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. Today with me I have a special guest, fellow EM commiserator Ryan Claytor, who is a well-known pinball illustrator. He also runs Elephant Eater Comics and is working on refurbing a Williams Swinger in order to do a re-theme. How are you doing today, Ryan? Doing great. How are you, Nick? I'm doing well. Can't complain. Thanks for having me on. Thanks for talking to me. So how is Swinger going? Swinger's coming along. This is my first EM fix-it foray. I am very much an artist. I am not a tech and tech stuff frightens me. Every step of the way there's been a new thing for me to be frightened about, but everything I get scared about, I learn something new and feel more confident about doing this stuff. And that's been in large part to you. So thank you for your help. This project wouldn't be as near to completion Koppanmidaldatein. Ambilogy — I'm at least one podcast listener who has listened to every one of your tech episodes. Well that's good, that's good. I'm glad I'm not boring everyone to death. There is one person. So what's been the most interesting thing to work on so far? Well I'm pretty much finished with the backbox now You've been coaching me through very methodically and moving from backbox to cabinet to playfield. And we basically went through all the score Reels and then each of the different units, the ball count unit, all the different units in the backbox. And so I guess it's just getting a better understanding of what each thing does rather than looking in the backbox and I see a guy smoking and it's just a rat's nest of confusion and wires and Max and I highlighted and just in case anyone's interested in keeping up a inside thread about my restoration and in one of the posts I mentioned that, you know, I can sort of look in the backbox now and compartmentalize things like here are the score Reels and here are the player units. And here are the different things I've worked The I think I view things in a more informed way after working on them and it's interesting to look back just a couple months ago when Looking in the backbox was this fog of confusion and now it's it's not so that's really empowering That's that's the thing about EM repair it it starts to install iovo on itself and then eventually wind up with the a working machine that you understand inside now which is almost imposs Dale's a for any solid state there are if you who understands all the logic involved and how information is passed from chip to chip, but it's a lot more difficult to do that on a solid state than it is on any and Canadian Cardramento, The I feel like that's sort of the Roadmap for why and how things work and I don't understand that yet But I've done a little bit of reading on like what different symbols mean. I just don't really understand how to trace them or Figure out what they're telling me yet. So I'm sure that'll be you know coming up soon That's right First finish cleaning and then it's on to troubleshooting. But yeah, so any chance that schematic symbols will work their way into your illustrations? Not in this re-theme but maybe. I guess it depends on the project. Yeah, we'll have to see. That would be cool. It'll take the right client. Well, Swinger, as I have mentioned to you, is an interesting EM to start with because it's in the later era. And so there are many, many units. As you yourself mentioned at the beginning, you know, you want to tackle this one because there's so much to do on the game. There's an up post, there's a... is there a ball return gate on that one? Yeah, there's a kickback and a ball return gate and a swinging target and up post. There's a lot of stuff going on on this EM. That's one of the reasons I've searched for it specifically is because it had so much going on. You'll find with complexity comes difficulty in troubleshooting sometimes. So it'll provide engaging gameplay but at the cost of hitting a wall of understanding quicker. The Frightening That's what I'm here for is to scare you away No, it'll be fine So you've been following along with all the bingo talk Yes, yes, definitely. Are they of any interest to you? Yeah, you know I think I was The pinball podcast is sort of the mindset of many pinball folks when I first heard about them. Like, oh, there's a bunch of holes in the playfield and how can this be of any strategy or interest? I mean, you're just sort of tossing a ball and hoping for the best, right? But, you know, it's pretty apparent after listening to your podcast. And I think the first, um, uh, my first introduction to you was through the pinball podcast. The Korean Download Spijuana and eat live Crapman, Franchi anf pencil app voice actor Adam player Calling what happened here Cuomoほ소� scare be ход xzie the usb� studios too viene lihat da vinkieasi okumi o remember saliva papAN language! So I've heard before that the East Coast, it's a lot easier to find them, but I guess I'm seeing evidence of that. It's so weird because we are, as you say, lousy with pinball machines over here. But not a lot of bingos. It's strange. The You know half of me wants to go You know post around the Michigan forums and just see if anybody has any not even to sell but just to try out and The other half of me thinks man if I do that then I'll probably just be raising the price and interest myself over in this neck of the woods Just like with anything with the bingo, it's best to keep it in in the back room, you know secret So what the most interesting or appealing thing that you heard about them About bingo specifically I think just I guess it would be a combination of things really I mean one Xy Happy Angel for 100 days Question for Junshua Timura Kasapaci Al différentliamo Birthday, account Shawndolekry tr code On Swinger, are you interested in tackling or refurbishing or shopping your Jubilee once this is finished? You know there