There are a number of books out there available to the slot machine collector, and they all have something different to offer. I’ve already discussed some of the reference books that are useful for identifying the make and model of an antique slot, but now that we’ve identified our “21″ Bell, we’re more interested in books that will help us with the mechanics of the machine itself. Two of the aforementioned books are useful in this regard as well.
First and foremost, a copy of Owners Pictorial Guide for the Care and Understanding of the Mills Bell Slot Machine is pretty much required. It’s a good book with plenty of pictures and a good explanation of the operating mechanism and some of the additional features that some of the Mills machines incorporated over the years.
Next, Slot Machines of Yesteryear: Operator’s Companion -Mills of the Forties is also good to have on hand, particularly for its parts diagrams and lists of Mills part numbers.
Original Mills literature comes up for sale from time to time, and there are other books available, but the two books mentioned above are a good place to start.
Also, there is a set of videos available from Dave at Ibuyoldslots.com. This series of DVDs has a wealth of information and is well worth the money. Even though the production values are not Hollywood quality, the content is still invaluable to anyone wanting to do a complete disassembly and reassembly of a vintage slot machine. I wish I’d had it twenty years ago.
Great site and looks like a very good resource for mechanically inclined individuals. This would have made my early restorations a bit simpler.
Yeah, it would have helped me out as well
I don’t regret any of the time I’ve spent figuring out how these wonderful machines work, but having adequate photo resources is always a good thing.
hi there , just stumbled across your site and found it excellent and a wealth of knowledge and imformation thank you for the hard work you must have put in . i have had a couple of high tops for 35 years and have purchased several machines over the last year , my intention is to refurbish and keep them.but the only problem is getting spare parts ie the old sized screws ,springs,reel strips,award cards . any imformation you have for places here in the uk or the us would be appreciated . thanking you
nigel patterson
Is there some where you can buy a spring kit for a ten cent diamond mills slot ?
The machine is about a 1948, give or take.
Thank you
Try Bernie Berten (mrslot1@aol.com… email for a catalog).