#zine machine

[zinemuse]

Mini Zine Machines are the best!

Both are repurposed from Excel/Eclipse gum dispensers and dispense a random minizine for $2 CAD.

KW Minizine Machine #1 🌸 Launched on: Aug 30, 2025 Located at: Whoopsie Daisy Drinks in Kitchener, ON Art by: Miho Nagayama

KW Minizine Machine #2 🍎 Launched on: Feb 14, 2026 Located at: Princess Cafe in Waterloo, ON Art by: Paige Madill (@PaigeTheArtMage)

Both exist due to awesome, awesome KWZinetopia - https://instagram.com/kwzinetopia/

[k00336611]

Finished zines!!

These are my finished zines on three different coloured pages. I chose yellow and orange as I think they make them more visually interesting. Personally I liked the orange one the best but am ultimately happy with how they all turned out :)

[tempural]

I wrote a recap of our Zine Machine vending experience on my site. TLDR: We got put in a bad spot with no traffic, and had to move 3 times, but at least we made back our transportation costs LOL.

Some additional rambling non-event thoughts:

We did get to meet a lot of cool people that we've been following online though! And there were some people who came to see lil ol' me 😬 We didn't get to do as many trades and browsing as we would have liked cuz we spent so much time moving our table. Still very happy with the swag we got!

And we're slowly working on our display to make it more transportable, everything on our table fit in two suitcases! Shane built some collapsible plywood shelves that worked very well in terms of lightness and just holdin' stuff. I can't wait to make them again with stronger wood cuz the bottom shelf sags a bit :P

I'm also very happy with the binder + clear sleeves set-up for 8x10 prints. I want some choice prints out for display to catch the eye, but keep the full catalog in the book for browsing. I don't think many people looked at or even saw the commission options in the front of the book.

I originally had the commission options in its own book, but that took up an entire other binder that I didn't think would fit in the luggage. Will think about doing that again, and having an 11x17 binder for long prints. The main thing that I need to think about with that, is how to prevent kids (like actual googoo gaga ankle biters) from flipping through it even though it says FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. Lol. I have the same problem online anyways too, little kids love to flip through weird gore pron??

I wanted to try a new community bulletin board thing. Though people liked it and it made good convo no one wanted to put anything on it besides me :P I think it was too too hectic for other vendors to come and put stuff on there. I'll probably keep working on this idea and turn it more into a "shrine" area? So for this example, I'd just put all my KOTH yaoi here along with the screenshots so people know what the heck I'm all about.

I think I'd replace the pointy push pins with magnets and a metallic backing (rather than cork board) so there's less risk of pain.

Also peep this cool sign. I wish I could make a big vinyl sign that said JOHN REDCORN GOONER.

Next stop is Hand-to-Hand Market in December. We have a month to prep. So less zines, more papercrafts… I really want to do articulated paper puppets like samsquatches and some of my OCs, as well as shill some HOME MADE WALNUT INK and live commissions.

[katherine-montalto]

I’m too much of an introvert to go on a book tour so I’m sending this Haiku Machine out into the world for me. It’s like that Zoltar thing from the movie Big, only instead of granting wishes it just dispenses haiku that gives you a little insight into my strange mind. And a piece of candy for your trouble. If you’ve got a space that can host a residency in Metro Detroit, drop me a line, I’ll split the quarters with you. http://katherinemontalto.com/haiku-machine/ 

[merissalissa]

Thank you Reed Zine Fest!

[fanzines]

The Lucky Drop zine machine at Waitohi Johnsonville Library in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), New Zealand (Aotearoa). Similarly to the one in Auckland City Library, it sells zines made by local zinesters. Photo: Wellington City Libraries

[uispeccoll]

This zine, called Choose Your Own Moral Code: A Coloring Book, is from our Zine Machine Collection. This collection is comprised of zines from a vending machine that was at the University of Iowa Main Library for more than 10 years that was set up by Jessica White, the creator of this zine. A vending machine was repurposed to sell zines instead of candy bars and energy drinks. This zine acts as a coloring book, allowing the reader to color in and choose what they believe is good or evil. Rabbits and squirrels seem to be the main subjects of these moral dilemmas. 

The last page is blank, leaving the reader to create their “own conclusions.”

So I decided to draw my very own:

Don’t worry. The zine was not actually drawn in during the sketching of this pupper. Yay modern technology.

- Hannah

Choose Your Own Moral Code: A Coloring Book [Jessica White, 2006]

This zine, and many others from Jessica White can be found in the 

Zine Machine Collection MsC 885 Box 1.

[k00336611]

Day 2 of zine machine workshop:

Today I started my zine by drawing a mock up in my sketchbook. Everything I draw on this page will be in federal blue. I found it hard to remember to make the images on the top row and the bottom row opposite eachother, otherwise the zine wouldn't work.

Eventually I got it the way I wanted and was ready to move on to the red layer.