@@justayoutuber1906 Your math is wrong by assuming that each trip is 5 minutes. Like she stated that it could be just the pins not sitting right to drop in which coulds be only 30 seconds.
@@justayoutuber1906most of my “trips” is just checking on the lanes, I only need to enter for a quick second to know if something is wrong by looking down the machines and listening then I run back up front! I almost never walk, I have to be everywhere since it’s just me so walking isn’t really an option! I’ll try to make a video that’s sped up that shows me running back there!
@@ytzpilot Having spent some time in the noisy side of a bowling alley, I'm betting that because there doesn't appear to be guards on the drive units, nor interlock systems. Personally, I'd rather see someone retrofit than to tear out these working antiques.
@@peterwill3699 if it was my I would temporarily turn it into a private membership bowling club for about a year to keep it from being a public business and then it could be restored using volunteers, similar to historical railways, this situation is unique
I believe that place would likely qualify for some type of historical status. Especially with those original pinsetters, which are obviously one of a kind. That way she could easily qualify to get the financial help to have the pinsetters rebuilt, and restore the building and the premises. It deserves that kind of attention ! And this incredible young lady could get more of the publicity that she needs. I wish I wasn't so far away! (Arizona) I've always been fascinated by that game !
100% Candlepin as a sport should be preserved and these alleys deserve some help from the government. Far too often are we losing places for entertainment for the family due to rising costs. This woman deserves help.
She has the most common candlepin pinsetter in existence today. It’s called a Bowlmor and it’s an excellent machine. They haven’t made them since the late 60s but they’re still running in just about every candlepin bowling center in New England and Canada. A good mechanic could get these machines running properly fairly quickly. They are very reliable with regular maintenance. Many of the parts can be made as well. She just needs somebody to help her out getting them running properly.
@@NoWheyHombreIs there someone you know in Canada that could reach out to her and give her some names that work on candlepins close by where she is in Maine?
I worked as a journalist in a rural region 40 years ago and saw many people who similarly to Amanda kept their businesses going to keep a small town alive, rather than for personal gain. There are so many people who deserve our appreciation for such quiet heroism.
I do sincerely hope this turns out to be a successful undertaking for this girl. How she could work on aging machinery more than 300 times in one day and not walk away is a testament to her willpower and character.
Three words... Go Fund Me! Places like this NEED to exist. Very unique. Hats off to the young lady with all the spirit. You deserve for that place to succeed the way you look after it. All the best! 🙏
@@ElationProductionsThis is how the real world in small towns works. These people keep her alley going and support her. She's not going to say "Oh Hey Brad the Chief Millwright For the County helps me fix the pulleys in exchange for a six pack and some free bowling for his kids" to national news
Awesome story. She needs to get a live cam going for RU-vid for extra money. Needs to advertise to some Rockabilly sites. They’d show up in droves for the atmosphere of it. My mom was a pin setter back in the day. I grew up in bowling alleys as a kid. Spent my time running to the bars fetching drinks for bowlers as a minor when the waitresses were busy. Made good tips as a kid. The non existent bowling alley near us used to have Candle Pin nights once a month. Had sleeves for the regular setters. I had a good childhood growing up in smoke filled booze swilling joints. Never did either and don’t today. Hope things only get better for this young girl.
I was an accomplished Brunswick A-2 and AMF 82-30 mechanic and i would damn near volunteer to help this lady out. A little PMI and pin cleaning would go a thousand miles!
Back in the '80s I worked a couple years on AMF machines which had come over from Japan in 1960 something, so they told me. They were 3 board systems and needed constant attention. Several had passed a million cycles when I was there. Fun to work on!
