Detailed Restoration of a Bally 1090

[David Walz]

 

I'm really trying to find parts for the slot machine however its not working. Some of the businesses that sell used parts for slot machines are really strange people. I've tried and tried to contact these businesses with only no calls returned, no email returned, and one business said they only take check or cash when the website states they take credit cards.

All the time I'm being professional, pleasant, and I am going to quit trying to get parts because I'm banging my head against a wall. I will fabricate the last two pieces if need be.
 


 
Everyone that I've contacted here in the forum asking questions getting responses are really helpful, nice and they have sold me parts that has helped me out getting to my goal. I am grateful for your support and I'm going to continue to donate to a worthy forum that is keeping the old slot machines running.
 
I still have work to do on the slot machine, finding the gremlins that keep sending out a extra coin, however I have a lead thanks to the people that have given me  another problem to look at.
 
Hell, I started with a slot machine that didn't function, the lights didn't work, the reels didn't  spin, the hopper wasn't not working, the payout was stuck, fuses that didn't work, to a 99% functioning slot machine.
 


I'll post more findings as I find the gremlins in the slot machine and remove them.

[David Walz]

 
A issue came up, the slot machine quit midway in a payout.


First I looked at the fuses, all of them were fine, in fact none of the fuses have blown since I've completed the most of restoration. I still have a few things to finish up.

 
Second, I checked the wiring, the coin micro switch was clicking when activated, I removed the hopper and checked out the wiring, something was a miss as when I put it back inside the slot machine it works fine now.


I didn't think the reels had anything to do with it since the machine quit while dispensing coins.


I know the "hopper" problem must be near the connection that plugs into the machine. If it occurs again I will look at it for some loose wiring, or a plug problem. I'm just wanting to give you some information on finding out the problem when something quits working. This problem occurred yesterday after a long day of work and I left it alone until today when I had a good night's sleep. I found the problem pretty quickly, a loose solder wire. 


 
I'm still working on fine tuning the 25¢ coin assembly on the door, some parts were missing, others were wrong for the 25¢ assembly, now after replacing some FUBAR parts, now it's functioning good but it's not perfect.

[David Walz]

I found the meter bracket assembly.  

[David Walz]

 

This is what I found; a meter bracket assembly, the old meters are going into the trash. I will use new meters I've gotten on the internet, as they are NOS. Putting it together, it will become a complete unit that actually functions inside the reel assembly.

Sometimes you have to take what you can get, the bracket is from a older slot machine from the 1960's however its the same bracket used on the 1090. The buyer accepted my offer making this slot machine 90% complete, however that damn hopper cover is going to be difficult to source, a couple of the slot machine companies who have the hopper cover are totally unreliable.



 
This was the long way around to finding parts;
First I couldn't get a company in California to ship me parts, they dragged their feet for two months with only excuses, broken promises of shipping, and no results.
Second, the parts company in Nevada was unprofessional to say the least.
Third was a company in California that was down right rude.

[David Walz]

The hopper knife was bent up from some lunatic, those knives are not generic, I've learned that from reading on this forum. Well on eBay someone had a knife "lot" for sale and I bought them. I thought I saw one knife that looked like mine and when it arrived, it fit like a glove. One less problem inside the hopper to deal with, coins jamming.

Once someone tweaks those knives its not worth messing with, the hopper will be problematic, and finding a good one in my opinion is the only way to go to resolve the issue.

[David Walz]

Another thing that helps me out on working on my slot machine is the different Bally slot machine manuals. Some may repeat themselves on some subjects, but every manual offers something new on repairing the slot machine.


All of the manuals, books that I've found have got some really good information about the slot machines. Like the meters on the reel assembly, thats where I figured that the bracket was similar on some of the other slot machine reels. when I learned about the meter bracket being standard on the reels, I expanded my search to other slot machine's and found one.

[David Walz]

If you want a really good book this is the cats meow.

I've been reading this book and it has some great information inside of it. After reading this book, its more like a in depth slot machine manual on how to repair everything inside a slot machine, a how to find out whats wrong with the slot machine, it also has wiring diagrams, and a whole lot more good information.

It should read "SLOT MACHINE FOR DUMMIES" since its easy to read, and a lot of good photos on the slot machine parts.


 

[David Walz]

  
Another finished project, the original belly glass had a chip in it, so I replaced it. I built a wooden cabinet that is holding the chipped glass inside, using the wood trim I've covered up the chip. Basically, I recycled it.


The slot machine is in the sunroom, it leads out into the Sun Glow greenhouse no steps just walk into the greenhouse. The sunroom is more of a Alaska room, with a old style feeling. I thought the slot machine would fit better in their than our main house where its more formal, our house is kinda like a museum.

[rokgpsman]

Good job on the lighted sign box using the glass with the chipped edge. What did you do to light it on the inside, is it one of those short under-counter type fluorescent lights?

