SEGA Bonanza Star - Slot Details Please! Research Wanted!

[markymark]

I guess most of you will know by now from my other posts (I know, too many!!!). I'm trying to learn as much about slot terminology and mechanics as possible. I purchased the SEGA Bonanza Star Slot. Having stripped it down, and learning the workings (which is great fun).

The machine runs on 2p pieces... Just want to know more info.. for example, why do we have a small 3inch window on the top, just below the coin slot. From looking at other makes, it appears to show coins moving along (am i right in this being called an Escalator???). Mine just has a silly white sloping plate behind it and can see absolutely no purpose to this window!!!!!!
Can I convert it to have the coins showing?

Also, as mentioned elsewhere, at the bottom just above the payout tray is a window, mine just has some writing stuck on the glass saying how much the big payout is? Whereas I've seen other SEGA's with a stash of coins showing thru the window.. obviously the jackpot. This looks better is it possible to have this on mine. If not, shall I just make a "dummy" pot full of coins pushed up against the glass to give the illusion it has this type of feature!!!!! Your comments would be so much appreciated.
Picture showing the 2 areas Im talking about is below!

Thanks

[Brian]

Hi!

I'm not an expert but I know a man who is. There would have been an escalator as you suppose and the front would have had a jackpot. It is clear your machine has been adapted for decimal currency at some time. It is quite easy to fit an escalator and to obtain them on e-bay. I'm not sure about jackpots.

George (strathclyde) as he appears on e-bay is a very nice guy and well up on bandits. His address is as follows.

george@pennybandit.co.uk

e-mail him or see what he has for sale on e-bay.

Brian

[Bent Copper]

Instead of all these pointless modifications, when don't you just sell it and buy something better?

This isn't a desirable model anyway. You would probably be better off with a Mills or a Sega Hi-top, and it would cost you less than trying to patch this one up.

Just have fun with it for what it is, and then move up.

[bandit_doctor]

Hi there Marky. I hear you are in need of some info.
I don't like coming to other forums as I am up to my eyes with emails with my own site.
Anyway.. here goes.....
Chrome on handle .... right I see the guys have already given you some excellent advice on this... it didn't work!!?
If you insist on getting the knob off that handle there is only one thing left... a vice
The handles on Segas have a bend in them... put the handle in a 6 inch or bigger vice at the bend... get your self a bid of rubber matting... wrap around the knob... Get hold of a car oil filter remover and bingo... it will come off or the knob will crack... simple!!
Better still, leave the handle on and send it for a rechrome ... saves taking the knob off at all... You will be sending the handle to an electroplaters who don't normally use extensive heat so no damage will come to the knob end lol ... Only prob is if they sand blast the handle to remove the old chrome your knob will come back a grey colour
As for your modifications on the escalator and jackpot ... well I wouldn't go to all the bother... why ? Well I bet your machine was not converted to modern 2p... I bet it has been forced to play on the 2p.
Take out the mech and see if an old 1d fits in the coin tube... if it does it has been forced to work on 2p and your upper payouts will be wrong... few
Yes you can fit an escalator easily but the jackpot is a different story... you will need trip levers etc... by the time you buy all this it would be cheaper buying a new machine... Do what every one else does- buy another Sega, swap over all the parts you need and then re-sell the other one back on eBay... lol
I will say one thing for you Marky... you're determined!!
Knowledge is power... if you don't ask you will never find an answer .
I wish you luck.

Would just like to say thanks to Brian for the kind words... Cheers Brian.

Great site Guys... catch ya all later.
George_strathclyde Bandit_doctor

[bandit_doctor]

One more thing before I go...
Price of re-chrome.

Jennings handle £15 to £30
The boss of handle £10 to £20
Collar of handle £10 to £15
Jennings bottom casting £50 to £120
Top casting... as above
Back bonnet... as above.

It all depends on the chromers you use... some are good and they know it and some ain't so good... end of the day you get what you pay for.

[bandit_doctor]

Oh dear... Marky I have just checked your other posts and seen a pic of your mech.
That mech is a 2p mech with a hand fill jackpot (old large 50p).
Only thing is, it's the wrong mech for your machine... Oh Dear!!
That mech came out of a Buckingham or the likes... you're lucky it works at all...
Maybe I'm wrong and Sega did fit this mech in some of their Hi Top type machines but I doubt it...
Sell it mate...

[Bent Copper]

Like I said above - sell it and move up! Some machines are just not worth the bother.

Get a classic. Suggest a Rol-A-Top or something.

It's very common for the cheaper machines to be hacked about with and modified during their lifetime. Jackpots removed, escalators removed, payouts modified, gold awards removed, reels changed, botched conversions to decimal, non-essential bits of mechanism removed, etc. I suppose there are very few machines around that are completely original, but some machines are more worthy of restoration than others. Parts are also a problem. The parts that were removed would have been thrown away, so those parts become rare.

There's nothing wrong with your bandit for amusement purposes and it's great fun taking them to bits to see how they work. That's how we all started. But I wouldn't spend lots of money on what would probably be a futile exercise in trying to put all the missing features back. In my view, that particular machine is not worth it and you would be better off spending the money on a better machine.

To answer your question above, yes the bit that moves the coins along behind the window is the coin escalator. This device was introduced so that the owner could spot any dud coins being used by the player. This feature was dropped on the cheaper machines as it was expensive and unnecessary, and it was just another thing to go wrong.