The reporter is factually incorrect on the pinsetters. Looking at the electrical panel, you can tell that these are Model D Bowl Mors , which were manufactured from 1958 to 1965. This is considered the best edition of the Bowlmor family of pinsetters. With regular maintenance, these are extremely reliable. What she needs is a good mechanic to come in and get the bugs out of these machines. That will go a long way into getting that bowling center on track. One person can easily handle a 12 Lane Bowling Center with reliable equipment. It has a lot going for it. Its a nice looking place and with her positive attitude she could take it a long way. 👍😁
As much as I don't trust reporters, I have to believe the previous owner told her that thing about the pinsetters being a 1940s fabricated test model. They might be wrong, but I doubt the reporter made up that stuff. Isn't is possible they were that originally and got modified through the years with other parts?
@@FungusMossGnosis What I saw from the video tells me these are Model D’s. Perhaps someone gave her incorrect information but this bowling center was quite likely opened in the later 50’s to middle 60s. Older candlepin bowling centers had the ball returns on the opposite sides . Example would be lane one on the left and lane 2 on the right. Candlepin bowling centers began installing the ball return in the center of a pair of lanes in the mid 50s. Underground ball returns which she has started appearing in the late 50s. It also appears that some upgrades have been done. I noticed that the cables for the tubes were changed over to chains. I couldn’t tell if the motors were changed over to plugins or if the ball elevator gear and motor was removed and hooked onto the turntable motor. It’s quite likely they were. I think someone loved and took care of these machines in the past. That would be great news for her. They really are excellent pinsetters with regular maintenance. 👍
I’ve talked to Autumn a couple of times, she definitely has the right personality and temperament for this endeavor. I hope she has continued success with this.
What kind of society are we living in where soulless Instagram models are millionaires and this wonderful hardworking young lady is hanging on by a thread? Please start a way for non-locals to show their support.
Autumn, If you're committed to keeping those old machines alive, get a 3D scanner so you can quickly build models of the best parts you have in each system so they can be fabricated again... There are a lot of groups on RU-vid and Facebook about machinists, fabricators and old tech fans who could help you replace parts or possibly improve them to be more reliable. If you have a modern replacement in mind, let people know, and crowdfund getting one possibly online as well as locally. One less machine breaking down can lead to another replacement, and another...
Think about what you are saying. Do you have any idea what a decent 3D scanner costs? Probably her income for an entire year. That doesn't include the software and training to operate it, nor the expertise and costs of fabricating the parts.
@@darkwood777 Walmart sells a hobbyist Creality scanner for $479 plus tax, delivered accurate to .002" that should meet her needs and training videos are all over RU-vid and at local libraries. This includes a small rotary stage, tripod, and software. Your avg apple or samsung phone can do it for free, with less accuracy.
@@darkwood777 With technology such as Lidar, I am sure something could be done. Newer iPhones an iPads have this technology built in- and, I know it's not perfect for this use case...it's certainly worth a shot to at least try it.
@@darkwood777 There are many free software solutions that are compatible with a USB Xbox Kinect (the old 360 kinects go for about $10, the newer ones maybe $50-75) lmao it's really not complicated. Seriously, most implementations are clicking the start button and moving around the item. For EXTREME accuracy yeah you'll need a crazy setup, but for this some photos with a rule and simple 3D scans could be recreated pretty easily---or at least translated into some proper accurate CAD models. It would go a long way towards the goal of rebuilding the setters in the future to capture them now for really not a lot of upfront.
@@darkwood777 You don't need a scanner. All you need to do is take a ton of photos with an Iphone then put them into a program like Blender. It stitches the photos together to make a 3D model.
A Pin Man I knew several It is a tough job and every one of them was deaf by age 50 It is incredibly loud back there and you need ear protection, plugs and protective ear headphones 🎧 to protect your hearing
bowled here since I was a kid. I'm glad there are still places like this around. there are fewer and fewer places to go that don't involve spending a lot and drinking.
Outstanding story. I grew up in a small town playing candle pin bowling and it was such a joy to have soemwhere to go in winter. The sights, sounds, smells (except for a few bowling shoe odours😁) was awesome and it was so alive with league competitions, fun rivalry etc. I have nothing but very fond memories and definitely relate to this story. This young lady and her business are ansolute treasures so I hope she gets all the support she can.
