So I have been working on a thing. I have been afraid to share for various reasons:

1) I have lots of ideas that burn away and never happen, but now it is working, so my confidence is higher.

2) Internet people can be cruel.

3) The property is still under copyright (but I would never sell it anyway.

I wanted to build my own machine. The reason was simple. I wanted to say, "I built a pinball machine." I asked my wife what the theme of the machine should be. She said, "Harry Potter". While on a trip to Disney World, I came across a theater that played the life story of Walt Disney. I was inspired by the black and white drawings and Disney's ability to tell a story using limited time and resources. So I chose Steamboat Willie as my theme.

The next quest to conquer was to determine if this was going to be a re-theme or a full-blown built-from-scratch machine. I first bought an EM game to re-theme because of the old-time feeling of the theme, but I soon realized that an EM re-theme would miss a very important element to the theme, music. That is when I realized I would have to build this thing from the ground up.

Actually, not the ground up, I would build this from parts I already owned. The cabinet itself would be donated from a parted out Apollo. I chose the playfield layout based on the fact I only owned one bumper. I once played a home-version pinball machine at a friend's house that I remembered well that only had one bumper, it was call Circus. I loved that game when I was a kid because one, it was all I could play, and two I could always hit the spinner shot (which made me feel super cool). I even used some of the artwork elements from that home-style machine.

More logistics for those of you that like that kind of thing, Used a 3/4 inch plywood and did a roughed out layout first. To make the playfield smooth, flat, and even, I used an epoxy table pour. The flippers, bumper, and rubberband kicker were set up like an EM machine and uses AC (which created a big EMI issue later). I used an Arduino Uno running Johnny-five to operate insert lights and other solenoids. I made the display using HTML5 and lots of javascript. The playfield was printed on vinyl and covered with mylar. I am sure I missing something, but that is all I can think of. Enjoy the pictures. It is functional, but still a ways from finished.

It has a full video display and lots of music.
D549AF60-3667-41D0-9B9E-B3F6D5B2B216 (resized).jpeg1E9B0BF4-BA88-458E-9D6D-1C4F8BBDC199 (resized).jpeg86D10825-6D2D-465D-8A6B-572C029CB972 (resized).pngB419D284-E6B1-46AD-BBE3-8B6E3C30FFBA (resized).jpegD03F67A1-5E6B-473B-BB1C-B40FFF220D6E (resized).jpegBE6AAC72-9B9E-4611-A170-ADB3170D3800 (resized).jpeg5C1A33CE-EC6A-4784-A187-566407F6B125 (resized).jpeg61A1EE27-C1AF-4324-B6E1-5998E8A29BEF (resized).jpegDCC5A956-0F31-42C3-BEA2-BA1068BC53A9 (resized).jpeg908FC217-9D40-4474-8120-7435F9566A62 (resized).jpegF9767B3B-BF54-48AA-BF4D-A07DA4261092 (resized).jpeg5CF7F80F-EDD7-480B-AAB2-999FE40E36B7 (resized).jpeg9AAFABD5-074F-4872-8269-B63EBDAE13AD (resized).jpegF9571498-C14A-49CB-954F-F0C12599C48B (resized).jpeg0FADF2E5-F73E-4934-AD6A-A0C3EB4C3BB7 (resized).jpeg91DA3DC8-9C8F-4EC7-BD78-546A05DDB1A7 (resized).jpeg

I know the plastics are busy. I threw them together for the show. I want to do better ones later on. Thanks for the suggestion though.

The smoke stacks work, but not at the show (alarms).

There was some Luke Skywalker look alike at the show and helped me line up my camera. So cool.

Not sure how to post a video.

The machine can’t handle the plays. I burned out a couple of Mosfits yesterday. I brought a pocket full today and still have the let it rest for a while.

Here is the YouTube link from an interview I did about the machine.

Thanks again for having me on your show. Since the quarantine started, I have unwound the flippers a little to give them more kick and reworked my breadboard to put a few heatsinks on it.

I have also started my new homebrew Homestarrunner and friends. It is a Flash retheme but with FMV screen and music.

I meant to reach out to you to ask about those fuse breakers. Those were nice, and I can’t seem to find them on mouser or anywhere.

Side note: your machine was the best in show. Down right beautiful.

They didn’t have an award called “game my wife thought was cute”.

I got nominated for a TWIPY. I am so excited.

Here are some finished product pictures.

43BA5945-9707-4AA4-B65E-6AB7DEDDA7F3 (resized).jpeg

90225D66-70A6-4373-816B-59268A5F65A8 (resized).jpeg

B74CD5C1-419D-4857-985D-575A4150DDA1 (resized).jpeg

B96C7111-E847-4FD4-A900-87C155B4EA3A (resized).jpeg

CB18FC36-A1BF-48A4-A4A9-0D3E4A112F47 (resized).jpeg

D3474E6E-CDC6-409C-9BE9-6F592A46440F (resized).jpeg

F14ABA07-328B-4CE8-8C48-7910B38308E6 (resized).jpeg

So, the manufacturer that has spoken with me the most about this one is Disney. They may want to get into pinball instead of licensing.

Relax, COVID happened. They haven't talked with me since.

It will be there. So will Chapions of Aeridath.

Steamboat won Best in Show. I was so honored.

7FFBB949-3886-49CD-B841-CEA4342355F6 (resized).jpeg

89F32C55-75F9-4146-A266-031BF744D9DB (resized).jpeg

Someone made a Virtual Pinball out of my game. It is super cool. I am trying to find the link to it.