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A friend has a few stamp vendors that I'm going to pick up next week, I've always thought they might be cool to repurpose with some modifications to the vending mech.  Anybody done this before or have any tips?

Anybody have one or know how they work?  I know you need the weights to hold the stamps down, but does it just slide the stamp in packaging out with the bottom metal plate or is it pushed out from behind?

Hi Ya.. I have the same machine that I re-purposed to a Bazooka gum for the kids after seeing a few on eBay.
It works well with the larger Bazooka pieces without any modification to the vending mech , other than to enlarge the opening slot on the front.

when i get home from work laster I'll shot you some pictures.

Dave   

Thanks Dave, that's exactly what I'm looking to do, modify the front plate to vend other stuff, I was thinking Hershey's candies but Bazooka sounds cool too

Also seen these modified to vend chicklets

I got a chance to pick up two of the stamp venders today, pretty neat little machines.  I'm going to keep the nice condition one original and modify the second one to dispense the small Hershey's candies.  I got lucky and the candies are almost the exact same size as the vend columns, so I don't need to modify that part.

My plan is to open up the vend slot to fit and I just need to add a small piece of metal to the 'push' part to get the height up to push out the candies.

I'm going to strip it all down and paint and then add some decals, any suggestions where to buy those or should I get a local shop to make some up?

Did a quick cleaning and a little modding to the case and it works!  Check out the video, I'm pretty happy how easy that was!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfZ_Y8ywxG8

Wow, I'm tempted to get one myself after seeing your Youtube video.  8)

I'm so sorry I haven't had time to send those pictures. However, I have found a thread I started when I first converted the Bazooka Machine.

http://soda-machines.com/discussions/index.php/topic,18642.0.html

I have another donor machine so will be looking carefully at how you style yours..

Dave

        Very impressive!  :happydrinkers:
        Is there any way to make the 25cent slot work on a dime also?
        And just wondering how you guys enlarged those slots?

        I won't be passing up on the next one I run accross either.

Great, now you got me searching for postage machines now... that's a very cool repurpose... but I have also found several other postage machines that are quite cool and may have to add one to the collection..

Thanks ALOT!   :biggrin: :darn:

"a small piece of metal to the 'push' part".

Can you post a pic of this part you did to modify it ?

That is a cool video.  I love how they pop out of the slot.  I also will be looking for a stamp machine.  The price of those just tripled.  :biggrin:

Maybe I should have bought a few more then posted!  Moondawg I used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel to do a rough cut for the slots then followed up with a file to get them flat and rounded edges.  I scored the smaller sides then cut the center so I could bend them out and not score further into the metal.  I'll take a few more photos when I do the other side to make it easier.  Maybe a little how-to would be good.

Chedki here's a video of the vending mechanism with the vend column removed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV_vJVBa9Tg

I thought I was going to have to make that a little higher to push the candy out, but it ended up working just fine as-is.

Wow, this is very cool and not a big project like a soda machine restore.  I see these stamp machines from time to time and pass on them.....but not now!!

Very cool. My 25 cent three slot vends pull tabs now. Think modes to two of the chute outlets is in order.
Thanks!
Dave missed your original post. Great job!
Creighton

Here's a quick how-to on what needs to be modified on the stamp machines to make them vend the Hershey's candies.

Photo 1: There is a slot at the front of the vending mechanism that needs to be cut out, Dremel with a cutoff wheel will cut it out and then grind down the spot welds that it was held in with

Photo 2: The vending column needs to be opened up, so a 3/8" slot was cut with the Dremel and filed down to make the candies fit.

Photo 3: 3/8" slots are cut in the front of the vending slots, the top slot is cut fully with the Dremel, the sides are scored enough to not cut further into the top or bottom.  The center diagonal slot was cut so the two sides could be bent out with a pair of pliers.  After bending out, each side is filed down to straighten and round out the slots.

So I picked these up yesterday to try and make them vend the miniatures or bazooka gum (bought two incase I mess up). Didn't really vend when I tried and no key so was taking a chance figuring I had to tinker anyway. Got home, none of my keys worked, drilled the lock and was pleasantly suprised. They were both filled with old pull tabs. So much so they were jamming up the mechanisms.

So now I'm torn between converting the two or converting one and themeing the other to go with the fortunes.

Your machines. Do as you please. Can tell you folks get a hoot out of the pull tabs. One of each would be my choice.
Creighton

I kept one original, and the other is for the candies.  The fortune theme would be cool as well, keep us updated on how they come out!

I think they quit making the Bazooka rectangular hard gum.

Believe I saw that as well. I found double bubble makes a bazooka style gum for sale at Cracker Barrel.

http://shop.crackerbarrel.com/Dubble-Bubble/dp/B0050PMGB6

Got my vender stripped down and etch primed, pretty easy job using some aircraft remover from AutoZone. 

Now on to the fun part, choosing the paint.  I'm thinking of keeping my theme of using tri-five Chevy colors, but I need to see a few in person first.  Autumn Bronze or Sierra Gold are tops on the list right now.

Can somebody with a Stoner 180 measure the "Candy" decal on the mirror?  I'm hoping it's around 5-6" in width, but I'd like a height measurement as well.  thanks!

Can anybody help out with a measurement?

Are you needing a decal  made?... lots of cool fonts out there to make one up of your own.... What is your idea for this...

I was just going to use the 'Candy' half from the Stoner decal set, I'm pretty sure it's about the exact size I need, but wanted to make sure before I buy one

Could go with a Hershey theme too.... be kinda cool.... though I know it could vend Bazooka Gum too

Saw this.. not crazy about color choice but liked the fonts on it.

Well it took half a year, but I finally decided to get the converted stamp vendor off the shelf and put some paint on it.  I just did some off the shelf rattle cans of factory colors, I think the gold is a Toyota color, but I really like how it came out.  I'm not too happy with the Hershey's water release decals I got off ebay, they came printed on water-release inkjet paper, which I didn't know existed, and there was some color bleed on the edges after putting them in water. 

I degreased the insides and used some Flitz to get it back up to shiny, very happy with how that came out.  Hopefully it doesn't take me another half-year to get a few decals for the front, either way it's a functioning machine as-is.

Looks good. At least you're almost done, I haven't started on mine yet