What do you remove from your machines?

[RameGoom]

Looking at some of the old slots, the manufacturers installed anti-cheat mechanisms, token detect stampings and levers, slug detectors and various parts that made them casino-hard. Just wondering if any of you collectors remove those parts since they're not really necessary for home use, or collector display use.

My first thought is to remove the token detector parts. Or, maybe it's prudent to just leave all that stuff in the machine, which would add to the weight if nothing else.

Any thoughts?

[Midcoast Vintage]

best to leave it.
it's the way the machine came from the factory.

[altort]

If I was looking to buy a slot and those parts were missing I would likely pass or offer less.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

best to leave it.
it's the way the machine came from the factory.

Leave it? Naaaaaaaaaau! Take 'em off.
Collectors machines are supposed to give you a fun time, not cheat you.
I have a box full of 'Cheaters', 'Bugs', Gaffs', or whatever else you want to call them.
Every machine that I ever restored or worked on, got a de-bugging, unless the owner
wanted it left as is. Most of the Victorian Uprights that I restored had bugs. The only
ones I didn't remove, were the ones that had a spring-clip, that you could flip the bugs
to the backside of the wheel, to put them out-of-play. Most of the time, one of the two
high-pays on a color wheel was bugged.
All of my machines are "Bug-Free", except for one. It is a Mills 25c "Puritan Bell". They
are 10 symbol - 10 stop reels, with only one Bar on each. You will never get three Bars,
as the star wheel was never cut out at the factory. When I took the machine apart years
ago, to restore, and dismantled the mechanism, I thought some 'cheap-screw' had plugged
the stop. But after closer observation, noticed that it had never been notched at Mills.
After seeing this, I started focusing on others of the same model. Both 25c and 5c. I have
not found any others to date. I have asked a few collectors that have 25c versions to look
at the reel bundle, but no one has found an uncut wheel. You would think that whoever
ordered this done from Mills, would have ordered more than one. If another one or more
ever does turn up, they should, by all rights, have consecutive serial numbers.
OK Fellas, start checking your "Puritan Bell" machines. Especially quarter models.

[Dave]

If it came from the factory then leave it. Taking it off will diminish the value.

If it was a bug that an operator added go ahead and remove it but put the part in a sandwich bag and put it in the cash box in case someone else down the road wants to bug it.

[DeTrana]

Leave on anti-cheat devices (factory) and remove cheat (non-factory) devices

[RameGoom]

How about the token handling parts? I'm sure I wont ever be using tokens, and those pieces left in would probably add to the maintenance of the machine. Removed, I'm pretty sure I'd have less coin jams.

I would leave those parts with the machine, so future generations might want to put them back on, but for home use, really makes no sense to have them - except for "originality" sake, then I understand.

[altort]

Hey Bill

I meant to get back to you on the 25¢ Mills Puritan, I took the mech out and all 3 of the star wheel had been cut properly.

I think bugs and cheats are an interesting part of the slot history, I have had welded reel disks with patches over reels, welded star wheels, jack pots screwed shut with bent or removed linkages, I have a Jennings Rock-o-la revamp with so many bugs and cheats that only a few pay outs were possible, even the side vender was set not to dispense any mints, I have left that one alone for now,

[altort]

Ramegoom

resist any temptation to remove any of the parts that you have mentioned, coin jams happen, if a machine is set properly with the correct springs it will be minimal, besides even if you remove the parts but try to keep them with the machine there is always the possibility that the could get separated and eventually lost just like the Little Duke side vender linkage you had to make up for your machine, I want to bet that when that linkage was removed it was just not thrown away.

[RameGoom]

^ ^ You have a point there Altort.