Are there any Tom Servo vendors left?

[Nos402]

There is a band like that on my vintage carousel dispensers, although it appears much less prominent (maybe your lighting is emphasizing it more than it is in person).

On the Carousels, it's really not noticeable, but you can make it out in this photo:

View attachment 1465342

Yeah I tried to light it to make them the MOST visible just for illustration. Interesting your Carousel doesn't have the little ridges on the red part of the head that the original Servo has (and also my Pinda does not have those ridges either but I only planned to use the clear globe part).

 

[Nos402]

Not on mine.

View attachment 1465343

Ah! Cool! That's what I suspected, I just wanted some first-hand close up proof from someone who had one! Thanks!

 

[jchristman]

Yeah I tried to light it to make them the MOST visible just for illustration. Interesting your Carousel doesn't have the little ridges on the red part of the head that the original Servo has (and also my Pinda does not have those ridges either but I only planned to use the clear globe part).

You know, I hadn't noticed that until you pointed it out! I wasn't aware of variations in the "classic" style heads. I have two vintage dispensers and they are both like this.

I'm wondering if this older style was ever used on the show...now I may be back on the hunt for another vintage Carousel!

 

[Nos402]

You know, I hadn't noticed that until you pointed it out! I wasn't aware of variations in the "classic" style heads. I have two vintage dispensers and they are both like this.

I'm wondering if this older style was ever used on the show...now I may be back on the hunt for another vintage Carousel!

DOH! Sorry to re-ignite your hunting instincts! I'm a real stickler for details so I notice the tiniest stuff.

 

[jchristman]

DOH! Sorry to re-ignite your hunting instincts! I'm a real stickler for details so I notice the tiniest stuff.

I've had them in storage for a few years now, and since they were vintage I just assumed they were correct!! I didn't realize there were variants even on the old ones, so I didn't scrutinize the details like I normally would. It will bug me now though...lol Hopefully I have enough ruby red to finish another head

 

[jchristman]

I was curious after the “dome” discussion earlier, and I pulled out the original box for one of my dispensers, and you know what - I couldn’t find the Carousel anywhere on it. It’s from the 80s at least, but I might have an older knockoff as well.

I also dug out my second which donated it’s lid - and this one HAS the correct “lines” and no band on the dome. Ugh. Unfortunately the dome has a crack and isn’t in the best of shape, which is why I didn’t use it initially.

I have spare “E” pins for Crow if anyone has spare Carousel dispensers they’d want to trade

 

[Probe Droid]

Is this the right thing or no? Found this in a junk store a year+ ago.

 

[jchristman]

Is this the right thing or no? Found this in a junk store a year+ ago.

View attachment 1465620

Yep. that's the right one!

 

[Treadwell]

I bought mine around 1999. No bands.

 

[Probe Droid]

Yep. that's the right one!

Thanks.

 

[jchristman]

I bought mine around 1999. No bands.

I think the early (early to mid 80s) Carousel snack dispensers are made in Denmark and have the band in the globe and are missing the molded in lines. These came in a brown box, and also appear to be identical to the “off brand” version that nos402 posted above.

By at least ‘87 Carousel moved production moved to Taiwan, and the globes lost the center band and the base gained the vertical lines. These came in a red and white striped box, and would be the version sold during MST3K’s run.

I think they continued to be made in Taiwan throughout the 90s, but production moved to China sometime later, until ceasing production entirely a few years ago. I believe the later Chinese made version is visually identically, but supposedly made from a noticeably flimsier plastic.

It seems possible to me that some of the earlier “Denmark” design made it onto the show - although since the snack dispensers were readily available during it’s run, the production probably purchased them mostly new and therefore the “Taiwan” variant seems to be almost universally used on the BBI Servos. I’ve yet to find any shots of a screen used bot with the earlier design.

I’ve probably spent way too much time the last few days thinking about the plastic gumball machines from Mr. Bulky’s.

 

[Cataras]

Mine doesn't seem to have the band either but I don't recall how old mine is.

 

[jchristman]

I reached out to Testors on Twitter regarding availability of #1629 Red Metal Flake, and their social media rep claims it's not discontinued and that they are expecting to restock stores within the next month. I put in a backorder with Hobbylinc and they emailed me a delivery estimate of early August, so it DOES appear that the paint should be available again in the near future.

 

[nick daring]

how many cans are needed for a full Tom Servo?

 

[jchristman]

how many cans are needed for a full Tom Servo?

3-4. I ended up using around 3 cans of the metal flake over a red base coat.

 

[Nos402]

Wow, some great info here! For some reason I stopped receiving emails about this thread so it was all a pleasant surprise when I just came here looking for something!

I've also noticed on some snack dispensers I've seen (including one on ebay now and the knock-off I briefly had) the the top opening seems larger than the bottom opening, while on the original servos, they appear to be the same size as far as I can tell.

 

[Nos402]

My Tom Servo from Robert Bukowski on Etsy has finally shipped! I find it a bit odd that the shop always says "In Stock" and mine said it would arrive by June 8, yet all comments seems to indicate that it almost always takes a couple of months. I had no responses to any of my messages before or after purchase so I had opened a case to get a refund and then he responded (very courteously) that MST3K had ordered some new bots from him for some new promo stuff for the new season so he had fallen behind, which to be fair, is about the best possible excuse someone could have!

I am curious as to why the bots he sells have the inaccurate head (with no center line), or I guess more accurately, where they get the correct heads for the show bots! Just recycle old ones from past Servos?

 

[Chris Moliere]

My Tom Servo from Robert Bukowski on Etsy has finally shipped! I find it a bit odd that the shop always says "In Stock" and mine said it would arrive by June 8, yet all comments seems to indicate that it almost always takes a couple of months. I had not responses to any of my messages before or after purchase so I had opened a case to get a refund and then he responded (very courteously) that MST3K had ordered some new bots from him for some new promo stuff for the new season so he had fallen behind, which to be fair, is about the best possible excuse someone could have!

I am curious as to why the bots he sells have the inaccurate head (with no center line), or I guess more accurately, where they get the correct heads for the show bots! Just recycle old ones from past Servos?

I actually had the chance to talk with Bob and some people who know him. He is the supplier for the bot parts on the show, and is currently making more parts for the upcoming season, which is why the kits are taking some time to ship. As for the gumball machines, he told me that the correct type is becoming harder to find in bulk, which is how he originally purchased them.

 

[Nos402]

Anyone know why he quit selling Crow and only sells Servo? Is Crow more complicated/costly?

 

[Treadwell]

It is indeed. Also it's probably getting harder to source pins and floraliers. You can get away with repro everything on Servo except the gum dispenser.