SMC Discussion Areas

Hey guys,

I posted a couple months ago, that my brother came across a vendo decorator for free and i was going to try to sell it quick and make a buck.  However after it has sat in my garage for a month i kind of like the size of it and functunality of it, so i've decided to "redo" it.  I found a couple of threads about another guy that was going to redo one in a Harley theme.  I've already got the door ready to be painted and reassembled with a new makeshift front & rear.  My question is what are your guys' opinions on what would look cool for this machine?  I'm thinking something along the lines of the Harley themed one like this thread: http://soda-machines.com/discussions/index.php/topic,1811.0.html but i was also thinking perhaps like a Pabst Blue Ribbon style with a tap handle as the handle.  Looking for any and all opinions?  Thanks a lot!

You know everybody and their brother does Harley be different,  I like the Pabst's  idea do it a old school theme. :smile:

I was the one going to do the harley. That is awesome that you are doing this. I wanted to so bad but money stopped me from going ahead as it always does. Do you have a picture of your machine so far? I personally like the Harley idea and it will sell well since harley is a great garage theme and soda machines often go in the garage but maybe do Chevrolet or Ford or even your favorite Gas brand or something like that. You could put a gas pump computer sticker on the front and a globe on top and do a gas pump theme?

Hey guys thanks for the replies.  I'm really leaning towards the Pabst theme.  I think Harley would be the answer if I was going to resell it, but i think i'm going to just keep it and i agree with Pat on Harley being so over done.  Kind of looking for the WOW factor. I like the gas pump idea, but don't really have a favorite.  Just looking to do something totally unique.  Here are some pics of where i'm at right now.  I have the shelves and the inner door, just not in the pic.  Any and all opinions appreciated.

another one.. sorry about the quality had to take the pics with my phone.

one more...

Ok Whats your plans on this ? a complete tear down and do it right the first time,  or is this a  paint , use 2 year &  then sell ?

Pat, that depends is it quite difficult for a full tear down and rebuild?  Most likely just a repaint and hang on to til the wife gets annoyed enough to get me to sell it.  I also have an ideal slider in the middle of a complete rebuild and that beast of a Lacrosse in the background of one of the pics.  I would LOVE to do a full rebuild, but don't want to pump a lot of time and money into it if it will be difficult.  I bit off more than i can chew with the slider rebuild and am just waiting for time to put the insulation and the guts back in.  So if the decorator's rebuild isn't as difficult as the sliders I may opt for a complete rebuild and keep the decorator.  I'm still a novice at these machines, but am quite handy and have friends that are knowledgable in the right areas for help.  Plust you guys!!! Thanks for the help, btw.

Well this is going to be easier than the slider  (There are a few of us here that have done a complete tear down on sliders)    take photos and bag & tag the parts
 then all the screws replace with Stainless steel ( looks better , and it will take longer to rust )  and the money thing well All I have to say better sell them, this hobby will cost you because you will want to restore a machine then you will see something you want and buy it , Then one day you will wake up  hung over and there is a vendo 44  in the bed room and the wife standing in the door way asking what did you do this weekend. 

Thanks for the advice Pat! Though i'm pretty sure if i ever let a machine in the bedroom, my wife won't be standing in the doorway, she'll be packing her bags!!!!  Any advice on what material i should use for the face of the door? A sheet of aluminum or piece of thin plywood or? 

Well I've opted for a complete restore and to go with the Pabst Blue Ribbon theme.  I've already gotten the cabinet torn down, sandblasted and painted, new insulation and the liner and parts all put back in.  I'm wondering if anybody has a Decorator that they have parted out over the years...? I need a new lock and possibly a whole new inner door as someone tried prying it open at one time and bent it fairly badly.  Also looking for the light that attaches to the back of the cabinet and sits above the machine.  Finally looking for any opinions if i should do a diamond plated kickplate on the front door say 2' tall and the rest the Pabst logo or just do the whole door Pabst and save a buck or two by skipping the diamond plating??  Thanks again for the help guys.. Pics coming soon.

I might know of one. I will email him and see if he chimes in.

Thanks MCarter,

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Where are you located? What do you need?

I had planned on doing the whole door in polished diamond plate. I thought I would have a piece of plexiglass cut in the general shape of the logo and put the logo on the plexiglass and screw it into the door with 1" nylon spacers behind the plexiglass and pit a small light under the plexiglass in the middle. It would be a lot of work but it would look great. To save costs I had also thought of using regular steel diamond plate and painting it.

I'm located in Rapid City, SD.  I'm looking for a lock for the inner door and the lock arm that goes to the top of the door to secure it (not really sure what it's called or how to explain it)  Also I would love to have the light that goes on the back of the machine and looks like it sits on top of the machine.  If his door seal is in good shape I'd take that too, but not a must since I may just buy all new.

Loman4ec: That sounds like it would be really cool looking.  Unfortunately all the diamond plating i've found is only 2ft. wide and it needs to be 25in to fit to the door  :censored: Also it's ridiculously expensive!  I'm thinking just a 1 - 2 ft tall piece on the door the have sheet metal of some kind slid in for the door with the Pabst logo painted on.  I like your idea of illuminating the logo though with the plexiglass... Thanks for the comments.

If you call a sheet metal company they have it in 4' x 8' sheets and will cut it for you. I found the sheets to be around $75 to $90 with cutting.

The last time i bought several sheets ( 4x8 )and they were about $ 250 each.

Hey 7-Upslider, glad to here your going to do it right  sound like Matt may be able to help you out.
The Diamond plate sound cool but like matt said  the price is up there  . Dont forget to post pictures
we all like pictures :tounge:.

