Kirby Pinball Machine

For my project, I decided that I wanted to create a mini pinball machine out of wood. I got this idea because Mr. D said that there was an old one in the fablab that didn't work anymore and I wanted to try and create a new one. I started off by creating a basic sketch in one note for what I wanted my design to look like. 

My next step after that was to attempt to try and build out the bumpers. I took my inspiration for the bumpers from a video I found on youtube when looking up my basic design for the pinball machine. The flippers involve a piece of wood pushing the underside of the flippers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQzgEH0oOAE&t=480 (3:30-8:00).

After having a go at the flippers, I went back to Mr. D and showed him my design and sketch. His first idea was to change the pinball machine to a size of 24inx18in as to fill the entire piece of wood. The new design is pictured below:

My next step after creating the new design was to begin the construction process. I started out by pronging out most of the stationary obstacles and the ones that I didn't want to have any bounce to them. These included the 5 circles in the middle, the triangles on the outside, the ball release shaft, and the curved piece in the top left. I did this and made them the correct height by printing out three or four versions of what I wanted on 1/4in wood and sticking it together with wood glue. 

After that, I was tasked with creating what I had originally planned to be rectangular shapes with rubber bands around them to be bouncy, like a pinball machine. Unfourtionaly, after I had tried to create these rectangles and create the bounce with rubber bands around them, it didn't give the bounce I wanted. I decided to make some pegs that were about an inch tall and put a rubber band around them but my problem is that they keep breaking. I will try some other solutions. I also decided to create the legs for the pinball machine so I could keep it elevated. I decided to go with the angle of 10 degrees which is only a little more than what an official pinball machine is. 

One of the last things I was able to do when it came to the creation of the pinball machine was creating the flipper system. I sadly ran out of time when it came to creating this but my goal is to finish this up during breaks in the intensive, or during free time next semester. Other things I was not able to finish are the outskirts and the walls of the machine to keep the ball in play, the spring to launch the ball into play, and adding neon lights to the inside to make it look cool. I hope to get these done by the end of the year. This is what it looks like after all my work this semester.