When setting up your first bulk vending machine, you will need to equip the machine with the proper dispensing wheel. The type of dispensing wheel you will need is determined by what you plan to vend. You will need a gumball dispensing wheel for 1″ gumballs, 1″ ROUND toy capsules or 27mm bouncy balls. A candy dispensing wheel is required for smaller candies like M&M’s, Skittles, Mike & Ike’s, chiclet gum, nuts, smaller gumballs, etc. Some machines might also have an acorn toy capsule option. One cool feature of a bulk vendor set with a candy dispensing wheel is that the openings on the wheel that the candy passes through can be adjusted to dispense more or less candy. Before filling your candy machine to the brim, you might want to experiment with the different dispensing wheel settings to find the one that works best for you and your business. Remember that candy comes in different shapes and sizes. A setting that works for one candy might not be the best for another.

Following are simple instructions on how to adjust the openings of your candy dispensing wheel:

• Remove the lock, key and lid of your machine.
• Using a Phillips head screwdriver, remove the screws are that are holding the globe down on the machine. In some cases, the candy machine might have two long hold down rods that are at the top of the machine’s globe, or there might be four screws on the inside the globe in each of the bottom four corners. Once the screws are removed, lift the globe off the machine’s hopper. You now have access to the candy wheel assembly, which consists of a brush plate and the dispensing wheel.
• To get to the dispensing wheel, remove the brush plate (usually a plastic piece with vertical springs.) DO NOT loosen the screws that hold the springs onto the brush plate.
• Once the brush plate is out of the machine, you can access the candy dispensing wheel. Some machines have a metal wing screwed into the dispensing wheel. To adjust the openings, remove the screws that hold the metal wing onto the dispensing wheel. Quantities are adjusted by lifting and removing the metal wing out of the candy wheel and replacing it using one of the other settings that is visible inside the candy wheel. Some candy machines have a plastic wing that can be lifted off the wheel without loosening any screws. Plastic wings have tabs on them that fit into grooves on the edges of the dispensing wheel to create the different settings. You can lift the wing up and rotate it slightly, lining up the tabs with the grooves to make the dispensing wheel openings larger or smaller.
• Once you have the desired setting, replace the screws that hold the metal wing onto the dispensing wheel and then place the adjustable wheel back in the machine’s hopper, centering one of the three holes over the hopper opening.
• Next, replace the brush plate on top of the adjustable candy wheel. The brush plate is usually marked with the word “front” to make sure that you line up the springs so they cover the opening over the hopper.
• Replace the globe, lid, lock and key and you are ready to vend!

You’ve ordered a gumball or candy vending machine on a stand and the boxes with the different components have arrived. Boxes? Yes. Your machine and stand will arrive in separate boxes and you will need to attach the machine to the stand. The good news? It’s very simple! Here’s how…

After removing the parts from the boxes, the first thing you will need to do is build the stand. For the purpose of this tutorial, let’s assume we are attaching two machines to one stand. The stand unit consists of a double bracket (the piece that sits on top of the stand and will hold the machines), a flange (a circular piece that sits between the double bracket and the pipe), a threaded pipe, and the base. First, screw the threaded pipe into the base. It should not matter which end, but one end might fit better than the other so play with it and see what works best. Once the pipe is screwed into the base, you can then attach the flange onto the other end of the threaded pipe simply by screwing the hole in the middle of the flange onto the other threaded end of the pipe. Next, attach the double bracket to the flange, lining up the holes in the center of the bracket, using the bolts provided. Most double brackets attach to the flange using two bolts that go through the top of the bracket into threaded holes on the flange. If you are attaching just one machine to a stand, there is no bracket, the machine attaches directly to the flange.

Now that your stand is complete, the next step is mounting your machines onto the bracket. This is where a lot of our customers get confused because the way bulk vending machines attach to a stand is somewhat counter intuitive! The gumball or candy machine attaches to the bracket through the top of the base plate of the machine. So, start by removing the lock of your bulk vending machine. Once the lock is removed, the entire machine should lift off its base plate by sliding it up and off the center rod. Once the bulk vendor is removed, all you should see is the base plate and the center rod. Next, place the metal base of the bulk vendor on either side of the double bracket and use the bolts provided (usually it’s two per machine) to screw the center holes of the bulk vendor base plate into threaded holes in the bracket. Do not over tighten! Once both base plates are securely attached, slide the gumball or candy machines back down the center rod and into the base, replace the locks and you are ready to roll!

We get this question a lot. “I’ve lost the keys to my gumball machine…what do I do?” Fortunately, in most cases this is an easy fix…simply drill out the tubular or barrel lock and replace it with a new one. What? Drill out a lock? Don’t you need a locksmith to do that?

The answer is no! All you need is five to ten minutes and some tools that you likely already have around the house, including:

• Drill and drill bits (1/4″ and 1/8″ or smaller)
• Masking tape (optional)
• Ruler (optional)
• Large screw driver (optional)
• Needle nose pliers or vice grips (optional)

Step # 1 – First, ensure that the gumball/candy machine is on a stable surface so the machine doesn’t tip over as you start to drill.

Step #2 – You will need to drill a hole down the center of the lock that is approximately 1/4″ deep. If you are not comfortable guesstimating, use a ruler to measure 1/4″ on the drill bit and mark it off with masking tape. The tape will serve as a depth guide to make sure you don’t drill too deep into the lock and cause more damage to your machine.

Step # 3 – Start with the smaller drill bit (1/8″ or smaller) and using gentle pressure, drill a starter hole into the center of the lock. Drill approximately 1/4″ deep or stop drilling once you’ve reached the masking tape.

Step # 4 – Using the larger drill bit (1/4″), drill a second hole through the initial starter hole. This will destroy the internal parts of the lock and will free it for easy removal. Usually drilling approximately 1/4″ deep will free the lock, but for more stubborn locks, you may have to drill slightly deeper to reach the pin that holds the lock to the nut. You may need to insert a screwdriver into the drilled out lock and twist to remove the housing. Needle nose pliers can also help.

Step # 5 – Now that your lock is removed, simply replace with your new lock and you are ready to go!