are a lot of things already that I'm seeing on my Jubilee after working on Swinger that I think, oh that could definitely be cleaned up or this could work a little better, I could tweak this. Comment, No Comment, Report, AssJrd,glitch, Comment,Nuks dejjed webinar, The getting the chime box to I'm sure there's a plenty of things I have to be learned yet that after I do it on swinger I'll think I need to do that on Jubilee You'll be there before you know well I want to talk a bit as well about your illustration work when is pinball at the zoo Pinball at the zoo happens at the end of April every year. And for the past two years? Yeah. You've done an excellent t-shirt for them and it's also a poster and what all do you start set out to make I guess when you get one of those projects? For Pinball at the Zoo, first and foremost, it's a t-shirt. And based on interest, which there has been a good amount of interest over the past couple years, the place I have print these shirts is a screen printer and they're really savvy with printing like limited run concert posters, you know, screen printing. And they just do an wasn't We'll see what comes about for that. Excellent, excellent. I highly encourage everyone to go check out Ryan's site which is elephanteater.com and there's a variety of pinball and non-pinball related illustrations on the site. Yeah, I do a series of autobiographical comics and that's sort of my first area of Interest and expertise but I got bit by the pinball bug pretty hard a couple years, few years back and the two interests have just sort of naturally merged so I've been doing a fair amount of pinball artwork recently. I've got, you know, the next Papa World Championshipships. I've just illustrated their t-shirt for Papa 19. And there's this pinball podcast guy that I just did something for too. You don't say. Shall we talk about this? Let's do it. Right. So, yeah, Nick approached me and, you know, this is Playingingόσ too much hard work to make perder GORDON But the official and pinball showcase weekend or so ago and so I had the original artwork there and mentioned it to a couple people so got the chance to talk up your show. But anyway, Nick approached me about doing a t-shirt design for amusement only and being a long time which means what two, three months now? Less than that. I'm a 75 episode listener. I was really excited to work with you and come up with something. And Nick gave me a very long leash. He basically said, you know, I don't have an eye for art, but I like what you do. So can you show me something and, you know, drew up some pencils and we went through a few revisions and I'm personally super happy with where this has ended up. We had The no several revisions throughout the process, but I think we arrived at something really fantastic I'd have to agree Yeah, I'm can't wait to Start wearing these things so how do we do that? So I think what we decided is starting on this episode we're gonna do a two week pre-order and if we're able to coursive Fernanıziende65026822891 Everyone atvakrnhfagtысosn estoy лучшеd 사람이 offset unto mhcme That's a good way to finish off. Noice or violencevolle 녱 The English and Italian Reactude prohibide feedbacks, бум mittens solus, mu 싸ROSIE t voir The end of May and I think this is going to air mid June on your hundredth episode, right? Correct. So the Tuesday following this have a lovely weekend and keep in mind there is also more provided in this whoops shabbad внутри now can you go stick these to your cats witnesses no time is up, singing and living in my hauts keep more please, keep the weird little fingers, keep the clothes and little things on your the front Yo was boiled until my face Craig while racing at a drinks' full spinning and his back card still air inflammation Davis was another moving a charger I loveелюas Revolutionary You rather never aquiwill not at the wedding party not as likely even by any chance to jacket I'd remember when you doéqu shin whip grapes John Papadiuk, Black Water, person's name or role at Stern PinballISTINCT Funıktlog or can blackатов牛 hmmة I just taking down Steve and VicCamp and all your past Oh yeah I be letting them know So yeah that incredibly exciting for me I mean I always dreaded making a logo or designing something like that for the show because first of all obviously I spread myself way too thin Secondly I have no artistic talent whatsoever So it was just a dream to collaborate with you so I appreciate it very much Well, thanks, Nick. I appreciate that. And it was super fun for me to do, too, because like I said, you gave me an incredibly long leash, and that's always really exciting for an artist when you work with a client and they just say, I like what you do. Make that happen. I try to be easy but can't always guarantee. Well, I did want to talk with you and I had completely forgotten about the VFW. So, you had posted on the pin side about your experience there and kind of some photos of some of the machines. But I thought I'd open the forum here and we could chat about that. Yeah, yeah. I think I mentioned in my write-up that if there is a larger, wider-ranging, better kept selection of pinball machines anywhere, I haven't seen it. I've been to the Pinball Hall of Fame, I've been to people's houses who have 80 plus machine collections and it's just unparalleled. I haven't seen anything like it before. It's from wood rails to early solid states to DMDs to completely modern games. They've got everything. It's over 250 machine collections. Joshua Clay Harrell sent out an email after the weekend The end of the weekend they had 258 machines up and running and at the end of the weekend they had 258 machines up and running. The staff that works there was just so on the ball. I was exhibiting my work behind the bar. It's an old VFW hall so they have a bar set up and an old kitchen and the kitchen is now a repair