Mills Black front-Maple case??

[3reel]

I have seen a bit of interest in the Mills and/or Baker Black Front and Black Beauty machines lately here and there. I've had this machine for a while in my collection and thought I'd post this question. Why does this machine have a Maple cabinet? It also uses all side bolts with a raven, or black oxide finished bolts instead of the common nickel plated through-bolts. This slot has not been restored to my knowledge. The mechanism uses post-war looking parts, like the slide cover mounted JP trip arm and the front load feature. One very curious thing, the original paper reel strips are dated 1944. I wasn't aware there was ANY coin machines being built during WWII. If Baker put this thing together, they sure wouldn't let it go out with a "Mills" side decal on it! I believe the top casting has been either changed or one used during build, from an earlier Castle Front, since it wears a square-frame payout card instead of the later "oval" all metal tag. ANYONE know the answers here??---

[terick2104]

The top casting is from an earlier Castlefront, The knights head on a black front is slightly differant and you are correct it would have an oval award card. There are all kinds of possibilities as to the origin of the machine. One possibilitie is that it was put together by an operator. Are the castings marked 'MLB' on the inside. Perhaps there was some limited production of replacement parts during WWII.

[oldslotman]

I believe that many of the Black Cherry machines that had the cabinet painted black used a maple case.

[TJ]

This is a blue front that I have had for over 20 years the person that acquired it before me got it in the early 70's.

[3reel]

The castings do have "MLB" numbers cast into them. I've stripped many Black Cherry cases and owned over 30 of them in the past, NONE had maple cabinets. Some had filler in them and painted over black at the factory, but they were all oak. I still think the War department/ Dept. of the Interior had very strict rules about any manufacturer making parts during the war years unless the parts were contracted by the Government at such businesses for war supplies only. Perhaps paper was not on the big list of rationed materials.

[terick2104]

I have seen maple or some other close grain wood cabinets on Diamond Fronts. I can't rescall if I ever saw an oak cabinet on one.

[terick2104]

I've done a few Black Fronts. I checked my pictures and they all had oak cabinets. I suspect your cabinet is from a Diamond Front and the machine was put together from a couple other Mills machines.

[3reel]

Thanks for the reply. The Diamond fronts I've had were all painted over completely with either gold paint or glitter paint and I sold them off years ago, un-restored and of course, un- stripped. They very well may have maple cases. This case has never been painted, as one can see the very old Mills decal on it. I thought all Diamond fronts were painted. Anyone out there stripping an old Diamond front cabinet right now??? Yes terick, Operators were very keen on changing things around on their machines. I've been guilty of such shenanigans, operating a music & game route for years. It's called"clean it up and get it out the door to earn some money".