(Topic ID: 87707)

Show us your EM Bowlers, Mechanical, and old Electrical Toys in your Gameroom!

By EM-PINMAN

9 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 2,531 posts
  • 295 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 days ago by JBtheAVguy
  • Topic is favorited by 166 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

IMG_0967 (resized).jpeg
IMG_1286 (resized).jpeg
IMG_1378 (resized).jpg
IMG_1377 (resized).jpg
IMG_1372 (resized).jpg
IMG_1371 (resized).jpg
IMG_1370 (resized).jpg
IMG_1368 (resized).jpg
IMG_1367 (resized).jpg
IMG_1365 (resized).jpg
IMG_1364 (resized).jpg
IMG_1363 (resized).jpg
IMG_1362 (resized).jpg
IMG_1360 (resized).jpg
IMG_1361 (resized).jpg
pasted_image (resized).png

There are 2,531 posts in this topic. You are on page 15 of 51.
#701 7 years ago

It looks like there are several approaches/mechanisms to registering which pins are hit. Most look to have sensors in the alley by the pins. However, others seem to have the pins suspended so that the pins can actually hit each other to replicate true pin action. Are there other approaches? What are the pros and cons of each?

#702 7 years ago

IMO
The pro of pins being suspended and hit is that the bowling action seems more realistic. I believe they retract and pull up, off the alley when a switch is triggered. When they bump an adjacent adequately, the pin bumped will retract.

Con is that a typical good bowler will destroy those pins.

Pro on the "shuffle" approach is that the action is a bit different than the real thing. It uses a switch matrix on the alley.

Con is it's almost indestructible.

#703 7 years ago
Quoted from ramegoom:

IMO
The pro of pins being suspended and hit is that the bowling action seems more realistic. I believe they retract and pull up, off the alley when a switch is triggered. When they bump an adjacent adequately, the pin bumped will retract.
Con is that a typical good bowler will destroy those pins.
Pro on the "shuffle" approach is that the action is a bit different than the real thing. It uses a switch matrix on the alley.
Con is it's almost indestructible.

I assume you have the pro and cons mixed up on the last one. So when you say that a good bowler will destroy them do you mean that a good bowler will consistently get strikes or are you saying that someone who throws the ball hard will break the pins?

#704 7 years ago

What I'm trying to say is the cable-suspended pins, due to the design, may take a major hit with powerhouse bowlers (and the replacement parts are hard to find) where the folded-mechanism-suspended pins have less of a chance of being damaged by fast bowlers.

Multiply this potential maintenance problem by the difference between the small-ball bowlers vs. the big-ball bowlers.

I believe most ball bowlers use switches on the alley where the pin mechanisms retract the pin once the switch is triggered. But if they don't retract fast enough, the ball hits the pin, causing damage to the bottom of the pin.

Anyway, this is my limited knowledge of bowling machines. Actually, no, it's probably more of an opinion.

#705 7 years ago

Most Big Ball Bowlers have a 4.5" diameter ball. The ball rolls under the pins and over swicthes that make the pins retract. One game has leather covered pins that the ball actually makes contact with. My bowler has what is called a "Detroit Deck" where the pins are on a second deck that has the switches on the bottom side. (first picture) Also it had red arrows, inserted into the lane, that lite up showing you where to bowl to make the spare.

Bally made bowlers with leather covered pins that the ball actually makes contact with. (second picture)

for for information on bowlers http://www.pinrepair.com/bowl/index.htm

bowler 002 (resized).JPGbowler 002 (resized).JPG

65bally4 (resized).jpg65bally4 (resized).jpg

#706 7 years ago
Quoted from Oldgoat:

Is there a standard width?

No. Several different widths over the years depending on make (Bally, United or Chicago Coin) and model.

#707 7 years ago

Bowlarama and the Bally contact reciprocating bowlers 1963-1969 have really wide lanes. The early gutter-less bowlers by united have the narrowest lanes. Pretty much everything else is somewhat consistent in lane width.

#708 7 years ago
Quoted from bob_e:

Bally made bowlers with leather covered pins that the ball actually makes contact with. (second picture)
for for information on bowlers http://www.pinrepair.com/bowl/index.htm

Thanks for the link. I'm very early in the process and starting to educate myself. I built a shuffleboard table and find it is the preferred game when we have people over. I think a bowler would be the same way, plus it seems most provide for 6 players.

