Coin Mech metal

[btshaw4]

Some of the metal on the inside of my vendo 39 coin door has a green color to it.  The metal surrounding the coin mech, locking bar, and a few other small pieces all have this green tint.  What type of metal is this and what do most people do when restoring this?  Do most people leave it the greenish color, get it plated, or paint it?  I saw a picture of one restoration that looks like it was hammertoned.  Thanks for the help.

[davethebirdman]

I'm no expert when it comes to cin mechs. But I wouldn't hammertone one.
You need the coin to run freely through the mech and hammertone is likely
to gum it all up.

Have you tried putting it through the dishwasher. That might get rid of some of the
muck.

Others with far greater experience than me will chip in I'm sure

[SIGNGUY]

the best bet is to get it restored.. whether you do it yourself or send it out , it will get stripped clean and then rezinc plated like original...

[Jim]

The "greenish" color is the type of plating utilized; generally, when restoring, parts can be zinc plated in clear (silver) or yellow (gold, well kind of...). There are other types of plating but these two are the post common. Collecture may know the actual term for the original "olive drab green"; I forget...

[collecture]

The green is Cadmium (or Cad) plating, known for it's excellent corrosion resistance. It is still done, but has environmental concerns and is closely monitored by the EPA. One plating company that I have used in town here can't have any of it in their system and requires me to strip it all off prior to sending my stuff in to them.
Most of the mech is solid steel with the exception of the shaft, which has some potmetal pieces on it. The rejector is mainly steel with the cradles being brass and the main plate chromed.
Thickness plays a huge role in restoring the mechanisms because you need everything to move freely and not binding.