Gluten for punishment - New Columbia

[marsonion]

Haha. Sat here in The Netherlands (no need to correct my English) expecting to enjoy an evening of knowledge concerning slot. However : seems to have turned into a grammer lesson.

In The Netherlands we call people who correct language mistakes "Vinger pee-ers".

Ha ha. I thought it was funny... and so are most of you Dutchmen.

[Walter Newton]

Haha. Sat here in The Netherlands (no need to correct my English) expecting to enjoy an evening of knowledge concerning slot. However : seems to have turned into a grammer lesson.

In The Netherlands we call people who correct language mistakes "Vinger pee-ers".

Ha ha. I thought it was funny... and so are most of you Dutchmen.

I knew it was funny, that's why I spelled it that way. It was the way I was feeling after looking at this mech for a week now.

Anyway, I still can't find the choke point.

And it's not like a Columbia mech is that complicated, that's what's driving me crazy.

[marsonion]

I knew it was funny, that's why I spelled it that way. It was the way I was feeling after looking at this mech for a week now.

Anyway, I still can't find the choke point.

And it's not like a Columbia mech is that complicated, that's what's driving me crazy.

Just one random thought before I quit for good and all: you'd mentioned that the machine got coins sprayed throughout during shipping, and just maybe, there could be a nickel still jammed where the sun don't shine. I don't say this because I think you were careless in any way when clearing out the nickels; I say it because of an experience with a Mills T-bird (apparently you have one too) where I was trying to figure out why coins were backing up inside the cabinet and the JP feed wasn't working... I looked and looked but couldn't find anything that looked wrong, least of all any loose nickels lying around on moving parts. That's because the wedged nickels (when I finally realized what I was seeing) looked exactly like washers or other legitimate parts, when viewed edge-on, pushed flat against a metal surface. So, I guess I'm suggesting that you look around that hardware and ask yourself whether each part you see isn't actually a nickel in washer's clothing... if that makes any sense.

[Walter Newton]

I knew it was funny, that's why I spelled it that way. It was the way I was feeling after looking at this mech for a week now.

Anyway, I still can't find the choke point.

And it's not like a Columbia mech is that complicated, that's what's driving me crazy.

Just one random thought before I quit for good and all: you'd mentioned that the machine got coins sprayed throughout during shipping, and just maybe, there could be a nickel still jammed where the sun don't shine. I don't say this because I think you were careless in any way when clearing out the nickels; I say it because of an experience with a Mills T-bird (apparently you have one too) where I was trying to figure out why coins were backing up inside the cabinet and the JP feed wasn't working... I looked and looked but couldn't find anything that looked wrong, least of all any loose nickels lying around on moving parts. That's because the wedged nickels (when I finally realized what I was seeing) looked exactly like washers or other legitimate parts, when viewed edge-on, pushed flat against a metal surface. So, I guess I'm suggesting that you look around that hardware and ask yourself whether each part you see isn't actually a nickel in washer's clothing... if that makes any sense.

No, that makes a lot of sense, and I've done that, every which way of Sundays.

Still, I could be missing something. Almost every time I sit down in front of the mech, I'm poking around with a thin, pointed-tip steel punch, just to double and triple check for a stray nickel.

There is not that many hidey-hole places in a Columbia mech, except at the top, where the carousel is, lots of gears, moving parts, levers; great places for a nickel to hid under.

But this movement of the handle is not even getting forward enough movement to start triggering anything like the reels, or the carousel mech/parts. The choke is before any of the reels or coin handling components even come into play.

And I really appreciate your input, I've learned in the past that even if someone doesn't have the exact answer, they may say something that makes you think about other ways of looking, approaching the matter ... maybe a light bulb goes on.

So, thanks again.

And if anyone else wants to add anything, please do, all suggestions are important.

[mechanic]

HAD THE SAME ISSUE ON ONE I TOOK IN FOR REPAIR. AFTER THREE MONTHS I GAVE UP ON THE PROBLEM OF THE HANDLE ONLY GOING HALF WAY. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK ALL AROUND SO I HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO TEAR DOWN THE MECH. IT WAS DOWN TO JUST THE FRAME AND MAIN OPERATING BAR WHICH REFUSED TO GO ANY FURTHER AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG. SO AFTER 3 MONTHS OF FRUSTRATION I DECIDED TO GIVE UP. AS I WAS PUTTING THE MECH BACK TOGETHER I TURNED THE MECH SO IT FACED ME AND FOR SOME REASON SHINED A HIGH INTENSITY FLASHLIGHT ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE FRAME JUST UNDER THE REEL KICKER. I NOTICED A REFLECTION COMING FROM THE REAR WHERE THE MAIN OPERATING BAR FRONT SIDE IS. IT WAS A SHINY SILVER REFLECTION THAT I DID NOT SEE BEFORE. SO I TOOK A THIN FLAT BLADE SCREW DRIVER AND INSERTED IT FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK AND TOUCHED THAT SHINY SILVER PIECE AND IT MOVED. I DID IT A SECOND TIME AND IT MOVED MORE, SO I THOUGHT LETS GIVE THE HANDLE A TRY ONE MORE TIME INSERTED A COIN AND PULLED THE HANDLE DOWN. IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN SPUN THE REELS AND SO I GOT INTO THE SAME SPOT AND PUSHED THE SHINY SILVER PART TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE MECH AGAIN TILL IT WOULD NOT MOVE FURTHER. ONCE THE HANDLE WAS FREED I FOUND FOUR OTHER PROBLEMS THAT WERE AN EASY FIX COMPARED TO THAT HANDLE.

