New and improved "roasterruler" retrieving apparatus.

Coinstar magnet

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Apr 5, 2020
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Well, I decided to improve on the coinswatter with a harder flatter edge that can fit under the coinstar easier...and it comes with extension capabilities....

Haven't tried it yet.

Here are today's humble finds. The 1917 S mint wheat was spotted just under the coinstar machine which was in full view of the store employees/customers...I almost let it go...but decided to back and pick it up.

Thanks for viewing!
 

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LOL @ sweeping out coins. Why does it have to be under a coins machine? You might be missing the big game.

Story time. True. When I was a kid they used to print bowling coupons on cereal boxes, like Raisin Bran. One free game per coupon. Shoe rental included. I ate many boxes of cereal. Accumulated many coupons. The bowling alley that mom played league at Tuesday afternoons was over a mile walk away. We kids ( 4th grade & up?) became familiar being dragged along in summer leagues.

But every other day was fair game as loners for the cost of shoe rubber. This was a seedy joynt. Bar and bowl above an old hardware store and everybody smoked and drank 24/7. They knew who we were and humored us with free games unless they needed the lanes.

The drunks at the bar area were constantly tossing coins under the cig machine. And there was hardly a day when I ( I did not share my secret) didn't take home a couple dollars ( late 60's ) when I cleaned out under the vending machines.

There were plenty of places to spend that on the way home and I didn't always feel hungry for dinner :)
 

LOL @ sweeping out coins. Why does it have to be under a coins machine? You might be missing the big game.

Story time. True. When I was a kid they used to print bowling coupons on cereal boxes, like Raisin Bran. One free game per coupon. Shoe rental included. I ate many boxes of cereal. Accumulated many coupons. The bowling alley that mom played league at Tuesday afternoons was over a mile walk away. We kids ( 4th grade & up?) became familiar being dragged along in summer leagues.

But every other day was fair game as loners for the cost of shoe rubber. This was a seedy joynt. Bar and bowl above an old hardware store and everybody smoked and drank 24/7. They knew who we were and humored us with free games unless they needed the lanes.

The drunks at the bar area were constantly tossing coins under the cig machine. And there was hardly a day when I ( I did not share my secret) didn't take home a couple dollars ( late 60's ) when I cleaned out under the vending machines.

There were plenty of places to spend that on the way home and I didn't always feel hungry for dinner :)
That is an interesting picture of your childhood...my father told me stories of how he worked in the bowling alleys... setting the pins back up by hand...he said he'd almost gotten hit by the bowling balls... later he owned a tavern in Enumclaw... Washington state...I remember finding lots of lost change inside the tavern when it was closed...but not enough to get something to eat as in your case....
 

In my hometown (a tourist trap) Julian Ca. when I was a kid I could fit into the storm drains that took all the water out of town and it was loaded with coins and sometimes jewelry. My sister was paid by a lady to retrieve her diamond ring that fell into a drain. One day the guys working across the street at the gas station saw me enter into the drainage system, it looked like the place that clown looks out of. Well they decided to deter me from doing it by dumping a 5 gallon bucket of water on me as I crabwalked on by picking up coins. I laugh now because I would do the same thing but when I was a kid it wasn't funny.
il_fullxfull.2303748495_w4ti.jpg
 

In my hometown (a tourist trap) Julian Ca. when I was a kid I could fit into the storm drains that took all the water out of town and it was loaded with coins and sometimes jewelry. My sister was paid by a lady to retrieve her diamond ring that fell into a drain. One day the guys working across the street at the gas station saw me enter into the drainage system, it looked like the place that clown looks out of. Well they decided to deter me from doing it by dumping a 5 gallon bucket of water on me as I crabwalked on by picking up coins. I laugh now because I would do the same thing but when I was a kid it wasn't funny.
il_fullxfull.2303748495_w4ti.jpg
Wow, that's a story, crawling into drain systems...I would've been right there with you...just think if you'd had a fishing magnet...why would they pour water on you? Worried about you getting their coins or a safety issue? Or they were bored...not very nice....
 

I've been looking since ARC said that these machines are on wheels, but every one I check are on very short feet and don't budge.
Keep up the good work and hope you get some silver soon!
Thanks xr7...Wheels would be nice...my chances for silver will increase for sure...
 

Well, I decided to improve on the coinswatter with a harder flatter edge that can fit under the coinstar easier...and it comes with extension capabilities....

Haven't tried it yet.

Here are today's humble finds. The 1917 S mint wheat was spotted just under the coinstar machine which was in full view of the store employees/customers...I almost let it go...but decided to back and pick it up.

