MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 7, 2017 17:16:46 GMT -5
Just a little project I did this week that I thought I'd share. A little while ago, I was browsing eBay for Wheel stuff and came across a toy roulette wheel modeled like your average casino wheel - pegs, flipper and all. What really caught my eye was that the wheel had 72 pegs (36 wedges of numbers 1-36, each with a black and red slot) and seemed like it would be perfect to use as a mini Wheel of Fortune Wheel, possibly better than the Wheels Pressman makes for their deluxe board games, and prize wheels usually cost a fortune and very rarely can you find one that's exactly 24 wedges, let alone 72 pegs. Without hesitation, I bought it and once it arrived, I quickly got to work on printing the perfectly-sized layout to place over the roulette layout. It was made by an old toy and gift company called "Royal London" and it's copyrighted 1972, over two years before Wheel of Fortune was even a thing! The fact that this Wheel so closely resembles the show's and is even called "Wheel O' Fortune" is so uncanny! Not only that, but the back of the wheel's stand is perfectly flat, so you can lie the wheel down to make it even more like the show. Here's the picture from the eBay listing.  In addition to serving as a wheel for roulette at home, Royal London also boasts that it can be used as a device for fortune telling or decision making. The reverse of the roulette game board includes several sample yes-or-no questions to ask the wheel, with a spin on a red number being "Yes" and a black number being "No". The wheel is meant to be spun by holding down the button at the top and letting go after a count of five, but the wheel can be spun freely by hand. This mechanism requires one C battery in a compartment in the back, but this doesn't seem to work on the unit I received. No big deal, though. Here's what I turned the wheel into.  Since I knew I had to bore a hole in the middle for the axle, I added a simple design over the center circle that surrounds it. I think it looks much better.  I was very pleased with the wheel's condition and durability, especially for being almost 45 years old, and at how smoothly it spins. Pressman, eat your hearts out! I was especially impressed with the flipper, which is not a flap of rubber or plastic, but a tiny metal spring with a plastic tip, so it doesn't get warped or bent after several spins. And an added bonus: the sides of the stand make great storage for add-on wedges! 
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Post by tlc38tlc38 on Jan 7, 2017 17:31:06 GMT -5
That's really awesome! I'm so jealous!
How big is it?
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 7, 2017 17:41:47 GMT -5
^ The layout is a little under 6 inches across, so just a little bit smaller than the Pressman deluxe Wheels. The whole thing stands about 9 inches tall.
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therealcu2010
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Post by therealcu2010 on Jan 7, 2017 17:44:24 GMT -5
Vid of the wheel spinning or it didn't happen. 
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 7, 2017 18:07:42 GMT -5
Video: vid.me/e/AuPIAnd here's another pic after I had fun with add-ons: 
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Post by tlc38tlc38 on Jan 7, 2017 18:09:27 GMT -5
^ The layout is a little under 6 inches across, so just a little bit smaller than the Pressman deluxe Wheels. The whole thing stands about 9 inches tall. Oh that's even cooler. I wasn't expecting it to be but about 4 or so inches. LOL you hit bankrupt!
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Post by finalspin on Jan 7, 2017 19:44:31 GMT -5
I think this is definitely one of the most perfect Wheels besides the actual one. The pegs even allow for a proper implementation of the MDW, unlike on that SpinnyWheel app. And the wedges that don't exist now (including the $950!) are just great.
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germanname
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Post by germanname on Jan 7, 2017 23:35:45 GMT -5
Aww, heck no, Robert! That is awesome! You made me want one of these now!
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wheelman97
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Post by wheelman97 on Jan 8, 2017 2:08:19 GMT -5
I may have to try this myself, if I can figure how to do the layout. Mario, how did you do your layout?
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 8, 2017 2:29:46 GMT -5
I just measured the layout with a measuring tape, then made the layout in the same size in a letter-paper-sized Powerpoint file, then printed it out on regular paper first to see if it fit. After the first try showed that the layout just barely squeezed inside the rim, I decided to print it at 99%, as well as separate pages of add-on wedges. A little bit of the red and black underneath can still be seen peeking out, but it's not that big a deal. I wanted to make the layout easy to remove anyway for alternate layouts, or a Bonus Wheel layout should I ever print one.
