Exciting new acquisition: Caille Commander

[johnleblanc]

We acquired our first nickel slot machine yesterday and I'm already OBSESSED. Huge thanks to contributors to this forum from whom I've picked up a TON of history, HOWTOs and insight already. I already broke and successfully repaired the escalator. It was only a dislodged spring, but please just let me feel cool about it for now, okay?

As a total newbie it's been super interesting learning about the history of Caille Brothers, all the various models and discovering prolific historians like Mr Bueschel.

I have SO MANY questions, but first, here's what I picked up:

Caille Commander Front View

Mech Front

Jackpot Inside View and Serial 41265

Mech Serial 40709

It was advertised as a "1936 Cadet," but I'm confident it's really a Commander from what I've learned here.

It's VERY clean looking and it's in pretty good working order. Someone did a really nice restoration it seems, and wouldn't it be SO COOL if someone on this forum recognizes it and takes credit!?

The teeth marks on the clock seems like an obvious indication that the clock has been tuned up. I see some fluid seeping up through the top, which tempts me to attempt a replacement of the top internal rubber O-ring and top off the fluid. It was barely moist when we got it, but the pooling slightly increased in volume after a few hundred pulls over the last 24 hours.

Seeping Clock

There's a "Bonus Mystery" mentioned on the payout card which I think has revealed itself as Lemon, Cherry and *any* Combo; where the lemon on the first wheel is the one with grape above and jackpot below. Is that what is meant by "Bonus Mystery?" I caught it on video while shooting a demo to post here:
https://youtu.be/3V4ClabSCQ4

I don't have much to compare it to, but I'm wondering if the reels should normally spin longer? ...and is that something governed by an adjustment screw OR managed by the clock, which in my case might require a fluid top-off?

Maybe this deserves it's own post, but I have observed that the jackpot reserve does not replenish when cherry + cherry is hit. This behavior is also included in the YouTube video above. I've identified a tab that governs the escalator escape, which can be pulled out and locked fully open; but normally kept closed by a fairly strong spring on the opposite side of the escalator keeping all coins traveling upwards.

Escalator coin escape

Escalator escape strong spring

I haven't identified how the "escalator escape tab" (excuse my rookie lack of proper vocabulary) is triggered to allow the coin to roll into the jackpot reserve.

There's a cool Watling diagram glued to the inside of the door pointing out intricacies of that mechanism. Wondering if a similar map of the Commander mech exists which would help me better grok the internal operation.

Watling inner door diagram

Okay, that was a lot, sorry. But I'm super EXCITED!

Thanks in advance for your insights everyone!

[marsonion]

Congratulations on your find! I have owned and/or restored at least three Commanders over the last ten years; I guess I find the "look" more attractive than most.

On the positive side, it appears your machine is relatively complete, and some care was taken by whoever got hold of it before you. On the nit-picky side, I prefer the original, factory color scheme to this red-and-yellow. I'm attaching pictures of what the yellow/orange scheme looked like: it was white piping trim for all standard colors. Also, let me tell you how much I hate the reproduction reel strips that were installed on your machine:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1489&p

I have some image files which I could send you to have some better strips printed up; really, anything would be better than those garbage strips.

I watched your video, and yes, the cycle is too fast. That is probably an effect of low hydraulic fluid in the pump, which as you indicate is percolating out the top casting around the crankshaft. I agree that that seal needs replacement.

Regarding the "Bonus Mystery" payout, I think that everyone in the slots business was calling the relatively-new-at-the-time 3/5 payout a "mystery" for some reason. I also think that one of the lemons on your first reel strip is actually supposed to be a cherry.

You'll have to look for the cause of your jackpot feed problem: temporarily remove the reel window casting and glass, and that'll give you a better look at what's going on at the bottom of the escalator. If you need some guidance on that, PM me and maybe we can arrange a time to confer by phone. At any rate, you ought to enjoy tinkering with your nice Caille Commander!

Added note: I think you might be missing an essential part for the jackpot feed. Please post a handle-side-view of your mechanism.

[nvmos2]

Very nice machine!
The Caille machines in the Dough Boy line are often confused; the Commander and the Play-Boy, both of which came out in 1937, are almost identical.

