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Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:11 pm
by Rick-okc
Guys,

I bought my first upright slot, a Caille Puck. It finally arrived yesterday.
Being my first, I though it would be nice to include you guys as I start learning how this upright works and starting the restoration process.
I'm hoping input from you guys will make this restoration better than if I did it all by myself.

The first thing I wanted to address is determine the actual finish on all of the outside metal parts. See pictures below.
The Puck was offered with either a nickel or antique bronze. This machine has what appears to be a brass finish.
Once I was able to get my hands on the machine and take a closer look, it appears to be painted gold.
On the back side on the coin head look at the glass in one of the windows. I also found a run on the back side of the coin head back plate.
Judging from worn spots on the front of the coin head, my guess is someone painted it because the nickel finish was coming off.

I'd like your opinion. Would you restore it or leave it as is? Why?
Most machines I get are in such bad shape they have to be restored. I try to restore them as close to original as possible.
What I'm seeing with this machine is a very ugly paint job where it shouldn't be. I've noticed a trim piece is missing on the cabinet, the back piece above the back door lock is chewed up and the cabinet is showing gaps in some of the joints.

Rick

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Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 5:37 pm
by Nickelslot
Strip the paint off clean it up use a good metal polish on the castings and you will be surprised at how it turns out I bet!its only original once. Great find congrats!

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:02 pm
by Rick-okc
Thank you.
That's what I'm thinking too.
I want to get that paint off, as soon as it warms up, and see what the original nickel looks like.

Rick

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 9:40 am
by clubconsoles
Looks nice and Original, Rick.
Is that backdoor original too?
That coin head will look amazing once polished.
Probably no need to re plate, it was a dull, cold finish orignally.
Watts nickel, is the process used, I believe?
I wonder if you can get repro "puck" graphics to go in the segments at the centre of the wheel?
Johnny Duckworth would know!
Congrats on your first upright, i just have the one, would love more but price and shipping costs are a major barrier.

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 6:50 pm
by Rick-okc
I've started cleaning the coin head and am finding a lot of the nickel is gone along with most of the black paint on the front panel. The top piece of the back door is repro. I don't think the center section of the wheel, about 5" diameter, had any graphics in it. I think that was later Pucks, but not positive on that. You're right, this will probably be my one and only upright.

Rick

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2018 8:12 pm
by Dave
When I bought my first upright I thought that would be my only one.

That was 5 uprights ago :D

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:33 am
by Rick-okc
Five uprights, that's fantastic!
I guess you're right, buy one, fix it up, sell it, get another. That's how I got started in the coin-op hobby. Perhaps that'll work with the uprights.

Rick Akers

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:42 am
by Rick-okc
Started cleaning the coin head. There is a LOT of tarnish and crud on everything.
First thing I did was remove the 6 coin entry covers and the center instructions plate.
As I cleaned them I noticed most of the nickel plating has worn away.
Here's a picture of all 6 coin entry covers cleaned and placed back on the front plate which has just had a minor cleaning. You'll notice that some of the coin entries are covered with masking tape. The black paint on the front plate is pretty much gone and I was thinking of bead blasting it and repainting it. I haven't done that yet. I do want to keep this as original as possible but I guess my habit of restoring pretty much everything I have is getting in the way. I'll wait on repainting it for now. If I do repaint the front plate, what should I use, glossy or flat black?

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Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 1:35 pm
by sam2002
Rick
Looks like a really neat project you have going !
As far as paint goes if I were doing this it would depend on where the restoration was going . Replating the metal and refinishing wood Id go gloss . If it’s a clean up and make it look period unrestored I’d go matte tone .
Looking at the paint on your coin entries it looks pretty good in the photos, Id restore as is and just clean as carefully as possible .
Anyway just my 2 cents
Not matter what you do it’s gonna look great ! Have fun !

Re: Caille PUCK Restoration - First Upright

PostPosted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:58 pm
by Rick-okc
Thank you sir.
I'm going to try and keep it as original as possible. Another suggestion I got is to use black oxide instead of paint. If I do anything to the front plate, I think I'll go with black oxide.

Rick Akers