CNC to M&Ms

I have access to a CNC so I have been learning/playing. Saw this candy dispenser and just had to try one. Cut the parts out of an MDF sheet. When clamped I noticed the gear did not spin freely as it is the same thickness as the spacer behind it. A couple of paper shims above/below the spacer and voila, it worked just fine. Sealed the MDF with shellac but the paint still did not take evenly. Those MDF edges just sucked up the finish. Should have used a primer on the edges. Oh well, all part of the learning curve. Next one will be walnut/maple, cherry/walnut or ??? Just having fun. Thanks for looking.

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That's cool, Robert! Our grandkids would love that. Might have to make one to give to each set of parents - LOL!

David

That thread title wins the "Whaaat?" prize!

Very nice Robert but you'll go to the poor house keeping candy in that machine :)

I started to design and make an M&M dispenser one time but I got stuck on the mechanism that dispenses the portions as I couldn't figure out how to keep the M&Ms from getting sheared in half and gumming up the works. I'd love to know how that one does it so I could get back to that project. It was a fun one.

Yonak, you are correct as this one will jam once in a while. A firm shaking normally handles it. I think I should have put a ramp on the trailing edge of the slot in the gear. This would force the last few pieces up as the gear is rotated. I'll incorporate this into the next one.

In the candy dispenser I made, I found that the opening in the rotating part needed to have a bevel that would push a piece back up rather than shear it off.

Very cool Robert - do you have a link to the plans or files? My kids would love that!

Josh, PM me with your email. I have SU file and a PDF file.