[Walter Newton]

HAD THE SAME ISSUE ON ONE I TOOK IN FOR REPAIR. AFTER THREE MONTHS I GAVE UP ON THE PROBLEM OF THE HANDLE ONLY GOING HALF WAY. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK ALL AROUND SO I HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO TEAR DOWN THE MECH. IT WAS DOWN TO JUST THE FRAME AND MAIN OPERATING BAR WHICH REFUSED TO GO ANY FURTHER AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG. SO AFTER 3 MONTHS OF FRUSTRATION I DECIDED TO GIVE UP. AS I WAS PUTTING THE MECH BACK TOGETHER I TURNED THE MECH SO IT FACED ME AND FOR SOME REASON SHINED A HIGH INTENSITY FLASHLIGHT ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE FRAME JUST UNDER THE REEL KICKER. I NOTICED A REFLECTION COMING FROM THE REAR WHERE THE MAIN OPERATING BAR FRONT SIDE IS. IT WAS A SHINY SILVER REFLECTION THAT I DID NOT SEE BEFORE. SO I TOOK A THIN FLAT BLADE SCREW DRIVER AND INSERTED IT FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK AND TOUCHED THAT SHINY SILVER PIECE AND IT MOVED. I DID IT A SECOND TIME AND IT MOVED MORE, SO I THOUGHT LETS GIVE THE HANDLE A TRY ONE MORE TIME INSERTED A COIN AND PULLED THE HANDLE DOWN. IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN SPUN THE REELS AND SO I GOT INTO THE SAME SPOT AND PUSHED THE SHINY SILVER PART TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE MECH AGAIN TILL IT WOULD NOT MOVE FURTHER. ONCE THE HANDLE WAS FREED I FOUND FOUR OTHER PROBLEMS THAT WERE AN EASY FIX COMPARED TO THAT HANDLE.

ARE YOU SAYING YOU FOUND A COIN THERE?

[mechanic]

MORE LIKE A ROLL PIN

[Walter Newton]

MORE LIKE A ROLL PIN

You were spot on, even though I wasn't sure exactly where and what you were talking about.

And I just found it/saw it this morning.

But when I finally saw it, I understood everything you were saying.

It's a little brass or bronze pin, coming out of the bottom of the A-204 cam. It looks just like a cylinder pin from inside a lock. It floats in a hole.

I have no idea why Groetchen put it there, except maybe to prevent someone from giving the whole machine a good smack, knock, or tilting the whole case and mech.

Groetchen doesn't mention it on the parts manual or the operators instruction booklet (which is no surprise.)

Anyway ...

Now the mech is working and I need to put back some parts, especially the coin head, cause I removed some of it trying to find where this machine was jamming.

The mech is in good, clean shape for it's age, and it would have been a shame if I couldn't get it working.

[marsonion]

MORE LIKE A ROLL PIN

You were spot on, even though I wasn't sure exactly where and what you were talking about.

And I just found it/saw it this morning.

But when I finally saw it, I understood everything you were saying.

It's a little brass or bronze pin, coming out of the bottom of the A-204 cam. It looks just like a cylinder pin from inside a lock. It floats in a hole.

I have no idea why Groetchen put it there, except maybe to prevent someone from giving the whole machine a good smack, knock, or tilting the whole case and mech.

Groetchen doesn't mention it on the parts manual or the operators instruction booklet (which is no surprise.)

Anyway ...

Now the mech is working and I need to put back some parts, especially the coin head, cause I removed some of it trying to find where this machine was jamming.

The mech is in good, clean shape for it's age, and it would have been a shame if I couldn't get it working.

Can I bother you guys to post a picture of this thing--? I'd really like to know exactly where it is and how to remediate it, if I run into the same problem... thanking you in advance!

[Walter Newton]

MORE LIKE A ROLL PIN

You were spot on, even though I wasn't sure exactly where and what you were talking about.

And I just found it/saw it this morning.

But when I finally saw it, I understood everything you were saying.

It's a little brass or bronze pin, coming out of the bottom of the A-204 cam. It looks just like a cylinder pin from inside a lock. It floats in a hole.

I have no idea why Groetchen put it there, except maybe to prevent someone from giving the whole machine a good smack, knock, or tilting the whole case and mech.

Groetchen doesn't mention it on the parts manual or the operators instruction booklet (which is no surprise.)

Anyway ...

Now the mech is working and I need to put back some parts, especially the coin head, cause I removed some of it trying to find where this machine was jamming.

The mech is in good, clean shape for it's age, and it would have been a shame if I couldn't get it working.

Can I bother you guys to post a picture of this thing--? I'd really like to know exactly where it is and how to remediate it, if I run into the same problem... thanking you in advance!

Further inspection, it's a roll-pin holding two steel plates together. I suspect pressure on the two plates eventually stressed the roll-pin, in turn, decreasing it's diameter and allowing it to float inside the hole.

I pushed the roll-pin back in, hard, with a dental pick with a curved tip, and even then, it was a tight place to operate.

I was thinking of putting a small dab of liquid steel in the hole, but I did some trail runs, and there is no way to operated in that tight spot.

So, I'm leaving it alone, if it stays, fine, if it doesn't, I guess I will have to push it back in.

You would have to dismantle half the mechanism to get to it.

Hard to see in the picture, click on the pic and enlarge it. It's on the right side of that yellow circle.