Tag Archives: Gumball machine

Toying around with a gumball machine

This LEGO minifigure gumball machine build by Rob Vangansewinkel gives a wonderful sense of nostalgia! Modeled after a classic gumball machine, this creation reminds me of those toy vending machines outside of grocery stores. I always loved seeing those prizes as a kid, wondering which one I’d get! This clever contraption is no exception to that experience. At the turn of the dial, it offers a variety of figures to collect, from a pirate captain to Mr. T. Want to see it in action? Rob has a cool video showing it off. The best part of this toy machine? No money needed! It’s every kid’s dream–just give it a spin and see what prize comes out!

Minifigure gumball machine

This Star Wars R2 unit is all gummed up [Video]

In the Star Wars universe, R2 units are super useful droids. They can help navigate hyperspace, handle power routing, and even do spot repairs. That’s all great if you have a starship, but what about us here on Earth? What sort of assistance can we hope for? Well, John Cooper has a possible answer: this LEGO version of R2-D2 is a fully functional gumball machine. There’s a crank in the center of the chest, and opening hatches on the front reveal a hidden coin slot and gum dispenser. A hatch on the back protects the accumulated cash. I love the clear dome panels used for the head – the exposed gumballs remind me of an old Fisher Price Corn Popper toy. Sadly this version lacks that pop-o-matic type function.

Gumball Machine - Closed Doors

Curious to see things in action? Check out the video!

John also shared a few behind-the-scenes tidbits about the build with us:
Originally the gumballs were going to come out a simple hinged door at the front. But when I decided to use the three-leg configuration, that tilted the body back. So I devised the drawer to capture the gumball when it exists the sloped vertical drop.

I have a deep and profound fondness for robots with gumball machines for heads. I can only hope this is just the start of a whole LEGO sub-theme.