Making own pockets

[p.opus]

Ok guys, I have broken the two side pockets on my vintage "A" machines.

The pockets are not tulips but standard plastic pockets.

Does anyone have any experience manufacturing their own pockets? I don't have a 3d printer, so I need a way to see if there is a way to make them with common materials.

[infiniteblue]

If you can use CAD or similar rendering software to create a model file, there are places that will do 3d printing for you. Shapeways is such a place, and for a pocket, it shouldn't be too crazy.

For modeling software, PTC has a free package that should be suitable for creating such a model from a CAD perspective. PTC - Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Express 4.0 I'm still trying to wrap my head around this package, but it seems quite capable.

[emmadog]

I think the quickest and easiest route is to buy silicone mold making material and casting resin. That is, if you're looking for an exact replica. I don't know if fabbing one up out of household items will give an acceptable result but that depends on the level of originality you're after. Anyway, I've made the types of pockets you're referring to and the results were factory perfect. It'll cost about 50 bucks or so for the 2 part silicone mold material and resin. The silicone mold material is a viscous liquid that you mix the two parts together and then pour around the original part. A few hours later you demold it and then pour the mixed, 2 part casting resin into the cavity, wait 10 minutes and there ya go. There's a little more to it than that but the learning curve is very shallow.
Here's the company I used
TAP Plastics : TAP Plastics
The casting resin can be dyed or once cast, painted.

[emmadog]

To give you an idea of what is possible with casting.
The first pic is of a part that houses the coin insert, return, and payout button. I'm holding an extra replica that was actually not quite perfect due to small hole left by an air bubble on the side that is not visible from the front. This was made by a member here and the resin was dyed blue before pouring. The original part is mounted to the machine.
The other pic without the clown face shows an original pocket and the last pic shows a replica I made.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370100328.484645.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370100346.085400.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370100471.530029.jpg

[p.opus]

Guys,

Thanks for all the ideas. I was not going for asthetics as I am planning on putting a custom "front" to the pocket. So I simply needed something to guide the ball in the hole.

Luckily I found two of the same pockets on ebay. The only difference is that the nail holes go through the entire pocket instead of on two thin plastic leaves, which is what broke off. I purchased the pockets (along with two tulips that came with it that I don't currently need) for 18 bucks which is pricey for basically two pieces of plastic, but considering I would have spent more than that getting raw materials, I came out ahead.

I'm still going ahead on fronting the pockets with a custom graphic using some 1/16 plexi as a backing, but will probably use a mounting method which will not permanently damage the original pocket.

We'll see as it goes, but at the very least, I found my pockets and they're better than the originals.

Each restoration is a learning experience and now when I pick machines, I will keep in mind pieces that easily break and will avoid those in the future.

Thanks again for your tips and examples.

[cardwwi]

I did make some pockets, I made a mold and cast them.DSC00071.jpg