room where he's got all the parts he could possibly need. you need. So, if there's a problem, people are roaming the aisles the entire show to fix it. If it's a probblem you can't fix in the Isles, he's got Dahle that they pull the machine into the former kitchen. Now fix-it room. Fix it up, put it back onsite, and it's just a very well oiled machine. The whole, the whole place. So, it was a pleasure to be there, also a little difficult because I was I was chained to my table for the whole time selling my stuff and gazing over this amazing collection. So every once in a while I'd turn myself loose and go play some games. But yeah, it's a pretty amazing place. So any standout games for you? I got to play Transporter the Rescue for the first time. I had never seen that before. I also played a couple EM's which really tickled my fancy. There's a Pinny Pitch which you mentioned on your podcast around what episode late 60s early 70s and it's so simple but so fun. It's this really great competitive game that has a back glass with lighted animation and basically you spin this wheel and based on how quickly The pinball will be pitched further or less far and you're trying to get it to a very particular spot. So this wheel that you spin, it only registers your first spin on this thing. So if you mess up and spin it not very fast, you can't start whipping the wheel to make it go faster. It only understands that first spin of the wheel. So you have to have your bearings 4. says . I think it would still be very challenging to master that game even in a home setting because the, what would you call it, whether you throw it hard or soft is a very narrow margin between them and consequently I think it would be great to play with guests too. So I know they make a penny pitch and a ringer which is like the same thing but horseshoes instead of a penny and there's one more I looked up on play site which is essentially the same game We're not going to be doing a full review of every single game this year, we're going to be looking at the notes. So, if you have a question that you're interested in, you can ask that in the comments area, and we'll be able to answer them. Join us next week for another episode of Pinball Perspective. We'll be back next week with a new episode of Pinball Perspective. We'll be back next week with a new episode of Pinball Perspective. We'll be back next week with a new episode of Pinball Perspective. I'm going to be talking about Pinball Perspective and something else that you throw. Darts, I think. That's right, that's right, the dart game. So, that was a standout game for me. I always love playing that, even though it's not a pinball machine. The So you basically have two balls and you toss each of them down? and there's 12 holes and the number one through six two times over 12 holes and It's basically like rolling dice like you're trying to get Depending upon the mode under seven or over seven You can't play the game without the pinball. And if you do that, you get more points. And if you get exactly seven, then you get even more points. So it's a really fun game, again, to compete with as all the backglasses tell you. And it's also got a really interesting way to control the ball even after you roll it down. There's these back portions that kind of pulse and they have these sort of rubbery play Pronounce! Min stressed fully standard rég chief但是 why how As I mentioned, I think in one of my podcasts, I don't imagine that that was a very popular feature. I hear all of Vic's shenanigans about pushing cans against the wall and cigarette ashes in there. I would think the players would want more control than a button push. Exactly. Little too random when the machine is shaking itself. The So, um any standout wood rails or anything else that you got to try Yeah, I they've got a mermaid there, which is very rare and great condition It's got a really cool backbox animation in there where the there's a guy in a boat fishing and You know mermaid pops up out of the water eliminating Kne greater quality art, more accessories for simpleback pinball plusieurs pull cuts prettier tableware thrive attract more pie notgus h twinpart and nuts even in black advocacy and At Kivolas divorcedacia invoirgeneruni a and it's got these spinning discs on the playfield and I love it it's this great randomizing element and you know fireballs got it and you know she before that had it Chicago coin game that has it there's just a lot of inspiration from old games in pinball that's neat to find that out once you start dabbling in them I highly agree yep the The I think I've mentioned this before but everything kind of builds on something that happened previously so There are very few unique mechanisms that come out today It's all you know pretty much been done in one form or another like for example the controlled slings on WWE That's also another wood rail trick. All right. Oh, yeah The Controlled magnets like Magna Save, that's a wood rail trick. Yep, just all kinds of really interesting stuff has been around for years and then forgotten and then picked up later on. It's kind of cool. Do you remember the titles of the Controlled Slings or the MagnaSave wood rails? So a lot of the controlled sling stuff would be ballet games I don remember titles but the MagnaSave one I was just doing research for my United versus ballet kind of overview and that came up it was a united title uh don remember the name of that one either thanks for calling me out Ryan, I appreciate it You didn't know I was going to be interviewing you, huh? I know uh... but yeah it's it's it's pretty neat and uh... Also, schematics kinda build on each other, you know, up to a point. So, I've mentioned before, talking about schematics, but once you learn how to read one, you kinda know how to read all of them. They just have minor differences in how switches are represented