# Bonus Episode: Rawdon Osborne's Last Episode **Source:** Poor Man's Pinball Podcast **Type:** podcast_episode **Published:** 2020-07-31 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://poormanspinballpodcast.libsyn.com/bonus-episode-rawdon-osbornes-last-episode --- ## Analysis Rawdon Osborne, an Australian pinball enthusiast and collector, delivers a casual winter update from Sydney covering the Australian pinball scene during COVID-19 lockdowns. He discusses incoming shipments (Turtles pinball machine, Hot Wheels), the progress of Haggis Pinball's Celts machine being developed by Damien Roden, his own restoration projects, and tournament cancellations. The episode is comedic and informal, featuring phone call sketches and personal anecdotes about machine restoration challenges. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Turtles pinball machine is en route to Australia, approximately one month away, currently passing Hawaii. — _Rawdon Osborne, speaking about shipment status for Australian distributor_ - [MEDIUM] Hot Wheels pinball machine is currently in Melbourne and Australian collectors want distribution information. — _Rawdon Osborne asking about Hot Wheels availability across Australia_ - [HIGH] Haggis Pinball's Celts game has just completed the lockdown bar and final artwork details, with an official launch promo video coming in the next few weeks. — _Rawdon Osborne relaying information from Damien Roden, Haggis Pinball owner_ - [HIGH] Pinball tournaments remain cancelled in Australia due to COVID-19 lockdowns. — _Rawdon Osborne stating current conditions in Australia_ - [HIGH] Damien Roden went from installing pinball mechs from a suitcase at TPF 2019 to having a complete Kelts prototype at Expo Chicago six months later. — _Rawdon Osborne recounting his observation of Haggis Pinball's development progress_ ### Notable Quotes > "Turtles is cruising across the Pacific Ocean as we speak. By my rough calculations, they're just going past Hawaii and still a month away." > — **Rawdon Osborne**, early in episode > _Provides timeline estimate for a major game shipment to Australia_ > "I first met Damien in Texas at TPF in 2019 and he was his long-haired Aussie battler desperately trying to install pinball mechs out of a suitcase onto a blank playfield. And then six months later in Chicago at Expo, I see the complete game. Unbelievable effort in such a short time span." > — **Rawdon Osborne**, mid-episode > _Demonstrates rapid product development at Haggis Pinball and Rawdon's respect for the team_ > "this is the last Bally Williams rebuild I'd do. I thought I'd put some extra shiny blingy into the finished game." > — **Rawdon Osborne**, late episode > _Expresses frustration with Circus Voltaire restoration and the challenges of Williams/Bally cabinet work_ > "Halfway through removing the first side rail gently cutting the 20 double tape away and levering it off the outer layer of plywood ripped away from the cabinet. I stood there in disbelief, poor man. Why, why, why?" > — **Rawdon Osborne**, late episode > _Personal restoration mishap with cabinet damage, reflects frustration with vintage machine restoration_ > "His story is what Australians are made of not afraid to jump in the deep end and have a red hot go I take my hat off to the bloke for what he has achieved in such a short time." > — **Rawdon Osborne**, mid-episode > _Strong endorsement of Damien Roden and Haggis Pinball's entrepreneurial approach_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Rawdon Osborne | person | Host/primary speaker; Australian pinball collector, enthusiast, and media personality; tribe member number 24 (Poor Man's Pinball community) | | Trevor | person | Producer/co-host of Poor Man's Pinball Podcast; handles editing and technical production | | Damien Roden | person | Owner/designer at Haggis Pinball; developer of Kelts pinball machine; Australian homebrew manufacturer | | Haggis Pinball | company | Australian pinball manufacturer developing the Kelts game; based in Australia | | Zach Sharpe | person | Owner of Flippin' Out Pinball; distributed Rawdon's media playfield | | Flippin' Out Pinball | company | Pinball sales, distribution, and rental company; shipped equipment to Australia | | Dr John | person | Queensland pinball contact/community figure; referenced for distribution information | | Ian | person | Likely co-host