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I'm working on an inoperable cadet for a friend of mine. This machine hasn't worked in 30 years or more. He got it from his father and I'm not sure if it worked when his dad owned it. I fixed the hydraulic clock and stripped and cleaned the machine. The problem I am having is with the reel kicker. I'm not sure if a part is missing or what. When I try to cycle the machine the reels don't kick. Seems like the lever that hits the payout disc should lock and release the energy stored in the spring, but I see no mechanism to make that work. Any advice or a picture or two of the kicker assembly might help.. Thanks for looking.. P.J.

pj waelti wrote:I'm working on an inoperable cadet for a friend of mine. This machine hasn't worked in 30 years or more. He got it from his father and I'm not sure if it worked when his dad owned it. I fixed the hydraulic clock and stripped and cleaned the machine. The problem I am having is with the reel kicker. I'm not sure if a part is missing or what. When I try to cycle the machine the reels don't kick. Seems like the lever that hits the payout disc should lock and release the energy stored in the spring, but I see no mechanism to make that work. Any advice or a picture or two of the kicker assembly might help.. Thanks for looking.. P.J.

The kicker pivots concentric with the reel axle. A very common point of failure is near the axial root of the kicker: it simply fatigues and snaps off, and then just sort of wiggles on the broken edges while scraping or jamming against the payout wheels. In two instances I've had to weld this part back together to get a functioning mech... in both cases, I'm convinced the machines were retired decades ago on account of this particular mechanical failure. PM me for more info.

Thanks to Marsonion for the help. Sometimes you can't see the forest through the trees. The problem was obvious to him but not to me.. PJ