Homemade Gumball Machines
- 1). Cut one disk 6 3/4 inches in diameter and four disks 4 3/4 inches in diameter out of cherry or maple hardwood, using a scroll saw. Mark the center of each disk on the wood with a pencil.
- 2). Place a 1/4-inch drill bit in a drill and drill a hole through centers of each of the disks. Mark the 4 3/4-inch disks B through E and the 6 3/4-inch disk A.
- 3). Cut a piece of 3/4-inch scrap lumber with a table saw to 7 inches by 18 inches. Drill a 1/4-inch hole through it 8 inches from one of the 7-inch faces and 2 3/4 inches from one of the 18-inch faces and secure a 1/4-inch by 3-inch pivot stove bolt in the hole from the bottom. This jig will support and align the disks as they are machined.
- 4). Place disks B, C and D on pivot bolt on the jig. Place a 1/4-inch washer and nut on the bolt so the disks won't rotate.
- 5). Place the jig flat on a drill press, drill a 5/8-inch diameter hole in the center 3/4-inch face of the disks completely through discs D and C and half-way through disc B. Remove the disks from the jig.
- 6). Mark a 2 3/4-inch arc onto disk C, tilt your drill press table 90 degrees (aligning the drill bit with the center line of your pivot bolt) and mount disc C on the pivot bolt and drill a 1/4-inch diameter by 1-inch deep hole at each end of the arc you drew. Install the router attachment with a 1/4-inch bit and rout a groove 1 inch deep connecting the two 1/4-inch holes in disk C.
- 7). Set disk C and disk E flat on your work table and use a 2 1/2-inch hole saw to cut the centers out of both disks.
- 8). Take the 2 1/2-inch center piece that you cut out of disk C and secure it to the jig, on your drill press, with the washer and nut. Drill a hole 1/4 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch deep 1/8 inch away from the 5/8-inch vertical hole that you cut previously.
- 9). Put a 1-inch countersink bit on your drill press and chamfer (beveled edge connecting two surfaces) the 5/8-inch-diameter holes on disks C and D. Use the same bit to cut a shallow dimple 1/8 inch from the outside diameter on disk A, for the gumball to land on.
- 10
Set your drill press table tilt at 5 degrees, clamp the jig flat on the table and drill a hole 5/8 inch in diameter through the outside of disk B. The bit will come through the top of the disk because of the table tilt. This hole is for the gum return. - 11
Use a table saw to cut two lengths of 1/4-inch-diameter dowel, one of them 4 inches long and the other 2 1/2 inches. Also cut one 3/4-inch piece of 3/4-inch-diameter dowel. - 12
Set disk A flat on your work table. Place a small amount of wood glue on the bottom 3/4-inch length of the 4-inch-long dowel and put it in the center hole on disk A. Put wood glue on the bottom of disk B and place it on disc A, aligning the center hole onto the center dowel and lining up the gum return on disk B with the gum-return dimple on disk A. - 13
Place the center piece of disk C on the center pin, place the outer ring of disk C (that has the edge groove) on the assembled pieces, align the 5/8-inch holes on disks B and C, insert the 2 1/2-inch lever dowel into the 1/4-inch channel hole on the outside of disc C, rotate disk C so that the 2 1/2-inch dowel lever is at the left hand end of the edge groove, mark the C outside ring location onto disk B with a pencil, hold the disc in place and check the side-to-side movement of the lever dowel before removing it and gluing the outer ring into place on disk B. Allow the glue to dry for 30 minutes. - 14
Realign the center piece of disk C, align the 5/8-inch hole on disk D with the holes on the glued pieces and glue disc D into place. Glue disk E on to the other pieces, aligning the outside edge. Place wood clamps on the glued assembly and allow them to dry for 24 hours. - 15
Mount the assembled gumball machine on a 3 3/4-inch diameter lathe faceplate, turn the top of the gumball machine to create a recess that is same diameter and depth as the outer ring of a small mouth canning jar (3-inch diameter, 5/8-inch deep) with a parting tool. - 16
Create the contours on the gumball machine starting with a parting tool and finishing with a round-nose chisel on the lathe. Sand the entire piece while it is mounted to the lathe with 120-grit sandpaper. - 17
Hold the 3/4-inch slide-lever knob dowel pin with pliers and in one end drill a hole 1/4 inch in diameter and 1/2 inch deep. Glue the 3/4-inch knob onto the 2 1/2-inch lever dowel. Allow it to dry for 30 minutes. Mount the pieces on a drill chuck and shape them with 120-grit sandpaper before gluing them in place through the 1/4-inch slot, into the 1/4-inch side hole on disk C. - 18
Apply a coat of paste wax to the gumball machine with a cloth, fill a small mouth canning jar with gum balls and invert it on the top of the machine.