#709 7 years ago
Quoted from ramegoom:

What I'm trying to say is the cable-suspended pins, due to the design, may take a major hit with powerhouse bowlers (and the replacement parts are hard to find) where the folded-mechanism-suspended pins have less of a chance of being damaged by fast bowlers.
Multiply this potential maintenance problem by the difference between the small-ball bowlers vs. the big-ball bowlers.
I believe most ball bowlers use switches on the alley where the pin mechanisms retract the pin once the switch is triggered. But if they don't retract fast enough, the ball hits the pin, causing damage to the bottom of the pin.
Anyway, this is my limited knowledge of bowling machines. Actually, no, it's probably more of an opinion.

The difference between Small Ball Bowlers and Big Ball Bowlers is the size of the ball. When Ball Bowlers Started in 1956 by United, the balls were small, 3" in size. The games were designed for the kids. The small ball bowlers have only 1 or 2 games, and often dont have gutters, so the kids would always score, keeping them out of mom and dads hair. Big Ball Bowlers grew over time to go after the adult market by adding gutters, 5,6,and even 7 games. The ball size went to a standard 4.5" for the adults as well.
There were several attempts to make the game even more like real bowling by introducing "Contact Bowlers". This is where the ball actually hits the pins. These games are by far the best to play. Due to the low number that have survived over time, these are also the most expensive since everyone wants them. Parts for these games are NOW AVAILABLE, including the pins, both the Rubber Pins for Bally, and the Hard Solid Pins for the MBA/Bowl-A-Rama. Generally, the rest of the parts for these games are the same as any other bowler.
On the majority of Ball Bowlers, the ball will roll over lane triggers to activate the pins. Proper maintenance of the game will prevent pin damage and provide many hours of fun.

#710 7 years ago

Thanks for the info Bowlerguy. I have three bowlers, one 3 in. ball, two puck, and as for fun at parties, definitely the puck bowlers. The ball bowler is, well, boring, and I get the idea of kids liking it - makes sense.

I did rig up the ball return on my United to run the return lift motor for 20 seconds after the game ends, so all four balls would return to the rack. Before that, most of them would sit inside the machine and sometimes get stuck in the wrong places.

11
#711 7 years ago

Hi,
Enclosing some information about the Seeburg 1000 BMS (http://seeburg1000.com/about/). Neat little piece to go along with my '51 Williams Music Mite. In my basement, I'd love to have the room for a bigger juke, so I make do with the smaller pieces.

When I got the Seeburg 1000, it came with the "holiday" music selection records. The type of music that you wonder how people listened to this all day long. I just got some extra "basic" records from Ebay. The box is junky, but the records are just fine. Great conversation piece, although I prefer the rock and roll 45's on the Music Mite.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Seeburg 1000 Background Music System is a phonograph designed and built by the Seeburg Corporation to play background music from special 16-2/3 RPM vinyl records in offices, restaurants, retail businesses, factories and similar locations. The Seeburg 1000 was introduced in 1959 and is enclosed in a metal cabinet 22 inches wide by 14 inches tall by 12 inches deep.

The Seeburg Background Music record is a vinyl record of a non-standard size of 9 inches diameter with a 2 inch center hole. The recording is monaural, with a playing speed of 16⅔ rpm and a density of 420 grooves per inch.Each side contains approximately 40 minutes of music, typically 20 songs. Records in every series are numbered 1-28 or 101-128. These numbers tell you nothing except where the record was supposed to go in a stack.

The records were distributed quarterly in boxes of seven. The operator was supposed to replace records in the system with new records of the same number (i.e. MM-125). Each box is labeled with the library type, date to place in service, and instructions to the operator. These instructions also specify that each record is to be returned to Seeburg after use. Upon return, the records were destroyed.

Seeburg provided three different libraries of music with the Seeburg 1000 system: Basic, Mood and Industrial.

The Basic library consisted of medium tempo music, culled from top 40 hits, show tunes and standards. The arrangements, created just for Seeburg, were nearly all instrumental and featured horns, strings and keyboards.

The Mood library consisted of medium-slow tempo songs, in lush arrangements with mostly stringed instruments. The music derived from standards, show tunes and some pop music. The first song on each side of each record was often a current pop hit.

