Reel Bundle Restoration

[thepennyarcade]

Hi Forum
I am restoring a Mills Melon Bell and I have just taken the reel bundle apart.
The center reel was very sluggish so I am trying to figure out why.
I have removed all the old dried on grease, unfortunately got some on my good shirt.
I have buffed up the reel bundle cluster and the question I have is !!!!!
Do you grease up the shaft or leave it alone like the slides???
Thanks
John

[oldslotman]

I use just a few drops of very light machine oil. To much oil will slow the reels down. I have been using some army surplus machine gun oil which is a very light oil.

[JPCass]

I would suggest taking the reel axle out and examining it closely for any defects or damage, including putting it alongside a precision metal ruler and turning it several ways, to be sure it is absolutely straight. You can then clean and lubricate it, and also note if there is any point in removing and reinserting it where it seems to be binding, in which case you would need to look further into issues with the reel shaft tubes. The first machine I restored, actually had a bent axle, though that mechanism had been cannibalized for parts and probably had the axle swapped with one from another machine that had somehow been severely damaged, perhaps even in a raid.

[mechanic]

Good old 3-1 oil just a few drops and smooth it all around the shaft.