American Restoration restores a Stoner Theater Model

[rayg]

I like Stoner candy machines, hope to get one soon... so this episode of  American Restoration was informative .  He charged the customer  $3,700 to restore it, too high?
I really didn't like the way the  wood grain finish came out compare to the original woodgrain finish they came with, but the rest of it looked good.


http://www.history.com/shows/american-restoration/videos/playlists/full-episodes#american-restoration-safe-keeping

[mznb1u]

If I was going to have a Stoner professionally restored there is only one guy I would take it to and that would be Curtis at Memorylane.  He is the expert.  To me something does not look exactly correct about Rick's finished product.  It would appear that he fabricated the lighted part above the candy display because the number of button lights on the top of it does not appear to be right.  I could be wrong but that looks a bit off.

It would also be interesting to see the inside of that machine to see what he did or did not do.

  Tim

[loman4ec]

I hate woodgrain!!!!! I do have to say this episode was better than the others. It was professional, no profanity and it was all about the machine and safe. No extra crap. They also didn't abuse the stuff and make a fool of themselves.

[TomFromJersey]

$3500 seems to be a fair amount for a quality restoration. I agree about the woodgrain, it looks like crap. Also, if I had the money to pay somebody else to do a restoration on a Stoner I'd use Curtis also. Atleast for the mech., nobody can touch him on those. And he is very creative with custom knobs.
  TFJ

[rayg]

Tim,

Here's a few more  screen shots of the inside before and after.  Josh you are right about this episode  maybe he's learning    Tom, so Curtis would be the Stoner expert to ask any questions ?
 
Also, I read somewhere there are stoner manuals to download does anyone have the link?

[SIGNGUY]

I agree. I don't like the woodgrain look, and I dont think the fake woodgrain they put on this one looks correct, but I'm sure it still cost a pretty penny to do it .
I think the 3700 to restore is is about right.. and it looks as if the insides where done correctly.. I bet they sent it off to get done.. I don't think those bafoons in his shop could manage taking the insides apart and putting it back together correctly.

[Pat Pixley]

Good god I hate woodgrain and I really hate the looks of that stoner .
I'm looking forward to getting my stoner  and buging Curtis  when I get ready to do mine.

[davethebirdman]

I can't even watch the clip... Not available in my area. Will have to wait about a year for this series
to reach me. Still watching first season of Pickers and repeats of Pawn Stars.

[mznb1u]

I did not notice that they attempted to do woodgrain on the restored machine. I agree it does not look that good but he did not come close to getting the finish correct.  The original woodgrain finish on the Stoner Theater looks a lot better.  Here is a picture of an early theater model that I picked up a little while back.  I hope to restore this machine and have it painted as original.  Probably not everyone's cup of tea but I like the original finish.

  Tim

[TomFromJersey]

RayG
  Gotta give credit were it's due, Curtis could probably take a Stoner mech apart and re-assemble it in his sleep. If I ran into a snag, he'd be the first I'd call.
  TFJ

[rayg]

 Here's a cool ad from Billboards magazine from 1948 for Stoner candy machines  (they got allot of ther cool ad's in there as well and the are scalable, it's almost like looking at microfilm at a library ... for those of us remember doing that before the internet 


http://books.google.com/books?id=jPUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=univendor+theatre+models&source=bl&ots=iVV44oduRH&sig=I73Q1m2nCoWHHGijnJXrDtVTKRQ&hl=en&ei=n-vRTfWCCuf00gHIk43LCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=univendor%20theatre%20models&f=true

[memorylane]

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I do try and help everyone out with there stoners. OK.....I'm working on a Stoner Jr wood grain but you will think it was hand carved out of wood when finished. This will be the very best Stoner I have ever restored and I have pulled out all the stops on this one. You guys will not beleave this machine when it's done. So nice I will be doing one for me! This is for a very special friend. I'll keep everyone posted.

Curtis, Memory Lane Restorations....www.retrovending.com

[mznb1u]

Can't wait to see it Curtis!

  Tim

[loman4ec]

When can we see it? I can't wait. I have never owned a stoner but always wanted one. I've had hundreds of machines but never a stoner.

[mznb1u]

Not to beat a dead horse; but, I happened to be working on my laptop last night with the TV on for background noise and I saw bits a pieces of a few episodes of American Restoration.  They happened to show the one with the Stoner Theater again and after seeing it again, that machine just did not look right.  I just took a look at my Theater and figured out how he fabricated that light for this project.  He cut the light box off of a National 7 pull cigarette machine and drilled holes in it for the "button" lights on top.  And he did not add the correct number of lights.  The end caps on the Stoner fixture are smooth--if you look at the light Rick's machine you will see the unmistakable art deco lines of the old National cigarette machine.  Additionally the "Fresh Candy" window should actually be two windows.  Don't get me wrong, I think the guy does some nice work but he should have disclosed the fabrication of the light on this restoration as the machine is now a Rick's One-off Stoner Theater.

Anyway, it was one of those Columbo moments, "There's just one more thing thats bothering me . . . "

Okay, "Hi, my name is Tim and I am an SMC-aholic!"

Take a look at the photos!

  Tim

PS--I also hate the fact that he chopped up a National 7 Pull to do it!  That is a great looking cigarette in it's own right!

[cokecolaman]

Nice catch!

[oscar]

The more I know about Rick the less I like.

[pepsibob]

 my only ?is it the same machine looks differant

[rayg]

Also, watch that episode again, and my question is when the guy first dropped  off  the Stoner what made Rick think it was a theater model?  It wasn't painted in wood grain and  to me it looked like a 180. Maybe I missed something?

[pepsibob]

 I seen other things he done from pawn stars take a rusty beat up vendo 39 comes out as a vendo 81 .. For 1500
Reality shows kill me

[Kilroy]

What happens in Vegas SHOULD stay in Vegas

[BrianB]

LOL! 

[bcharlton]

That is my problem with Rick Dale.  Stoner Theatres are rare.  It confuses our hobby when professional restorators are out there changing original items and therefor attempting to trick people or make something that never existed.

He did in fact cut up a 7 pull National Cigarette machine (I am looking for an original if anyone wants to sell one) and now is selling a "Theatre"

I also agree that Curtis Kaufmann is the best Stoner retorer and there is nobody else even close.  I have restored 6 or 7 machines myself and Curtis has been a true friend and mentor.  This is what one should look like

Curtis helped me step by step with mine

[bcharlton]

More pics

[BONOVOX]

Nice work!!
Yeah, not that I would have ever taken anything to Rick in the first place (as I live on the east coast, and in Canada) but when I saw him outright lie about the vendo 39 restoring it into a Cav 72, and then explaining to Rick of PAwn stars what he did to the machine..... the guy is a scammer, a lier, a cheat, and any other name you want to attach to him.
I emailed someone once that was selling a restored V39 on ebay, with the heading of "restored by Rick Dale" and I sent an email saying that if it were me, I might not want to have that name attached to an item I was selling.
THe reply back was that they know RIck very well, and that he was "pressured" by the producers to say what he did, and that he had "no other choice"..... blah blah blah.
Yeah, ok officer.... I had no choice but to rob that bank.....
WHATEVER.
Too bad, cause he and his son otherwise look like nice guys, but when it comes to doing business... they put $$ first over cred.

I'm OUT!

[sodaworks]

I concur!