Sorry, still not following you.
Are you referring to the power cord running into the game?

I'd recommend the backglass from CPR:

https://classicplayfields.com/shop/pinball-backglasses/skill-roll/

Graphics are more correct (as seen earlier in this thread), and you'll get it in a timely fashion.

In the past, I've had backglasses made and a few years back I tried having one made
in the form of a decal (Skill Roll) for a fellow collector (ryan 1234) and it worked out fine.
I have a couple left with Cait 001 claiming one so still have one if interested..
Not making a penny, just helping out. To me it's a little tough to pay 250 or 300 bucks
when 80% of the glass is empty..
Any wonders, you can check out post #274

I've got a flaking backglass and could use this, unless someone needs it more than me.......

Thanks, Mopar! I'm going to get your decal and order a fresh cut of glass locally.

Yes, that is what I was talking about.

I could not be any happier with my decal.
Thanks again Mopar!
Totally worth it!
Nobody can tell it is a decal. It looks perfect snd way cheaper.

No problem. I responded to your PM with the info..

I'll shoot you a PM..

So nobody knows where to mount those score cards?

O-din, do you have the manual?
It talks about point cards and how to use them. My machine had one card “pined” In the wood just above the glass. They were push pins.
The manual says that the establishment should keep track of the points you earn, then give prizes out for most points per week or month or? I really didn’t see the point for them in home use.

Thank you. That is what I wanted to know. Can't imagine too many survived hanging on a push pin.

Yes I have the manual, but it was a little tough to understand what the use was to add more points. I know there are a couple plugs in the back if you want to activate that feature or adjust scoring thresholds.

I appreciate your appreciation. Very glad to help..

Here are some pictures of my Skill Roll. I got it from an Operator friend 15 years ago. I helped him haul it out if a basement rec room at least 5 years earlier to put on route. It stayed in the same bar until the new owners wanted it out and I got it.

It’s had the same glass as long as I’ve known so if it’s a replacement, it’s at least 25 years old. It’s got black lines and no blue, so it could be an early one.

The Skill Points thing was a slick promotional redemption type thing. The Tavern would give a prize (bottle of booze, six pack, etc) for a certain amount of Skill Points.

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I see. So the skill points were not points the game added, but points that were kept track of in the tavern? But then what does the jones plug adjustment do to the game? I haven't messed with mine yet but am very curious.

I think it’s a operator book keeping thing.

The “indicator” is the meter. The adjustment jack is for Skill Point threshold when the meter starts to click. It can be adjusted to what card you want to use.

I never gave it much thought. But now I’m curious and will experiment and report back!

The 'skill points' sounds a league/incentive program for regular players to keep them playing, especially after they have 'beat' the game. Here's what I found after 5 minutes of screwing around:

With the jumper plug completely removed, the score unit will advance the high score counter once for a score of 380, then 400, and each score level past 400. The counter can increment several times during a very high scoring game.

The jumper can make the high score meter advance earlier. With the jumper in the left side, the skill points will increment the meter at 320-340-360-380 (and every score after 400). You can shift the plug down to change when the skill points start. On the right side for 'high score' you can set it as 340 in the upper position, or 380 in the lower (while every score past 400 still increments the meter). This last position is the same effect has having the jumper removed.

So, with the high score meter where it is, you call the tavern master over to open it and write down your points before the next player drops another nickel?

If that is the case, I bet it didn't get used much.

Do we know what size glass has to be cut to fit? Also does it need a beveled edge?

They’d see the score from the bar and write it on a notepad and keep a running total of points for each person. When the Operator would do the collection, hopefully the bars total points and the meter points would match. They’d take the prize cost off the cashbox total and split the rest.

What I saw on location was the bar would give a free drink for reaching the bottom and/or patrons would play high score for dollars.

Hopefully this photo will help you.
Please let me know if you need any other photographs.

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Yes, and Bally made certain that they had no part of it "For Amusement Only" Haha..

On mine it was thumb tacked to the upper horizontal piece of the wood frame. Didn't look 'factory'...

Don C.

I have some machines for sale/trade right now and would consider trading for an unrestored Skill Roll that is not 1,000 miles away.

It seems that all the machines I've seen have had 2 thumb tack holes in that area.

Thank you sir.

No problem.
Let me know if you need anything else.

Here is what mine looks like.
The “points card was thumb tacked on the right where I am pointing.
I daughter added the one nickel at a time- to many kids put in 4 at a time... little bastards

image (resized).jpg

The thumbtacked wait for score to register is a nice touch too.

That also came with the machine when it was new.
I printed them off from the IPDB-

https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3232

There are some other cool cards there to print off also.

I believe I might have all those original cards still in the envelope. Might be time to hunt down some NOS thumbtacks.

Explanation here:
https://www.ipdb.org/files/3232/Bally_1956_Skill_Roll_Form_2000_How_To_Operate_Skill_Roll_instructions.pdf

I would also like to know the exact measurements of the front glass so I can order a replacement. My skill roll is currently in a place where I can't get it out without a lot of work.
Thanks in advance, fam!

3/16" tempered glass, 20-3/4" x 31-3/4" no logo/bug/stamp.

Awesome! Thanks gutz, need to add this info to my sheet...

thanks, ordering some glass today

Finally got a pic to back up my high score

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That’s a monster score Gutz!

Gives me something to shoot for!

Here are some scorecards from my Skill Roll envelope. Enjoy.

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a friend found a stash of old Skill Roll documentation. I'll see if there are any cards and such in there that hasn't yet been posted.

WTB a Skill Roll in case one shakes loose

Don't we all

yeah yeah except you are post 342 and i my friend am 341.

Thanks gutz and Shawn1976 all fixed now!

Awesome!
Glad we could help!

I kept wishing hard enough and it came true! It can happen to you two, too!!

Have a little story. A couple years after I had a Skill Roll and still before they were very known,
I was at an old Vendor's place that was retiring and he said walk back here with me. I walked back
and he said you can have that Bingo machine. I said how about those 5 Skill Rolls? He only thought
about it, so I decided I'll just ask again some other time. If I knew how popular they would later
become, I would have pushed the issue and would have gotten them. At a later time when I once
again asked, what he said was what I added up to be, they got thrown out..
I still know of one that was in a bar (that I attended) all up to 15 years ago. A non-collector has it.
I'm working on it..

Dibs.

What a cool and yet tragic story.
I still wonder truly how many of these are actually still in existence.

I have heard for pinball machines the estimate is half of remaining machines are "lost" every fifteen years. At 1500 skill rolls made 61 years ago, leaves 94 machines (I will be generous and round up) using this estimate. We will likely never know the exact number, but I am confident that well over 1000 of them were hauled to the dump.