A Crab - but it ain't mine!

[wrkey]

As many of you know my wife limited me to 5 machines and now I have 6.

Well, my cousin has recently taken a new job in Atlanta Ga, and is moving from Texas. As he was cleaning out his garage, he came across, of all things, an old pachinko machine! Well, he posted it on Craig's list and then a day later got to thinking about it and remembered that on my personal website I have a page about the Jukebox I restored. (I swear this is true!) He then thought, I wonder if Rusty would like to work on this thing and that way we could keep it in the family. (I'm tellin' ya, this is how it went down!) So, he shot me an email having NO IDEA that I was the Pachinko obessive that I am asking if I ever heard about a pachinko and if I would be interested.

I was floored! My wife... no so amused. Well, after discussing it with the wife, we've decided to adopt it as a foster child and get it cleaned up and then find some one in the family that would be able enjoy it.

Generally I get a machine and the emmerse myself in the garage for days until I get it done. I think this one will get a more in depth restoration treatment as the colors are great, the cell has only minor water damage and the chrome is in pretty good shape. Plus, if I pass it around the family more will come to enjoy the fun of Pachinko.

So, here are the initial photos. As you can see from the 'close ups', it is quite filthy.

It has a transformer and 7.5v lights... so I'm gonna pull this guy off, test it to determine voltage and then see if it can drive multiple lights at one time. If it does, this solves my quest for just such a device to drive all my machines.. .I'll just convert them all to 7.5v bulbs and build a connection box (with operator notification lights) to house the transformer.

I've seen this center pocket design before... anyone here have it?

[portercbl]

I ran twelve wall mounted vintage machines off of one transformer along with extra light for other options I had hooked up .

I will try to find some photos of my teen years when I had all of these machines mounted in a game room at my parents house, and scan them in so I can share my first pachinko parlor with you all!

Jerry

[wrkey]

That would be cool Porter! Especially if you got photos of the transformer!

[compirate]

It's got all it's covers on the back, a plus!

[birdbrain]

i'm busting one of those for parts, if you need any.
______________________________________________________
heres a link for you:
Chronicles of a Pachinko Machine Restoration - ClassicPlastic.net

[compirate]

That transformer looks like one for a doorbell, I don't know that it's powerful enough for more than a few lights.

[jwegger]

I had one of those a few years ago, fixed it up and sold it to France if I remember correctly.

[digital1]

Rusty, are you gonna send that over to your cousin Digital1?

[Moparformances]

Well brother Mopar is always willing to take in another as well

[MrGneiss]

Several years ago when I was trying to get a vintage, the crab one was the one I always bid on..got outbid on like 3 of the crab ones!!

There must have been a lot of them crabs that made it to the US in the '70s!!

Plus I've seen a few other crab features on other machines too!!

[owennewton]

Here is a pic of my crab being held by Kitty Kat

[MrGneiss]

You gave her crabs!?



I know, I know..I'm sorry!! :-p

[owennewton]

You gave her crabs!?



I know, I know..I'm sorry!! :-p

funny but I had to it

[wrkey]

Wow.. I sure have accumulated a lot of new family members!

As for the commality of the Crab design, I agree that there must have been something about this machine design or the importing of this design that 'saved' so many as they seem to show up quite frequently. This has an old sticker on the top right from a Pachinko reseller out of Atlanta Ga.

Thanks for all the comments and I'll keep you guys updated on the restoration.

[JACKSJE4]

I was floored! My wife... no so amused. Well, after discussing it with the wife, we've decided to adopt it as a foster child and get it cleaned up and then find some one in the family that would be able enjoy it.

Just because a) you run out of room, or b) your significant other runs out of patience doesn't mean that you cannot continue searching for and restoring Pachis. I crossed this very bridge last year and found a great solution.

This past Christmas I completely restored three vintage Pachis and shipped them to my nieces and nephews as a present (see photos). My brothers and sisters-in-law all remembered them from their childhoods and loved them, and the nieces and nephews instantly became addicted and thought they were the best gift ever. These old Pachis I rescued from dark musty garages and basements now have a new life, and it gave me a good project to work on for several months prior. I found that restoring pachis for my nieces and nephews was far more fun and rewarding than the ones I restored for myself. I imagined the kids playing and enjoying them the entire time I worked on them.

You don't ever have to stop searching for Pachis to rescue just because you run out of room. Start buying and restoring them for others!! Spread the addiction!!

Now that each family member has a Pachi to play, I am searching for and restoring some machines to donate to a childrens shelter or senior center.

The addiction never ends...

[who922]

Wow, those are really great presents! By the way...my son really enjoys Pachinko as well...if anyone was planning on getting him a present.

[mudfud]

Just because a) you run out of room, or b) your significant other runs out of patience doesn't mean that you cannot continue searching for and restoring Pachis. I crossed this very bridge last year and found a great solution.


You don't ever have to stop searching for Pachis to rescue just because you run out of room. Start buying and restoring them for others!! Spread the addiction!!

Now that each family member has a Pachi to play, I am searching for and restoring some machines to donate to a childrens shelter or senior center.

The addiction never ends...

and you did an excellent job with those machines. they look brand new!

I like the idea of giving machines to a shelter or senior center - liven up the place (as long as they don't eat or trip on the balls)

my mother in law really liked her single shot. I'm thinking that she may need a comet II for the game room, too.

hey rusty, I'm still looking for a nishijin C if you want to give/sell one of yours. keep it in the family that way.

[wrkey]

Last night My wife decided to watch Mama Mia! with her daughter and since I've seen it twice already I snuck off to the garage to work on the crab machine.

As I stated previously, this machine is getting a complete disassembly and cleaning. Once I got all the parts off I realized this wasn't an image that I've seen on PachiTalk yet... so here ya go!

If you look closely you'll notice:
1. The parts are dirty as this was prior to cleaning.
2. The exploded machine takes up a lot more room than an unexploded one.
3. On the corner of the table saw you'll see a bright red 'checker' from a connect four game that was discovered hiding in the ball tracks.
4. Each component is layed out with the screwed that held it in place located next to or on it... thus how I keep up with what goes where.

I have started to clean each piece by hand using a 'glass cleaner' and paper towels and emory cloth on the metal swivel points.

More photos soon... it's starting to look good... at least from the back!

[birdbrain]

try buying a can of foaming carpet cleaner. it will get inside of every part's cracks and crannies, then you just rinse it clean.

[wrkey]

Oh sure.. now you tell me BB!

Great idea.. .I'll have to try that on the next one I can sneak in the house!