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by treefrog »

I suspect all machines have their issues and Aristocrats are no exception. Two main issues from my experience are the later machines with the reel tins or should I call them plastics and the star wheels. The early machines has metal tins like most machines and then moved to a nylon type black plastic, which was ok and the to a clear brittle plastic. Also the star wheels started with metal, moved to nylon, which works well but can after time break.

Aristocrats do not have complicated coin handling, which has to be one of the biggest issues on a lot of machines.....simple definitely means reliable.
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coppinpr
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by coppinpr »

When we say reliable what do we actually mean? do we mean when a new machine was added to an arcade how often did it need attention if correctly maintained and at what age did it become more trouble than it was worth ?(as this is what the factory was aiming at) or do we mean how well has it stood up to 60 or 70 years of (mis)use? (as the factory would never have believed that possible) :lol:
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badpenny
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by badpenny »

My understanding of the word "reliable" applies to something/body and is more of an anticipation than a definite.

Something or somebody that you can expect to be trusted.
Such anticipation being based on your previous experiences and proven quality thereby earning your trust.

BP |/XX\|
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coppinpr
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by coppinpr »

although your definition is a Little "un reliable" being as it is a bit vague it does as you say lead to the expectations of the machine buyer,he would have bought machines in the knowledge that that particular maker made machines that were (or could be expected to be) reliable. there fore it would hint that my first definition of what do we mean by a reliable bandit would be the one we are talking about in this thread !SMARTY!
Last edited by coppinpr on Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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badpenny
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by badpenny »

The only thing I know for sure about the future is that at some point everyone of us will die.
It's not predictable when, regardless of whatever your dose is.
cheeky
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by cheeky »

I never knew that your uncle was an operator BadPenny. Interesting to hear that Jennings would have been his machine of choice if they’ve been available on 1d.

Reliability means not breaking down, with minimal maintenance.

I remember the Aristocrats on mass at arcades in the early 1970s. They always seemed to need little to no maintenance. The Ballys seemed to have handle problems. The Sega Windsors were always working but rarely did anyone play them. Was it the strange disconnect from the handle to the mech that was the issue?

TreeFrog makes a good point in relation to changing materials. Back in the day, I’d swap all the parts back to metal ones just for fun. I had so much time back then.
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badpenny
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by badpenny »

My Uncle's reasoning behind wishing he had Jennings was nothing more than improved reliability equalled less down time, but most importantly less wages to spend on Goffers like me.
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by cheeky »

I am sure he would have loved to see his favourite nephew servicing his machines. Have you ever posted any photos of his arcade?
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badpenny
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by badpenny »

That's a long story.
Uncle Gordon had many fingers in many pies. He bred horses, had holiday caravan sites, numerous used car sales, rides that travelled with fairgrounds across the South and South East of England. He had arcades that moved regularly between his caravan sites to beneath the pier, to on the pier, to Torbay Road and then back to the holiday sites. I don't know why ;-)
My side of the family were poor and the only chance I had of a holiday in the Summer was to be farmed out to Paignton on a working holiday.
My naïve Mother thought I was shovelling horse poo on the farm, my Father guessed the truth and just didn't ask questions as he thought it good grounding for his son.
The first couple of years I was sent off to catch up with the fair, it wasn't the fun you'd think it was. I wasn't born into it, I didn't speak their language (although I quickly learnt what "There's rowin" meant when shouted between the gaff lads after dark) So far as they were concerned I was a flatty and would always be. It ended after the second Summer when my parents collected me from Coventry Station and I got off the train aged 14 swigging from a bottle of Double Diamond and asked them "How the f*ck" they were?
Apparently meaningful conversations were had via the call box at the bottom of the road. The next few Summers for me were spent in Paignton. Officially I was key man. Factually I spent a lot of time on my own in the arcade as Uncle G also had the car sales and caravan sites to show his face at (other family members were running those day to day).
As for being his favourite nephew ha ha :lol: He barely remembered my name and referred to me as "Coventry". The float he left me to give out change had to balance to the penny, and he didn't leave me any keys (I was the key man remember?) I just turned machines to face the wall if they jammed. All pennies I reimbursed had to be entered onto a "Non Revenue/Refund Sheet" for his scrutiny. Upon his return it was my job then to unjam machines (down time was an unacceptable evil) and empty the machines to return the pennies to the Change Booth. It was years after that I realised why he made me wear a special uniform when I was emptying or fiddling around in the back of an errant machine. It was only a pair of overalls with the name of the arcade crudely written on the back, but the pockets were sewn up and the legs had no turn ups!
If I'd turned up with a camera one year I wonder what his reaction would have been - all answers on the back of a used £20 note to the usual address.

BP !SHOOT!
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by arrgee »

Love those old reminiscences of yours BP in the arcade, I have fond memories of spending summer holidays at Paington back in the late 50s early 60s - likely I would have frequented uncle Gordon's arcade.
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Re: The Most Reliable One Arm Bandit

Post by 13rebel »

A great read, BP Love the bit about the 'uniform'. :HaHa:
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