Whoever restored it did a decent job; looks like one of the 6 correct colors. I don't know why he would put a Watling instruction sheet on the back door; that's a little strange; perhaps it was there before restoration and was just left as an interesting anomaly in the machine's history.
From your video, I agree that the reels on your machine stop too abruptly. You should be able to fine tune that with some tinkering, but recommend you search this forum for the threads on the Caille models; there are variations but the Cadet, Commander and Play Boy mechs are very close. They have been discussed at length here. Also, you may want to look for Coin Slot Guide 3 by Buschel; it covers the Superior and similar models, including the Commander.

I've got a 5 cent Cadet and it has run trouble free for over 20 years; something mesmerizing about watching that escalator (more like an elevator).

Enjoy it! Something special about the first slot in your collection (with more to come?).

[johnleblanc]

Thanks for making the time to weigh in @marsonion and @nvmos2!

Your post on the clock reconditioning (https://www.flipjuke.fr/regulateur-hydraulique-caille-t103436.html) is one of my favorite articles so far, so I must say I'm a little starstruck by your reply, @marsonion! I endeavor to use that guide to refresh my clock.

Thanks for the great pics of the color scheme! Don't be surprised if I eventually modify the paint job to conform it to the correct specs. You've got the 1¢ and the 10¢ pics with the correct colors, so I feel duty-bound to deliver the 5¢ version. I've seen 25¢ versions of the Cadet, wondering if there exists 25¢ Doughboys, Commanders, Playboys & Knockouts as well.

YES, I'd LOVE to get my hands on your reel strip files, thank you so much! Your suspicion of a lemon in place of a cherry on the 1st reel strips makes more sense to me than assigning a payout to a random combo. Not sure if it's obvious from the pics, but my payout menu is pretty faded too.

...and I LOVE Portland, so you've got good taste!

Here are MORE pics:

Mech Handle-side View

(I took the pics prior to reseating a spring, so ignore the spring behind the elevator pointing to the rear instead of straight up.)

Mech Non-handle-side view

Mech Rear

I discovered my mech serial 40709 listed at http://www.coinopregistry.com/ as a "Playboy", but no pics:

Mech Serial 40709 at coinopregistry

Wondering if it's a Playboy mech in a Commander case? ...with the wrong reel strips? (No lemons on a Playboy, right?) ...or perhaps it's just plain misclassified at Coin Op Registry due to the similarities acrosss models?

I'm curious if there's a case/mech mismatch as a result of the restoration or if this was manufactured late in Caille history where techs were assembling frankenslots to get the most out of orphaned parts. Fingers crossed, this one'll end up in @marsonion's "WTF File!"

The fact that the serial is listed at Coin Op Registry makes me anxious to see if someone here recalls actually performing the restoration!

The gentlemen I bought this from acquired it while living in Virginia, so I wonder if the restoration was performed by a contemporary of yours, @nvmos2?

I see Beuschel's must-read "The Coin Slot #3. Guide to the Caille Superior, Superior Jackpot and Silent Sphinx" and "Lemons, Cherries and Bell-Fruit-Gum" available from booksellers all in paper form. Is anyone aware of versions of these in digital format? My exhaustive search was fruitless.

Almost forgot: I'm missing the cash box, so if anyone has one they're willing to part with, I'm all ears! My small USPS Priority flat rate box works okay, but it feels wrong.

[marsonion]

I'm attaching an image of a Commander mech, handle-side view. As you see, you're missing the long horizontal bar that communicates between the cherry payout finger and the jackpot feed hardware. Fortunately, this is an easy part to replicate, or you could make a functional substitute for it out of plastic until you can find the original part.

I'm very sure that 40709 is not a Caille serial number for your machine; it is a Caille part number for that casting. (The Coin Op Registry entry reflects the same error.) On Commanders, you will find the machine serial number along the rear edge of the mech base casting, typically just below the horizontal finger stack.

Also, there is no great mystery that you have a lemon on your reel strip where a cherry should be: there were "tight" first reels, and operators were offered the option of "pulling the plug" and substituting a more liberal payout schedule. Attached is a notice from the back door of a Commander I fixed-and-flipped several years ago.

