Check out this tasty vintage...

[Microbus99]

So, I have a bit more work than I bargained for... as usual.

Isnt this always the case. Just have fun working on it!

I think Jeff (JACKSJE4) could answer your question about the ball diameter. He's got a couple of them.

[JACKSJE4]

I will take some close up photo's of my working allwin and post a little later today. As for converting to quarters, that will significantly diminish resale value to a collector if that is your goal some day. Based on your description of the condition, it may be worth hundreds more than you paid for it if you listed it on ebay.

The ball diameter for my machine is 9/16". Ace Hardware has replacement "ball bearings" in all sizes, so you could buy one of each to see which one fits your machine the best. There are a lot of great Allwin videos on YouTube that could also help you learn more about how the machine works.

PM me if you need any other specific info for your machine. I am happy to help.

Jeff

[Siouxzan]

I will take some close up photo's of my working allwin and post a little later today. As for converting to quarters, that will significantly diminish resale value to a collector if that is your goal some day. Based on your description of the condition, it may be worth hundreds more than you paid for it if you listed it on ebay.

The ball diameter for my machine is 9/16". Ace Hardware has replacement "ball bearings" in all sizes, so you could buy one of each to see which one fits your machine the best. There are a lot of great Allwin videos on YouTube that could also help you learn more about how the machine works.

PM me if you need any other specific info for your machine. I am happy to help.

Jeff

Thanks a lot, Jeff!
It is important to me to keep this as original as possible, so I would not do any modification that is destructive.
I think I'll make the coin mechanism to accept the pence, but while I'm at it try and produce an alternative tube/slider for quarters. Interchangeable. Just for the fun of it.
I combed the internet deep into the night to try and find proper hinges for this thing. Sigh. It looks like I'll be going to the local metal fabricators and having them custom made, unless you have any ideas(?)
Thanks again,
Brian

[JACKSJE4]

Here are some pictures of the coin mechanism in my Wondermatics 'Win and Place' Allwin. It should be the same or very similar to yours since yours was built by the same company around the same time.

Let me know if you need any close-ups or different angles.

Jeff

[Siouxzan]

Jeff,

Cool! Thanks a ton. They are very similar. Is yours a "super duper giant XL" or whatever Wondermatics called them?

I envision the payout mechanism as basically a plate with a hole the size of the coin in it, that is the same thickness as the coin (so it will payout only one), that slides to the right of the tube when the payout knob it turned.

So, I'm going to be a pain here and ask for another favor. Could you remove the shield surrounding the coin tube (2 screws) and snap some more pics? Then I could really see the slider dealy and I think that will give me all the info I need for a faithful reproduction.

I love this place

[JACKSJE4]

Unfortunately, it's a little more involved than removing two screws to get to the coin slider (there are several nails involved too!).

Hopefully these photos will provide you with what you need. I can also do a video of the coin payout if that would help. Let me know.

I'll be opening up my other Allwin next weekend to begin the repairs after UPS dropped and broke it. It was made by the Whales Company, but I think the coin payout mechanisim is the same.

Jeff

[Siouxzan]

Excellent! ... and just for good measure:


Thanks! I will be so bold as to now proclaim that I have enough information to produce and exact reproduction (famous last words? )
Nobody will ever know-- Bwa-ha-ha

Weird on the "coin overflow/shield plate" (making up terminology now)-- mine is held on with 2 screws. I think this machine is all screwed up. I will do my best to undo the evil done in the past.

(one for the road...)

[JACKSJE4]

Weird on the "coin overflow/shield plate" (making up terminology now)-- mine is held on with 2 screws.

Mine is also held with two screws, but it will not come off without disassembling other components to give it clearance. I think my other Allwin has the same coin slider and the shield is already dislodged from the back board due to the shipping damage. The machine is still in the original shipping carton up in the attic right now, otherwise I would snap a photo for you.

One thing to note: the thickness of the coin slider is equal to two British 1d coins. PM me with your address and I will drop a couple in the mail to you for measuring.

Jeff

[Lazarus]

I think I see how the coin is paid out but were do the coins go that are not winners? They look to both go that same area then there is the shoot to the front of the machine.

[JACKSJE4]

When you drop a coin in the machine, it lands in the vertical tube that you see in the photos from my earlier post. When the vertical tube is full, the next coin (and all thereafter) spill over into a chute located in the back of the cabinet that directs them into a coin box in the bottom of the machine.

When the player gets a 'win', they turn a knob on the front of the machine that slides the flat, horizontal piece of metal (directly below the vertical tube) to the left. There is a hole the diameter of the 1d coins in that sliding piece, with a thickness of two coins. When the metal slider moves far enough to the left, it drops two coins into the payout chute, delivering them to the silver cup on the front of the machine. When the metal slider returns to it's starting position, two more coins drop into the hole, ready for the next payout.

