Vending machine advice

[geofflove]

Those who have seen me on here before will know I’ve restored a few allwins and pinballs. I’ve never had a vending machine before but am now expecting delivery of one in a few days. I know nothing about them in general but thought it might be fun to work on during lockdown.

I’m guessing this is '50s or maybe '60s but know nothing about the maker although have seen a couple of pics online so suspect they were quite common. My plan (unless anyone suggests otherwise) is to strip and paint it and make some new decals for it.

1) I see you can get some water slide type material which can be printed using an inkjet. I was thinking of using this and then lacquering over the top to seal when finished. Is this the best way? I could do with vinyls instead but suspect that won’t look too good.

2) Are there any websites for vending machine fixers/collectors? Any more specialised in this are than this one?

3) maybe related to above and I hardly dare mention after the ‘resources’ problems of recent days but is there anywhere I’m likely to find some hi res images of sweets of this period. I don’t necessarily want the same as is there at the moment. I plan to see what fits sweets wise and find a similar product from the period to display on the decal if that makes sense.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[dickywink]

Hi Geoff
I joined this facebook page which has something close to what you are looking for: https://www.facebook.com/groups/151347598650253

I'm currently working on a restoration of this lovely beauty of a Ditchburn vending machine below from 1965.

all the best .. Dicky

[geofflove]

Thanks Dicky. Just what I’m looking for. Your machine looks gorgeous. Lovely project!

[13rebel]

Absolutely lovely machine Dicky, good luck with the restoration.

[treefrog]

Hi Geoff
I joined this facebook page which has something close to what you are looking for: https://www.facebook.com/groups/151347598650253

I'm currently working on a restoration of this lovely beauty of a Ditchburn vending machine below from 1965.

all the best .. Dicky

That’s cool, how on earth did that survive

Coffee and especially tea was real sh%t from machines in the early days. You see the button style from their jukeboxes

[dickywink]

Hi Geoff, i hope the restoration goes well, its a nice vendor ...

Hi Treefrog ... you are so correct... i never thought i would ever see one ... not the sort of thing that people collect but my dreams of finding one came true
this one has a back story in that it was in a farm house near Durham that was used as lodgings by touring bands in the 70s and 80s when they did gigs in the north east , and because the bands worked strange hours the coffee machine had refreshments available 24/7 ... many bands used this machine ironically including the band Hot Chocolate... true
I picked it up last year and internally it was in great condition and sitting in the back was a bag of 1980s Brooke Bond instant Sh*t tea that you mentioned

Im hoping that it will be on display and working ready for when i open the Ditchburn Museum next year ... here's some photos for your enjoyment ... all the best Dicky

[pennymachines]

Yes, it's great to see such a rare, esoteric and cool coin op survivor. I had no idea these were by Ditchburn, but think I recall two of them on my Friday night trips from school to Smethwick swimming baths. The second, similar-looking machine was for cold drinks - cola, lemonade, orange etc. We discovered you could mix the drinks by turning the central knob while it was dispensing.

A Ditchburn museum/coffee bar! Fantastic!

[dickywink]

Thanks PM
yes they made the Hotspa and Coldspa ( for the carbonated drinks in a cup ) and minispa and mini coldspa
surprisingly two Coldspa machines turned up last year in LasVegas of all places

this is the minispa

and these are the 2 mini coldspa machines in Vegas

I really should start a Ditchburn Machine thread .. i feel that im Hijacking Geoffs great thread .. and isnt that a really great machine ... its been a while since i have seen ASPRO and just the thing you need when you have overdosed on Chocolate ... Today they would not allow a pharmaceutical to be sold between two chocolate vendors

all the best.... Dicky

[geofflove]

No problem. Your machine brings back memories of the trip to the swimming baths to me too. Don’t think it was the same machine but the memories still came flooding back.

Yes the idea of kids putting their sixpence in the wrong slot when buying their chocolate probably needed to be sorted....!

[brigham]

A Ditchburn thread would be welcome. I remember the 'automat' cafeterias in London as a small child, during our Motor Show trips. Wow! So much like the Jetsons.
Did Ditchburn make the huge, much missed Milk machines?
The triple vendor in the original post is familiar; the ASPRO section was seen in pub lavatories, either solo, or alongside Durex.