# Episode 230 - Bounty Shop Out List

**Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2015-10-27  
**Duration:** 14m 37s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-230-bounty-shop-out-list

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## Analysis

Nick Baldridge of 'For Amusement Only' details an extensive restoration shop job on a Bounty bingo pinball machine that performed at York but developed mechanical issues. He systematically outlines diagnostics and repair plans for malfunctioning relay circuits, the skill shot mechanism, the MagicScreen unit, steppers, clutches, and back glass replacement, sharing technical restoration methodology for EM pinball machines.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The Bounty machine dropped all balls when winning a red letter game due to relay 29 dropping out too soon — _Nick Baldridge describing the first major problem encountered at York_
- [HIGH] The skill shot spotting disc needs disassembly and inspection to fix a spotting issue where numbers appear when they shouldn't — _Nick Baldridge identifying root cause investigation focus_
- [HIGH] The MagicScreen clutches appear powdery and require lubrication with axle grease — _Nick Baldridge's visual inspection findings_
- [HIGH] The Bounty machine completely filled the cashbox when played extensively with nickels — _Nick Baldridge recounting personal gameplay experience with the machine_
- [HIGH] Two nuts backed out from the MagicScreen filter board due to vibration during transport — _Nick Baldridge's discovery during inspection_
- [MEDIUM] Playing for the white button (skill shot) inappropriately starts a new game instead of allowing red button play — _Nick Baldridge noting this as a potential schematic issue to investigate_
- [HIGH] 91% isopropyl alcohol evaporates faster and has less water content than 70% isopropyl alcohol — _Nick Baldridge discussing his preferred cleaning solution_

### Notable Quotes

> "Now, the bounty I had previously done kind of a mini shop...but I had not yet taken apart the mixer to clean it and I had not yet taken apart the search disk to clean that"
> — **Nick Baldridge**, early segment
> _Establishes the scope of previous work versus remaining restoration tasks_

> "The bounty is just a fantastic game. So I going to recheck all the steppers make sure that they all still clean"
> — **Nick Baldridge**, mid-segment
> _Personal enthusiasm for the Bounty machine despite technical issues; commitment to thorough restoration_

> "Likely, as I've been down this path before, I'll have fixed all those issues and I'll have knocked loose an issue further down the line. For example, the skill shot circuit is very, very complicated."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, later segment
> _Reflects the cascading complexity of EM pinball restoration and expected interdependencies in electromechanical systems_

> "I'm not super satisfied with how that looks uh... so I'm thinking I might just go ahead bite the bullet and get some glass cut to fit over the front and back"
> — **Nick Baldridge**, back glass discussion
> _Restoration quality standards and willingness to invest in aesthetic improvements beyond minimum functional repairs_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Nick Baldridge | person | Host of 'For Amusement Only' EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast; skilled restoration technician and collector |
| For Amusement Only | organization | EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast hosted by Nick Baldridge |
| Bounty | game | Bingo pinball machine being restored; performed at York event but developed relay and skill shot issues during weekend play |
| Double Up | game | Bally bingo pinball machine; played alongside Bounty during coin-up testing |
| York | event | Pinball event where Bounty was exhibited and where mechanical issues surfaced during weekend play |
| MagicScreen | product | Electromechanical component in Bounty machine that displays numbers; requires clutch lubrication and chain maintenance |
| Ken Noone | person | Producer of back glass reproductions for bingo pinball machines; work referenced for Bounty back glass |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Electromechanical pinball restoration techniques, Bingo pinball machine mechanics and design, Relay circuit diagnostics and repair, Skill shot mechanism troubleshooting, Stepper and clutch maintenance
- **Secondary:** Back glass reproduction and restoration, Event performance and machine reliability

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Nick expresses genuine enthusiasm for the Bounty machine ('just a fantastic game') and a methodical, optimistic approach to restoration challenges. Technical issues are treated as interesting problems to solve rather than frustrations. Minor concerns about aesthetic quality (plexiglass vs. glass) are addressed proactively.

