where to start! old nishijin pachinko

[ebb]

Hello all.
Let me start by thanking all the members who take time to help folks out.

I have parchislo machine's and just pick up my 1st pachinko.
$25 dollars from C/L. Here on the east coast we don't see many pachinko's for private sale. (I've been remarkable lucky with pachislo's though)
I'm not sure where to start
It looks to be in pretty rough shape. I'm not even sure all the parts are present. So I don't know if it works or not.
I guess what I'm asking is beside cleaning what would you do first.
There is one ball stuck in the back of machine(See photo)otherwise I have none.
When I depress the shooter it moves a dial attached to a spring in the back(pic) but doesn't seem to have enough recoil to propel anything.
Did I mention I've never played or seen one of these in person.
Maybe someone could tell me a little about the machine and take a look at the photo's to see if anything is missing?
I'm going to study the restoration and "how to" threads.
I really want to try these games.
If there are any members in the Mass,R.I., N.H. area who would want to sell a working vintage or newer pachinko or trade for a pachislo (I've have some nice titles and tokens) please pm me or post it here.

I'd appreciate any help,

I'll also refrain from making a opinion on pachinko's. That wouldn't be fair based on this machine alone

machine front.jpg
front stiker.jpg
machine back.jpg
back sticker.jpg
back ball stuck.jpg
ball launch back.jpg

[Bigdog]

First of all, welcome!!!

Next, take your time and peruse old threads...expecially those in the "Vintage" area. There are plenty of threads which reflect methods which others have used to clean this or disassemble that.

The first thing that I would do is take off the shooter tray area, take it apart, and clean it thoroughly. You will know when to stop taking it apart, but the bottom line is that it gives you a good starting point. Once that is clean and put back together (always take pictures of what you are disassembling so that you can put it back together appropriately), shine up the chrome, and you will have one major piece done.

Where you move from there is your call, but, suffice it to say, be careful with the back. Carefully disassemble the back with plenty of pictures and diagrams...you will find that as you take it apart, you will better figure out how the machine and the difference winner pockets work in line with each other.

Bottom line: Take it slow. Enjoy it, and you will enjoy the finished product even more because YOU DID IT!

Good luck.

[jwegger]

You have a nishijin model A from the photos it looks complete, the only thing I can see well is the metal ball path cover between the lower supply tray and the jackpot teeter, if it attaches smoothly over the ball bath you are in good shape otherwise you may need to do a little metal work to get it fitting properly, it's thin metal and they do get bent out of shape quite often.
The machine looks dirty so you will need to eventually clean it up if you are going to keep it and play. You can start the cleaning before you order balls from one of the sellers here or off ebay.
Before you take anything apart you will want to take lots of digital photos so you can see where all the parts went.
Many of the parts are held on by staples and if you take them off you will need to replace with small screws.
It's possible to clean most of the machine without taking it apart but it's much easier taking things appart.
Usually on this style machine I will put the new screws inplace before taking out the staples it easier to reassable the machine later. Pre drill the holes but make sure you don't punch through to the front and through the cell.
Start with the upper ball supply tray and work your way down from the top and in towards the wood that the parts atttach to.
Be careful of the metal parts, most don't have finished edges and you can slice your hands pretty good, sweat and tear are OK when restoring a vintage machine I try to keep the blood in me and not on the machine.
Wash the plastic parts with soap and water or cleaner of your choice, rinse, then protect Novis or Gel Gloss. Get the rust off the metal parts put them back together,
Then move onto cleaning the front of the machine, avoid spraying water or cleaner on the cel as it can stain when it gets behind the laminate,
Pictures, Patience and time are all you need
Good luck, nice machine and any other questions just ask

[mudfud]

1st, order some balls. you will need about 300. ebay is a good source

2nd, your machine looks to be complete to my eye. it is a nishijin type A

3rd, that ball is not stuck, it is sitting at the jackpot regulator waiting for the balls to be filled up before it tips

read through rusty's (wrkey) how a vintage pachinko works (found at the top of the vintage section). while he describes a jackpot in the center that releases the balls, the principles are similar and the balls are released from a seesaw that you can see from the front window on your machine.

clean all the ball paths and trays, and as you play with things you will be able to figure things out.

there is a ball dump switch on the lower right (on back) that you will need to close when you add balls. balls will fill from the upper tray to the lower tray until the path is full from the seesaw back. the upper tray fills the lower when it gets low.

get the mechanical parts working first, then you can worry about lights later (they are completely optional).

have fun figuring it out. feel free to post specific questions as they come up.

