Gumball Machine

Overview

The 8th-grade manufacturing project (typically the gumball machine) was designed to reinforce the use of various machines, including the belt sander, drill press, router table, jointer, miter saw, planer, and table saw. This manufacturing project uses the same skills as the 7th-grade project, designed specifically to enhance students' ability to follow directions, measure correctly, read technical drawings, use a variety of common woodworking machines and tools, and introduce students to manufacturing processes (assembling, casting & molding, conditioning, finishing, forming, and separating). In addition to this project, students will complete two manufacturing projects: one using an injection molder and one requiring students to melt pewter and pour it into a mold. The plans and the grading rubric for this project can be viewed below. For information about common sanding and finishing issues, click here.

Timeline

Day 1: Lockers, jobs, calculations 

Day 2: Prepare 4" lumber

Day 3: Layout and cut levels A and C, layout and drill hole in level C

Day 4: Layout and cut level B pieces and subassembly

Day 5: Sand subassembly to flatten sides and remove flaws

Day 6: Layout, cut, and rout base

Day 7: Sand faces on all parts with palm sander and edges and ends by hand to remove flaws

Day 8: Assemble gumball machine body, layout and cut slide

Day 9: Layout and drill holes in slide, sand to remove flaws

Day 10: Initial coat of finish, injection molding

Day 11: Scuff, second coat of finish, injection molding

Day 12: Scuff, third coat of finish, injection molding

Day 13: Self-assessment

Working Drawing

Assembly Drawing

Grading Rubric

Step-By-Step Directions

This tool is designed to provide students with quick, high-quality feedback. The grade will update automatically based on your selections, but you can adjust it manually in the points section.