Magic​ Pachinko Restorations
Have your old dirty, rusty, Vintage Pachinko Machine turned into a family heirloom treasure!
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
I've tried to answer most of the questions I get on a regular basis. If you have one that is not listed below or require more information,
Can I ask you a question about my pachinko machine?
Absolutely! I enjoy talking to pachinko owners and am always willing to answer any questions you might have. "Contact Me"
What is your shipping address?
You can ship your machine to me at:
Dan Welch
74 West Beach Drive
Hilton, NY 14468
Do you buy pachinko machines?
I am always looking to buy vintage pachinko machines. However, with the common variety that most people have, the cost of shipping the machine usually outweighs the value of the machine. (See "What is my pachinko machine worth?")
Do you sell pachinko balls?
Yes. $40 per 500 count bag shipped to you. Please note these balls are new from Japan and are not engraved.
I do have a limited supply of engraved balls. If interested, please contact me.
Do you restore other types of machines?
Yes. I have restored other vintage coin operated machines. I'm always looking for a new challenge!
What do you use to clean your machines?
I use a hard surface cleaner called "Awesome" for all the plastic parts. It's excellent at getting rid of the dirt and cigarette smoke residue that builds up inside the machine.
I use Cleaning Vinegar to loosen the patina on all the brass parts. I tumble the nails in a rock tumbler and use my Dremel tool to scrub the patina off all the other brass parts.
Very fine steel wool dipped in vinegar will get rid of most of the grime on your chrome frame.
I recently purchased a sonic cleaner to help get rid of rust on the metal parts. Prior to that I used "EvapoRust" and soaked the parts overnight. Now I use a 90/10 water - EvapoRust mix in the sonic cleaner and it only takes 20 minutes now!
EvapoRust is great stuff. Non -Toxic and very easy to use.
How does my vintage pachinko machine work? How do I clear jams in my machine?
This video will answer both those questions!
Are there any other sites for general Pachinko Information?
Yes! I recently came across this great site: Dan's Pachinko Data Page (not MagicDan!, that's me!)
How old is my Pachinko Machine?
Pachinko machines were licensed to be used in Pachinko Parlors for one year. After that most machines were replaced with new. The constant use of the machine coupled with cigarette smoke residue and body oil would make the insides of the machines very dirty. (Your machine is probably still in that condition!)
To determine the age of your machine you need to locate the license sticker on your machine. Look for a very small number in amongst all the Japanese characters. The first number will be usually between the late 40's up to the mid 50's. The second number will be between 1 - 12. The first number is the year the machine's license expires. The second number is the month of that year. To calculate the "Japanese" year to "American" year, you must add 1925 to the first number. This give you the year the license expires. Since they were good for one year, you subtract one from your year and that is the year that your machine was made.
In the example below, the first number (on the blue sticker) is 54 and the second number is 06.
Add 1925 to 54 and you get 1979. This sticker would expire in June (6th month) of 1979. Subtract one year from 1979 and your machine was made in 1978.