[Moparformances]

looks like u have a good starter machine.. and it sound like u think u have lots of problems... to be honest i dont think there is anything wrong with it.. just a bit of dirt

on the back a little over half way up the right hand side is the release to open the front glass.. there is usualy an finger loop or tap to aid in lifting it up.. give it a good tug up and the front glass will pop open.. when u shut the glass the levers will reset them self..

once u have the glass open there should be a unlock mech on the front lower left side.. all the way at the bottom of the glass.. usualy this is a push down mec that will allow u to open the access shooter tray.. this will aid in cleaning and making sure there is no junk in the way..

u think there is not enought spring tention to shoot balls?? in your last pic u can see the spring that provide tention to the shooter.. off picture and to the right there should be a flat bar attached the end of the spring.. that bar should have 10 or so holes in it.. one hole should be hooked over a nail.. that is your adjustment to provide more spring in your shot.. some like it soft some like it so hard that u can shoot two at a time.. ill leave that seting up to u..

take your time and take lots of pics.. keep in mind this is a simple machine with a bit of time it will come to ya

if u have any other questions shoot

[wrkey]

Lots of good advice from all those above. Here's my suggestion.

You are asking 'Where to start?' so I'll give you my 2 cents worth on the way I started with my first vintages when I knew nothing about them.
and
1. Put the machine on a work bench or table where it can be kepted for a couple of days. This is probably going to take a few days and your gonna be pulling of parts, putting them back open, trying things, fixing, etc. Having a good stable work area where you don't have to keep picking it all up and putting it away and then digging it back out again will help get it done.
2. Either secure it to your workbench or simply put some 1/4 feet on the bottom. You will opening and closing the doors and such and you don't want to the machine to 'tip over' while you have it all in pieces. I use a set of small shelf or corner brackets screwed into my workbend and then into the back of the outer frame to hold mine in place while I work on them.
3. Once you have stable work environment with good lighting, you'll need a few tools. Pliers, small flat head screw driver (don't use electric ones as their torque can be too much), small phillips screw driver and needle nose pliers.
4. First, open the front upper frame that holds the glass/plexi in. Remove the glass plexi and set aside as you won't be putting this back in for a while.
5. Gather some cleaning 'tools'. This should consist of glass cleaner, q-tips and paper towels. (Don't use water! ) For the tight places you can spray the glass cleaner in a small container and then dip the q-tips in it to apply the cleaner.
6. Clean it. You don't necessarily have to take is all down to the individual pieces yet, just clean every thing you get to. Concentrate on the ball tracks and hoopers. Remove on the basic covers and clean what you can easily get to.
7. Learn. Step 6 accomplishes two things. One it will get most of the gunk out that prevents the machine from working like it should. Two, as you clean it.. follow the balls! Look and 'be the ball' and see how they will trip and fall. Activate levers and see what the results are. The machines are facinating mechanical works of art and by studying them as you clean them you will see how they work.
8. Put some balls in the hoppers. Many of the functions of a machine are restricted from working when the hoppers are empty or nearly so. By filling these hoppers you will find levers the release others, gates that are open that should be closed, etc. Again, look and learn.
9. Drop a ball. Put a ball in one of the pockets. I suggest you start with one of the lower blue ones as they only release a jackpot and do nothing else. Watch the back and see where the ball goes. The jackpot process (when it works) is rather quick so you'll probably want to do it a few times just to watch how all the components work together. If the jackpot doesn't "pay out" diagnosis the problem. Keep in mind that a jack pot process can be broken down into smaller processes. Get the first step working, the figure out the next, then the next. Patience is the key here. Learn.
10. Drop another ball. This time put one in a 'fancy pocket'. Learn what additional things it does and make sure it drops a jackpot. Every ball in any pocket will pay out one (and only one) jackpot. Drop one in the center targets, more things to happen. watch and learn.
11. Open the lower ball loading door. Clean it. clean the ball shooter area. Again, clean what you can reach or can be accessed by the basic 'cover door' releases.
12. Load balls into the upper player tray. Put the glass back in the front door and close it. Shoot a ball. Diagnosis any problem with the shooter and ball loading processes. Again work in small process steps to resolve.