### Signals

- **[restoration_signal]** Detailed systematic approach to bingo pinball restoration including stepper disassembly, clutch inspection, MagicScreen maintenance, and schematic-based diagnostics (confidence: high) — Nick describes multi-step restoration plan involving complete disassembly of steppers, cleaning with 91% isopropyl alcohol, lubrication protocols, and circuit tracing
- **[product_concern]** Relay 29 dropping out prematurely when Bounty machine detects winning red letter game, causing ball drop (confidence: high) — Nick reports: 'it would detect that you won, the position twenty nine relay dropped out too soon or so i've been told I gotta investigate'
- **[product_concern]** MagicScreen spotting disc causing Bounty to incorrectly display numbers when it should not spot any numbers (confidence: high) — Nick identifies: 'I had a weird issue crop up when I was testing this game where it would spot numbers. Of course, Bounty is not supposed to spot any numbers. So, that's related to the Magic Screen unit.'
- **[product_concern]** Skill shot mechanism inconsistently activates; occasionally produces sound/click without displaying number on back glass despite good bulbs and sockets (confidence: high) — Nick describes: 'occasionally you push the button and it would you hear the whirr and the click...it wouldn't actually show any number on the back glass...all the bulbs are good all the sockets...are good so it's definitely something else'
- **[product_concern]** Hardware loosening (nuts, screws) from vehicle transport vibration; two nuts backed out from MagicScreen filter board (confidence: high) — Nick notes: 'Now, all that bouncing back and forth shook out some hardware. Some screws and some nuts...either they were not tightened far enough or they just backed out With all the vibration'
- **[restoration_signal]** Replay counter showing deterioration despite previous cleaning, suggesting other steppers may also require maintenance (confidence: high) — Nick observes: 'I noticed that one of my replay counters I looking at it now it looking a little dingy and it one that I certainly addressed before And so this gives me pause that others may need some attention as well'
- **[design_philosophy]** EM pinball restoration exhibits cascading interdependencies where fixing one circuit issue can expose problems in interconnected systems (confidence: high) — Nick explains: 'Likely, as I've been down this path before, I'll have fixed all those issues and I'll have knocked loose an issue further down the line. For example, the skill shot circuit is very, very complicated. And it winds through an awful lot of stuff.'
- **[event_signal]** Bounty performed at York event but mechanical degradation occurred progressively throughout weekend, suggesting reliability issues under extended play (confidence: high) — Nick states: 'it held up pretty darn well at the bingo row at York, but it did have a couple of problems which became worse as the weekend wore on'
- **[restoration_signal]** MagicScreen clutches showing powdery appearance indicating oxidation or wear, requiring lubrication or potential replacement (confidence: high) — Nick notes: 'I did a brief inspection tonight and took a look at the clutch which drives the magic screen and the clutches are looking awfully powdery so that in itself might not be the end of the world. I'm going to try to lubricate them.'
- **[restoration_signal]** Consideration of upgrading from plexiglass to glass for back glass sandwich assembly; potential custom print generation to improve aesthetics (confidence: medium) — Nick explains: 'I had sandwiched mine between plexi and I'm not super satisfied with how that looks...I might just go ahead bite the bullet and get some glass cut...there's a couple things in art that i might fix up from his his print'
- **[community_signal]** Nick integrating social media (Facebook, Instagram) into content strategy, expanding documentation of restoration progress (confidence: medium) — Nick states: 'I've posted one picture to Facebook and Instagram...and I'm going to be posting some other stuff as I go now that I've figured out how to hook those two services together. It should make life a bit more interesting for all of us.'