We love bowling here every week! Thank you for everything you do Autumn we really appreciate it. We have dinner and shoot pool at the strike and slice sports bar attached and it's always the best food and company!
I'm an engineer specializing in machinery. if I lived there I would volunteer to design improvements to those pin setters. And she could point out where the especially troublesome issues occur.
Words are words until action is taken! I live local, and I'm telling you that if you have the time, money, energy and altruistic desire to give when nothing can be returned right away, you would be helping a business that has been going my entire life. That establishment has been open under various owners for 35+ years, and Autumn and her fiance are doing everything they can!
I'm an old guy and pretty cynical about young people. I have nothing but respect for this woman. If I lived nearby, I'd organize a volunteer pool to help support her.
My Friend's Family owned a Bowling Alley and Not only did It employ people, but gave Younger people something better to do than Hanging out in streets.
Those machines are fine, they do not need to be replaced! They need some TLC from an experienced mechanic! I have worked at and been to 10 pin centers where the machines have the exact same problem, always breaking down, then I will go to a different center with the exact same machines and they will run great. I can't believe that workers comp will not allow you to hire an employee to maintain the machines. If that is the case, time to look for another workers comp company, or hire an independent contractor for the repairs. The maintenance is easy on those machines if you know what you are doing! Those machines are your life blood. Happy machines = happy customers = money in your pocket.
Andy I just wrote another commentary above and I 100% agree with you I had worked in both duck pen and candlepin alleys and bowled leagues and tournaments in both duck pins and candlepins and repaired many types of malfunction on both types of machineries. The old school Duckpin and candlepin machineries were so well built when they first came out that the manufacturing companies went out of business. Most of her minor problems with this Machinery at this bowling alley can be cured with a few hacks such as tightening or removing links from chains that are too loose, tightening belts ,using simple Hardware or stuff you can get at Home Depot or Lowe's to build better ball deflectors and pin deflectors, proper lubrication of moving parts. Broken parts or sheet metal problems can be taken to a local machine shop or metal fabricator to help out. Yes it's a challenge but doable
These are Bowlmors. They are the best candlepin machine that was ever made. You can make a lot of the parts yourself and there are parts available from Candlepin Sales in Georgetown Mass. These just need a lot of TLC . I used to work on these in Massachusetts in the 80s and 90s . An experienced pinsetter mechanic could get these running fairly well rather quickly. I live in Florida and near retirement now, but if I lived in the Ellsworth area, I would go there and work on them for free. She seems like a real go-getter and I wish nothing but success for her.
@@stevea6936 You are absolutely correct in your assessment. They need a lot of minor fix’s for starters. They are very good machines, and they were very well-built.
The comment about replacing the pinsetters really made me cringe! No doubt the new ones would be string pins, and with all the charm gone, this place would close down quickly.
Great story! Sadly this is a part of Americana that needs to be saved! We’ve systematically torn down and destroyed our history and its quickly disappearing.
This girl wanted to make sure the kids of her community had what she had. For all the times I see the internet or rich people throw a pile of money at someone to help them out, how about getting this young lady some new pin machines for Pete’s sake.
There are new pinsetters out where the pins are on strings. I’ve heard close to 20K per machine but they are nearly maintenance free. Would be perfect for this center. Huge props to her for what she is doing !!!
As a kid in 1969, I spent Friday nights setting pins manually at our small town Texas YMCA. It was intended to be a manual operation. I sat on a "shelf" or ledge behind my lane. When the ball arrived and knocked pins, I jump down into the "pit", set the standing pins in the triangular rack above, picked up the ball and rolled it back toward the bowler, pulled the lever to lower the standing pins then return the rack to a lifted position, and jump back up on the shelf. Had to move fast 😂 God bless this sweet girl who makes a difference for her hometown.
