Owning a vintage slot machine is one of those fun yet daunting ideas. Many old school one-armed bandits are beautifully designed and instant conversation pieces. Plus slot fans who own a machine don’t ever have to worry about losing money to the house.
Gameroom Show sells pre-1940s vintage slot machines in excellent, working condition. These rare antique slot machines are also known as “one-armed bandits” because they were originally operated by one lever on the side of the machine as opposed to a button on the front panel, and because of their ability to leave the gamer impoverished. Gameroom Show repairs your antique slot machines from the 1900s to the 1940s. We repair Jennings, Mills, Watling, Pace, and other antiqe mechanical slot machines. If your antique slot machine is just sitting around not working, call us to obtain a quote or e-mail us at repairs@gameroomshow.com. What are the types of coin-operated antique slot machines? Old slot machines come in a wide variety of categories. While you may see token slot machines, the tokens work the same way that coins do. If you want a slot machine only for decoration, you might be able to purchase a non-functional slot machine for a lower price than a working model.
Charles August Fey, a Bavaria-born inventor, was living in San Francisco when he invented his first gambling machine in 1984. His games grew to be so popular at local bars, he quit his day job and opened a factory to start mass producing them, most notably the Liberty Bell machines in 1899. A lot of the functionality from that early game remained in place through much of the 20th century. Watch this video to see the seven mechanical actions set into motion when you pull back the bandit’s arm. The inner workings are probably a little more complex than you expect.
Given that a lot of old slot machines are hand built, it isn’t surprising that coins can get jammed on their way through the mechanism. Big warning: If your machine jams, don’t force the arm or you can break, twist or damage a part inside. Different models and makes tend to have common jam points. The Mills model shown in the above video can have coins stuck in the “elevator” section that displays the last five coins dropped into the machine. Getting the slot working again can be as simple as cleaning the gunk off of an old part. You just need to be smart when you’re disassembling and reassembling the machinery.
Okay, there are plenty of more places where a coin can get stuck and the above video demonstrates how to fix a variety of jams. It also explains how to disassemble the major parts of the machine and where common problem areas are.
Curious how an antique slot machine knows how much money a winner gets? This video shows the punch-card like communication that trips payouts and how. If you ever need to replace the reel symbols or calibrate the machine you’ll need to understand how these work. Even if you don’t ever plan on owning a machine, the metallic “circuitry” is interesting to see.
Vintage Slot Machines
Want to own a modern slot machine? New ones have plenty more bells, whistles and dings, and also a lot more advanced parts. If you plan on getting one, you may want to have an idea of what’s inside. In addition to the classic reels, there are speakers, motherboards filled with programming chips and plenty of wires. Unless you have a way with a soldering iron you probably won’t try and fix it. But in case you do, here’s a clip from Discovery showing what’s inside.
Did you know newer slot machines are smart enough to test themselves when a problem happens? This video shows you the procedure for having the machine check its own system. The host’s desert dry delivery is also enough to make this vid worth a watch.
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We buy, sell and tradeoriginal slots, arcade machines, trade stimulators, pinball machines, unique vending machines, and antique music and advertising. We have been dealing in vintage coin-operated machines since 1987. We love these great 20th Century antiques. The best thing about these great collectables is that you can play with them, not just display them. We are constantly buying, selling, trading or restoring one or more of these classics. We can locate hard to find machines from any era. If there is a particular machine you want for your own, let us know, and we will find it. Wander through our website to see just a small sampling of the vast array of machines we deal in. Rest assured that all of our transactions are handled in a discreet professional manner. Here at SlotsEtc.Com, we pay the highest cash prices for quality machines. We can have machines looked at and picked up from anywhere quickly and professionally. Call Us or email us to discuss your machine. |
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Caille | Jennings | Mills |
Pace | Rock-Ola | Watling |
[ Caille ] [ Jennings ] [ Mills ] [ Pace ] [ Rock-ola ] [ Watling ]
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Antique Slot Machines Buy
Buckley Bones (1935) Mills Dice (1937) Rock-Ola 1454,Vendo 44 & Coin Changer,Shyvers Multiphone, Mills Dice etc. Mills 21 Star 'Firebird' QT (1934) Pictured above: Rock-Ola Hold and Draw, and below: A.B.T.Big Game Hunter and Victory Basketball Pictured above: Ward's Lemon Crush syrup dispenser, and below: Orange Crush porcelain dispenser Pictured above a Triple Scoopy Gum Vendor and Silver King Musical Ballerina (1950). Below a Peo Baseball trade stimulator from the 30s. |