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Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Fri Nov 19, 2021 2:27 pmby TinkerTech
Hi Everyone,
You guys were super helpful to me in my restoration of our Pace All Star Comet. It came out looking and working great. As some of you know from previous discussions my wife and her two brothers each inherited one machine from their dad on his passing. One of the brothers recently visited and had a look at the Comet which really impressed him. He is now interested in doing a restoration on his machine which is a Mills Diamond front . As you can see from the picture it has been beaten severely with an ugly stick, starting with a really awful gold paint job. Adding to the less than pleasing appearance is the lack of a front plate.
I would be interested in opinions as to what he should do. I would vote for removing the paint but you guys are much more experienced and I would appreciate your suggestions Do the front plates for these machines ever turn up? It would be difficult to reproduce. Thanks in advance or any comments or ideas.
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Fri Nov 19, 2021 3:31 pmby capt7310
Hi I had the same thing and I used Rustoleum copper paint
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 12:41 amby TinkerTech
capt7310 wrote:Hi I had the same thing and I used Rustoleum copper paint
Looks good but didn't they originally look more like this or is the chrome version a variant?. If brother in law didn't live 400 miles away I would be checking under the paint.
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 10:14 amby MONTI
TinkerTech!
From your original photo showing the wear around the coin entry head from players over the years holding the slot machine with their left hand at that point and giving a good yank on the handle with their right arm yours was not the chrome version after leaving the factory sometime between the mid 1930's and 1946!
Also the chrome version you show a photo of was the attendant Front Jack Pot re-fill variety after a Jackpot paid out of the Front Jackpot!
Your version should have a self load front jackpot with a reserve jackpot above the primary jackpot so as to reload, if in operational condition, the primary jackpot on a following pull of the handle!
The "Award Bib" as the plate you reference is available from time to time in a reproduction and originals in Very Good condition are seldom found!
The Award Bib was of one of two payout varieties, I believe either a 2/5 or a 3/5 on cherries, if I am wrong someone here can correct me or add to that comment!
If you are going for a full on restoration, personally, I would repaint, after full prep of the surface, in a color as close to the original that you can find or what the original color looked like after leaving the factory!
Bona Fortuna on the new project!
MONTI
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 11:31 amby TinkerTech
MONTI wrote:TinkerTech!
From your original photo showing the wear around the coin entry head from players over the years holding the slot machine with their left hand at that point and giving a good yank on the handle with their right arm yours was not the chrome version after leaving the factory sometime between the mid 1930's and 1946!
You are most observant. I never figured that the little depression in the left side was wear from thousands of players. Interesting! I defer to your knowledge of the machine. As you can tell I am just beginning to learn. Is there a good "factory" picture around as to what it really should look like? Also do you know of anyone who is reproducing and or selling the "Award bib". I would really like to help him get this machine back in shape. We are all continuing my father-in-law's idea of "The slot machine knows if you've been bad or good". Every kid gets a pull until they win and each coin has a dollar multiplier. It is a fun family tradition at holiday time.
Bona Fortuna on the new project!
MONTI
Thanks very much Monti, I had really good luck with the Comet and hope to help Bro in Law get his into good shape. The last one is a dime machine that other Bro in law has and I haven't found out what make it is yet. If you know of anyone who might have that bib please let me know.
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 11:40 amby 63mini
TinkerTech,
I agree with Monti that your machine was not a chrome version. Also, it appears in your photo that the base of the cabinet is not an original style or, has been modified. If you do paint it. I would consider stripping the casting completely and do a proper prep on them before paint. You never know what's hiding below the paint. Below is a Diamond front I purchased a few years ago. It had the horrible "Mustard" paint. I was not even going to try to reproduce it. So, I just painted it yellow. But, below the paint the cast iron was pretty rough and need some work before paint.
Also, the award bibs do come up on eBay on occasion. Both in original and repro. If you buy a used original and it is brass you can have it re-nickeled and painted. Below is one I plated and re-painted myself. I think it turned out pretty good for my first attempt.
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 12:06 pmby MONTI
63mini!
Nice job on the bib, the originals having the recessed symbols help out on the painting process and cleaning up the edges!
The casting surface didn't come out to bad either and the reason the factory used that "Flecked" paint was that during WW2 they did not use aluminum for the casting and cast iron being very rough to cast left many flaws which it looks like you did a good job of filling and prepping for paint however aluminum castings are a little more forgiving!
Ciao!
MONTI
Re: Mills Diamond front
Posted:
Sun Nov 21, 2021 12:33 amby TinkerTech
63mini wrote:TinkerTech,
I agree with Monti that your machine was not a chrome version. Also, it appears in your photo that the base of the cabinet is not an original style or, has been modified. If you do paint it. I would consider stripping the casting completely and do a proper prep on them before paint. You never know what's hiding below the paint. Below is a Diamond front I purchased a few years ago. It had the horrible "Mustard" paint. I was not even going to try to reproduce it. So, I just painted it yellow. But, below the paint the cast iron was pretty rough and need some work before paint.
Also, the award bibs do come up on eBay on occasion. Both in original and repro. If you buy a used original and it is brass you can have it re-nickeled and painted. Below is one I plated and re-painted myself. I think it turned out pretty good for my first attempt.
Thanks guys. I'm passing all this along to bro in law. He has ordered the Mills book and is pretty good mechanically so I am sure he will get it in good shape. I will keep a lookout for the bib once he figures out exactly which version of the machine he has. If his comes out as good as our pace then the other brother will be under pressure to get his going. I really appreciate all the comments. I'm learning!