How can we all chip in and help Buy her some belts, pulleys, chain? I would sign a personal disclaim document because I'm familiar with this type of equipment... however, I live in Portland Oregon, and I probably bowl even worse :-) . As a Mechanic/repairman/electrician I respect the chains and motors and relays. I wish I was you today! God Bless You Always; In EVERYTHING you do! Maybe search out a electronics retro-pinball machine/car mechanic/hobby machinist/ techno geek (like me, ;-) ), but in your area! I wish I was there so I could make the parts!! BestWishesAndLoveToYou!
The old school mechanics could have them machines singing a fine tune. Candel pin machines require precise adjustments and proper lubrication. Not surprising she struggles, no one left to learn from.
I know no one cares, but my mom was a pinsetter in the late 30's when it was done manually still in most alleys. They used kids due to the confined space and lax labor laws...a loud-ass, repetitive, exhausting job paying decidedly meager wages.
@@carlsaganlives5112 It make perfect sense the insurance company won't insure anyone to be near them. Young folks today are dumber than a box of rocks, and candlepin machine are a metal monster.
Until now, I’d never heard of candlestick bowling! Must be a Maine thing! She has incredible work ethic for a person of her generation. I commend her spirit and drive. I wonder who built the prototype pin setting machines? AMF or Brunswick? It’d be nice if one of them would reach out and help her just to keep that small niche of Americana intact. 😉❤️
dam if I could I'd make the 24 hour trip out there and spend a week working on them machines for her and I bet I could have them running with 90-95% afficency at the vary lest and she could be up and running all lanes for quite a while before she had to do any major repairs again. there no AMF machines witch I'm used too but I could easily figure these things out with a little time no problem
Call up PWBA and PBA for a crowd fund event. I think a TV telecast would be great. I think most pro bowlers would love to help preserve such alley so spend few hours there is not a big deal.
And every single bolt, connection, part... Can be worked on and repaired by hand and on station... And honestly, if corporations can utilize unpaid Interns, why not offer an Intern position focused at being a machine mechanic...
When the pins get old the calls in the back go up. i don't know anything about candlestick pins but I had a rig set up and I would sand the bottom of them flat while I waited for calls. I don't know if you can even order those, probably have to have them made. Looks like she's the only expert on those machines, trying to help would be kinda insulting beyond keep everything lubed and clean. If she gets the brand new machines, I hear they almost never break.
Good for that community to have such a dedicated young business owner. But when is she going to get a college education? It would be selfish for residents to expect her to spend the rest of her life fixing an outdated pin bowling system. Many bowling alleys around the country went out of business long ago. So there's probably tons of used old bowling lane machines that don't break down as often, that could replace this one of a kind system. Now that she has the news spotlight, she could start a crowdfunding campaign to fund her project. Best wishes to her and whatever she decides to do!
You really shouldn't mix emotions and business. Seems like she bought the place on a whim and didn't really have a plan to make it better. The place is quite literally killing her I mean if the machine you're running is so dangerous to the point you're not allowed to hire people to work on them that's really a death trap. It's great if you have fond memories of this place but you can't run this kind of business by yourself with outdated and dangerous machinery. You'll need to make some changes and start putting staff together. Otherwise I don't see this being sustainable for that much longer. Hard work ethic is great but that alone is not enough to run a business.
We had a duck pin bowling alley near me in our town, Waterford, CT. It was fun to play with the little balls. It got shut down and now its an Aldi's. Not so much fun anymore.
My father always talked about his days as a pin setter when he was a teenager back in the late 1940's, early 50's. He said the bowling alley was THEE place to meet the girls lol
For those watching this segment; do you know anyone working candlepin bowling alleys in Canada close to Maine that could reach out to Autumn and advise her?
I hope she doesn’t get hurt one day when repairing those old pinsetters. I’ve heard the older ones are incredibly dangerous compared to newer models. Edit: Apparently I should have watched the whole video, that thing already hurt her hand!
