Does the designation "AMF 82-70" mean anything to anyone posting here (hint- ever been to a bowling center?) [PICS]

[ScoobMaster]

Well???

AMF 82-70s are mechanical pinspotting machines that debuted in 1962 (and are still in use in many bowling centers today!) I was big-time into bowling from about age 6 (circa 1975) until the early 90's. For six years during and just after college, I worked at a local center part-time keeping these monster 82-70s working. If you have never seen one these big noisy machines in operation, try and ask a lane mechanic at your local center to see one - it is quite a sight to behold (they are quite rube-goldebergish in operation) Some pics I found (not from the center I used to work at):

Wide shot with masking unit lifted
Top bins and distributer assembly
Pinwheel and distributer assembly
Ball lift
Table down - spotting pins
Table up after spotting pins
"Solid State" control chassis

Anyone else ever work on these beasties??? Think you could tear into one and put it back together in less than a day?

 

[DnetMHZ]

I used to work as a mechanic for a center maintaining 40 brunswick A-1 machines.. felt like MacGyver most of the time
inventing ways to keep them running (we weren't allowed to buy many parts)

 

I have seen them in action when a friend worked as a lane mechanic guy.
That also helped to gain hundreds of free rounds of bowling.

 

[Electric Amish]

You expect people here to understand the phrase "Rube-Goldburg"?? LOL

amish

 

[Jzero]

My dad worked as a manual spotter.
All I can think of when I see this is "SHUT UP, DONNIE, YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT!"

 

[ScoobMaster]

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
I used to work as a mechanic for a center maintaining 40 brunswick A-1 machines.. felt like MacGyver most of the time
inventing ways to keep them running (we weren't allowed to buy many parts)

Holy cow! A BRUNSWICK mechanic?? I feel for you man! At least we on the AMF side of things had electronic controls and the "carpet belt" (rotating conveyor belt to move the pins to the pinwheel). From what I recall of the Brunswicks - they were bigger, taller, noiser, were almost 100% MECHANICALLY timed (cams, gears, belts, etc...) and had a vibrating shaker board to move the pins to the pinwheel.

I saw some in another center once - they were HUGE and the belt routing made me glad I didn't have to change belts like those!

 

[TommyVercetti]

Originally posted by: Jzero
My dad worked as a manual spotter. All I can think of when I see this is "SHUT UP, DONNIE, YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT!"

A manual spotter job must be a harsh job. Wait for every turn, and then balance all the pins.

 

[DnetMHZ]

Originally posted by: ScoobMaster

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
I used to work as a mechanic for a center maintaining 40 brunswick A-1 machines.. felt like MacGyver most of the time
inventing ways to keep them running (we weren't allowed to buy many parts)

Holy cow! A BRUNSWICK mechanic?? I feel for you man! At least we on the AMF side of things had electronic controls and the "carpet belt" (rotating conveyor belt to move the pins to the pinwheel). From what I recall of the Brunswicks - they were bigger, taller, noiser, were almost 100% MECHANICALLY timed (cams, gears, belts, etc...) and had a vibrating shaker board to move the pins to the pinwheel.

I saw some in another center once - they were HUGE and the belt routing made me glad I didn't have to change belts like those!

You pretty much hit the nail on the head about the Brunswicks. Belts were a nightmare on them.. especially when one gets stuck behind a pully and starts to burn!

 

[kranky]

I don't remember if it was an AMF, but I had to futz with the pinspotters when I worked in the rec center in college. There was an electric motor with a hole to insert a hand crank in case something went wrong (breaker tripped, jam, etc.). We had three cranks. Two had a large flat disk on the shaft to ensure that you couldn't insert the crank unless you removed the power cable as the disk would obstruct the connector where the cable plugged in. One crank didn't have the disk.

I happened to grab the one without the disk one night and forgot to remove the power cable. I put the crank in and cranked the table back up and pushed the reset button on the motor. POW! The motor starts up (of course the motor runs much faster than you can crank by hand) and in a couple of seconds it spins the crank (that I left in the machine) such that it smashes into my knee about six times. Over to the ER for X-rays which were negative, then back to work for a lecture from the boss on safety.

