Building a Gumball Machine

Materials

There are minimal materials required to make a simple gumball machine. While there are countless designs available, one of the most popular involves a small fish bowl (sometimes called a bubble bowl), a flower pot, two flower pot saucers and the proper glue to bind the materials. A small wooden or plastic ball is sometimes used as a lid handle. Sizes of pots, bowls and saucers vary according to the desired size of the finished product.

Preparation

Staining, painting or other artwork that appears on the machine is applied before assembly. Some crafters choose to paint or stain the base (pot), pedestal and lid (saucers). This is done 12 to 24 hours before glue is applied. The knob is also painted, or stained before it is attached to the lid.

Assembly

When paint or stain is dry, stand the flower pot upside-down. One saucer is positioned over the small end, forming a pedestal. When fitted, the pedestal is glued to top of the base of the inverted flower pot. The small ball is centered and glued to the underside of the second saucer (the bottom becomes the top). Together, the saucer becomes a lid with a small handle, which will fit over the opening of the bowl. Glue is allowed to dry for 12 to 24 hours.
When glue is dry, the bowl is set onto the pedestal, and the lid is placed over the top of the bowl, completing construction.