I have a like new cabinet and nice front door for the decorator model, I don't remember if I sold the inside door or not, if I didn't it would be in excellent shape but I would have to wait until it warms up a little bit to go down to one of my storage buildings and see.  They won't let me out when it's really cold because of my health.  I live in Southern Indiana.

Sodaman, a nice inside door would be wonderful just let me know if you have one. Until then i'll see what i can do with this old one.  I'll hopefully have the machine closer to completion soon so will take pics as soon as i can.  Thanks for all the help gentlemen.

In the home stretch gentlemen.  All I need to do now is paint the front insert for the door.  Sorry about the quality of the pictures, had to take them with my phone since my wife lost our digital camera...  The pictures don't do it justice.

Wow that looks great!!! I am so glad to see one done that way. I have always wanted to do one!!! Great work!

 Boy I like the looks of it, can't wait to see the pabest blue ribben on it :smile:.

I couldn't resist making some labels while I'm debating whether to paint the pabst blue ribbon logo on or to go with a custom decal and clear coat over.  Any opinions on paint vs. decal??  Here is a pic of the labels I created... just used address labels cut to size and laminated with packing tape...

Look good  like the labels If you can paint it then do it  if not then go with the decal :smile:.

Looks great, looking forward to seeing it finished.

Well been busy finishing my basement, finally had some time to devote to my Decorator.  I had ordered a decal 2 weeks ago and finally got it in the mail and got it applied.  Here is the finished product.  Just need to clear coat over the top of it and the PBR machine will be complete.  Let me know what you guys think!! Started out ugly as sin, and i think it turned out quite nice... the tap handle is my favorite part!

Love that idea for using a tap handle for the door handle ! 8)

Looks great! that is one big decal.

Wow! It's a keeper!

Sweet!   Me likey!!!    :smile:

That turned out great! :happydrinkers:

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

Congratulations, that is one sweet machine! Great vision and execution in transforming the 'ole Decorator!

What a great looking machine!!!! you did a great job on it! I have always wanted to do that to a machine. I am amazed!

 :jawdrop:  WOW!    Looks great I like it alot , you did a great job and you should be real proud .   8)

very nice, that looks great!

Looks great. Did you buy the kick panel already with the swirls in it? We make something similar to that for use on some of our machines when we want to get fancy. It would be nice if we could buy it already finished like that.

       Looks great, what an improvement from the original woodgrain door!  

       I don't think I have ever seen the light you were searching for on a Decorator, but seems like the ones from a Cornelius slider would serve the same purpose and would look awesome on that machine with a Papst insert.

Some decorators had a light similar to the cornelius machines that hooked on to the back and had a lightu sign on top. It was similar to the cornelius but it was flat on the back.

Thanks for all the replies guys! I am very happy with how it turned out.  Now I just have to decide where it is going to look the best in my basement when i get it finished.  I'm thinking right in the middle so everyone can see it! LOL!  If anyone has any ideas where i could get a light for the top of the machine it would be greatly appreciated.  I thought about trying to make one, but would lots rather have one that is original to the machine.  Thanks again for all the help with this project!

Bubba- the kick panel is actually a 12" x 25" piece of diamond plating.  I got it and the aluminum sheet i used for the face of the door from a place called "metal by the inch" online.  They were very reasonable on price and cut the pieces to the exact measurements i needed.  I'm definately thinking about doing this project again if i can get my hands on another decorator! Maybe i'll make one for the wife!

      I was the one who had never seen a light for the top of a decorator, but now I just aquired 3 of them. All bulbs ballasts and starters work good and all have reversable mounting brackets.
            I will PM 7upSlider first as he may want one for his Papst and another for his
Ideal 55 but I'm sure he will chime in here either way.
            I'm asking $50 and $60 for the 7 ups and $75 for the Coke if anyone else is interested.

Glen,

Thank you!!! I will definately take the 7-up light with the flaking since i'll be converting it to Pabst anyways.  I'll send you a quick e-mail so we can work things out.  I appreciate you letting me know.  I've since sold my 7-up slider and have converted my generic slider to a Johnnie Walker machine so I'll pass on taking two lights.  Although i'd really like to do another decorator.... if you can't get rid of the other two lights let me know.  Thanks again.

Jonny

I would love to see pictures of your Johnnie walker ideal 55!!

I was thinking the same thing!

Get this my Step dad's name really is Johnnie Walker. No kidding!

Hey guys,

I'll post pics of the Johnnie Walker slider as soon as i can get to it in my garage and finish cleaning up the compressor... the paint on it is pretty sweet and it will look awesome when i'm done with the complete rebuild... but unlike the decorator there is no way i am going to do another complete rebuild of the slider! wowzer is it a pain.

FINALLY got some time to work on light box that MoonDawg sent me... so here are the final pics of my Pabst Blue Ribbon Vendo Decorator.  Hope you guys enjoy them.  Also if anyone comes across a Vendo Decorator that they are wanted to get rid of let me know, I'd like to do another one of these in a different theme. 

Last one... Anyone have a suggestion on what i could list this baby for on e-bay or craigslist should i decide to sell it?? Probably won't be in the near future but... just curious.

Looks really good. Pricewise I think you'll have to add up your cost and decide what you'll let it go for.

That machine turned out great and would likely be a big hit on the college campuses as PBR has made a strong comeback with the coeds!  Hard to say what it should list for or what it would sell for.  It would appear that you have a lot into the conversion but as you know, in its original state that is not the most desireable machine.

Good luck whatever you decide to do but I think you would have good luck selling that to a frat house!  Not that any kids are drinking on college campuses these days! :biggrin: 8) :laugh:

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

       Very creative..........nice work!  :happydrinkers: