I was a Brunswick A-2 tenpin pinsetter and Bowl-Mor Model E candlepin pinsetter night/weekend B-mechanic ("Pinchaser") at the 40-lane Brunswick "Bowl-Away Lanes" in Burlington Massachusetts USA from age 14 to age 22 from1972 to 1980. We had 24 of the A-2s to the left and 16 Model Es to the right, a snack bar, game area, meeting rooms, front desk, and office there and a Wurlitzer Jukebox full of then-current 45 RPM records where I often filled-in doing every job there except the manager and front desk jobs. I also worked on Brunswick Jetback tenpin pinsetters at the "Brunswick Lowell Lanes"" in Lowell Massachusetts during that 8-year period, too! :-) I was also a lanesman (Brunswick A-300 robotic Lane Oiler Machine), porter, league setup man, snack bar attendant/cook, floor stripper/waxer, and assisted the carpenters and lacquering crews twice during 3-day shutdown lane resurfacing/lacquering operations too, as well as a few short stints as an overnight cleaner/security rep. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this great video! Thanks for the memories!
I worked on Model A and A2 machines decades ago (during high school). I love ‘em, but the one feature I wish they had dumped, early on, was the shaker pit. Such an inefficient way of delivering pins to the wheel, especially when the carpet surface develops tears or air bubbles. I’ve always greatly preferred the conveyor belt, such as found on AMF pinsetters. This particular machine is a good example of why. The pins really like to hang out in the pit, instead of going where they’re needed.
Yup, which then leads to longer wait times for new pin sets, not what Brunswick originally intended. However I do think it's a bit of a maintenance issue as well since some of the older pits seem to lose their shake as they age
@@steveporco4016 Ok, I didn't know the covers were carpeted. Who though that was a good design? The shake pit needs to be hard-surfaced to keep friction low and the pins moving
When I worked at a bowl, Friday was weekly maintenance day. Clean ball wheels, pindecks by hand, gutters and carpet covers. 20 lane center, we had 40 of them. It was a pain. Held on by velcro, had to go under each machine, pull them off, grab the clean ones, make sure you put them on correctly (to avoid what you see here) and wash the other 20.
Smooth running machine. Pretty ugly pit carpet there however. I see you had a bolt pull through the rake board. The cupped washers from the LBWGRs work great for that.
I love the A-2 pinsetter! Make more of these videos on them. The pins in the ball pit are slow at moving to the pin wheel, when the setting table places down a new set of pins there is still like 4 to 7 pins in the ball pit, that's why there's needs to be someone at the back with a metal rod dragging pins to the pin wheel that had been in the ball pit since the last frame
@@exoticcar5482 They just need to replace the carpet mainly and it'll work much better. Sometimes the shaker assembly sags a bit and you replace those mounts but it's more common that the dirtier the pit carpet is the slower the pins travel to the pin wheel.
@@discretecinema8451 Sorry I think Shaker Boards are better. There are problems about Carpets or Transport Bands like they want to rip themselves apart or a roller would broke off and jam. At my local AMF Center, I have seen a Pin stuck on the left side of the carpet with head facing down and I also seen a ball that was sitting on a small gap between the edges of both the gutter and the carpet.
The shaker board needs to be upgraded. Its such a bad concept. Too many pins just sit there and vibrate right at the edge without making it into the pin elevator until a ball is thrown.
There is a conveyor kit that was made by MolBowling for A’s, Jetbacks and A2’s, I doubt A2 mechanics would replace their shaker boards for that crap. Plus in my opinion that Carpets or Transport Bands has more problems than Shaker Boards like the belt itself would rip or a roller would would broke off a bit and stop moving.
AMF shit. Ball Lifts (without Ball Lift Guards) = Leg Amputated, Carpet tearings and more Ball Damages. Btw, these A2’s are worth it, least number of electronics the better Machine will operate. AMF Chassis is such a bust. From my 10 Years of worth Bowling a League Bowler, AMF are junk. Sure Maintenance whatever, but I live in a Poor Country and the City I live in is where Bowling is about to collapse due to crappy centers especially one of them is a great center but closed by a fire.
czcams.com/video/slnmGIBsd0c/video.html Watch this video. This is why AMF is shit from my personal experience. Do you think I could transfer Bowling Centers ? Well guess what I can’t cause this is ONE AND ONLY place left to bowl at.
My father was a pinsetter mechanic on these type of machines and he taught my brother how to repair them once
he got older .
Glad to see I'm not the only one with pins getting hung up on the shaker boards. LoL
Great video!
I was a Brunswick A-2 tenpin pinsetter and Bowl-Mor Model E candlepin pinsetter night/weekend B-mechanic ("Pinchaser") at the 40-lane Brunswick "Bowl-Away Lanes" in Burlington Massachusetts USA from age 14 to age 22 from1972 to 1980. We had 24 of the A-2s to the left and 16 Model Es to the right, a snack bar, game area, meeting rooms, front desk, and office there and a Wurlitzer Jukebox full of then-current 45 RPM records where I often filled-in doing every job there except the manager and front desk jobs. I also worked on Brunswick Jetback tenpin pinsetters at the "Brunswick Lowell Lanes"" in Lowell Massachusetts during that 8-year period, too! :-)
I was also a lanesman (Brunswick A-300 robotic Lane Oiler Machine), porter, league setup man, snack bar attendant/cook, floor stripper/waxer, and assisted the carpenters and lacquering crews twice during 3-day shutdown lane resurfacing/lacquering operations too, as well as a few short stints as an overnight cleaner/security rep. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this great video! Thanks for the memories!