[A word or two about Portland: I moved to a safer and saner location about twenty miles away seven or eight years ago, and for good reason, as is now more readily apparent. Downtown is presently a cesspit of junkies, dirtbags and psychotic vandals. A couple of years ago, a relative wrote me, eager to visit Portland; I replied, OK, but be very careful: many of the drivers, half of the pedestrians and all of the bicyclists are criminally insane. Recent events have only confirmed my longstanding, leery opinion of this otherwise naturally, historically beautiful city.]

[johnleblanc]

Such excellent insights, @marsonion! Thank you!

With your guidance, I've identified my serial as 111471

Serial 111471

I now understand that my reel #1 is wrapped with the "tight" reel strip, despite the plug being pulled for the more liberal payout. If you have any of those reel strips left that you showed in your "MISREPRESTORATION" post, I'd LOVE to purchase a set! Loosely rolled, would they fit in a Small USPS Priority Flat Rate Box? I can also send you a prepaid mailing label to make it easy.

I very much appreciate your pic of the missing horizontal bar! I'm not totally clear how it works. From your photo, it looks like it needs to travel a great distance back-to-front in order to engage the elevator coin stop release. I do have the benefit of a metal shop two blocks away, so I'd be excited to fabricate a solution if I can obtain measurements or a trace of the part.

I measured the travel of the cherry finger tab and it appears to move only very little, so I'm not fully clear how it properly affects the horizontal bar.

Two Cherry Finger Position

One Cherry Finger Position

No Cherry Finger Position

My escalator jackpot coin stop is currently held closed by a spring. I anticipate the missing bar should engage right where that spring is currently attached?

Jackpot Fill Spring View

[marsonion]

I do indeed have a nice set of "Mystery" black reel strips; please check the symbol order carefully to be sure they're right for your machine. The separated "tight" version first reel strip ought to match the one you've got, which should be replaced with the regular first reel strip. These are printed on card stock and laminated semi-gloss, which matches the look of the original strips to a remarkable degree, plus you can simply wipe off any grease or dirt, which is something you sure can't do with any of the paper strips repro'd elsewhere. $35.00 plus shipping; PM me if interested.

Also, the part you need on 1/4" quad paper. It's mostly just a shape cut from 1/8" steel, with a bushing stuck to it. Hopefully, the previous restorer had the common decency to leave you the shoulder screw threaded into the casting; if not, you'll have to make yourself one with a piece of brass tubing. (I don't own the part I photographed here, so I can't sell it to you.)

[flyingfred]

marsonion, Do you, by chance, offer reel strips for a 1933 Watling Gold Seal?

Thanks,
Fred

[marsonion]

marsonion, Do you, by chance, offer reel strips for a 1933 Watling Gold Seal?

Thanks,
Fred

Fred, no, I'm sorry-- I don't. I've only made strips to support my own Caille restorations, and a few for other people's machines, where they provided me the remains of their worn/damaged strips or symbols for me to scan. I've only got one old Watling, a Twin Jackpot (Torch Front) with corroded tin reel strips; can't do a thing with 'em...

[johnleblanc]

The photos are SO helpful, thank you @marsonion! I was able to scale & skew your photo to match my 1/4" graph paper and print to scale so that I could accurately measure the bushing and spring hole placements for fabrication.

Feed Arm Diagram

The metal shop down the street "Heavy Metal" has been enlisted to weld the bushing, shape the ends and drill the holes. I'm pumped! The restorer did not leave the screw, but I'm confident I can find a match and a spacer to replace that no problem. The bushing & screw hole was obscured in the first photo of the bar mounted on the mech. Now that you've generously provided the photos of the part in full view, I recognize how the cherry payout finger on the shorter side of the bar affects the travel on the longer jackpot feed side using that pivot point.

I verified that my reel strips order are exact matches. I also measured to see if they'd fit in a USPS Small Priority Flat Rate Box. It looks ideal!

Reel Diameter

USPS Small Priority Flat Rate Box Diameter

Reel Fit Inside USPS Small Priority Flat Rate Box