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## Transcript

 The End What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Tonight, I started my shop out on the bounty. Now, it held up pretty darn well at the bingo row at York, but it did have a couple of problems which became worse as the weekend wore on. The first was that when you won an OK game, a red letter game, it would drop all the balls, it would detect that you won,alkie018 the position twenty nine relay dropped out too soon or so i've been told I gotta investigate see if thats the case and with it degree nods would reset now normally your green ons will stay in a trip spicy morning on any game before the switched to having the red letter odds tied to the red odds. This is one problem, but the second problem that was happening is the skill shot, the unique feature on the bounty that you coin up for separately by pressing the white button. You'd put some coins into that and then you'd the gold button on the foot rail to start the search most of the time it would search and it would lock onto one or two numbers just as it should it would pay out just fine occasionally you push the button and it would you hear the whirr and the click which you want to hear and it's a very similar whirr and click to hearing the magic number lock on it wouldn't actually show any number on the back glass uh... all the bulbs are good all the sockets in that particular area are good so it's definitely something else uh... and i was told to take a look at the spotting disc so that's where i'm gonna focus my efforts because i have not yet disassembled them Tonight I basically just want to give an overview of what this shop job is going to consist of. Now the bounty I had previously done kind of a mini shop. I had gotten it going by taking apart all of the steppers, cleaning those, checking and adjusting the eighth position trough switch, I had to do something on the lifter and had to adjust some control unit and some trip bank switches. There may have also, yeah, there was a mixer issue too and the skillshot didn't work at all when I picked it up. So there was some work that had gone into it but I had not yet taken apart the mixer to clean it and I had not yet taken apart the search disk to clean that I'd replaced all the bulbs behind the MagicScreen, but I had not done anything with the MagicScreen unit itself. The game itself. Now, if you've been listening over the past couple days, you've heard that I had a weird issue crop up when I was testing this game where it would spot numbers. Of course, Bounty is not supposed to spot any numbers. So, that's related to the Magic Screen unit. I'm going to take that apart. I'm going to clean it, going to reassemble it, and I'm going to lube the MagicScreen chain. Now I did a brief inspection tonight and took a look at the clutch which drives the magic screen and the clutches are looking awfully powdery so that in itself might not be the end of the world. I'm going to try to lubricate them. I believe I had done that previously I'm going to clean, adjust, lube the MagicScreen unit, I'm going to lube the chain, and for that you use grease, Axle Grease, and I'm going to lube the chain Clutch Disструкty Section,folk Aber frontal flexii j pan皆 barkedgou the 있고 and� improves perpetual of and textbook inılı Canon and Ta sinn Fortunately Minus so far, Wolff thidsi twitchtest free$ За %50 $10%^^ AfricaJDA128 игpsIjUеноD184 weggerwgwgwgb пдзð invis познайте It's a good thing to take care of the retro ultimate wish to receive x6 hope사 especial I'm not a fan of the word coin, but I'm a fan of the word coin. I would... When I first set everything on coin, I had the bounty and I had double up. As soon as bounty came in, I started playing that like crazy. I got a bunch of nickels from the bank, rolls and rolls of them, and I just went insane. And I would play the bounty until I had spent every nickel that I had, and it completely filled the cashbox. So, that should tell you, there were quite a few nickels passing through there, and I did that a lot. The bounty is just a fantastic game. So I going to recheck all the steppers make sure that they all still clean I noticed that one of my replay counters I looking at it now it looking a little dingy and it one that I certainly addressed before And so this gives me pause that others may need some attention as well As they stepping crisply between each step I likely won completely disassemble the steppers I take the wiper arms off I clean the disc lubricate it and reassemble And an important step is to clean the wipers as well. Now you don't file and you don't use sandpaper on the wipers but I will use alcohol on a Q-tip or something of that nature um... that's relatively harmless and will evaporate quickly now the alcohol I use since I mentioned alcohol and I haven't talked about in a while is the ninety-one percent isopropyl it's slightly more expensive than the typical seventy percent but it evaporates a lot faster and there's less water in it I'm going to take a look at the other clutches and ensure that I already lubed them recently. I'm also going to inspect the condition of the clutches and ensure that everything turns and does not turn when it's supposed to because if I need to replace clutches, this is the time to do it. Now, all that bouncing back and forth shook out some hardware. Some screws and some nuts and I've got to figure out where those go. I found two of the nuts that shook out. They go behind the magic screen on this board that is used to filter the light between each number on the bingo card. and either they were not tightened far enough or they just backed out With all the vibration of being in a truck back and forth So I'll get that taken care of The other thing I know early on I talked about this While I've got the back glass out, it's not actually a back glass the back glass had Ken noone of gestellt's excellently production their films three parts and you cut out uh... the various windows engineer for example bingo card winter the replay register window and so forth and then you sandwich it between uh... glass or plexiglass. Well I had sandwiched mine between plexi and I'm not super satisfied with how that looks uh... so I'm thinking I might just go ahead bite the bullet and get some glass cut to fit over the front and back of this uh... it should improve the appearance quite a bit now another thing which it could do is generate my own print i have the shop here locally that i used to back glass reproductions on vinyl it's basically the same thing that stated used but uh... there's a couple things in art that i might fix up from his his print uh i believe that print is many years old it came with the game So I not sure what the current And the If you think about the word of the Je Templejuna, I like all kinds of puns, something more, sometimes you can think about what And then aside from that, once I get those issues corrected and I clean everything, I'll reassemble it and we'll see how it plays. Likely, as I've been down this path before, I'll have fixed all those issues and I'll have knocked loose an issue further down the line. For example, the skill shot circuit is very, very complicated. And it winds through an awful lot of stuff. So it's quite possible that in fixing the spotting issue for searching out the number that I will have a problem elsewhere in the skill shot. So... I guess I'll just have to see. Oh, one other problem, which I'm not sure if it's a problem or not. When I play for the white button, I'm no longer able to play for the red button. It starts a new game. I don't think that that is appropriate. I don't believe when you play for the white button it hits a trip relay or anything. So, I'm gonna have to check the schematic carefully. It's never really bothered me before cuz I normally play for the skillshot at the end before shooting the game, but While I'm in there, I should check that out. So, I've posted one picture to Facebook and Instagram Of the Back of the Magic Screen unit and I'm going to be posting some other stuff as I go now that I've figured out how to hook those two services together. It should make life a bit more interesting for all of us. Oh, one last thing. I also need to take apart the replay register on this game. I've not yet taken it apart. I left that out because it takes a little while, as you might have heard from my miniseries KdWP out! or you can call me on the bingos line at 724-BINGOS1 724-246-4671. You can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Cast,VRSS, on Facebook, on Twitter, at bingopodcast. You can follow me on Instagram at nbaldridge or you can listen to us on our website which is forumusementonly.libsyn.com. Thank you very much for listening and I'll talk to you next time.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 420a94d6-cdbc-45c1-9d72-c955f2f6ed1d*