Why an open configuration is better than a dome
Most people think a dome is a good idea because it would prevent kids from grabbing the coins, and it keeps trash out of the funnel. But neither of those reasons stand up under actual use.
Our first models had an “open” configuration…no dome. Then we added a dome for the Two-Footer in 1990 (pictured here), planning on doing the same for the Three-Footer the following year. Although the cost of the molds was expensive, we had high hopes that it would improve the usage elements of our Wells.
But five problems became quickly evident.
First, children could no longer interact with the coins. They couldn't try to grab them and roll them again. When they do that, they often knock the coins over and then drop new coins which increases the income. Also, they couldn't attempt to throw the coins in without using the ramps, something we encourage on our “ Test Your Skill ” stickers. So the income dropped when we added the dome.
| Secondly, the domes look great when they are new, but clear plastic gets scratched and dirty easily. Kids lean on them, scratch them with their belt buckles, and get their dirty hands and finger prints all over them. In no time at all, they looked horrible, and were a nuisance for the stores or the charity person assigned the task of servicing them. That brought another issue up to deal with…cleaning them with ONLY the right kind of cleaner and cloth so that they didn't deteriorate and scratch from the cleaning process. No matter how much instruction we gave people, someone would inevitably mar the surface while trying to clean it. Even though we used PETG, a very durable plastic, it would dull and start to diminish the clear view of the funnel in a month or two. A harder plastic, such as acrylic, doesn't scratch as easily but it is more brittle and breaks more easily. Lexan is more durable but softer. It is “bullet proof” but it scratches easily. |  |
Thirdly, and related to the previous point, clear material is always less durable than opaque material. Since “kids will be kids” there is always a certain amount of damage they can do to any vending machine or public device. But when they broke the dome, it was very expensive to replace and shipped at dimensional rates.
Fourthly, any dome configuration requires a slot of some kind for the coins to enter into the funnel. Kids would jam the slot with paper, pencils, gum, or other trash and essentially close down the Well. During those early days of having the domes, almost every visit by the service person would find one or both slots jammed up and very little money inside. If the stores had agreed to assign someone the task of keeping the Well clean, they reported it to be a huge bother…especially if gum was jammed into the slot.
Fifth, since coins are always dirty, and sometimes kids would spill things that got into and through the coin slots, the surface of the funnel would need to be cleaned regularly. But that required the removal of the dome. Even though it was attached with two simple bolts, it was something that most service people (often volunteer ladies in the stores) could not do easily. The smooth fiberglass surface of the funnel is very easy to clean, but the dome made it difficult to access. So the funnels would begin to look bad too...if you could see them through the dirty scratched domes!
Any one of those five problems was enough to expose the fact that the dome was not as good an idea as it first seemed. All five reasons made it an easy, albeit expensive decision to discontinue the dome and go back to the open configuration that has continued to this day.
While most people initially think a dome is a good idea (we did too), experience has taught us that it is not.
Click here to go back to the pictures of our older models.
Order Form
How Many Per Store?
Rental Options
Prices
Assembly
What Is Included?
Colors
Promotions and Contests, Churches and Schools
Dimensions, Weights, Materials, Security
Parts
Shared-Revenue plan with stores that already have a preferred charity