Mills QT Slot Machine

[WoodrailFanatic]

I need to have a Mills QT Chevron front casting repainted and have some questions I am sure you experts can answer.

Were these originally painted with enamel?

From researching original colors it is clear to me that they produced one model with a green paint (Green Front) and one model with a blue paint (Blue Front). According to Bueschel there was a third model whose official name was Combination QT but I can't determine the original factory color for this one. I commonly see QT Chevrons that are painted orange. Is this the factory color for the Combination or just a popular color people like to repaint them?

Does anybody have Pantone codes for any or all of the original factory colors?

Thanks for your help!

[rtmccurdy]

Mills had three standard colors for the Chevron---orange, green, and blue. There could be a special order and color variations appeared as they were "updated" by various revampers. I have a 10-cent Chevron that looks like it has original red paint and a 1-cent with an odd color as well. My restoration technique, if needed, is to strip and polish the casting, mask, and use appropriate spray enamel. I do not like glossy paint on a QT so I use a clear satin coat as well. Perhaps someone has the paint codes you need. For the orange paint I use Rust-oleum American Accents 2X Ultra Cover in satin rustic orange and it is very close to the QT orange as well as the Mills Futurity color. The green paint is a bit more difficult to match as the spray colors tend to be a tad darker than the medium green used by Mills. Of course even original colors could change subtly as the aluminum castings oxidize. The QTs I restore usually have some remnant of original paint (look under the award card or denomination button) so there would be a way to match that. A cursory google search of Chevron QTs will give you plenty of great photos to help as well.

[WoodrailFanatic]

Thanks so much for the prompt and great reply. That is just what I needed to know.

Yes, I have already went out and looked for photos and have stored away many examples. And I saw enough of the orange to assume it was an original color but I wanted to be sure.

Very much appreciate your help.