Dirty Pool Podcast Ep07 – Davey of Stumblor Mods / The Art of The Pinball Modding

Davey from Stumblor joins Dirty Pool to discuss how one of the most respected names in pinball modding became a quiet powerhouse.

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Known for high-end, limited-run mods for machines like Godzilla, Jaws, and Elton John, Stumblor has built a reputation for precision engineering, lighting effects that don’t feel like an afterthought, and an aesthetic that leans more toward sculptural design than simple add-ons.

We talk through his full creative process—from initial idea to final shipment—and cover topics like what makes a game “worth modding,” and why some projects never make it out of the prototype phase. Davey also discusses community feedback, and testing challenges. Also included: the origin of the name "Stumblor!"

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:01 - Oops

00:00:07 - Actual Opening

00:00:18 - Davey / Stumblor Mods!

00:02:30 - Are Mod Makers Making Manufacturers Leave Out Components?

00:05:51 - The First Mod... Creature.

00:11:12 - Godzilla.

00:12:58 - The First Pinside Post That Launched Stumblor.

00:16:58 - Stumblor Website Breaks My Audio

00:20:00 - Where The Ideas For Mods Come From

00:20:52 - Elton John Sign

00:25:02 - Where Are You From?

00:26:41- Pin2DMD

00:29:21- PinMAME

00:32:00 - Stumblor Homebrew?

00:35:45 - Customer Emails / Customer Service

00:36:40 - The Customer Is Not Always Right

00:39:40- Tinkering Is Part Of Pinball

00:40:59 - @teppinball Plug and Upcoming Kong Mod / The Process

00:45:36 - Mod Making Is Art and Mechanical

00:48:51- Talking Materials

00:52:41- How to update Stumblor Mods to the new App

00:54:34 - Relationship With @dutchpinball

00:55:45 - What Deeproot Was...

01:01:20 - Manufacturers Not Collaborating With Mod Makers

01:06:46 - Dutch Pinball's Alice

01:08:14 - The Pinwalk and @InBeforetheLock

01:09:00 - How To Get Ahold of @stumblor

01:09:30 - The Raven Joke...

01:12:56 - TNA will take you to town.

01:16:20 - BTTF...

01:18:00 - Evil Dead @SpookyPinball 's Best Game

01:22:30 - 90's Pinball Style

01:23:48 - Where did the name Stumblor come from?? (Of course it's the Simpsons.)

01:27:20 - Next Stumblor Mod? ... Jurassic Park

01:29:20 - Tour of the workshop (Davey's Muted Adventure)

01:29:51- I Poorly Try To Fill In

01:30:46- DAAAVEEEEEEYYY

01:30:57- Schwarzenegger Tour

01:31:20 - Explaining Whats Going On For The Audio Only Podcast Peeps.

01:33:57 - Davey Returns

01:36:20 - Pin2DMD Oversized Mod For Classics

01:39:00 - Logistics for Assembly

01:45:23 - Pinball Is About Memories

01:47:10 - Raid / Outro

01:47:55 - BYE!

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