I suggested that, with only 8 lanes, he could get by with just the two "safe" hand cranks and just throw out the one I used.

 

[ScoobMaster]

Originally posted by: kranky
I don't remember if it was an AMF, but I had to futz with the pinspotters when I worked in the rec center in college. There was an electric motor with a hole to insert a hand crank in case something went wrong (breaker tripped, jam, etc.). We had three cranks. Two had a large flat disk on the shaft to ensure that you couldn't insert the crank unless you removed the power cable as the disk would obstruct the connector where the cable plugged in. One crank didn't have the disk.

I happened to grab the one without the disk one night and forgot to remove the power cable. I put the crank in and cranked the table back up and pushed the reset button on the motor. POW! The motor starts up (of course the motor runs much faster than you can crank by hand) and in a couple of seconds it spins the crank (that I left in the machine) such that it smashes into my knee about six times. Over to the ER for X-rays which were negative, then back to work for a lecture from the boss on safety.

I suggested that, with only 8 lanes, he could get by with just the two "safe" hand cranks and just throw out the one I used.

That makes your nickname all the more ironic, doesn't it

I know of the cranks you speak - used them many a time to lower the table when a pin got jammed in there outside of the cups. If you look at the picture in my original post above labled "Wide shot with masking unit lifted" you will see the two front motors. The one on the left runs the sweep, and the right side is the table motor. I remember removing the power plugs and hand-cranking BOTH of them several times to clear problems.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: TommyVercetti

Originally posted by: Jzero
My dad worked as a manual spotter. All I can think of when I see this is "SHUT UP, DONNIE, YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT!"

A manual spotter job must be a harsh job. Wait for every turn, and then balance all the pins.

Harsh from being crouched down and having to handle the pins which are fairly heavy.
DANGEROUS, too, b/c you could be hit by a flying pin, ball, or one thrown by someone who wasn't paying attention

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: ScoobMaster

Originally posted by: kranky
I don't remember if it was an AMF, but I had to futz with the pinspotters when I worked in the rec center in college. There was an electric motor with a hole to insert a hand crank in case something went wrong (breaker tripped, jam, etc.). We had three cranks. Two had a large flat disk on the shaft to ensure that you couldn't insert the crank unless you removed the power cable as the disk would obstruct the connector where the cable plugged in. One crank didn't have the disk.

I happened to grab the one without the disk one night and forgot to remove the power cable. I put the crank in and cranked the table back up and pushed the reset button on the motor. POW! The motor starts up (of course the motor runs much faster than you can crank by hand) and in a couple of seconds it spins the crank (that I left in the machine) such that it smashes into my knee about six times. Over to the ER for X-rays which were negative, then back to work for a lecture from the boss on safety.

I suggested that, with only 8 lanes, he could get by with just the two "safe" hand cranks and just throw out the one I used.

That makes your nickname all the more ironic, doesn't it

Can't argue with that!

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

i remember seeing pics of a dude that got stuck in one of those things, he had gone to get a pin unjammed and got his arm stuck, and somehow it pulled him farther into the machine.

 

[ScoobMaster]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Harsh from being crouched down and having to handle the pins which are fairly heavy.
DANGEROUS, too, b/c you could be hit by a flying pin, ball, or one thrown by someone who wasn't paying attention

It is a danger with the automatics too! You just cited the reason I was trained to ALWAYS lower the sweep to the guard position BEFORE ever climbing in and laying down on the pin deck to make repairs (that and unplug both the table and sweep motors!) NEVER trust a guy with a sixteen pound ball in his hand after he has had a few beers!!!!!!

 

[Kerry2019]

Yes I used to be a bowling machine mechanic and a 10 Lane alley in McMinnville Oregon.
From 1970-1977. We used the AFM 8270 pin setters .

 

[Sgt. York]

Darn, only 16 years too late.