You probably have all the Bally EM manuals you want but do you know about this place that has manuals? Often they are photocopies of out of print manuals but sometimes that's a lot better than nothing at all.
 
http://www.coinslots.com/manuals/bally/

[David Walz]

Good job on the lighted sign box using the glass with the chipped edge. What did you do to light it on the inside, is it one of those short under-counter type fluorescent lights?

You probably have all the Bally EM manuals you want but do you know about this place that has manuals? Often they are photocopies of out of print manuals but sometimes that's a lot better than nothing at all.
 
http://www.coinslots.com/manuals/bally/

Actually I found a large fluorescent light the full length of the glass in the middle of the cabinet.

[David Walz]

Good job on the lighted sign box using the glass with the chipped edge. What did you do to light it on the inside, is it one of those short under-counter type fluorescent lights?

You probably have all the Bally EM manuals you want but do you know about this place that has manuals? Often they are photocopies of out of print manuals but sometimes that's a lot better than nothing at all.
 
http://www.coinslots.com/manuals/bally/

  I wish I could find a 1090 manual for my slot machine, that would be a lot easier to read and understand, right now I have to use all of the manuals I own just to understand this slot machine.
 


I take notes, inside the manuals/books that are for the slot machine. This way, in the future I can see what's happening to the slot machine if it has any issues that come up.


  I have CRS and notes are great so you don't have to start over again when something goes wrong.

[David Walz]

Two plastic chingaderas on the upper cabinet relays are broken, I've located a set of pinball relays to replace the plastic ones that are broken. I'm not going to disturb the contacts, coils, just replace the broken plastic.


If you are not up to date on sourcing parts, pinball machines are a great resource for acquiring parts. The coils are basically the same numbers. Some of the electrical component are useful, I purchased a "lot" from England of old arcade parts. Those parts were great for switches, wire, wire cover, coin slug, springs, and more.

[David Walz]

 

I just got a call from a "reputable" slot machine company, they have a complete motor assembly NOS. This way if the old break on the hopper motor is not working 100% it should clear up the issue of the extra coins on a payout, besides the old motor I have was made in 1977, with that amount of wear it's probably on its last leg.

[Amechanic]

Wow.. That’s a nice find. Hopefully they didn’t hurt the wallet too badly.

[David Walz]

Wow.. That’s a nice find. Hopefully they didn’t hurt the wallet too badly.

Thanks for your support it was not all that financially bad.

It's all about restoring this slot machine, I just can't purchase a fully functioning 100% slot machine shipped to Alaska at a reasonable cost. Shipping 400 pounds is not cost effectiveeffective, and besides they would be missing factory parts that were installed.


So I have to restore a slot machine up here in Alaska, and since Bally is a great slot machine, easy to work on, it was a no brainer. Once the missing parts are sourced, the slot machine will be restored completely, after that maintaining the slot machine from then on will be easy.

[David Walz]

 


Meters are now installed inside the slot machine.


  The person who removed the meters originally cut the wires real short, seems they did a lot of that on this slot machine, cutting wires short. Most of the time I've had to rewire to resolve the issue.

I installed a Molex plug to remedy this problem, if not, I would have to go and rewire the reel assembly. I found this bracket in a old 1960's Bally slot machine, so remember, you need to think outside of the box for slot machine parts.


I'm happier than a    in s**t. 

[David Walz]

As I said, think outside the box, this is the reel assembly I found the meter bracket, its old, but it works.


I spent sever hours looking for this bracket, it sure would be a whole lot easier to order on some slot machine parts website, however its impossible to work with some of those companies and slot machine parts are few and far inbetween. Once completed, it's just a matter of keeping the slot machine serviced with parts like coils and switches which are plentiful.

[David Walz]

  Meters are installed, thats the good news, bad news the out meter is not working.
 
Having a crap load of wiring drawings from several Bally books I determined the hopper was the issue. Sure enough the wire was MIA, so I had a game plan all ready worked out, the issue was to find a hopper set up arm switch that matched the wiring diagram. After checking the circuit out I found one that was isolated, and the wire 63-2 was the common wire, when a activated the 53-2 meter wire connects with 31-2 pulse wire closing the circuit to the 60-1 wire.
 
Easier said than done. But it works slicker than snot.

[David Walz]

  On another note, while I had the hopper out for repairs I found a wire that was soldered but not to the switch post, it was flopping around inside of the switch, with a plastic cover. This is a major issue since its on the hopper pulse, that can create interruption in the circuit. Thats why the hopper quit on one occasion, so I soldered it down.


I think this particular wire flopping around could cause erratic behavior, time will tell, it has to be soldered in place no matter what.




This has been one hell of an education on slot machine repairs, and I'm not sure, however I think I'm getting the hang of it now finding problems (created by a retard who worked on it before me) and solving the issue. 

[David Walz]

 


I've located a hopper cover.