Vending Machine...

[Case]

Well I was thinking after see'in that sharper image personal desktop vendinmachine made me remember that over priced Maytag one called the Skybox...

So now im thinking. what would it take to build your own? So now i want to hunt down some of the mechanics and what not that go into possibly building one.. any ideas?

[jacubilloro]

Ebay for one. Ive seen them very cheap. Small ones, huge ones. I have not bought one of them only because shipping would be crazy expensive for Costa Rica... I have to pay $7 for every kilogram!!!

[Pike]

"I want to make a vending machine that sells vending machines... It would have to be real f----ing big!"

[Case]

Well i was thinking its not hard to do... I just need to make the gravity feed mechanics maybe a solnoid to power the release of one type of drink or another maybe modding a mini fridge or making a solid state cooler like the drink o matic uses with TEC's

I Found osme pics of old fashioned 60's and 70's soda machines i wish i could see the internals to a modern day system. I want to make the most use of the space thats the key.

[micsaund]

The mechanics of something like this would be pretty easy, especially if the "machine" is to be used in your home or somewhere "trusted" where you don't have to worry about security.

What I'd do is stack the cans vertically. At the bottom of the stack, use a motorized hub that, when rotated under the stack, lets exactly one can fall into the slot (laying on its side). Then, the drum rotates, which presents a hard surface to the remaining cans in the stack (they cannot fall out/down) and delivers the single can to the dispensing chute.

This has the advantage that if you stop the drum in the right position, the dispensing chute is sealed, thus keeping the cold air inside the fridge.

Mechanically, you'd need nothing more than a gear motor and some limit switches, although you could go with something more complicated for the controls if you're looking to have fun. The apparatus would not take much room, so if you installed it into a small "dorm fridge" (like you'd use at college/university), you could hold quite a number of cans.

Mike

[Case]

I can think of 1000 ways to do it but i still want to see the internal mechanics of a modern day system

[Al]

The mechanics of something like this would be pretty easy, especially if the "machine" is to be used in your home or somewhere "trusted" where you don't have to worry about security.

What I'd do is stack the cans vertically. At the bottom of the stack, use a motorized hub that, when rotated under the stack, lets exactly one can fall into the slot (laying on its side). Then, the drum rotates, which presents a hard surface to the remaining cans in the stack (they cannot fall out/down) and delivers the single can to the dispensing chute.

This has the advantage that if you stop the drum in the right position, the dispensing chute is sealed, thus keeping the cold air inside the fridge.

Mechanically, you'd need nothing more than a gear motor and some limit switches, although you could go with something more complicated for the controls if you're looking to have fun. The apparatus would not take much room, so if you installed it into a small "dorm fridge" (like you'd use at college/university), you could hold quite a number of cans.

Mike

You make that sound really simple, I've never really thought about making my own gadgets but when you explain it like that it gives me all sorts of ideas for things I could make :).

[Case]

Its fun to make ur own stuff... the fun of it is figuring out ways to do stuff

[Mad Alchemist]

Amen to that Case :)

[stevezachtech]

I like your ideas, but before you improvise in your vending machine replica I suggest consulting a pro's schematics first..

[mark540]

I can think of 1000 ways to do it but i still want to see the internal mechanics of a modern day system

I can think of 1000 ways to do it but i still want to see the internal mechanics of a modern day system,so...