Main > Main Forum
Restoration of old United Manufacturing Co Bowling Game - Finished!
(1/2) > >>
markronz:
I've got real reel problems.  ha.

Ok, I'm starting to restore my grandma's old bowling game.  It was made by United Manufacturing Co, somewhere around 1950-1960 we're guessing.    For the most part it works pretty well.  The outside of the machine is in pretty decent condition.  There are some pictures attached of the machine.   The main problem with the machine is that the reel's for the scores don't seem to work all that good any more.  If you look in the second picture below, you can even see that the numbers are caught in between numbers.   It does actually make an attempt to score the correct thing, and often it does, but sometimes the reel gets caught up and doesn't make it all the way around.  A picture of one of the reels is shown in the third picture below.  The inside of the machine is old and dusty as you'd imagine, but the reels themselves look fairly clean.   

Anyway, I need to work on the reels to see if I can get them to spin correctly.  Does anyone have any tips for me on how I might do that?   Do I use any specific kind of oil?   Any other kinds of tips to give me?

Thanks!  Let me know if you need to know any more details!
markronz:
I believe I've found the information I was looking for.   There is a DVD available for sale on how to fix these old bowler machines.  It's the TOP #8 repair dvd available here.

http://www.pinrepair.com/bowl/bowlall.htm

Just posting this information here in case anyone down the road ever runs across something similar.   I've also been told that the manufacturers used some lubricants/grease that would harden over time and freeze up the score reels, and that this is a common problem.   I was told I could use a product called PB Blaster (found at Home Depot or the like) and could paintbrush it onto the score reel mech that's acting up to hopefully free up the reels. 

So I think I've got all the information I need for now!
molton:
Nice, you have to restore that one.  Beer Frame?  That is a great innovation that we don't see anymore in arcade games.
markronz:
Yeah I think in real bowling the beer frame is where only one person on a team misses getting their strike.   That player is supposed to go buy the other players a beer.  I'm not sure when exactly that lights up for this game yet.  Since there's only two players I don't really know when it would come into play.  If player 1 gets a strike and player 2 misses it?  I don't know, seems like the light would be on potentially a lot.  Anyway, I like that it's there, even if I don't know how it works yet!   The game thankfully does work pretty well aside from my problems with the reels.  So hopefully I will be able to get that resolved.
molton:
I was thinking it was a frame that gave you more time to drink some beer
Navigation
Message Index
Next page

Go to full version