or where the lamps are versus coils, but it's all very similar. Once you get into the solid state era, most of that goes away.folio 튀찮 archives,ạn There you go. I just have to take my word on it. But speaking of solid state, you've started doing your own board work as I understand. Oh yeah. So you're opening up your own board work shop. Is that right? Oh yeah. Giving Rob Anthony a run for his money. Yeah. I'll make a t-shirt for him and then I compete with him. No, definitely not. The man never hold a candle to him and board work so yeah you convinced me somehow that i can change components so i'm trying that and we'll see how successful i am you can do that too it's just uh... not very there's a lot of solder on the board right now It'll clean up, it'll clean up. But yeah, as you can see, you know, working on that versus an EM, you typically have a lot more surface area to work with on any EM unit. Yeah, it's making me appreciate EM work a lot more. When I saw how close those traces were, those wires were on the board, I thought, well, these should probably be separate, but maybe because they're so close, Tyndall Thompson and Jens Look at the plus side. You're getting all these tools. You'll be in good shape no matter what comes down the road. At the very least, I can make all my friends jealous that I have these tools, right? Whether or not I can use them is another thing. You can leave that part out. So, what's been the most interesting unit to work on on Swinger so far? What's your favorite piece? Um... Either from ease of cleaning or inspection or just complexity and uniqueness. I guess right now I'd probably have to say the score Reels just because for me as a very visual person, that's pretty gratifying to be able to see something that's clean when you're done with it and looks like it should work. I'll figure out if it works later, but... The But yeah, they were just you know, I I got this machine that was literally days away from the dump and So consequently it was pretty dirty and Man, those score Reels cleaned up really nicely Ask you all the parts to you. I mean, there's some nylon parts in there that were black and now they are white so Yeah, I think that also has to do with the fact that I did nine of them and so I was getting pretty comfortable with them after a while. You know, when I first started I was taking copious pictures and worrying whether or not I could ever put this thing back together and at the end I needed zero pictures and was just disassembling them like a boss, you know. It was a lot of fun at the end and now I'm back to worrying again. Can I put this back together now that I'm doing new units? The You're starting to get into the unique units for the machine, you know the Things that control gameplay and and so forth, but you're not quite there yet But yes, it's always interesting to see someone new come in and give it a go and as I say, I mean you've been a really attentive student and and it's gratifying to me to see your progress as well because I had assumed incorrectly that you had refurbed a couple of solid state machines and just hadn't gotten your hands into an EM yet but that was a completely incorrect assumption apparently. Like I said, I'm very much an artist and very much not a tech. The tech stuff I've done has been, you know, a bulb came loose in my Demolition Man and I re-soldered it back into place. And I don't know, maybe I did a flipper rebuild or something. But the restoration stuff that is really gratifying to me is like I restore the top around my whirlwind, which has nothing to do with technical stuff. But that was really fun. I, you know, repainted new pop bumper caps for my and you know color match them perfectly and that was really gratifying meticulous and ridiculously time-consuming but really fun so like that kind of stuff I'm comfortable with but when it comes to getting into the mechanics of things I have no knowledge about that but I'm starting to get some knowledge after going through swinger so it's been it's been really like I said a gratifying process of 368,4138 toizada tagalogic noche, So, um, well, do you see any other EM projects on the horizon? You know, this has definitely opened my eyes to the potential for something like that. I hope to one day, but I also really want to focus on the project at hand. I have a tendency to get interested in many things and I'm trying to rein myself in before I think it would be really fun to find another project game to fix up, maybe another re-theme or maybe something like a gun game. I love gun games. Or maybe something like a penny pitch or something like that. Yeah, those are all kind of on my horizon once I can get the wife on board. I'm hoping that with this project occupying a lot of my time and not buying any new stuff that maybe that'll buy me some leeway. That sounds good. Well, thank you very much for joining me and thank you very much for designing the t-shirt. I think it looks fantastic and I can't wait to see them on Every human on planet earth here. It was my pleasure man. It's been a pleasure working with you. Same here. Well great chatting with you Nick. Thanks so much for having me on here. I want to thank my guest Ryan Claytor for joining me and Ryan, I actually pronounced your name correctly this time. To purchase a For Amusement Only T-shirt, you can visit our website foramusementonly.libsyn.com or you can visit Ryan's website elephanteater.com and I highly suggest that you do. He has some very good pinball related illustrations including some ongoing projects like the P3 platform. So thank you very much for joining me. My name again is Nicholas Baldridge. You can reach me at 4amusementonlypodcast at gmail.com. And you can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on our website which is 4amusementonly.libsyn.com. Again, our t-shirts will be available on there as well. Thank you.