restoring cleaning question

[juliesmills]

hi,

I've got an indian head, I think they call it, Mills machine. It
runs but has some payout problems and jams. So, I am looking to
get it restored inside.

One guy was telling me that "bead blasting" is a good process when
I hire it done. This is because it does "shot peening" meaning it
hardens the metal a little. Do you recommend this process, or
just putting it in the solvent and scrubbing/cleaning? Any damage
potential from doing it that way?

Any other options I should be thinking of when I have the mechanism
restored?

Thanks for comments! Julie.

[marsonion]

Hi Julie!

Payout problems and jams might-- or might not-- be the result of serious corrosion, which is what bead blasting is intended to remediate. Will you post pictures of your indian head machine's mechanism so that we may evaluate its condition? Sounds sort of like what might be a Jennings model (rather than a Mills) to me... but I've been wrong before!

At any rate, I'd hate to think you'd have a nice original American artifact torn down and blasted over what turns out to be an adjustment or lubrication problem.

There's plenty of experts here who I'm sure would like to have a look first, and I'm sure you'd be wise to heed their advice...

hi,

I've got an indian head, I think they call it, Mills machine. It
runs but has some payout problems and jams. So, I am looking to
get it restored inside.

One guy was telling me that "bead blasting" is a good process when
I hire it done. This is because it does "shot peening" meaning it
hardens the metal a little. Do you recommend this process, or
just putting it in the solvent and scrubbing/cleaning? Any damage
potential from doing it that way?

Any other options I should be thinking of when I have the mechanism
restored?

Thanks for comments! Julie.

[marsonion]

Sounds sort of like what might be a Jennings model (rather than a Mills) to me... but I've been wrong before!

Yup, I was wrong, all right:

http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detai ... me_id=3050

[watlingboy]

The only reason to bead blast a mechanism, in my opinion, is if it is very rusty. I know lots of people like to do it because it makes the mechanism nice and clean looking but it doesn't make it look original. It doesn't harden the metal if it is shot lightly with glass bead and if it did it would be of no help. There is no reason anything needs to be hardened for home use and if it required this, Mills would have done. If it is sticky and gummed up it can be cleaned with lacquer thinner, paint thinner or whatever with no harm to the metal and it retains its original look and patina. Bead blasting removes the original silver cad plating that most mechs had and gives them an unoriginal look and lessens the value of the machine. I know lots of guys who won't buy a machine if the mech is bead blasted. Preserve the original look, don't attempt to change it and try to make it better. You wouldn't polish the patina off the base of your Tiffany lamp, don't do it to your slots.

Watlingboy