Once you do this, you will have basic functioning machine. As you see it work your excitement about the machine will grow and you will be more atuned to the machine, you'll know how it works. THEN you'll someday soon, tear it down more completely, do a complete restoration/cleaning. Keep in mind you can restore a machine to the level you want. Either just enough to make it work or a 'complete back to new full restoration' or any level in the middle. But this too, you can do in stages.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

[Moparformances]

well thought out and well writen Rusty

"be the Ball"

[ebb]

I appreciate everyone treating me with kid gloves.

The information provided has been outstanding.

I will take my time, lots of photo's and think through any problems.

I need to get some balls. Did I write that out loud

I'm afraid this might not be the last time I dip into the reservoir of
goodwill, so lead me slow. Once I gain some speed I typically need to know everything

Thanks to all

[digital1]

Welcome!

When you take lots of pictures (and you should!) We love to see them. I like to follow others progress. I can't add any advice to what the others gave but to post the pictures.

[ebb]

Hello all.
Well I've startes this project and have made some progress!

Got the front door open.
pick up some sphere's
mounted to my workbench
Started to clean when
I found this shooting pin in one of the channels.
Explains why I didn't think it had enough tension to launch the balls.
Now I'm back to ask for help
What would be the best way to reattach?
Can I pull the spring off or should I take the firing mechanism apart from behind.
Also should there be a 2nd nut to hold the shooter in place once I pass it through the badge shaped opening where the ramp starts?

Any Idea's on how to keep the shooter pin in place once I get it back onto the spring? It already came off once

I thank you all again for your help!!

As a side note once I got the dirty Plexiglas of I could see the little bowling alley in the middle sweet!

[JACKSJE4]

ebb,

I am in the process of restoring that exact machine for a customer, and have it in pieces on my bench right now. While I have not yet completely disassembled the back of the machine, I question whether that "shooting pin" you found in one of "the channels" actually goes with the Pachinko machine. I have restored many machines and do not recall seeing a part that looks like that. Can you describe exactly where you found it?

I will take a closer look at the machine I am restoring when I get home from work tonight and see if I can locate the same part. I will take photos for you if I find where it goes.

Jeff

[ebb]

Hi JACKSJE4,

I found it laying flat in one of the two brown double channels in photo.

I would appreciate any help

[Moparformances]

that is not part of any vintage Pachinko that i have ever see either?? i think u should put it back where u found it... take a picture and post that picture in this thread.. http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/vint...-machines.html

then remove it.. save it just in case but i dont think its a Pachi part

it is not a shoot pin.. your shooter looks complete as is.. just the spring makes contact with the ball..

on side note for your pic of the shooter, it is being held back?? when the shooter handle is released it should return with force to the rubber stoper at the top of its swing.. in your second pic i was assuming u were holding it with your hand to show in the pic?? but in your first post it is in nearly the same position.. check to see if the shooter is making full range of movment.. have u tried to adjust the spring tention??

[dman]

That is definately not a piece that goes to your Pachinko. I was a car audio/security installer for a number of years and the piece you have there is what is called a pin switch. The pin switch is used in car alarms to signal the alarm to sound when something is opened( like your trunk or door) when your alarm is armed. While the pin is pushed in there is no contact, but as soon as you release the pin the contact is made. The pin switch you found must have fallen in there over the past years while the machine was in storage and then forgotten about. Hope this clears up any fears/concerns on the mystery part. Good looking machine otherwise and good find!

[ebb]

Hi Moparformances,

In my 2nd photo in previous post the knob is not derpressed.
I have some new photo's here which show the knob depressed and where it returns to when idle.

to the rubber stoper at the top of its swing.

I can't find a rubber stopper

I've placed the ? what ever it is back where I thought it would go(Unattached) The shooter knob is idle in that photo.
The mystery piece does recoil and has a piston spring inside the chamber. It looked like if it was attached to the spring and you pulled the knob back it would then pull back the nail shaped top on the mystery piece which in turn when released would fire to shoot the ball

As far as posting in the weird items found in your machine I already received a double groan for my cricket comment
But I'll try again!

