Reel Strips

[5 ACES]

I have a weird problem: One of my reel strips, most noticeably the single bar symbol, sits somewhat tilted on my first reel. About three other symbols in that same area are also slanted a bit, the other ones further away, are perfectly straight. I changed the entire reel, put the same strip on that new reel and the problem is still there. Could it be that the reel strip has warped over time, causing it to look as though it's not straight in just one spot? Also, the little cut out slits on the reel strip show on both sides of the strip. No matter what I do, I can't get them to hide inside the reel. I have ordered a new set, since the original ones have what look to be water spots on the back's of the strips.

[JRR4]

Some of my reel rings aren't as tight as they should be either and the notches show.  I've had to run a piece of tape from one side, behind the mylar reels strip, to the other to hold the black rings closer together near the notches.  Wish there were a way to 'tighten' them.  If there is a way well know in a hour or so.

[stayouttadabunker]

The grooves in the reel baskets....are they clogged with old glue perhaps?...take a flat screwdriver the same size as the groove and clean the junk outta it.
Don't use too much pressure or you crack the basket...

[5 ACES]

The grooves in the reel baskets....are they clogged with old glue perhaps?...take a flat screwdriver the same size as the groove and clean the junk outta it.
Don't use too much pressure or you crack the basket...

Good idea, I'll try that. I have a feeling that over time, the basket's have stretched wider, but no big deal, it's not to the point where you can see the notches all that much.

[stayouttadabunker]

Keep shopping around...they're not THAT expensive and it's cool to have spares...after a while, the motors get noisy too.

[Jim]

JRR4    yes there is a way to "tighten" the reel baskets.    Use a small 4" tywrap  and put it around the two upright spokes at the bottom ( where the two halfs meet)  just make sure the part where the tywrap is joined together is opposite the optics detector.  you'll know if you did it right-----if it spins freely its o.k., If it binds then its on the wrong side.  See the pictures. 


Jim


PS----DO IT TO ALL FOUR  UPRIGHTS 

[stayouttadabunker]

That's an excellent idea Jim!
Did you just think of that?
One time we were talking about warped baskets and using a paint peeler/heat gun....
nobody wanted to try that though...lol

[JRR4]

AWESOME!!! 

[5 ACES]

 

[5 ACES]

I just found four of the smaller ties and they work great! It tightened the basket up nice. Still, a few symbols are a little slanted and now I'm wondering if it isn't a printing flaw on IGT's part on these strips..

[StatFreak]

I just found four of the smaller ties and they work great! It tightened the basket up nice. Still, a few symbols are a little slanted and now I'm wondering if it isn't a printing flaw on IGT's part on these strips..

You should be able to tell that by taking the strip out and laying it flat on a table. If the symbols aren't exactly square your eye should catch it right away, especially if it's a bar-type symbol and is next to other bar-type symbols. You could also measure from the top or bottom of the strip to the center of the symbol on each side and compare, but that's the hard way.

[jay]

Just like a kid with a Rubics cube, peel off the symbols that don't match and line them up right.... 

Seriously the only real way to tell for sure would be to take them off and use a Tsquare or a make shift one with some paper.
Run it down the strip and you will see soon enough if the symbol is mis printed.

[stayouttadabunker]

Can you lay them out side by side and snap a picture for us to see, 5Aces?

We wanna see too!

[5 ACES]

Okay, Okay!! I'll snap a photo later in the morning, as I have to get my butt to work here in a few hours.  I'm curious as well and I need to know what is causing this to happen. Here's another weird problem connected with it. I ordered a new set of strips, however, they are awful! The 7's are really small and they look goofy. I did put the first strip into the reel basket just to see and sure enough, two or three of the symbols were slightly off center when they hit the center line. Either I'm half blind, or something is tilted ever so slightly. What else could be causing this? I could see if it were all of the symbols on all of the reels, but it's just a few on the first reel. I need to do more trouble shooting: switch the reels, take a picture of the strips, measure them, etc..etc.. This is one weird problem..

[knagl]

Is your whole reel basket tilted, so that if you were to look at the top of the reel while it is spinning you'd see it moving left and right?

You can spin the reels with the door open.  Open the door, press tiny white button right below the coin comparator near the optics to put a pseudo coin in, then press the spin button.  Watch the first reel to see if you see any left to right (or right to left) movement.

[stayouttadabunker]

I'll betcha the reel base isn't fully pushed back into the clip,
causing one of the reels to tilt forward slightly, thus making the symbols slightly off.
OR
The reels baskets are not fully against the nut on the spindle rod coming out of the steeper motor,
and the retaining clip isn't completely snug and tight? Making the baskets crooked somewhat?

[5 ACES]

Is your whole reel basket tilted, so that if you were to look at the top of the reel while it is spinning you'd see it moving left and right?

You can spin the reels with the door open.  Open the door, press tiny white button right below the coin comparator near the optics to put a pseudo coin in, then press the spin button.  Watch the first reel to see if you see any left to right (or right to left) movement.

It moves ever so slightly, as though the basket has a tiny little flat spot in it. Other than that, they spin about 98% true. My best basket that spins better than the rest, still has the same effect on that one strip. I'll take the strips out tonight and compare them. I have too anyway, because I'm going to grab some more plastic ties and tighten the other baskets.

[5 ACES]

Is your whole reel basket tilted, so that if you were to look at the top of the reel while it is spinning you'd see it moving left and right?

You can spin the reels with the door open.  Open the door, press tiny white button right below the coin comparator near the optics to put a pseudo coin in, then press the spin button.  Watch the first reel to see if you see any left to right (or right to left) movement.

knagl, you were right. I spun the reels with the door open and sure enough, the reel is tilted in one spot, just enough to make those few symbols look a tiny bit slanted. I swapped another basket from some extra reels and guess what, same problem. All three extra reels I have are tilted a little bit. I give up, the baskets won! It's such a small tilt that you really have to look to notice it. Anyway, case closed! Thanks for the advise!! I did accomplish something though! I tightened all three of my baskets with those small cable ties and that really worked out nice!! Thanks again gang!! 

[stayouttadabunker]

It's not really hard to push the reel back straight...remove the other two reels and just gently push the reel by the motor or pull if you need to...The metal bracket holding the reels to the shelf will bend.

[a69mopar]

If your machine isn't level, the cabinet can twist and the shelf will look off compared to the reels.  I found this to be bad on williams machines.

Thanks,
Wayne

[5 ACES]

It's not really hard to push the reel back straight...remove the other two reels and just gently push the reel by the motor or pull if you need to...The metal bracket holding the reels to the shelf will bend.

I think it's the basket itself. When I spin the reel after I take it out of the machine, you can see a slight wobble if you look at the outer rim of the basket. All of my other ones have this slight wobble too. It seems like these plastic baskets are a real pain in the a** to keep a straight spin.

[OhioGaming]

A few drinks will take care of the wobble.

[5 ACES]

A few drinks will take care of the wobble.

[brichter]

And a few more drinks will add some wobble to the player.

[a69mopar]

as long as the players wobble with the wheel, problem solved, sort of.

W