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Science of Pinball

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Check out our unique spin on the Science behind Pinball with our exhibit building know-how creating one of a kind interactive exhibits and custom Pinball Machines.

The Pinbowl Chaos Generator examines how a number of variables affects chaotic behavior. The number of balls(variables) introduced into the bowl(equation) produces different outcome. Besides the math, the pinbowl has 4 bumpers, red, green and blue neon rings that light when a ball triggers the matching colored bumper. The total effect is a continuous cacophony of light, sound and motion as the balls interact with each other and their environment.

Bill Nye, the Science Guy plays a game on the Museum's Visible Pinball Machine.

Bill Nye with Museum Director Michael Schiess in front of Michael's first clear pinball.

Stay tuned for upcoming info on our Science of Pinball program as it develops.

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The Visible Pinball Machine

It’s pinball…but transparent!

Come see the Visible Pinball Machine at the Pacific Pinball Museum.

This project started as most do; out of necessity. I was teaching classes in Interactive Kinetic Art (pinball) and I had a need to show students what was happening inside the machine while it was running. It was difficult to prop the playfield up and trigger various switches on the playfield to simulate play. I first thought a clear window on the side would be nice but it seemed so “hacked” I then thought of making a clear playfield and then the idea of a totally see through machine hit me. That way you could see the mechanical board and the scoring in the head.

Since the playfield was the hardest and key part, I started with that. Enter Wade Krause, someone I had met at some of the pin shows who was reproducing from scratch vintage pinball playfields. He was very enthusiastic and was the key to getting an accurate copy of the pin. A Gottlieb “Surf Champ” was chosen because it had almost every feature you could want on a 70’s Electro Mechanical Pin; Spinner, Bumper, Drop Targets, Rollovers, Slingshots, Kickout Hole, Bonus, Extra Ball and Specials. In addition to that, it is a very fun and challenging game with nice graphics and theme. Wade meticulously plotted every hole, screw and shape on both sides of a stripped playfield and entered the data into CAD. He also scanned the artwork so we could re-print it on the finished product.

Helmut Jordt supplied the 1/2″ plastic and I then took it to Nathaniel Taylor of Radio Robot in Oakland for the routing. A test cut was done on plywood, and after corrections were made, the first plastic playfield was cut. I stuffed it on both sides and put it back into the machine. It played perfectly after a few bugs were fixed.

Now the cabinet and head; I contacted long-time friend and Exploratorium exhibit designer Dick Falkard. We measured out the cabinet and head and Dick drew it up in CAD. My brother, Christian Schiess assisted me in assembling all the cabinet pieces after they were cut. Meanwhile, Nathaniel did final versions of the playfield and Wade Krause screened the original black outline art after I stuffed the inserts in. After the head was dissected, the inner panels were sent to wade for digitizing and a router program was made.

We have spent more than a year from inception to creation of the Visible Pinball and we hope it will stimulate an interest in Science, Electricity, Physics, Math and Art. We have many more exhibits on the planning board packaging them into groups for lease/sale to other museums around the world. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!