Thanks for sending that. I have to say, WOW, I need to be a full time
inventor. That machine is weak at best. It's HUGE for such a small
dispenser. Plus, at the end of the video, you can see it's mostly empty
space inside. (it seems only the middle holds wood in the 'stack'.) The
drawer is a bad idea (it looks about as strong as a file cabinet drawer.)
I would make stretched steal framed cages, so you can see the wood, each
with a separate door. Each door opens for it's space only. This way
people can see the wood, and you can tell when you need to "refill" it at
a quick glance.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I think I may have to bite the
bullet and just have the sign by the road and put the wood near the house.
What would be the best, is to have a camera and monitor so that people can
SEE they are on camera. 8>)
Moose
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph
Waldo Emerson
"Paul Parkanzky" <parkanzky@gmail.com>
11/22/2010 08:41
To
<shop-talk@autox.team.net>
cc
<eric@megageek.com>
Subject
RE: [Shop-talk] The biggest challenge yet (shop related)
Eric,
I know that this doesn't work for your application, but there are a few
companies out there that make vending machines for bundled campfire wood.
I
hear that there's a machine at a state park near here (Brighton, MI).
Here's an example (You can find videos of other models on YouTube with a
search):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6-Loea4Inw&feature=related
Sorry that it's not applicable to your situation, but I thought that it
was
too cool not to pass along.
-Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: shop-talk-bounces@autox.team.net
[mailto:shop-talk-bounces@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of eric@megageek.com
Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2010 6:25 PM
To: shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: [Shop-talk] The biggest challenge yet (shop related)
OK, here is the deal. Since returning from Afghanistan, I've been out of
work. So, I started farming my property for wood.
I've got a great work chain from standing dead tree all the way to stacked
on pallets to move the inventory or even delivery.
But here is my challenge...
Many people here sell firewood on the road side for about $10-$20 a stack.
All of them are on the "honor system" for payment.
Since I live directly across from a state park, I have an ideal set up for
selling a campfire's worth of wood at a time. BUT, many of the campers
don't pay for the wood.
So, I want to build a metal cage (multiple cages actually) for the wood.
Once a person pays for the wood, the door is unlocked.
There is no electricity by the end of the road, so many options are out.
Also, if I was selling it for less than a dollar, it would be easy to make
a mechanism to open with coins.
But I need a system where people can put in dollar bills (or $10s or $20s)
and it "reads" the bill to open the gate.
Does ANYONE have ANY ideas? My house is set far back from the road so
wood piles do get stolen. I was even thinking about a portable credit
card machine maybe, but I have no idea what is involved with getting a
unit that is weather proof and battery based.
Any help will be appreciated, and a prize will be awarded to the person
that comes up with the best solution that solves the problem. Thanks a
bunch!
Moose
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph
Waldo Emerson
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