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In effect Fruit Bowl and Clock are similar machines, but punters don't understand how to play the Clock and wind the key, and it doesn't look like it's easy to win, so they pass. The Fruit Bowl will always significantly out perform because it's more attractive, easy to understand and turn handle, and the big symbols look like they're much easier to win.
Jackpot allwin is a must have for making money. I have two next to each other and they consistently do well.

moonriver wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 7:04 pm Jackpot allwin is a must have for making money. I have two next to each other and they consistently do well.

Not familiar with this one, can you tell me more please and have you got a picture

There are lots of jackpot allwins, one the most famous is the Philip Shefras version with the rotating hidden jackpot



Re: Philip Shefras allwins

I have the above version and one of favourites is the Morris Shefras Payola with hidden jackpot, lights and bells

Bells and lights what have you done..............! I need one of these.

pauljt71 wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 5:27 pm Bells and lights what have you done..............! I need one of these.

Hopefully, the shadow of Alan Freed will have faded, and you won't need to 're-brand' it!

So, after many months of waiting the phone has rung with a booking for the Penny Arcade!

I will be exhibiting the arcade at the Warwick Victorian Evening on Thursday 25th November 2021 from 5pm - 9pm. If you are in the area do come and say hi, the machines will be on free play for the public to try out at no cost to them.

I may have the trailer extension completed by them… having another move around, Octopus off, Payramid on etc.

Let’s hope the wedding hire market recovers for next year as this is where the market seems to be now.

Wedding hire?
Well, I know it's a bit of a gamble...

It’s great weddings are back in full flow again as I am finally busy again

I have never seen a vintage arcade at an event, but lots of fairground games, circus related items, magicians etc... People look for add-ons to amuse the guests... There are so many wedding venues, many would add you to their books I am sure.

I've even been to a wedding where they had snake charmers carrying around large pythons! ..... Great fun.

Wedding entertainment has always been part of my living. I know it sounds hard to believe that the start of matrimonial bless can include booking a Punch and Judy show but people do book one

More recently (pre COVID) there has been a resurgence of retro, vintage and themed wedding packages. Friends of mine hire out Fairground equipment, as some of you have already mentioned. The penny arcade project was always intended to be an add-on to these kind of events. Whilst I have taken it out at general public Fairground events, it is very hard work to earn a living. Far better to be paid and have the machines on free play for the public to enjoy. Hope to see some of you at Warwick in November.

Thought I would share a picture of the Arcade all set up ready for a public event on bonfire night. When the crowds arrived both the arcade and the striker game were very popular with lots of nice comments on the organisers facebook page :-)

Again, very interesting on which machines took the most pennies. The Flash does get the cash!

Looks fantastic all lit up at night pauljt71. Glad it went well for you.

Thanks my friend. :-)

Looks great!
It occurs to me that you could have two painted wooden supports (like 4" x 2") that bolt together at the ends to form a V shape arrangement, projecting out from each front corner of the trailer and out toward the towing ball end and supported with an upright post, meeting at a point where your sandwich board is in the pic. and so it just assembles and bolts together and then can be stored in pieces down the middle of the trailer when not in use.
You could then 'hang' 4 allwins, 2 on each side above the towing end, using the same flat hook brackets showmen use bolted to the back of theirs. The allwins just lift off when dismantling and probably best suited for hanging the lighter narrower cased type.
If you then were to make a similar removable cross bar for across the rear of your trailer you could add another 3 allwins (for busier events). Potentially you have the capacity for adding another 5 machines, and more than doubling what you first started out with.
Then your centre machines can be upgraded to more bulkier machines or heavy bandits that have a bigger base or depth. Maybe an Easypush and similar for the other side too? As you've discovered you need some more types of machines that soak up pennies with multiple play.
In any event its's an excuse to go out and buy some more machines which is never a bad thing!

moonriver wrote: ↑Wed Nov 24, 2021 11:18 am Looks great!
In any event its's an excuse to go out and buy some more machines which is never a bad thing!

No excuse needed, already looking for more bandits. I plan to put these on the main sides with lighter allwins on the ends as you have suggested. It’s very much trial and error. I have some great machines at home but they are not suitable for the arcade as they are slow, multi ball players. From a commercial perspective you are correct in the comment about needing coin hungry machines. I have already decided to give out the coins in smaller quantities to gamers otherwise they are there all day. :-)


I currently have 10 machines fitted with the extra stand as a trial.

Warwick Victorian evening was a huge success. Seeing the joy on the public's face has made the investment in money and time for this project so rewarding. I have never seen the arcade so popular. I cycled a box of 3000 old pennies in 6 hours with just 10 machines in play.

Here are a couple of pictures.

It's a nice feeling isn't it, which is why I'm often at mine at busy weekends out at the front giving pennies away to bring families in. I think it's very rewarding after all the effort you've made to see how well received the old machines always are, and much better than them just squirrelled away in collections that never see the light of day.
Well done!

I couldn’t agree more Moonriver. These machines were made to bring fun and joy (plus an income). It’s great that I am able to put these pieces of history back to their original use for future generations to enjoy. :-)

Well done, lads. These machines bring both entertainment and a sense of community, something that is missing in today's hand-held devices.

J Peterson
Holding out, USA