Thanks for viewing!
I love the creativity being used to solve a “newly found problem”…way to go! 👍🏼😬
May I make a suggestion, as to a possible tool change here… I know there are differing degrees to the collapsible “back scratcher”, but some are sturdy and will certainly extend a couple feet and collapse down to six inches or so… see pic… There are different sizes, different lengths, bigger or smaller heads etc, but it might be a new tool to experiment with and modify. I could see using a piece of a plastic ruler or plexiglass or even something rubber in place of OR in addition to the fingers already present on the back scratcher. There are plenty of other collapsible tools, like a magnet or mirror, but the scratcher seemed to present more options and opportunities in my mind! Good luck and stack it high!🙏🏼👍🏼😬🪙
 

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I love the creativity being used to solve a “newly found problem”…way to go! 👍🏼😬
May I make a suggestion, as to a possible tool change here… I know there are differing degrees to the collapsible “back scratcher”, but some are sturdy and will certainly extend a couple feet and collapse down to six inches or so… see pic… There are different sizes, different lengths, bigger or smaller heads etc, but it might be a new tool to experiment with and modify. I could see using a piece of a plastic ruler or plexiglass or even something rubber in place of OR in addition to the fingers already present on the back scratcher. There are plenty of other collapsible tools, like a magnet or mirror, but the scratcher seemed to present more options and opportunities in my mind! Good luck and stack it high!🙏🏼👍🏼😬🪙
I like the sturdy look...but one of the issues I'm having is with the height when trying to slide the apparatus underneath...some coinstars have decent gap and others are pretty close to the floor...it may a new addition ....maybe I'll create a coinstar utility belt.... :)
vpnavy also posted a duster of some kind that may work better as well...
 

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Well, I decided to improve on the coinswatter with a harder flatter edge that can fit under the coinstar easier...and it comes with extension capabilities....

Haven't tried it yet.

Here are today's humble finds. The 1917 S mint wheat was spotted just under the coinstar machine which was in full view of the store employees/customers...I almost let it go...but decided to back and pick it up.

Thanks for viewing!
I use a rifle cleaning rod with the fluffy tip. Just thin enough to get under the machine, easily concealable. Only problem, you have to sweep to either side of the machine. Luckily, my favorite machine is clear on both sides. I generally will only go back to the car and get the rod if one of the coins I spy under the machine has a chance of being silver, though. Usually, those don't get too far under the front lip though, because silvers don't get under the machine by making their way all the way through the machine and then missing the coin bins. They never get that far into the mechanism. Every silver (15 or 20 over the years?) I've ever found UNDER a coinstar has been right under the front and I am convinced they have taken a weird bounce out of the reject slot and then another weird bounce when they hit the (carpeted, in my machine's case) floor.
And, no... no way are you moving any of the Coinstar machines in my area by just rolling it. They sit on adjustable feet in the first place... and, second, when the bins are full, they weigh hundreds of pounds and are themselves moved with a dolly!
 

I use a rifle cleaning rod with the fluffy tip. Just thin enough to get under the machine, easily concealable. Only problem, you have to sweep to either side of the machine. Luckily, my favorite machine is clear on both sides. I generally will only go back to the car and get the rod if one of the coins I spy under the machine has a chance of being silver, though. Usually, those don't get too far under the front lip though, because silvers don't get under the machine by making their way all the way through the machine and then missing the coin bins. They never get that far into the mechanism. Every silver (15 or 20 over the years?) I've ever found UNDER a coinstar has been right under the front and I am convinced they have taken a weird bounce out of the reject slot and then another weird bounce when they hit the (carpeted, in my machine's case) floor.
And, no... no way are you moving any of the Coinstar machines in my area by just rolling it. They sit on adjustable feet in the first place... and, second, when the bins are full, they weigh hundreds of pounds and are themselves moved with a dolly!
Thanks for sharing CTX...
Interesting to hear what's being used out there...
 

Wow, that's a story, crawling into drain systems...I would've been right there with you...just think if you'd had a fishing magnet...why would they pour water on you? Worried about you getting their coins or a safety issue? Or they were bored...not very nice....
They knew all us street urchins and thought it was funny. Which looking back it was.
 

The machines around where I am are very low to the ground, about one inch. I did stick a magnet under it once, and came up with a bobby pin. Good luck with Coin Swatter 2.0 !
Thanks CRHer...
I tried out the new model alittle but I'm not sure if it's working properly or if the machine I tried it on just didn't have many coins underneath...I managed a penny here and there...so I think I will bring both retrieving tools after this...
 

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