I just got three Hi-Hands. The plan is to get one working table from the three.

I'm starting this thread as a place to ask questions, and to document my work on them, unless someone tells me that the machine is so basic there's no real need for it. (MODs: If this would be better posted elsewhere, just let me know.)

The three back glasses are different, although two may have been the same color originally and one faded. One machine has brown trim and the head is brown. I don't know if that was original.

Starting Questions:

The plastics are in pieces. The larger pieces break almost as soon as I touch them.
I'm afraid to move anything until I get the plastics organized / put back together.

Is there a recommended fixative or glue or tape that I can apply to the back side of the pieces to strengthen and reassemble them?

Anyone know what the brass piece in the picture goes to? There is a "1" stamped on it.

Hi-Hand is not in the Pinside database. If a MOD wants to add it, I can update with info as I learn it.

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The cards just rank the hands. They don’t mention what the payoffs are. But, I haven’t opened the machine with the cards yet. Maybe there is more info on the reverse.

The project is now up to $310. Bought the 3 machines, tipped the seller's delivery crew so they could grab some beers on a Friday evening, bought a $18 drill bit, and $70 at the locksmiths for picking 3 back box locks and two inexpensive new locks.

Next up is dealing with the plastics and finding fuses.

I’m posting pics here that I’ve posted elsewhere, so they are lo in one place.

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Thank you. Good info.

You are right, of course.

I'm afraid to get into the machine much w/o a plan for the plastics. They are extremely brittle. I keep meaning to call Upkick Pinball, but I just haven't had time. Guess I should just put them in numbered baggies.

I expect to be totally bored by the machine. Without the gambling aspect, there isn't much to it besides the historical aspect. I am still a beginner working on EMs, so its a project for me.

Should I pick the best of three transformers or just go with the one in the head I plan to keep? If it works, it works, right? One looks definitely worse than the others, the paper is all spread out.

Of the three machines, two have serial numbers. Still haven't decided which cabinet, which head, and which playfield to go with. I don't suppose there is any value to any of them to ruin by mixing up the parts. Or is there? Best as I can tell, the machine is very rare, but not sought after.

The machines have tax stickers from 1975 and 1980. Who would still have these in route in the mid-70s & 80s? Who would be playing them?

Today I'm trying to salvage the plastics. The plastic is brown and extremely brittle. The pieces are warped and bent from heat. I think the games were stored by a window for a long time. The art work has lifted off of the plastic itself and will just flake away.

Something interesting... some of the rubbers have melted! Besides being dry, discolored and stiff, the material has actually melted.

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Metal Plastics ?
One of the machines has stainless "plastics" at the lower playfield. On two of them, the metal is green.

If anyone knows what the story is on the metal guards, please comment.

The backglasses and heads are different on all three, so that follows.

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My bad. I misread something from Arcade Museums. It said Williams released 191 machines under “this trade name” during a certain time period. They meant the name Williams, not under the name Hi-Hand.

There are metal guides under the plastic in some places .

Are the metal pieces after market? Were they an option at purchase?

I have it in three different colors. One is in pretty decent condition.

Two machines have a broken outhole coil. The third only had a label. Only one had the part that goes on the coil, found inside the cabinet (see pics).

Cleaned out the cabinet that I'll be using for the restoration. Vaccumed up the rodent bedding & wiped down the inside with a damp cloth. Now it smells like mouse piss. Trust it'll dry.

Inside one of the machines was a flat, misshapen piece of old white rubber. Looks like it might fit on the end of the ball lifter. Did the ball lifters have a rubber mitt on the end so as not to scratch the balls?

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Status Report:

The contacts are all cleaned, new fuses installed. New lamps installed in the head.

The motor closes the board that keeps the balls from falling through. The backglass GI lights light.

The lock relay works. Nothing on the playfield is working. Balls in holes do not light up cards on the back glass. No GI on the playfield (although I haven't changed those bulbs yet).

Gate mechanism isn't doing anything.

Will check the relays under the PF later, when I have time.

Thanks to you both. The ball gate didn’t get tested— I was just dropping balls in holes. I’ll check it out.

I may have caused the problem myself— the tilt relay switch was bent to be always closed. I “fixed" it, but I’ll take another look.

bingopodcast
baldtwit
It is the lock relay. Shutting it with a sliver of wood fixed the problem.

I can use a coil (or a whole relay) from either of the other two machines that I have. Can I use my multimeter to test the other two coils and see if one is good before taking it all apart? How would I test that?

And now, this report just in from the Something Strange Department... I went back to the machine to verify something and now keeping the lock relay shut doesn't fix anything. Bad solder?

-Mike

Good news to report.

The lock relay was fine. It just wasn't getting power from somewhere else, maybe the tilt switch.

Someone had told me that you don't clean the contacts on EMs with alcohol. So, I was using that little file stick from PBR along with 1000 grit sand paper. I'd cleaned all the switches on the machine that way. But, since the coil on the lock relay was reading the same as the coils on my other two machines, it had to be that the lock relay just wasn't getting power. Also, the relay lighting up the playfield only intermittently meant it had to be the switches. So, I went back to cleaning with a business card dipped in alcohol. That fixed everything.

One lamp socket in the head had to be replaced and one playfield hole switch wasn't working. Crimping the contact down with a small pliers fixed it right up.

Besides tuning the playfield lamps and shopping the playfield, all that's left to do are the mechanicals. Need new plunger springs, etc. And replace the plastics with something.

Even the coin mech works. Would rather not drill a hole in the cabinet for a free play button. I'm going to wire in a momentary button switch and hang it in the coin return.

Removed and cataloged everything from the playfield.

Cannot find new wood screws for the posts in the correct sizes at any website that sells fasteners. Was hoping to get shiny new screws.

Have approx 50 little plastic posts to clean and polish. Oy! Hopefully Lowe’s will have a polishing wheel for my bench grinder. Or is this the part where I breakdown and get a tumbler? Seems like a big expense for one machine.

Cleaned the playfield with naphtha and soft rags. Will wax after lunch.

None of the three heads have a cushioning between the glass and the frame. Think I’ll get some thin foam with adhesive backing to keep it from rattling.

Before & after 2 coats Mother's wax.

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That was a lot of posts to polish!

Sold it for $525 to a nonpinball guy who thought it was pretty and liked it for its history and gambling theme.

Also made some $$ selling the legs and some parts from the other two Hi Hands I had. Sorry to see it go, but it’s fun to have fixed it up to the point someone wanted to buy it .

Sorry, after a while I trashed what didn’t sell from the remaining two Hi-Hands.

I have a Flipper Fair backglass that has some areas of paint missing but is better than nothing, but I don’t know if a 1961 Gtb glass would fit in your bingo.

I have some posts and relays from Hi Hand.