vendi Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Help... I want to build a vending machine that vends items at $20 each, only one item. Really simple... $20 in, press button... and small item is dispensed, about the size of a playing card box. I saw a carwash soap dispenser that would be perfect, if I could retrofit it to accept $20s. What is the basics to the control of the vending machine? Am i correct that its basically the control board, power transformer, the bill accepter, and the coin mech/dispensor, and a few relays to control the mechanism..... is that it? I don't currently own a vending machine so Ive been trying to figure this out myself. I am considering buying each part of the brains of the system piece by piece on ebay. For example... http://www.ebay.com/...5aeadbb4fe��and http://www.ebay.com/...=item257590fcc0 Still trying to figure a good power supply to power it. But there are some on ebay. Would I even need the coin mech attached if the machine only accepted $20 bills? As I mentioned... I really want to do this, I'm good with basic electronics, but I need help understanding what's (under the hood) in a manor of speaking with vending machines. What would you suggest as a decent start up, component list?? Any advice would be extremely appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 dont do that. theres a very simple way to do it. get an arduino microcontroller, get a bill validator like a mei/mars or ICT depending on ur form factor basically the bill acceptor works like this, you configure it to 1 pulse per $1.00, then you connect it to the arduino u will have to find the pinout of the connector. anyway it works like this 5v line pulled down to gnd for each $1 pulse. you connect it to the digital pin of the arduino and then use another pin to control a servo to dispense product. much easier than what ur doing u will have to know a tiny bit of basic programming but the microcontroller board is like $30 or so and tutorials are free online. PM me if you want more info u can call me, i can walk u through what u need to dol regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Vending at 20 a pop. Are you selling rocks Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musser Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 The best advise I can give is to contact a local supplier and just buy a used machine and put in a dba, I like ICT's, less than $200 for a $1 to $20 acceptance and 500 note stacker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendi Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 @Dogcow~ I like the idea of building a controller with an arduino, and I like the fact that i think it would be cheaper to do it this way. I've been doing some research on how they work, how to program, etc. The only problem I see is that, it seems kind of difficult to set it up, and get it working with a bill accepter very easily. I read on one site that a programmer spent literally hours and hours trying to get everything to work, and still I don't think it ever performed as he wanted it to... However, if you have any links with explicit instructions on how to do this and actually make it perform, well enough to actually get some use out of it... I'd probably go this way. Any suggestions or links? @Havending ~ I paint stuff... I know its been done before but i want to create an art vending machine. I paint cool miniature paintings, among other things, as I'm a mural artist by trade. Usually I sell my mini paintings between $25 ~ $50 a piece, I really don't want to give em away, but I think $20 might work. However I'd probably paint em in series instead of each one as an original. In other words, 30 duplicates of one specific design, and numbered in series, and maybe a choice of perhaps 3 different designs... Periodically rotate what's in the machine every so often. I'd like to bring the vending machine around with me to art shows, and various art events. I think its a double win for me cause hopefully i can sell some art, but also get information about my art in the hands of buyers, ultimately driving them back to my website and to future shows. Here's some of my miniature paintings... www.artbarton.com, my murals www.ebgallery.com .... Mural site needs flash to see the work, so you can't view it on a cell phone. @musser ~ I am unfamiliar with DBA's and ICT's... I WILL do a few google searches though to learn more about this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Even if "it's been done before". Do it! I like your idea. I wish you good luck and success with it. Nothing wrong with doing something a little different than most others at the art shows. You'd like them to remember you for your art...but if it helps them remember you because your are the "guy with the art-vending machine", then so be it.....so long as they remember you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsidney Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 If the items are about same size as box of playing cards and you want a single selection unit then i can't think of good machine off hand to use? I can think of some amusement type machines like maybe a sports arena or similar,, the sports arena might be cumbersome to move around i you are doing stuff like street fairs and flea market type events for your art.. as far as pricing goes if you have any machine that vends and uses a dollar bill validator then its just a matter of re-setting pulse out per dollar on bill acceptor.. for example instead of normal 4 pulses per dollar you could set for 1 pulse per dollar and then set machines vend price to 20 pulses..this way a customer could insert 5 one dollar bills, a ten dollar bill and a five dollar bill to make the costs of $20, this instead of just take $20's they could have options for payment... could be fun and cheap to make a $20 play til you win crane?? ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 @Dogcow~ I like the idea of building a controller with an arduino, and I like the fact that i think it would be cheaper to do it this way. I've been doing some research on how they work, how to program, etc. The only problem I see is that, it seems kind of difficult to set it up, and get it working with a bill accepter very easily. I read on one site that a programmer spent literally hours and hours trying to get everything to work, and still I don't think it ever performed as he wanted it to... However, if you have any links with explicit instructions on how to do this and actually make it perform, well enough to actually get some use out of it... I'd probably go this way. Any suggestions or links? do u have the link it was very easy for me, i built a credit accumulator for old crane games that can only accept $0.25c so you can set the price and plug in a DBA. the mars u want works off 117v ac then u want to find a cable harness that has a regular wall plug on one end and a mars harness on the other end. then the validator will power up when u plug it into the wall. then its just a matter of populating the coin lines in the harness. sorry i dont have a pinout offhand but they are online with some digging u will find one. the coin line is simply a circuit, its pulled high 5v and then grounds that out for each dollar inserted so you have 5v logic pins and gnd on the arduino so you plug one end into the +5v on the ardunio and the other end into the grnd and connect them to the correct pins on the harness. when the validator gets a bill it will ground the circuit then you just need the code which is very basic this isnt exact code its just pseudo-code as an example of what to do int logic_pin = 1; // set this to whatever pin you connected to the +5 on the val harness pinMode(logic_pin, INPUT); // set the pin to accept inputs int credits =0; do { if ( logic_pin = 1 ) { // if dollar is inserted credits++; // increment credit accumulator } if ( credits == 20 ) { // code to dispense product goes here credits = 0; // reset credit accumulator after product dispense } } until ( 0=1 ) // loop forever that is the basics, obviously you will want to be a bit more complex for example u want to use another logic pin to toggle the "disable pin" when 20 bucks is reached so that no more money can be inserted until the product is dispensed pm me if you need more help ill give u my phone number of skype id Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendi Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 @Dogcow~ Yes, here is the link I was originally looking at... http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,125119.0.html Actually since then i have found some other links that make the whole process sound a bit easier. I bought a used (Coffee Inns) dollar to change machine on ebay, should be here any day now. Ill probably pick up an arduino kit and mess with the dollar acceptor from the changer and arduino together till I figure the basics out..... Then later buy a better mei/mars acceptor, since this one only accepts dollars. @Ronsidney~ I was thinking of trying to set up an electronic control accepting $5, $10, and $20 with A vending machine something like in the photos....... http://automateusa.c...ipment/vending/ Inside those kinds of vending machines are about 25 flaps that hold the item, and after the change is accepted, the flap falls, and releases the item. I was thinking of making a cart of sorts, somewhat like a popcorn cart, except with a few vending boxes arranged around the cart. That way it would be easy to cart around. I have welding tools, and most of the wood working tools I need to build something like this. Also I was thinking of painting one side of it with some sort of a nice art image to draw people over to the cart. I think an art nouveau type design is popular and would catch attention.... Something like this, different though, my own design... http://www.behance.net/gallery/Lolita-PiAata/359108 , kind of reminds me of those antique coin operated music machines of the turn of the last century..... Another thing is that I will most likely be nearby the vending machine at all times, or else itll be in a gallery, so, Im not too worried about people vandalizing the machine. I say this because i was even considering making the whole machine/cart out of wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendi Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 By the way, thanks for that info Dogcow, once I get the arduino and start messing with it, ill probably have more questions for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 @Dogcow~ Yes, here is the link I was originally looking at... http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,125119.0.html Actually since then i have found some other links that make the whole process sound a bit easier. I bought a used (Coffee Inns) dollar to change machine on ebay, should be here any day now. Ill probably pick up an arduino kit and mess with the dollar acceptor from the changer and arduino together till I figure the basics out..... Then later buy a better mei/mars acceptor, since this one only accepts dollars. @Ronsidney~ I was thinking of trying to set up an electronic control accepting $5, $10, and $20 with A vending machine something like in the photos....... http://automateusa.c...ipment/vending/ Inside those kinds of vending machines are about 25 flaps that hold the item, and after the change is accepted, the flap falls, and releases the item. I was thinking of making a cart of sorts, somewhat like a popcorn cart, except with a few vending boxes arranged around the cart. That way it would be easy to cart around. I have welding tools, and most of the wood working tools I need to build something like this. Also I was thinking of painting one side of it with some sort of a nice art image to draw people over to the cart. I think an art nouveau type design is popular and would catch attention.... Something like this, different though, my own design... http://www.behance.n...a-PiAata/359108 , kind of reminds me of those antique coin operated music machines of the turn of the last century..... Another thing is that I will most likely be nearby the vending machine at all times, or else itll be in a gallery, so, Im not too worried about people vandalizing the machine. I say this because i was even considering making the whole machine/cart out of wood. that guy is trying to use the serial interface u want to use the digital analog interface its much simple also if u read the last post the guy made a dopey mistake i pointed out the gnd pin must be the gnd from the arduino like i said when u get the controller just test it using a momentary switch (push button) as the bill val so you can test the code. remember the validator is really just acting like a complicated switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technivend Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Have you looked at the art-o-mat? http://laughingsquid.com/art-o-mat-retired-cigarette-vending-machines-converted-to-sell-art/ http://www.artomat.org/ Since these are converted cig machines there are some that probably take bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendi Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Yes, I have looked at the art-o-mat machines.... Actually its partly where I got the idea from actually. Only problem with the old cigarette machines is that I don't think you can adjust the price much more than probably $5.00... Also, they almost have too many options to buy. I'd need to paint practically hundreds of tiny works of art to fill up one machine. I think with the art-o-mat machines, each cigarette slot is a different artist.... Easier to fill it that