Little Duke Restoration

[RameGoom]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of restoring a Little Duke and have a few questions for the experts. The machine is all there, looks pretty good, and doesn't work. Grrr..

The panels are pretty dull, and I was thinking I'd strip the paint off, buff and polish the aluminum and then repaint. Pro's? Con's?

The reel symbol strips are OK, but if I go this route, I'll replace them, even if I have to make them. Does anyone offer repops for those oddball circular strips?

The instruction sheet is shabby, and missing some detail. I would go so far as to repair it (remake it) but I need to know what the missing text says. Anyone have a good hi-res image of an instruction page intact? I can rebuild it in photoshop.
Here is the sheet on this machine: http://www.ramegoom.com/john/little_duk ... s-1600.jpg

Lastly, I managed to pick the lock, so I will try and get a proper key for it. But there's a lock in the "bent coin" assembly, so I will need to find that one. Any ideas?

This machine would be a fun project, and I just can't see keeping all that "patina" without a good reason. I need you folks to enlighten me.
Thanks!

[Midcoast Vintage]

strips and cards have been reproduced.
evans and frink had them.
dave evans has moved on to a higher plane, but i believe rick frink in howell, mi. is still in business.
another source would be aancient slots in las vegas.
nations attic has award cards.
http://www.nationsattic.com/
there may be other sources as well if these don't pan out.
good luck.

[kepmr]

If you are talking about the lock on the back of the coin head I got a key from Dave Berten @ MRSLOT1@aol.com
I got my award card and reel strips from Rick Frink I had to recopy and increase the size of the strips to make them work.

Ken

[RameGoom]

So you guys have restored your machines? I really want to tear into this, repaint and buff the aluminum. Anyone specifically NOT restore their machine for any particular reason? I'm new to this hobby, and want to make these things really shine, but there's a force out there that says you should keep them as found.

I dunno....

[RameGoom]

Another thing. The Little Duke has a vender on the left side, on some images I found. Some have the vender, some don't. The machine I have has a metal plug on that side, lines up with a lever that apparently triggers the vender to drop a roll or mint or gum.

Was the vender standard or optional? Should I be looking for a decent vender assembly to put on this machine (maybe a repro vender)?

[mechanic]

If you restore the Duke do it right. Most pre 30's machines were polished aluminum not chromed. The closest paint made now that looks as good as the original is Testors, or you can spend some big bucks and go to your area pro-paint supply house and get some mixed special. Vendors were an option, so if you have the machine plugged it means at one time it had the vendor. Machines that came originally without the vendor do not have a hole to plug.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Ramegoom:
I have the Instruction paper for the back door, as well as the Award cards. I also have some reel discs that I bought several years ago, from a fellow
in NY, that were done 'first class', and have a slight off-white aged look. I will have to look for them, as they are not with my regular stock of items.
I have heard from others about the Evans & Frink wheels being off-size, but don't have a new set to check. The original repro's that Dave printed were
OK, as I had used them before. Maybe Rick had more printed, and the new batch is off. I don't know.
If your machine is past the point of "nice original", and you are going to restore it, just don't "Over-Do" it. By no means, plate the aluminum castings.
Just buff them to a nice sheen, not a high polish, like chrome. Only nickel-plate the coin head, handle & hub, and award card frame. Not Chrome.
The best paint to use, is sign painters "One Shot", and they have several color shades that match many original slot colors. As far as a side vender, an
original is very hard to find, and very pricey. There are repro's that have been done, but they have to be a good example, as I have seen some that
are not done well. Send me a PM, and I can give you more details. Good luck with your challenge.
Bill