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germanname
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Post by germanname on Jan 8, 2017 3:29:34 GMT -5
I've been thinking you should, Robert. In fact, this is something I thought I'd use for a Bonus Wheel too, especially considering I myself bought one of these on Ebay just a few minutes ago. You made me, Robert. You just made me. :lol:
I do use the Silver Deluxe Wheel for my Bonus Wheel layout, but I still want to experiment with other Wheels nonetheless. I'm hungry for Wheels with pegs and flippers. Grabbing those pegs and pushing them always feels so good and the clacking those pegs make when a flipper comes in contact with them sounds the same way.
If the C-battery compartment on my unit works, I'll let you know.
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wheelman97
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Post by wheelman97 on Jan 8, 2017 3:53:48 GMT -5
I just measured the layout with a measuring tape, then made the layout in the same size in a letter-paper-sized Powerpoint file, then printed it out on regular paper first to see if it fit. After the first try showed that the layout just barely squeezed inside the rim, I decided to print it at 99%, as well as separate pages of add-on wedges. A little bit of the red and black underneath can still be seen peeking out, but it's not that big a deal. I wanted to make the layout easy to remove anyway for alternate layouts, or a Bonus Wheel layout should I ever print one. As for securing the add ons, and the layout if necessary, I'm guessing you used tape or magnets?
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Post by tlc38tlc38 on Jan 8, 2017 12:12:13 GMT -5
I looked on eBay and couldn't find another one. I guess MarioGS has put these in high demand lol.
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 8, 2017 12:15:28 GMT -5
Yeah I only saw one other one, which I assume is the one germanname bought. I'll keep an eye out for more, though!
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 8, 2017 12:39:06 GMT -5
I just measured the layout with a measuring tape, then made the layout in the same size in a letter-paper-sized Powerpoint file, then printed it out on regular paper first to see if it fit. After the first try showed that the layout just barely squeezed inside the rim, I decided to print it at 99%, as well as separate pages of add-on wedges. A little bit of the red and black underneath can still be seen peeking out, but it's not that big a deal. I wanted to make the layout easy to remove anyway for alternate layouts, or a Bonus Wheel layout should I ever print one. As for securing the add ons, and the layout if necessary, I'm guessing you used tape or magnets? I carefully use double-stick tape, and before sticking on a layout or wedge with a new bit of tape, I tap my finger on it several times to help lighten the adhesive. Aside from a few small bits of residue from the add-ons now and then that can easily be scraped off with your fingernail, I haven't had any problems yet. I need to get some removable tape, but I haven't found it anywhere.
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Post by tlc38tlc38 on Jan 8, 2017 12:44:04 GMT -5
^I use a very, very tiny piece of mounting putty for my removable wedges & tokens.
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wheelgenius
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Post by wheelgenius on Jan 9, 2017 13:32:14 GMT -5
That kind of reminds me of this "Casino Big Wheel" bank I used to have as a kid. You know, where you put the money in, and the wheel spins around, or you can spin it manually. Sometime back in the '80s, I tried to make a WOF layout by hand to fit that wheel, but unfortunately, it didn't match up with the 38 pegs. Same number of slots on an American roulette wheel (counting the 0 and 00 slots). And in case you're not familiar with that, here's a photo courtesy of eBay. There was also a roulette version of the, BTW. click image upload
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germanname
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Post by germanname on Jan 9, 2017 13:59:56 GMT -5
I can certainly make a 38-wedge template for that, wheelgenius. I've made plenty of other templates, and I'm even considering making a 96-wedge template (for Aussie Wheels) soon as well.
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Jan 24, 2017 15:29:34 GMT -5
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raymondwps
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Post by raymondwps on Jan 26, 2017 21:39:08 GMT -5
Love it!!!!
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