[mudfud]

hey ebb,

dman is correct, that is a pin switch used in older cars to turn on the cabin lights when you open the doors. I messed around with car stereos and car alarms, so I know that piece and it that definitely does not belong to the pachinko.

mopar's right that the strike hammer should rest against the bumper (be more vertical) when not being flipped. look to the right side and follow the spring. maybe the nail that it hooks to came loose, and all you have to do is put a new one and stretch the spring.

here's a couple pix from an older A, but same idea.

[Moparformances]

in post 15 your 3rd pic showes the shooter handle fully pulled and ready to fire.. puled back agenst a bumper...

when u let go that shoots forward and strikes the ball.. then it should come to rest agenst the other bumper... that is the one i was refering to (also visable in the same pic)

sounds like either the spring tention pictured by mudfud is to soft.. or something is stoping the shooter from its full swing
______________________________________________________

I once found a dead cricket
at least I hope it was a cricket
it tasted like a cricket
oh well no photo's

as far as 's go if i could a second time i would

what exactly does a cricket taste like

[ebb]

Members we have lift off
Of course with the Plexiglas off it went flying who know where.
It was one small ball sacrificed for pachi, one giant leap for me getting
this thing working


Well I found the tension adjustment plate and after realizing it was attached to the spring and not the other way around I was able to increase the the tension.
But that alone didn't solve the problem. I had to move a plastic piece near the shooting mechanism which was preventing the arm from reaching a ball waiting to be fired. But now that same plastic piece sits behind the shooting mech and will only let me pull the arm back so far to fire.(It won't go back to that rubber piece.)
pic #2 Shooter idle(Now it wants to stay up top)
pic#3 Shooter on the way down
pic #4 Shooter can only go this far
pic#5 Larger view of where it stops

So, umm is it suppose to look like that

In addition I found another mystery piece stuck in the the machine.
No balls were traveling down the metal drainpipe.
There a brown plastic feeding piece attached to the top. Through the slit in the plastic I saw something in the path. With tweezers and patience I came away with Pic#6.
Pic#7 is where I found it and sorry I'm not putting it back there for photo's

Pic #8 is a larger view of where I found object number 2
Wow I'm Starting to think I can really get this to work!!

And yes the cricket was good a little to aged for my liking but good never the less.

[Moparformances]

i see one thing that is wrong with yours

see if i can put it into words

the wire with the tube over it is bent wrong ... it should be roling down the full lenghts of the plastic arm.. not hiting the post..

look at my pics and see if that makes sense



shooter at rest---- shooter half pull---- shooter full pull

model A shooter .jpg---- model A shooter 2.jpg---- model A shooter 1.jpg

[ebb]

Hi members

Quick update and some additional questions if I may.
Pardon the length and rambling descriptions.

I believe I have the basics figured out.
The balls load~ I can shoot them~The flowers open and close.
But the payout mech only works occasionally.


1. Pic #1 My white rocker assemble which drops one ball to start a payout only works occasionally. When I manually rock it back and forth I can hear a ball or balancer move inside? It sounds like it's inside.
I can't see it I just hear it.
I can manually trigger the ball drop which in turn make the machine payout.(I can see that ball) Otherwise most times the balls back up waiting to go down the drainpipe.
So Is there a ball or balancer inside the white piece or do I have something stuck within. Tough place to get to so I figured I ask before taking apart.

2. Pic #2 The lever up top which allows balls to go down the drainpipe won't stay shut. There is a toggle clip that I can close but once closed the lever won't open to allow balls down. I think the toggle clip is for loading balls into the machine then should be released once all the weights are triggered. I may need to bend some more wire's or adjust the weights to increase the the tension to keep shut. It looks like when the payout tray and channels are full the weight of those balls should keep the top lever closed. Then when
the balls start to run out in the payout area it lightens the balance and should open the top lever to replenish the balls via the drainpipe. Which in turn fills and the new weight closes the lever up top again.(does that make any sense)

I've included a few other photo's showing my progress and if you could take a look to see if anything is out of place or may need adjusting.
In addition I need to manufacture a pin to hold the white payout channel in place (last pic)
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!