CANDY DISH/BANK

Here is a novel project for the home or office. This candy dish resembles a gum ball machine and has candy on top and a bank for coins on the bottom. If you keep a candy dish on your desk at work and everyone eats but never donates to refill, this might encourage them. You can also use it at home to teach children to save up to replace the candy when the dish is empty. The attached photos show the assembled item and the individual items used for the project.

Materials:
1 plant pot.(4" high, 2 1/2" bottom dia. and 4 1/4" top dia)
1 plant pot saucer.(6 1/4" dia. saucer)
1 candy dish (97cents at Walmart)
1 3" x 1/4" wood disc or jar cover same size.
1 3/4" diameter wooden ball
1 2" piece of a paint stir stick.
1 round head wood screw #6 x 3/4"
(All shown in photo below)

Preparation of the various pieces involves painting the saucer black, the plant pot red, and the assembled top red. The top is assemble by drilling a pilot hole in the 3" disc ( or jar top) and in the 3/4" ball, then attach the ball to the disc with a round head wood screw #6 x 3/4". The coin slot is a 2" strip of a paint stirring stick with a 1/8" by 1" slot cut in the center and painted silver. The coin slot in the plant pot is made by placing the paint stick piece on the pot ,as in first photo, then trace the slot onto the pot. Using a dremel with a small grinding stone attachment carefully cut the slot in the pot(make sure to wear saftey glasses). Super glue the the wooden slot section over the slot formed in the pot. After painting the saucer cut and glue a piece of felt to the area that will be covered by the plant pot, to cushion the droping of the coins through the slot. To assemble put a thin layer of museum gel on the open end of the plant pot and place onto the saucer as in top photo, this allows the bottom saucer to be removed to get the coins. Next attach the glass candy dish to the closed end of the plant pot with mighty putty or similar product. Place the assembled top into the candy dish opening. Your Candy Bank is ready for action!