Rowe Change Machine > Quarter Dispensing Robot Butler

barrysfarm

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Rowe Change Machine > Quarter Dispensing Robot Butler

Some of you are going to hate this, hopefully some of you like it. :)

Ever since I got my first upright machine, i've wanted some way to dispense quarters. Before this, I have just kept a bunch in a cup. I prefer to have my games on quarter play instead of free play. It just feels more *real* to me. I don't know why.

When I saw this non-working machine on ebay for a low low price (from a Klover), I jumped at it. I figured, "It's got a test button, at the very least I'll be able to hook that up to a switch". Which was partially true. The seller even offered to deliver it on his way thru town (Thanks 7146aaron, I really, really appreciate it!... I'm sure to buy more from you in the future).

It sat in my garage for a few months while we moved into and remodeled our house, until about 4 weeks ago. Fixing it wasn't too bad. I troubleshooted it with a few other members, and replaced a few caps and a voltage regulator, but I got it so that it would spit out quarters on demand.

I'm not exactly sure why I decided to turn it into a robot. I think my girlfriend said something like "It's like a change spewing robot".... and the idea rattled around in my brain for a bit. One weekend I stripped it, sanded (to the metal) and primed it. It took a few different color paints to get it to look right. I designed the artwork in illustrator, and had a friend (who own's a vinyl sign shop) cut the pieces. I finished applying them tonight.

I'm really ridiculously happy with the results. I know it's not original. I would never do this with an actual game. It's just supposed to be a bit of fun.
 

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Here's some before, progress, and some more close ups. The 3rd photo is after a few coats of primer.
 

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I like it! Nice job.

I wish I could find one of those around here. I would love to have one.
 
That's really cool! Is there a tutorial anywhere for rewiring a change machine to just spit out quarters on demand? I'd like to pick one of those up someday, but I'd have to sneak it in while the girlfriend was asleep...
 
That's really cool! Is there a tutorial anywhere for rewiring a change machine to just spit out quarters on demand? I'd like to pick one of those up someday, but I'd have to sneak it in while the girlfriend was asleep...

The rowe machines at least have several test vend buttons ($.25,$.50, & $1). You simply relocate the button. In my case, I hooked it up to the microswitch that's trigger on a change release.

arcadeannex said:
I like it! Nice job.

I wish I could find one of those around here. I would love to have one.

Thanks!
 
i vote for love. Neat and cleanly done sir!!




I have a simular machine and mine had a bad computer..

In my case, after exhausting options for a proper repair, i wired a pushbutton switch directly to one of the hopper motors. ( common to one terminal of motor, hot through thre switch to the other terminal of the motor)
I wired the payout solenoid'/door open..


So when i press and hold the button, i get coinage in the tray. On mine it had the 50 cent piece slot too, so i hooked the pushbutton switch inside the cab, when i press the 50 cent reject lever down outside the machne, inside the lever presses the pushbutton switch and viola

btw my quarter hoppers spit out 25mm tokens just fine with no mods other then a good cleaning


On top of my machine i have a small 5 inch digital photoframe that says" get your free tokens here" and " hold reject lever for free tokens!! "etc with pics of tokens in the background.

I plan on repainting the machine and cutting a hole in the frt door and putting the photo frame behind there for a built in look
 
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