AboutRodger Knutson Expertise I am an expert on old coin operated machines, slot machines, trade stimulator's, jukeboxes, old arcade machines, etc. I have been identifying these for people who respond to my web site listed below, for a few years now. In almost all cases I am able to tell them about their old coin operated machines, the year, the value, and other general information about their machines. I do not know much about soda vending machines, coin banks, or scales, but I will try to help you with these if I can. Please email photo's to: jackpot7@ix.netcom.com My web site is at: http://www.coinslots.com
Experience I bought my first slot machine, a .50 Cent Mills Black Cherry in 1969 and have been hooked from that time, I still have that Slot machine! Before that I found a open barrel full of old scraped jukebox wall boxes behind a restaurant, I wanted them all but never took a one of them. Anything that took a coin drove me nuts!
Question I have adopted a Bally 1.00 slot machine with a data plate saying model 1090 TD. It came with no key and I am wondering if it is possible to obtain a after market key and also do these machines take 1$ tokens or 1$ coins from a bank?
Answer Hi Jeff,
You have a big problem with that lock. There is no master set, these machines come out of the casinos without locks, casinos usually have machines all or most keyed alike, and don't want you or I to have a key or lock where you could have a key made to fit it, so they want to hang onto there locks and keys. Almost all slots have a lock put in by any-buddy, so no two are going to be keyed alike. If you can't find the key, you have two choices, a lock smith may be able to pick it, or the big drill! You want to just drill out the center of the lock that turns, This will drill out the lock along the locks shear line, and with a drill just the size of that Turing center. Once you get through it, you still have a locking bar that needs to be lifted and no way to lift it. So, now all you can do is turn the whole machine upside down and wiggle the door hoping for gravity to make the locking bar drop, (Drop because the machine is upside down now and on it's top). There might be some other way but I never found one. This is an older electro/mechanical machine, meaning it has no circuit boards, so you have a dollar coin mechanism, and it is a mechanical coin mechanism, so it will take casino tokens and real dollars, or even good home made slugs. If I can help you out some more please ask. It would be helpful for you to look at a manual or another slot first so you have an idea of how that locking bar works, so you will know what needs to be done to get it to release. If your door is not tight it will be easy to get the bar to drop, if it's tight you will have to really work at it. I'll be here for further help if you need it.