way. Lastly, i bet a cigarette machine weighs a ton, probably really difficult to move from show to show, and place to place. Even so, those few points i don't like, I think they're great, some of them have cool art painted on the face ofthe machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Here's some of my miniature paintings... www.artbarton.com, my murals www.ebgallery.com .... Mural site needs flash to see the work, so you can't view it on a cell phone. Those minis are awesome, great job. FWIW, I have no problem viewing the mural site on my phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyinchville Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 HI, Interesting use of a vending machine! To make things easier, I was wondering if a standard snack type vending machine can be simply updated w/ a dollar bill validator that handled larger bills and (if you want to go "whole hog" ) outfit the machine to accept debit or credit cards. The glass front of a snack machine would allow patrons to see all the art works inside and the outside can even be a billboard for more artwork....Hmmm artwork selling artwork! I have a lot of older snack machines and I think even in "stock" form I can set the prices pretty high ($20 shouldn't be a problem) if I want to . (As a side note....A drink machine of mine, when it looses programming due to a power failure, seems to default to $99.50 when the power comes back on (so I know machines can be set to pretty high prices if need be) ....Now, if only somebody would buy one a drink for $99.50 I'd be set!). Anyways, I think a regular snack machine modified could be a good bet (I saw one in Michigan set up to vend baseball cards and some of the cards if I recall correctly were pretty high $$...Of course this machine was also set up to take Credit Cards etc....I can't recall about the bill acceptor tho. Hope this helps you....Good luck on your project. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yes, I have looked at the art-o-mat machines.... Actually its partly where I got the idea from actually. Only problem with the old cigarette machines is that I don't think you can adjust the price much more than probably $5.00... Also, they almost have too many options to buy. I'd need to paint practically hundreds of tiny works of art to fill up one machine. I think with the art-o-mat machines, each cigarette slot is a different artist.... Easier to fill it that way. Lastly, i bet a cigarette machine weighs a ton, probably really difficult to move from show to show, and place to place. Even so, those few points i don't like, I think they're great, some of them have cool art painted on the face ofthe machines. you dont have to fill the machine up to capacity. i would install casters on the legs if i was moving it a lot but they are not heavy , some just went at auction here a few months back WITH dollar acceptors for 5 bucks each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendi Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 I do like the idea of being able to accept credit cards, and yes i have considered other types of machines, snack and cigarette, or other machines.... In fact, i bought a giant brand sticker vending machine a while ago, and planned on updating it to a vertical 8 quarter pusher, for dispensing small hand pulled prints.... I planned on adding this to the cart I will build..... I could probably print 50 signed, mini etchings in an hour, once the plate is finished, so no big deal. I have converted a 3 ton arbor press for relief and etching prints as long as they are about 8 inches or smaller. The sticker vending machine will hold paper products 7.5 x 4.5 inches or smaller. This was why i bought that coffee inns dollar change machine that I mentioned about earlier in the thread, as I don't think many people carry around change in their pockets as much as they used to. So on this cart so far I'd have a dollar changer, the giant sticker vending box, and preferably 3~4 more equally sized vending boxes for the miniature paintings. Thats what I'm shooting for. I realize it probably would be easier to just buy a used snack machine.... However, I usually don't do stuff the easy way... I learn more going the other route! By the way, anyone know where I could buy those folded card blanks that hold the stickers in place in sticker vending machines? Dogcow, I ordered an Arduino UNO Rev.3, so it should be here in a few days.... Actually i'm looking forward to playing around with the arduino... As much as I like art related stuff, I like mechanics, electronics, and other science related things... I looked into working with the STAMP microcontroller in the past, but never did actually buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 dont bother with basic stamp is way higher price to get involved with. arduino u can pick one up at any radio shack u will need some 10k resisters push button (for testing) solderless bread board and wires. radio shack sells a "starter kit" that has most of what you would need for development. obviously for "production" you will want to use a soldered bb and possibly an arduino mini that can drop into the breadboard so you dont have to worry about lose wires or anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendi Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Yup, i figured so... I already have a few breadboards, resistors, leds, etc. I've got a few boxes around with miscellaneous electronic parts... I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to electronics... I always tear apart broken electronics before i throw it away, to see if there is anything good in it that i might want... A de~soldering iron comes in handy! However I'm far from an electronics expert, more than anything I just know how to make and build PCBs and solder everything together and get electronics to work correctly from a schematic. Now then, if my mathematical skills were better, I probably wouldn't be an artist today. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walta Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 I say start with the dispensing system. Then work out controls. You could have a lot of fun with a old hanging machine every product needs a hang from a hole in it wrapper. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Polyvend-Mechanical-Vending-Machine-Toms-22-Snack-WORKS-H-22-White-/221076047515?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337928c69b Walta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Somebody's doing this in California. I read an article about them recently. They use an old AP4000 snack machine. It didn't appear to be customized at all though I'm sure they had to something special with the control board as most machines currently only allow pricing up to 9.95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.