The Industrial library consisted of medium-fast tempo music of a lively nature, to induce workers to be more productive. This was perhaps the most varied and adventurous of the libraries; it contained polkas, mariachi music, twangy guitar, Hawaiian songs, and even the occasional synthesizer.

seeburg1000 1 (resized).jpgseeburg1000 1 (resized).jpg

seeburg1000 2 (resized).jpgseeburg1000 2 (resized).jpg

#712 7 years ago

That's great. The first 'musak'!

#713 7 years ago

What's also cool is that the tone arm has two styli - one faces downward, the other upward. After the tone arm plays the music on the bottom side of the "above" record, it moves back into the start position, passing the needles through upper and lower brushes. Afterward, it lowers into a normal position and plays the topside of the lower record. This assumes you can actually stay awake listening to this music long enough to watch it in action. Or...just hit the eject button and cycle another record.

Here's a video that another owner posted to show the mech in action:

#714 7 years ago

That's pretty cool.

1 week later
#715 7 years ago

I continue to be intrigued with the bowlers. Having now watched lots of video, most of which is taken with one had holding the camera and the other rolling the ball, I am wondering about difficulty. From some of the videos, it seems like a perfect score (or high 200's) could be fairly common. On one video, I heard the guy say the difficulty setting can be changed. I have two questions. First, is the ability to change the difficulty a common feature and second, what is an average score on a game? Assume a 16 footer.
Thanks

#716 7 years ago

On the 16 ft. Bally Tournament, an average player may get like 160-180,
on the 28 ft. MBA, maybe 130-150. During gatherings, they both get
played quite a bit.. (T)

IMG_0626 (resized).JPGIMG_0626 (resized).JPG

IMG_0721 (resized).JPGIMG_0721 (resized).JPG

#717 7 years ago
Quoted from Mopar:

On the 16 ft. Bally Tournament, an average player may get like 160-180

I'd be fine with that. And, any adjustability?

#718 7 years ago

Oh, Sorry Oldgoat. The MBA and Bally Tournament have no adjustment. I have United, Bally, and
Chicago Coin Ball Bowlers, and on those, the only easy, normal, (and maybe Hard) adjustment for strikes
are on the United, but truthfully it really doesn't mean much. Those I have set on normal. Me myself,
a Ball Bowler with or without those adjustments wouldn't have any influence in me picking it up or not..
Bally made some nice Big Ball Bowlers, which I kinda lean toward, but if not to familiar with them, they
can be tricky to work on. United was a bowler Giant, and also made some nice machines. I like many of
the old vintage ones that only score regulation.. (T)

#719 7 years ago

It may well be that the adjustment is more of a marketing thing than something one would ever utilize. I'd be happy if the typical score is 170 (picking the midpoint) for an average bowler and say 220 for someone who plays quite a bit. I think I would get bored if a good bowler consistently scores 250+ with a perfect game being fairly common (10%).

#720 7 years ago

I actually think United had the easy/normal strike settings so the Bar Owner (or whoever)
could have it set to their liking, but when I got in the Uniteds (and there were many back when)
almost all were set on normal strike..
I still have a few out, but back in the 90s, I had many Ball Bowlers out in different places (just
to gather a few extra quarters on the side), and no one ever got a 300 game. I knew the Owners
and I would have known if anyone had. I think the highest game someone got was a 278 on a
20' Chicago Coin. Where that 20 footer was, there was High Score "200 club" sheets that had 100
names to sign, and even with that Bowler getting played a lot, it would take 2 or 3 weeks for
it to get filled, and even on an 11' small ball bowler, a 200 is a pretty good game from what I've
seen, so ball bowlers aren't a piece of cake to get a super high score on. I really don't know of anyone
that can consistently get 250 games, nor 300 even 0.5% of the time. If you live close to someone
with a Ball Bowler, check it out, you'll see what I mean even playing on a small ball bowler.. (T)

#721 7 years ago

I Love my CC Apollo Rifle

IMG_1461 (resized).JPGIMG_1461 (resized).JPG

#722 7 years ago
Quoted from Mopar:

I actually think United had the easy/normal strike settings so the Bar Owner (or whoever)
could have it set to their liking, but when I got in the Uniteds (and there were many back when)
almost all were set on normal strike..
I still have a few out, but back in the 90s, I had many Ball Bowlers out in different places (just
to gather a few extra quarters on the side), and no one ever got a 300 game. I knew the Owners
and I would have known if anyone had. I think the highest game someone got was a 278 on a
20' Chicago Coin. Where that 20 footer was, there was High Score "200 club" sheets that had 100
names to sign, and even with that Bowler getting played a lot, it would take 2 or 3 weeks for
it to get filled, and even on an 11' small ball bowler, a 200 is a pretty good game from what I've
seen, so ball bowlers aren't a piece of cake to get a super high score on. I really don't know of anyone
that can consistently get 250 games, nor 300 even 0.5% of the time. If you live close to someone
with a Ball Bowler, check it out, you'll see what I mean even playing on a small ball bowler.. (T)

Great info, thanks

10
#723 7 years ago

I just picked up this 1964 Midway 'Space Gun'. It's dirty, but the cabinet is pretty good and the back glass is very nice.

Super excited finally have a gun game. A little nervous about the restoration (I have done about 15 pinball restorations but this is my first gun game), but I'm sure I can do it with a little help from Pinside!

From what I can tell, this was one of the first gun games to use a black light and maybe the first with the full fluorescent artwork down the insides of the game. I bet this game was a sensation in 1964, shows astronauts doing a space walk before either the Russians or NASA actually did it!

IMG_3875 (resized).JPGIMG_3875 (resized).JPG

#724 7 years ago
Quoted from heatwave:

I just picked up this 1964 Midway 'Space Gun'. It's dirty, but the cabinet is pretty good and the back glass is very nice.
Super excited finally have a gun game. A little nervous about the restoration (I have done about 15 pinball restorations but this is my first gun game), but I'm sure I can do it with a little help from Pinside!
From what I can tell, this was one of the first gun games to use a black light and maybe the first with the full fluorescent artwork down the insides of the game. I bet this game was a sensation in 1964, shows astronauts doing a space walk before either the Russians or NASA actually did it!

Neat! Are you going to start a restoration thread?

#725 7 years ago
Quoted from heatwave:

1964 Midway 'Space Gun'

That game looks good enough to not restore it.

#726 7 years ago
Quoted from PinballAir:

hat game looks good enough to not restore it.

Yep, just some paint touch ups on the cabinet, no full repaint needed IMO.

#727 7 years ago

Hopefully just a mechanical restoration. The cosmetics look pretty solid on it.

#728 7 years ago
Quoted from AlexF:

Hopefully just a mechanical restoration. The cosmetics look pretty solid on it.

That's my plan. I think the cabinet is way too nice to repaint. At some point I will paint the door and gun mount and maybe even re-blue the gun barrel.

I will take pics along the way.

Already excited that it looks like the "bouncing balls" (missing on my game) appear to be the exact size of racquetballs so I can choose from a variety of colors!

Space Gun Flyer (resized).jpgSpace Gun Flyer (resized).jpg

1 month later
19
#729 7 years ago

Here is a picture of our (St. Louis Ball Bowlers) New, Larger Shop...a.k.a My Gameroom.

shop2 (resized).jpgshop2 (resized).jpg

shop3 (resized).jpgshop3 (resized).jpg

SHOP (resized).jpgSHOP (resized).jpg

#730 7 years ago
Quoted from Bowlerguy:

Here is a picture of our (St. Louis Ball Bowlers) New, Larger Shop...a.k.a My Gameroom.

A great operation-Chris provides an outstanding level of customer service and is 'keeping bowlers alive'.

#731 7 years ago
Quoted from heatwave:

and maybe even re-blue the gun barrel.

I did the re-blue on my Crossfire.
Easy to do and looks awesome.

10
#732 7 years ago

Picked up a Williams Music Mite today.
Yes, it is tough but I will do a full restoration.
Not a juke box guy but there is always time to learn.

100_2117 (resized).JPG100_2117 (resized).JPG

100_2118 (resized).JPG100_2118 (resized).JPG

100_2119 (resized).JPG100_2119 (resized).JPG

#733 7 years ago
Quoted from Bowlerguy:

Here is a picture of our (St. Louis Ball Bowlers) New, Larger Shop...a.k.a My Gameroom.

