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OAK MANUFACTURING
The 1940s Oak 5-cent gumball machine.
Oak Manufacturing, founded in 1948, is a vending machine company located in Vernon, California. Along with Northwestern Corporation, it is regarded by most people in the vending community as a producer of high-quality equipment.
Oak manufactures bulk venders, including the ever-popular Oak Acorn (their oldest machine), the Oak Vista 300, the Oak Vista 450, the Oak Vista Cabinet Machine, and the Big Oak, which can be a bulk vender, but is usually a Capsule Machine. Their most versatile model, very utilitarian and the least expensive machine for the long-haul, is their Oak Vista Cabinet Machine. The Oak Vista Cabinet Machine is available in two heights; and it's also capable of having up to 3 extra capacity panels added to it, which increases its versatility. Its usage by large operators is overtaking that of the Northwestern 60, because of its price, versatility, and the fact that its design makes it the least vandalized bulk vender.
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The 1940s Oak 5-cent gumball machine.Oak Manufacturing, founded in 1948, is a vending machine company located in Vernon, California. Along with Northwestern Corporation, it is regarded by most people in the vending community as a producer of high-quality equipment.
Oak manufactures bulk venders, including the ever-popular Oak Acorn (their oldest machine), the Oak Vista 300, the Oak Vista 450, the Oak Vista Cabinet Machine, and the Big Oak, which can be a bulk vender, but is usually a Capsule Machine. Their most versatile model, very utilitarian and the least expensive machine for the long-haul, is their Oak Vista Cabinet Machine. The Oak Vista Cabinet Machine is available in two heights; and it's also capable of having up to 3 extra capacity panels added to it, which increases its versatility. Its usage by large operators is overtaking that of the Northwestern 60, because of its price, versatility, and the fact that its design makes it the least vandalized bulk vender.
The quality of the parts of the Oak Machines is so high, that many operators currently use refurbished machines from the 1940s, and onward. Whereas some imported bulk venders need new coin mechanisms (the heart of a bulk vender) replaced after about 2 years, Oak Coin Mechanisms are almost indestructible.
As plastic became more acceptable for use in vending, Oak, along with its competitors, began to use it for Globes (Glass was more costly and caused higher liability), for Wheels, Brushes, and Risers (Metal corroded and plastic was more sanitary). As competitors copied the Oak Machines, Oak began putting their name of the chute flaps. However, Oak kept everything interchangeable, saving innumerable costs to users.
The coin mechanisms for Oak Machines have evolved to include: "fall-through" ability for incorrect coinage and slugs, "slip-clutch" to prevent wrenching, and additional "dogs" for added coin security. Although mechanisms for Oak Acorns and Oak Vistas are not interchangeable ... their internal parts are!
The over-all cost of the Oak Vista Cabinet Machine, in comparison to the versatility and life-expectancy, makes this little machine the best bulk vender on the market.
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