When the player deposits the next coin, it lands in the vertical tube to replace one of the two that were paid out. I think the vertical tube holds about 15 coins.

It's a really simple design and quite interesting to figure out.

Jeff

[Lazarus]

Thanks, that explains it vary well.

[Moparformances]

do all machines pay 2 coin???

[JACKSJE4]

do all machines pay 2 coin???

No. Some pay out candy, chocolates and mints, where others were designed to pay out cigarettes. Of those that pay out coins, I think two or three coins are the max payout.

Hanabi has quite a bit of experience playing these machines. Perhaps she could tell us more.

[Moparformances]

No. Some pay out candy, chocolates and mints, where others were designed to pay out cigarettes. Of those that pay out coins, I think two or three coins are the max payout.

Hanabi has quite a bit of experience playing these machines. Perhaps she could tell us more.

i knew about the candy and such... it was the quanity of coin i was asking

[Siouxzan]

One thing to note: the thickness of the coin slider is equal to two British 1d coins. PM me with your address and I will drop a couple in the mail to you for measuring.
Jeff

Mine is designed to give back only one coin, so I'll want to make that plate narrower. I'm tempted to modify it to 2 coins, but that would simply be too naughty.

Thanks for the offer on the coins. derek1960 was very generous in offering to mail me some. If you could get a measure of the inside diameter of the tube and/or plate holes, that'd be great. I'm tempted to make it from aluminum (or, since it's British, "al-u-min-EE-um" ) because it would be so much easier, but I suppose that would be naughty too.

I'm excited to get this thing going. Too excited some (wife) might say. I suppose I shouldn't respond with things like "Your primitive intellect wouldn't understand metals and alloys and things with molecular structure" (movie reference).

Just for the record, I don't really say things like that. It's just fun to pretend. Hell, I wouldn't even THINK such a thing

[JACKSJE4]

Mine is designed to give back only one coin, so I'll want to make that plate narrower.

Are you certain about that? From everything I have read regarding Allwins, the premise is that when you win, you get your coin back plus one extra, effectively doubling your money. Some later designs provided options to win more than one extra coin.

Just curious... what would entice someone to put a coin in the machine only to get it back if the ball landed in the correct hole?

Perhaps our friends across the pond can clarify that one.

[Siouxzan]

Are you certain about that? From everything I have read regarding Allwins, the premise is that when you win, you get your coin back plus one extra, effectively doubling your money. Some later designs provided options to win more than one extra coin.

Just curious... what would entice someone to put a coin in the machine only to get it back if the ball landed in the correct hole?

Perhaps our friends across the pond can clarify that one.

Well, I'm basing it on this video (my actual machine) and one other online reference (pays out one coin because so many buckets gives it a higher win rate):
YouTube - WONDERS , HONEST JOE , ALLWIN SLOT MACHINE .

So, if you win, say, 3 times in a row, since you ALSO get your ball back, you win 2 coins without having to gamble any beyond your first one (which would really only mean your up by 2 pennies).

It's deceptively hosey. I like it!

[JACKSJE4]

It must be a three ball game then. That would explain why the payout is one penny at a time. My 'Win and Place' machine pays out two coins for a ball in a "Win" pocket, but if you get a ball in the "2nd Place" pocket and one in the "3rd Place" pocket, then you can turn the knob three times and get six coins back (two coins per turn). Your machine must pay out in a similar fashion but with only one coin at a time. Fascinating!!

These things are just like vintage pachis, only totally different!

[Siouxzan]

As far as I can tell, it's a one-ball game.
Now I'm confused.

[Cystic]

There is only one ball in the game. If you lose it returns from the right hole when you put in another coin. If you win it engages the win mechinism allowing you to turn the knob(paying out one coin) and then returning the ball from the middle hole for another go.(free play)


After you put in your coin and win, you get back your coin plus a free play. Win with that free play and you get another coin and a free play. You could empty the game of coins on only one coin(of your money) if you had incredible luck.


The only problem I would see with using quarters(other than the state gaming board opinion and the rules here) is the weight to trip the ball release. A quarter is less than 2/3rds the weight of penny(5.67g vs 9.4g) a small weight hung on the release arm to compensate may work if needed.

Modifying the mechanism should not take much more than a strip of wood in the "drop tube"(the vertical one with the ball release) and a modification of the "payout tube". Perhaps an insert into the payout tube could be made(you do have a friend with a lathe) thus making conversion reversal easy as adding or removing three pieces.


I would just buy a lot of the proper pennies from Ebay for about 36 cents apiece.


Post some pics of the hinges you are looking for. Please include a ruler in the pic and/or give measurements. There are a lot of restoration and recycled antique materials suppliers around.



Now for my burning question. What was in the bottom box?