or editor of Free Play Pinball Podcast; addressed by Rawdon for interview recommendation | | Drew | person | Likely co-host or editor of Free Play Pinball Podcast; addressed by Rawdon for interview recommendation | | Turtles | game | Pinball machine in shipment to Australia, expected one month away (early 2021 timeframe based on context) | | Hot Wheels | game | Pinball machine currently in Melbourne; subject of Australian distribution inquiry | | Kelts | game | Haggis Pinball homebrew/custom machine in final production stages; lockdown bar and artwork recently completed | | Circus Voltaire | game | Bally/Williams pinball machine being restored by Rawdon; experiencing cabinet damage during mirror rail installation | | Texas Pinball Festival | event | Major pinball event where Rawdon met Damien Roden in 2019 | | Chicago Pinball Expo | event | Major pinball event where Rawdon saw completed Kelts prototype six months after TPF 2019 | | Poor Man's Pinball Podcast | organization | Australian pinball podcast hosted by Rawdon Osborne; community-focused media | | Sydney | person | Rawdon's location; mentioned as tribe member from Sydney | ### Topics - **Primary:** Pinball shipments and distribution to Australia, Haggis Pinball's Kelts machine development and launch, COVID-19 impact on Australian pinball tournaments, Pinball machine restoration and cabinet repair - **Secondary:** Australian pinball community and collectors, Homebrew/custom pinball machine development, Bally/Williams vintage machine restoration challenges ### Sentiment **Mixed** (0.55) — Rawdon expresses enthusiasm and respect for Damien Roden and Haggis Pinball's progress, but frustration and comedic despair regarding his own Circus Voltaire restoration mishap. COVID-19 restrictions creating stagnation in tournament scene tempers overall positivity. Tone is informal, comedic, and self-deprecating. ### Signals - **[product_launch]** Haggis Pinball's Kelts machine approaching final production with lockdown bar completion and official launch promo video imminent (confidence: high) — Rawdon states Damien 'just finalised the last piece of the game, the lockdown bar, and some final artwork details' and 'a promo video for the official launch of the production model is in the making so keep an eye out for that in the next few weeks' - **[product_launch]** Turtles and Hot Wheels pinball machines shipping to Australian market (confidence: medium) — Rawdon discusses Turtles in transit to Australia (one month away) and Hot Wheels already in Melbourne; asks for distribution updates - **[community_signal]** Australian pinball scene in holding pattern due to COVID-19 lockdowns with tournaments cancelled (confidence: high) — Rawdon states 'pinball tournaments are still off limits at this point' and describes Australia as being 'in a holding pattern' - **[manufacturing_signal]** Haggis Pinball demonstrates rapid product iteration and design completion capability (confidence: high) — Rawdon documents Damien going from suitcase-based component installation at TPF 2019 to complete game at Expo Chicago six months later - **[design_innovation]** Haggis Pinball incorporated custom lockdown bar design into Kelts machine (confidence: medium) — Damien Roden identified completion of 'the lockdown bar' as final piece of game before launch - **[product_concern]** Cabinet damage risk when working with vintage Williams/Bally machines during restoration (confidence: high) — Rawdon's Circus Voltaire restoration suffered cabinet plywood delamination when removing side rail during polishing upgrade attempt - **[restoration_signal]** Challenges with mirror polished rail installation on vintage Bally/Williams cabinet (confidence: high) — Rawdon's attempt to install mirror polished rails and matching lockdown bar on Circus Voltaire resulted in cabinet outer layer plywood delamination - **[supply_chain_signal]** Pinball machine shipments crossing Pacific Ocean to Australia with significant transit times (confidence: high) — Rawdon notes Turtles machine 'cruising across the Pacific Ocean' and estimates 'still a month away' from Hawaii - **[content_signal]** Poor Man's Pinball Podcast producing bonus/special episodes with informal community interview segments (confidence: high) — Episode structure includes call-in segments with distributors and operators (Dr John, Damien Roden) and comedic sketches - **[business_signal]** Flippin' Out Pinball managing international shipment of pinball equipment to Australia (confidence: medium) — Rawdon credits 'Zach at Flippin' Out Pinball for sending over' his media playfield to Australia --- ## Transcript Intro Music G'day Trevor, what's been happening in the world of pinball down under over the last three weeks old mate? What have you got for me? What do you mean fuck all? Yes, I'm well across the coronavirus. Have you spoken to any of the distributors? What about turtles? Still a month away, okay. What about Hot Wheels? I know it's in Melbourne and we're in Sydney, but we still need to know what's happening. Our mates across the pond are curious. Give Dr John a call. Let's see what's going on up north in Queensland. Here, give me the phone. Yeah, g'day Dr John, it's Rawdon. Rawdon Osborne. Sydney. Tribe member number 24. Hello? Dr John? Hello? Trevor, are you sure you have the right phone number for Dr John? He called me a wanker and hung up. Get Damien on the blower. Let's see what's happening down at Haggis with Kelts G Damien Roden here mate How Kelts going Yeah oh okay yep oh nice work Yeah good to hear mate Catch up next year at TPF Alright mate I let them all know Trevor, cue the intro, we're ready to rock and roll. G'day poor men and you the listeners, I'm back for another crack at the big time on the Poor Man's Pinball Podcast. Fuck, that's hard to say after a couple of beers. Trevor had to edit out the first six attempts. It's the middle of our winter and it's fucking cold down here. At the moment, a bone-chilling 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Freeze the nuts off the Sydney Harbour Bridge. News around Australia, we seem to be in a holding pattern. Turtles is cruising across the Pacific Ocean as we speak. By my rough calculations, they're just going past Hawaii and still a month away. and pinball tournaments are still off limits at this point. I spoke to Damien from Haggis Pinball this afternoon regarding Celts and he's just finalised the last piece of the game, the lockdown bar, and some final artwork details. He informs me that a promo video for the official launch of the production model is in the making so keep an eye out for that in the next few weeks Ian and Drew I strongly recommend you get Damien on for a chat His story is what Australians are made of not afraid to jump in the deep end and have a red hot go I take my hat off to the bloke for what he has achieved in such a short time. I first met Damien in Texas at TPF in 2019 and he was his long-haired Aussie battler desperately trying to install pinball mechs out of a suitcase onto a blank playfield. And then six months later in Chicago at Expo, I see the complete game. Unbelievable effort in such a short time span. So good luck to Damien and Georgia at Haggis with Kelts. My media playfield finally arrived unscathed. Big thanks to Zach at Flip N Out Pinball for sending that over. I thought that was firewood on some street corner for sure. Meanwhile, the fucking Circus Voltaire, the curse of my pinball life, this is the last Bally Williams rebuild I'd do. I thought I'd put some extra shiny blingy into the finished game. I bought some mirror polished rails and was going to get the new lockdown bar polished to match just because I could. Well what a fucking mistake that turned out to be Halfway through removing the first side rail gently cutting the 20 double tape away and levering it off the outer layer of plywood ripped away from the cabinet. I stood there in disbelief, poor man. Why, why, why? All I could hear was my late father saying, doesn't matter what I give you, son, you always have to fuck it up. So a phone call down to Mr Pinball for another set of cabinet decals, full strip down to the cabinet again, and back to the woodshop we go. Will this ever end? And that's the state of the nation down here, plenty to do but not much happening. Ian and Drew and you the listeners, have a great week, and we'll see what happens this week. Now Trevor, I've recorded this three fucking times now, save it as an MPEG file, I'm freezing my arse off, and make sure you let the boys know that the Dr John bit at the beginning was a stitch up and we yacked for over half an hour and are mates. I don't want another Canada debacle. _(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: f94d2270-1420-43c0-913f-6e9dd25e6519*