New to the forum, with a Vendorlator!

[RetroHacker]

Hello - I'm new here... Go easy on me

I collect various old electronics, as well as coin operated video games and pinball machines. I recently got a good deal on a group of video games - included with that was a Pepsi machine. Now, I've always wanted a soda machine, but never actively pursued one. Now I have one!

Anyway, the soda machine is a Vendorlator 56. It appears to be from the early 60's. It's in OK condition, and the guy I got it from says that it works. It's filthy, and will need a serious cleaning. I haven't plugged it in yet, it's in my storage locker until I can get the space to work on it. I have gone through and looked at everything though, and it all appears to be intact, with the exception of the original lock, and the coin box.

The machine vends glass bottles for ten cents. It can accept two nickels or one dime - no quarters. This machine cannot give change. It uses a simple mechanical coin acceptor, very similar to the ones used in jukeboxes and video games. The vending mechanism looks pretty straight forward, and appears intact.

The outside is pretty dirty, and the chrome around the coin return, bottle opener, coin slot and bent coin reject lever is pretty pitted and corroded, but it's not rusting. The handle on the bottle door is rusty and pretty bad. The "glass" in the bottle door is clouded and hard to see through. The Pepsi emblem at the top is cracked. The inside has that "old refrigerator" smell, and needs a good scrubbing. All the shelves are here and everything seems to be in serviceable condition.

Parts that I am concerned about would be the seals around the bottle door and the front door. I know how important seals are to normal refrigerators - I assume a soda machine wouldn't be any different. What's the best way to clean old, dirty seals? Can I still get replacements if these aren't sealing well?

I plan to go through this machine and clean everything, and make this machine useable again. Which brings me to my next question... what the heck kind of screws are those? I thought I had seen just about every type of security fastener, but these are weird! Kind of a bow-tie shape.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll have more questions as I start digging into this.

-Ian

[GreginNM]

Ian...welcome to the site!  You will find all the help you could ask for from the folks on here, there are a great number of very smart folks that love to lend a hand!  I'm not real familiar with that machine, but you will likely hear from several that have restored that very machine and can decode those fasteners for you.  Parts are available from the folks at the bottom of the page.  Careful...soda machines are addictive!!

[johnieG]

Just a quick hello & welcome to the site! It has potential!

The screws are called a "clutch" head type, commonly used through out the 1950's on machines & autos too.

if you leave the door propped open it will help to minimise the refrigerator smell (caused by mildew on the zinc galvinizing) it should diminish once you clean the interior. you can also go to a boat marinia & get some non-chlorine based mildew eliminator for boats. you could use chlorine bleach in water after scrubing it out with soap & water, but it will attack the zinc & turn it gray (grayer) if it's mixed too strong. ( a pair of rubber gloves & goggles and a long-sleaved shirt recomended)

[RetroHacker]

Hmm. Clutch head screws. I'll have to check at the hardware store and see if I can find a proper screwdriver.

I'm really looking forward to working on this thing. Hopefully, later in the week I'll have space in my garage, so I can take things apart and scrub.

So, bleach is no good for the zinc coating, what other cleaners would be safe? Windex/409/ammonia/alcohol?

I really hope I can get rid of the smell. It might end up with a box of baking soda in the precool area, however.

Any gotcha's when taking out the vending rack? The shelves all lift out easily, and it looks like I should be able to remove a couple of clutch head (and flat head) screws, and remove the whole vending rack as one piece. Are there screws holding it into the back wall, or is it resting on clips in the back? I don't want to start pulling the rack out, only to have the rack drop apart into tiny little parts that go *ping* off into the corners of the room, never to be seen again.

On the compressor, I would like to be able to slide out the cooling unit to clean it and the bottom pan. By looking at it, it almost looks as if I can remove the whole thing without letting the freon out. Can I? If the whole assembly comes out in one piece, it would make cleaning the fans and fins a lot easier.

Electrically, this machine seems very simple. There don't even seem to be any kind of credit accumulator relays - since it only handles one vend at a time (not like a pinball machine, which must remember multiple credits). This machine cannot give change, it only accepts two nickels or one dime. The coin mech simply divides the nickels coming in - first dumps into the coin box while flipping over a lever, and second goes down to trip the switch, and flip the diverter/lever back over. I assume there is a solenoid in the box below the vending rack that releases the latches for the bottles, allowing one to be removed, and then gets tripped off by the motion of the catch. But what prevents two bottles from being removed at once?

Weren't there versions of this machine that could give change, accept quarters, and have different pricing?

Is there a service manual online somewhere?

Thanks!

-Ian

[dr galaga]

Glad to see that you made it over here. 
Yes, you should be able to take the cooling unit out in one piece.  Just make sure that you have something made up to put the top unit on and have an extra set of hands to help you.

[loman4ec]

First off welcome to the site! You have found a great little machine. They are simple good looking usable machines. You can buy the seals from the vendors below. mainly the sodajerk works or funtronics. It is a good idea to replace them if the are worn or broken. These two places will have a lot of replacemt parts for your machine. They will also have the lock. You asked if there is a version of your machine that gave change. It is just the coin mech that does not give change. Any 110-115 volt single price coin mech will work in your machine. If you want a change giver go to ebay and search coin mech. I prefer the coinco S75-9800 A or B model. There will be several on there that you can get cheap. For cleaning the insides I generally use simple green. It cuts the grease and cleans the inside really well. I also always leave a box a baking soda inside anyway to keep it smelling nice. And as John said keep the door cracked open when it is not in use. You would do this on a fridge so it makes since on a soda machine. If you have any questions you have found a great site. We are all glad to help.

[sodaworks]

Hello Ian,
Welcome aboard.

[RetroHacker]

Did someone try to send me a PM? I got a message box telling me I had a new message, but when I click on it, it brings up my inbox - with no messages.

Weird.

Hopefully, I'll have a chance to work on my machine later this week. I'll post more pictures...

-Ian

[bubba]

Welcome Ian...

There is a welcome PM that you get when you register. For some reason, there has been some issue with the pm's on the site showing blank.

[BrianB]

Ian,

Welcome to the boards and congrats on your VF-90! Looks like it's a fairly solid peice. If you are interested, I have an unused re-chromed coin entry bezel and bent coin release handle that I was going to use on my very first soda pop machine a few years back (a VF-117) and I ended up not using it. If you think you might be interested, give me a shout!