Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

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gameswat
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by gameswat »

Would I be right in thinking the added floats on these things are actually the weights needed to bring them down quickly? Seems like a much better way to weight them down than putting something inside those fragile plastic bodies.

Also on watching the game in action it seems the fan mounted down below does a fantastic job of getting the rotors running just long enough to reach the top of the game, these are bloody quick games compared to all the other race games I've played. Most are exhaustingly slow.
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treefrog
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by treefrog »

Thanks Pete, that is useful. Is the microswitch maybe used for the fan when the game is engaged or is this part of the win light circuit?

A microswitch to engage the fan makes sense and, as previously suggested, kicks when engaged at the beginning with enough power to spin the blades during duration of flight.

These helicopters definitely don’t look like an Airfix model, maybe custom made. Also the floats, as mentioned, look added and, as Gameswat says, I reckon were the weights which would be needed to get them down, like monkey climbers are lead... The ends of the lines holding the helicopters are dampened with springs to prevent too much damage. Whenever you get a chance with the wooden ones as I reckon they will be the same as mine, which have a little man in them and weight enough to drop....

So the voltage question was right for the win lights, as the frame is part of the circuit, so needs to be low...
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mr merrivale
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by mr merrivale »

Hi
Please find the wooden helicopters in racer as promised.
Also I am not sure the plastic one are weighted, or the weight is just in the construction of the helicopter bracket?
Tom - the switch for the fan is totally separate, being 240v to the low voltage win lights, but the light house is 240v - again separate to the low voltage win lights.
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blikspeelgoed
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by blikspeelgoed »

Last week I restored both helicopters from my R&W Helicopter race. Thought it would be nice to share some pictures.
Both mounting point cracked overtime, most likely because the weight from the floats and copper bracket (for mounting the floats) isn't supported / attached to the mounting point.
To remove the old paint I soaked the bodies in Blue Wonder for 2 days, worked perfectly!
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treefrog
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by treefrog »

Thanks for sharing and nice job made. Good to see how they were made up. Probably will keep my wooden ones as never found a model suitable and suspect they had these made for them. Looks like the floats are wood on the originals as well.... !!THUMBSX2!!
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gameswat
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by gameswat »

Well, thanks to Daveslot's info about the scooter riders, he just answered this old question of where did the original helicopters come from, also by Mettoy!
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treefrog
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Re: Helicopter Race

Post by treefrog »

Yes nice to know, and you can see the mount position for the front wheel on blikspeelgoad’s restoration. One sold here a week ago on eBay for £12... Might buy a couple to try and convert mine, although in no hurry...
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tim575
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Need fan info for Ruffler and Walker Helicopter Race

Post by tim575 »

Topic moved & merged - Site Admin.

Hello, I just received a Helicopter Race from a May auction in the US. After opening it up I found it is missing the Fan(s), not just the fan(s) but any kind of mounting for it/them under the "waves". Can't even find any holes for something to mount from.

On the forum I only found identification for the fan switch and noting racers that no longer have the fan. Does anybody have a photo or drawing of what the fan(s) looked like and how it/they were mounted? I would like to restore the fan function and do it as similar as possible to how it was originally done.
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tim575
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Re: Need Fan info for Ruffler and Walker Helicopter Race

Post by tim575 »

Whoever converted this game for US 120V put an extra surprise in for the winner. They put in 120V win lamps. My DVM confirmed at the win point for a second the mains are directly wired to the crank! I will need to reverse that change before plugging it in. So if anyone has any pic of the original LV transformer I would like to see it too. After pulling artwork out, I think I see what could be holes in the bottom brackets for fans lower down than I would have expected, although where the fan switch should be I don't see any holes or switch. But there is pencil note on the coin box that the fan is 220V, so it must have had one that was pulled out to work on 120V. Coin mech all seems there, just with plastic glued in to make it US Nickel play.
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treefrog
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Re: Need Fan info for Ruffler and Walker Helicopter Race

Post by treefrog »

Hi Tim,

I am sure you looked at this thread as the debate on the fans was discussed, as most who post on here and own them did not have fan units and even questioned whether it's an original feature. On mine there is a mounting frame which likely held a fan unit and I have yet to consider trying to retro fit anything. Helicopter Race
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tim575
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Re: Need Fan info for Ruffler and Walker Helicopter Race

Post by tim575 »

Hi Treefrog,
Yes, I had seen that a while back and went back to look closer, and it appears those (fan) brackets were at one time in mine, but are gone now - just the cleaner area on the bottom supports where it was. I think a lot of the 220V parts were just stripped out and not put back, but there were pencil markings on the coin box indicating the fan was 220V, so I am sure it used to have one, either original or a retrofit. The design of the waves seem done to allow vertical updraught of air, so I think it was designed for a fan, but I wonder if that was not shipped on all units or an option, or unpopular and removed for some reason?

Also, there are no general illumination lamps in mine and I don't really see screw holes in the wood at the top, but other R&W models usually have them, so I am thinking someone just pulled them instead of retrofit 120V back in. I plan a full rewire using modern (safe) replica cloth covered wire, and just procured a vintage NOS bell transformer to make the win lamp circuit safe. The fan brackets will be easy to make, but I am having trouble locating a suitable size fan. I want to find one that is ~1945-1955 vintage to match the rest of the machine. It looks on the bracket like a single 3 screw mount fan or blower was used. Modern muffin fans would fit the bracket but be out of place date wise. On my other machines from overseas I usually use a step up transformer to keep the machines as original as possible unless they were already converted. I will likely also convert it back to the large penny use, although it works correctly on nickel play. I have not identified who owns the other racers in the US, so unable so far to get internal photos of those, but may try posting on some of the US forums. I was hoping someone here might have some leads.
mr merrivale
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Re: Need Fan info for Ruffler and Walker Helicopter Race

Post by mr merrivale »

Hi Tim
I own two helicopter racers and neither have fans, but both would have had fans I now think, and worked off a large lever micro switch on the mech as it's pushed in.
Both helicopter racers only worked on 240v when new, but I have put both of mine on to door bell transformers as per all the other Ruffler & Walker racers.
My latest racer (the lost scooter racer) may have been 240v, as there are only a few signs of 240v, but it's currently on a 6v battery, but when restored it will be on a door bell transformer.
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tim575
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Re: Need fan info for Ruffler and Walker Helicopter Race

Post by tim575 »

There is the normal wire rod on right side to hold the 2nd coin till a win, on the left side is the same type of wire rod but it does not control anything. However the lever for it does work well for controlling a micro lever switch, which is activated when the player releases the push in rod until a win. I wonder if the original used a micro switch or some other leaf contact associated with that second push wire, or maybe it was just some option for different coin hold, although all other R&W I see have the 2nd held coin on the right side. Should have mine modified to restore lighting and fan within a few weeks, several vintage parts for that on order. Unfortunately whoever converted to 120V didn't keep the original parts in the base of the cabinet but must have just tossed them. Sounds like there are at least a half dozen of these games still around. Mine is not the one that was listed on Ebay in the US by Mike/Todd so at least 2 different ones in the US.
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tim575
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by tim575 »

Using vintage electrical parts I added back the 2 general illumination lamps and fan where I think they originally would have been and converted the win lamps to low voltage for safety. Replaced cord and all wire with new cloth covered wire, and a new pair of "Lid Support Hinge" Right and Left type to keep the front glass up when working on it. Fan was an old exhaust type and is not too loud but keeps rotors spinning even when raised to the top. It is currently setup for use in USA as 115VAC and Nickel play (2 coins as originally done). I am attaching photos for reference and a link to UTUBE vid of it running. I need to do some adjustment on the right Heli rotor.

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moonriver
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by moonriver »

Super! Great job
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gameswat
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by gameswat »

They look amazing all in the lineup. Nicely done! Only negative I have to say is what the hell are those tiny ridiculously out of scale ships doing under the coptors!? Maybe find the very rare Submarine Race and sink those lil' buggers.......
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bryans fan
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by bryans fan »

!!GOODJOB!!
!THANKS! For sharing.
scorpa163
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by scorpa163 »

What a super job on the racer.
What a fantastic line up of machines. I could not get those big machines past the wife.
Once bought a Steer-a-ball (one of my favourite machines) and she was not impressed.
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tim575
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by tim575 »

Just noticed I left out the photo of the Low Volt rewire, attached now. The tiny ships were there when I bought it. Don't know what prior collector or operator may have stuck them in, but looks like they pop right out so will probably just store them in the bottom of the machine when I adjust the right Heli rotor. In one picture I saw what looked like a buoy in the waves on one machine, but don't know if that was original or like the tiny ships just something added later. I understand the comment about trying to get big machines indoors, but in my case they are not in the house, I have an out-building with about 2500 sq-ft of A/C & Heated arcade space in total (~1900 antique to ~1975 vintage machines)
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mr merrivale
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Re: Ruffler & Walker Helicopter Race

Post by mr merrivale »

Please could you post some photos inside and out plus the history of your Greyhound Racer.
Thanks in advance
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