Page 2 of 5

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:07 am
by fast_in_muskoka
YourBestBet wrote:
fast_in_muskoka wrote:I really like the design of skyscraper slot - nice machines guys.

Every version I've seen ( other than the pic I posted ) has a paper payout mounted behind glass in a metal frame.

This one has a metal payout with the symbols cast or molded down into it and the low spots painted.

That's what makes me think that it was restored 40 - 50 years ago . . .


I noticed your machine also has a different jackpot with front lock. Very cool.


Yes Sir - my Skyscraper has a manual load Jackpot, so from what little I know must have come from / been manufactured for Navada.

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:09 am
by fast_in_muskoka
altort wrote:I recently restored my 2 pull, complete tear down of cabinet and mech, came out great one of my favorite machines, interesting to see the different jack pots, never seen the one with the stars


Wow that Mills is awesome !

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:19 am
by nvmos2
This is really a great series of photos;
it shows the wide range of variations in the Skyscraper cabinet that a lot of us never notice.

I'm thinking that metal award card might be original;
it wasn't long after the Skyscraper that the metal award plate became a Mills standard.Perhaps this was an early version of it,
especially if the machine has a high serial number.

Steve;
Do you mind posting (or sending me a PM) the serial number?
It would be a bonus if there are any original stickers inside with the date on them.

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:41 pm
by thepennyarcade
I restored my Mills Skyscraper about 5 years ago
I noticed that the metal payout card is a 3/5 and mine is a 2/4 payout !!
I think the 2/4 are older models, but I would ask the oldtimers on this, :>)
I got the original colors from a book called Slots 1, Richard Bueschel, True Colors
Best
John

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:25 pm
by fast_in_muskoka
nvmos2 wrote:This is really a great series of photos;
it shows the wide range of variations in the Skyscraper cabinet that a lot of us never notice.

I'm thinking that metal award card might be original;
it wasn't long after the Skyscraper that the metal award plate became a Mills standard.Perhaps this was an early version of it,
especially if the machine has a high serial number.

Steve;
Do you mind posting (or sending me a PM) the serial number?
It would be a bonus if there are any original stickers inside with the date on them.


I'll post some pics and / or e-mail you after work.

Original guts and labels are all inside, although I don't remember finding a date.

From memory serial number is a six digit starting with A390XXX ( "A" prefix on the serial number looks to have been stamped with the same depth / force as the numbers ?

Internal serial number sticker has an old fashioned A added to it ( looks like oldie type fountain pen ink ).

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:36 pm
by altort
kentdun wrote:Looks like a great paint job. Can I assume you had to hand paint it. Can't imagine it could be sprayed. Are the sides painted or varnished? Mine is painted flat black on the sides. If mine doesn't sell I might tackle a repaint. Never repainted anything larger than a gumball machine.

A little of both, the thin red lines were hand painted, the larger red areas and all of the black was spayed, after spraying you need to feather the tape lines to get rid of the sharp paint edge, lots of taping but the results are worth it in the long run.
The cabinet is stained a medium walnut with several coats of satin polyurethane.
The slot was pretty rough to start with but the end result was well worth the effort.

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:53 am
by fast_in_muskoka
nvmos2 wrote:This is really a great series of photos;
it shows the wide range of variations in the Skyscraper cabinet that a lot of us never notice.

I'm thinking that metal award card might be original;
it wasn't long after the Skyscraper that the metal award plate became a Mills standard.Perhaps this was an early version of it,
especially if the machine has a high serial number.

Steve;
Do you mind posting (or sending me a PM) the serial number?
It would be a bonus if there are any original stickers inside with the date on them.

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:00 pm
by nvmos2
Ref Steve's machine:
A Skyscraper with hand-load JP, JP counter, metal award plate, and a lettered serial number; VERY interesting.

The serial number is high for a Skyscraper, indicating it is near the end of the model run and close to the introduction of metal award plates on Half-tops.
This may very well be an early use of metal award plates by Mills.

Very few Mills machines had a letter prefix.
The Bueschel/Zimmerman serial number list already has 390126 assigned to a 25 cent Castle Front.
That may provide a clue as to why the A prefix;
perhaps quality control discovered the duplicate number and the accounting department (or some government regulator) said they could not just change the duplicate number, but had to modify it.

The mechanism number is unreadable in the photo;
I think Steve indicated it had a hand-written A prefix and he could read some of the printed numbers indicating it matched the case.

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:45 pm
by Dave
You folks should post these serial numbers and photos at the slot machine registry site (www.CoinOpRegistry.com).

There is no fee to do so.

Dave

Re: Mills Skyscraper

PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:15 pm
by fast_in_muskoka
nvmos2 wrote:Ref Steve's machine:
A Skyscraper with hand-load JP, JP counter, metal award plate, and a lettered serial number; VERY interesting.

The serial number is high for a Skyscraper, indicating it is near the end of the model run and close to the introduction of metal award plates on Half-tops.
This may very well be an early use of metal award plates by Mills.

Very few Mills machines had a letter prefix.
The Bueschel/Zimmerman serial number list already has 390126 assigned to a 25 cent Castle Front.
That may provide a clue as to why the A prefix;
perhaps quality control discovered the duplicate number and the accounting department (or some government regulator) said they could not just change the duplicate number, but had to modify it.

The mechanism number is unreadable in the photo;
I think Steve indicated it had a hand-written A prefix and he could read some of the printed numbers indicating it matched the case.


That's kool that you figured out an additional machine with an identical serial number !
Kinda nixes the theory that the A was added later by an operator / restorer, as previously suggested in another post.
If you could see the serial number in person you would be able to tell that the letter and numbers were stamped by the same means .
I did not attach the serial number sticker/tag 's picture with above post, I'll do so later tonight / tomorrow AM

thanks nvmos2