Need one of those in my life. Been wanting one for a few years now.

#734 7 years ago

Here's a picture of my williams polar hunt I finally got going after working on it off and on for a few years . Bonus works too only thing left to do is figure out why the first ten "shots remaining" don't light. But fun to finally get it going..

1486521387732-1306749620 (resized).jpg1486521387732-1306749620 (resized).jpg

1486521408808130932033 (resized).jpg1486521408808130932033 (resized).jpg

1486521463641-1238719322 (resized).jpg1486521463641-1238719322 (resized).jpg

1486521543145-898763968 (resized).jpg1486521543145-898763968 (resized).jpg

#736 7 years ago
Quoted from jdapolito:

Here's a picture of my williams polar hunt I finally got going after working on it off and on for a few years . Bonus works too only thing left to do is figure out why the first ten "shots remaining" don't light. But fun to finally get it going..

Neat! Glad you got it working, congrats.

#737 7 years ago

New (to me) Hamm's Scene-a-Rama with clock. Installed some replacement panels and hung it up in the disco. Almost 6' long!
Thanks Alex!

Disco pic of sign not good, so included one of it down.

IMG_2151 (resized).JPGIMG_2151 (resized).JPG

IMG_2140 (resized).JPGIMG_2140 (resized).JPG

#738 7 years ago

It's a classic and you still have some wall space left.

#739 7 years ago

That Hamm's sign is super cool. My Uncle had one in his mini bar at his house back in the 60's minus the clock. I used to stare at that thing every time I visited. When my Uncle died my aunt sold it at her garage sale for $300.00 and this was back in the early 90's. How much did you pay for it if I may ask?

#740 7 years ago

Well this one came in on a trade (it cost me one of my babies , and I haven't seen any others for sale. The 3' signs I've seen go between $1000-$2000. ??
Usually a small number of these can be seen on eBay etc.

#741 7 years ago

LOVE, the Hamm's sign - beautiful condition too! It brings back so many memories of trips up north. Also love the Star Slugger just hanging out next to it in an unassuming maner. The chair needs to be turned around to face the sign and the Star Slugger, one must be sitting down to admire those two beauties

#742 7 years ago

Thanks! Nice collection you have bek1966. I'm a '66 er too.

#743 7 years ago

Thanks! Your collection reads like my all-time wish list - it's Fantastic! I have room for a couple more games and have deals in the works. I'm too superstitious to say what they are now, but if one of the games makes it home I will certainly make the announcement here. I already have a space opened up on the same wall as my 1956 United's Bowling Alley. I like to pause and say a prayer as I walk past the empty space.

Happy to meet another '66 er. I think we're kinda the forgotten generation coming between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials!

#745 7 years ago
Quoted from bek1966:

Thanks! Your collection reads like my all-time wish list - it's Fantastic! I have room for a couple more games and have deals in the works. I'm too superstitious to say what they are now, but if one of the games makes it home I will certainly make the announcement here. I already have a space opened up on the same wall as my 1956 United's Bowling Alley. I like to pause and say a prayer as I walk past the empty space.
Happy to meet another '66 er. I think we're kinda the forgotten generation coming between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials!</blockquot

Generation X: Born 1965 to 1976.

#746 7 years ago

Exactly, Generation 'X' - kinda sounds like a 1950's sci-fi movie title.

#747 7 years ago
Quoted from presqueisle:

Disco pic of sign not good, so included one of it down.

love that hamms sign.
there was one in a 3.2 bar in Anoka when I was a teen...
I remember sittin there, sippin a beer, and waiting for that canoe to come back around!

14
#748 7 years ago

I had a great day on Monday. 11 hours in the drivers seat and 749 miles round trip and at the end of the day I was giddy as a school girl

058 (resized).JPG058 (resized).JPG

067 (resized).JPG067 (resized).JPG

068 (resized).JPG068 (resized).JPG

069 (resized).JPG069 (resized).JPG

#749 7 years ago

Nice!! You may find yourself playing this more than your pins. Don't know how many p&bs can do that!

#750 7 years ago

Very nice pick up. AWESOME game!

There are 2,531 posts in this topic. You are on page 15 of 51.

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/show-us-your-em-bowlers-mechanical-and-old-electrical-toys-in-your-gameroom/page/15 and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.