Thank you for your story. I appreciate it!
What lane was this recorded on
I worked on Model A and A2 machines decades ago (during high school). I love ‘em, but the one feature I wish they had dumped, early on, was the shaker pit. Such an inefficient way of delivering pins to the wheel, especially when the carpet surface develops tears or air bubbles. I’ve always greatly preferred the conveyor belt, such as found on AMF pinsetters. This particular machine is a good example of why. The pins really like to hang out in the pit, instead of going where they’re needed.
Yup, which then leads to longer wait times for new pin sets, not what Brunswick originally intended. However I do think it's a bit of a maintenance issue as well since some of the older pits seem to lose their shake as they age
Youre right, especially with a carpet cover.
@@steveporco4016 Ok, I didn't know the covers were carpeted. Who though that was a good design? The shake pit needs to be hard-surfaced to keep friction low and the pins moving
@@exoticcar5482 It would seem like a harder surface would cause more pin damage over time as well as much more noise.
When I worked at a bowl, Friday was weekly maintenance day. Clean ball wheels, pindecks by hand, gutters and carpet covers. 20 lane center, we had 40 of them. It was a pain. Held on by velcro, had to go under each machine, pull them off, grab the clean ones, make sure you put them on correctly (to avoid what you see here) and wash the other 20.
Yes, you filmed in landscape mode! Awesome video! :D
Thank you!
Love the different viewpoints!
You did a FABULOUS job with this video, clear and concise, Thank you for sharing, you are very good with a camera !!!!!
Thank you! Very nice of you.
Thank you!
Very fascinating how you get the different angels. Very educational! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks a bunch! I risked life and limb to shoot that video.
@Steve Porco good thing you had your guardian angles.
That carpet is way beyond worn out and it shows!
我修這機械10年!好懷念!
great video!
Thanks
Smooth running machine. Pretty ugly pit carpet there however.
I see you had a bolt pull through the rake board. The cupped washers from the LBWGRs work great for that.
I love the A-2 pinsetter! Make more of these videos on them.
The pins in the ball pit are slow at moving to the pin wheel, when the setting table places down a new set of pins there is still like 4 to 7 pins in the ball pit, that's why there's needs to be someone at the back with a metal rod dragging pins to the pin wheel that had been in the ball pit since the last frame
That’s why I hate the Brunswick shaker. A conveyor belt is a much more efficient way of delivering pins to the wheel.
Bet it's a maintenance issue though, as a properly shaking pit should keep the pins in action, and it probably loses the shake over time
@@exoticcar5482 They just need to replace the carpet mainly and it'll work much better. Sometimes the shaker assembly sags a bit and you replace those mounts but it's more common that the dirtier the pit carpet is the slower the pins travel to the pin wheel.
@@discretecinema8451 Sorry I think Shaker Boards are better. There are problems about Carpets or Transport Bands like they want to rip themselves apart or a roller would broke off and jam. At my local AMF Center, I have seen a Pin stuck on the left side of the carpet with head facing down and I also seen a ball that was sitting on a small gap between the edges of both the gutter and the carpet.
Fascinating!!
Thanks steven a!
レーキ調整とアブソーバー交換をオススメします。それ以外は良いかな？
あ、ピットコンベアがちょっとうるさいね！
The shaker board needs to be upgraded. Its such a bad concept. Too many pins just sit there and vibrate right at the edge without making it into the pin elevator until a ball is thrown.
you are right i was going to comment about this but you already said it
There is a conveyor kit that was made by MolBowling for A’s, Jetbacks and A2’s, I doubt A2 mechanics would replace their shaker boards for that crap. Plus in my opinion that Carpets or Transport Bands has more problems than Shaker Boards like the belt itself would rip or a roller would would broke off a bit and stop moving.
I LOVE JETBACK AND A2 speed machines but with scotch yokes in the mix it hurts watching the toll it takes on that poor gearbox
Thanks to you all!
Excellent.
Thank you
You might want to change out your pit carpet. js
We used carpet covers.
Y
Get that rake shock changed. Drop too fast
This one works way better than ours! Very smooth action too
Dangerous, overly complex machines. I've NEVER liked Brunswick. Good video though, and THANK YOU for NOT shooting it vertically.
AMF shit. Ball Lifts (without Ball Lift Guards) = Leg Amputated, Carpet tearings and more Ball Damages. Btw, these A2’s are worth it, least number of electronics the better Machine will operate. AMF Chassis is such a bust. From my 10 Years of worth Bowling a League Bowler, AMF are junk. Sure Maintenance whatever, but I live in a Poor Country and the City I live in is where Bowling is about to collapse due to crappy centers especially one of them is a great center but closed by a fire.
czcams.com/video/slnmGIBsd0c/video.html
Watch this video. This is why AMF is shit from my personal experience. Do you think I could transfer Bowling Centers ? Well guess what I can’t cause this is ONE AND ONLY place left to bowl at.
6.15 LMAO throw a gutter! Obviously not a league bowler, lol
It was like she knew he was filming in the back corner of the pit and was aiming for the camera. LOL
Well league bowlers do gutter too...
@@Pyry300 Depends on how they perform on the Lanes.