Converting a toy gumball machine to a pachinko ball dispenser

[SteveFury]

We've all seen these low cost gumball-candy machine dispensers. Some of us have them but are just stored somewhere unused. I had tried to use one of these as a pachinko ball dispenser a few years ago. The project was unsuccessful at the time because the balls jammed the mechanism. I had been using a different solution for many years, but I revisited my old project today with great success.

Here is a photo of my finished project. It should be able to work flawlessly even with the globe filled to the very top:
DSCF2019.jpg

PLEASE NOTE:
THIS WILL BE A HUGE TEMPTATION FOR TODDLERS AND SMALL CHILDREN. ---PLEASE--- KEEP THAT IN MIND IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THIS!!!

The previous failure was caused by the weight of the steel balls making the plastic parts flex. This area particularly would press down on the rotor, preventing it from turning:
DSCF2004.jpgI applied a bit of white lithium grease in select areas of friction but it didn't help enough.

My trick was to get the weight of the balls onto the center post and along the outer rim of the mechanism. This puts the weight onto the frame casting not the rotor:
DSCF2004-2.jpg

First business was the center post. I couldn't find any metal sleeve in my junk stuff so I simply cut off the end of a marking pen. I cut it off so it is just higher than the gray "shelf". I applied a tiny -sparing- amount of white lithium grease to the bottom of the sleeve:
DSCF2003.jpgThe metal disk I cut will rest on this plastic post, helping to take the strain off of the gray plastic shelf.

The dispenser has a soft plastic "gasket" which the glass globe sits and I used the inside edge of it to create a template for cutting the metal disk. If yours is missing this gasket then use the bottom inside edge of the glass globe. I divided my cardboard template into fourths and added 4 tabs along the edge. These tabs will eventually be folded over to contact the edge of the plastic gasket and transfer the weight to the mechanism's frame:
Untitled.pngMeasurements don't need to be exact but the important points in the template is the size of the center hole must fit over the dispenser's center post but smaller than the plastic sleeve. Also, it is good to have a nice ramping effect to guide the balls into the vending chamber so tab "A" is longer than tab "B" which is longer than tab "C" with tab "D" being the shortest. You can make all the tabs long and make the final adjustments on the actual metal plate during fitting. This will make more sense further down.

I had a sheet of 12 gauge metal saved from an old washing machine, for these kinds of projects. I used the template with heavy metal shears to cut the plate:
DSCF2013.jpgNote that you don't have to apply perfect craftsmanship.

Here the metal plate is fitted. All 4 tabs are bent downward so to apply the ball weight pressure to the edge of the metal casting. The green dotted line is a crease to create a downward ramp into the vending area. The length of the tabs are cut as described in the template so to ramp the balls in the direction of the red arrow.
DSCF2017.jpg

Here I am testing the modification by applying about 100lbs (or so) downward force against the plate. The rotor still turns as if almost zero weight has been applied:
DSCF2016.JPGThis weight would have certainly jammed the mechanism without this modification.

I have since refined the rough shape of the plate (Not shown) using a medium metal file and finished the edges with #220 sandpaper. Completely sanded the plate and painted to prevent rusting.

Delivery of the balls were also a problem because it is frustrating to "dig" them out of the delivery cup. My solution was to cut and shape a piece of scrap wood so it fits inside the cup, and attached a small metal ramp to the end. About 12 balls pool behind the cover per handle spin:
DSCF2027.jpg

Maybe this will turn some dust covered candy machines into something useful once more.

Again, please keep this out of the sight of children.

[Moparformances]

i have several old gumball machines.. my plan was to always use one.. but never got around to it...

ill keep your mod in mind

thanks

[Meathead]

I actually use this method for dispensing balls. I'm fortunate enough to have a machine that requires no mods. I also keep a tray full of quarters next to the machine to make sure nobody is pulling quarters out of their own pockets to pay for the balls.

[browne92]

Excellent!!

[SteveFury]

Update:
My mod worked perfectly except the glass couldn't take the weight. I got up this morning with 1/4 of the glass broke out with a few thousand balls to pick up.

Oh well.
But I liked the looks of it, I'll need to keep an eye out on my local Craigs List for an affordable candy vender as Meathead has.

[davebuckholts]

...... I also keep a tray full of quarters next to the machine to make sure nobody is pulling quarters out of their own pockets to pay for the balls.

Well now that is just silly! How are you going to continue to feed your addictions?

So I also just bought this candy machine, oddly enough just before I bought my pachinko machine. Then I run up on this older thread. Hmmmm, coincidence? I think not!

IMG_3502.jpg

[mxfaiman]

There was a point where we were playing with my little brothers gumball machine. Bought a new adjustable wheel for it and set it to the smallest setting. Turns out it worked alright with no mods. Too bad couldn't keep it like that cause he actually wanted to put candy in it!?!


gumball ball dispenser 002.jpggumball ball dispenser 003.JPGgumball ball dispenser 004.JPG

[mxfaiman]

Edit: should've looked at the pictures. That was before we restored it and put in the adjustable wheel.

So in the pictures it was actually setup with a wheel for dispensing 1" capsules.