8 Ball Machine 🎱

This machine is the final form in the evolution of the billiard ball chain. It's a chain reaction that builds a billiard ball chain as it goes, and ends by reacting the entire table-sized billiard ball chain that weaves in and out and around the machine that surrounds it.
Support me on Patreon! / jackofallspades98
LINKS:
8 Ball Machine - Extras: • 8 Ball Machine - Extras
Making Connections episode: • Episode 9: 8 Ball Mach...
I never planned to build a machine during my stay in Brooklyn, but when my field study got cut short because of COVID-19, and I still had 3 months left at my Airbnb, I figured I should make the most of my time and build a machine premise that I was excited about. I was inspired by the community's recent excitement around billiard ball chains over the past few years, so I feel like now is the perfect time to take the concept to the extreme.
I knew very early on, before I even glued anything to the table, that this machine would be stylistically different than anything I've tried before. (I'm realizing that deviating from my "normal style" in some way is actually the norm for me...) I challenged myself to follow 3 rules as strictly as possible, each of which was something I had never really tried before. These rules made me take unusual approaches to the problems I faced, which results in the aesthetic and tonal departure from my traditional machine style. The rules are written below, but for more detail and explanation, watch the Extras video! (linked above)
Rule 1: Each billiard ball has its own discrete section, and those sections never cross over the main billiard ball chain path.
Rule 2: Each trick should be more or less "self-powered," requiring as few external connections (other balls on tracks, string pulls, lever releases) as possible.
Rule 3: No weights can fall off the table, including the traditional "domino & string" connection
MACHINE STATS:
Time taken to build: 3 months
Number of fails: 165
Time: 1:16
Favorite tricks: Jacob's ladder zigzag boards (Striped Yellow), Falling tube/sliding track (Solid Orange), Rubber band & Kapla tracks (Solid Blue)
Most fails: Jacob's ladder zigzag boards (Striped Yellow) - 55 fails - but mostly because it's early in the machine; the trick was actually extremely reliable
Most unreliable: Rolling disc (Striped Purple)
Most frustrating: Elevator & sliding cart (Striped Green) This trick was inconsistent and required constant calibration, it was incredibly tough to diagnose (I could never tell exactly WHY it was failing, or behaving differently than usual), it was so much more work to build than I expected, it was fragile and broke into pieces twice, and it was pretty unreliable. (Worth the effort though!)
While testing, I started to develop the hunch that the machine was more likely to fail due to vibrations causing something to go early or due to the balls not staying in their holding cells than it was to fail due to any of the actual tricks not working. I was curious, so I investigated. Here's the breakdown:
168 machine fails in total
-76 fails where the camera doesn't shift focus properly at the beginning, or I accidentally tap the cue ball on one of the "practice" shots before shooting for real (not included in the final fail count)
-23 fails where I mess up the initial pool shot to start the machine
-17 reset fails
-41 holding cell escapes
-19 early vibration triggers
-68 "actual" fails
Turns out I was just about right; 41+19=60 holding cell or vibration fails vs. 65 "actual" fails. And in the process of figuring this out, I did an entire fail analysis, which you can find here: docs.google.co...
MUSIC:
Dalar Coin - Tokens
• Dalar Coin - Tokens
Listen: lnk.to/dalarco...
Follow Dalar Coin:
KZbin: / @dalarcoin6851
SoundCloud: / dalarcoin-official
Instagram: / dalarcoinofficial
Want to hang out with other chain reaction artists and enthusiasts? Join the official Domino & Machine Community Discord server! / discord
I am also interested in commissioned work, such as live events, commercials, or product placements. Contact me via e-mail at [e-mail] if you have any questions.

[@flashdomino]

Everything you were saying about this machine before you released it is SO clear now. I loved seeing your change in style and I think it's become a really good mix of intricate concepts, and a balance of common machine objects and fitting everyday objects. Maybe it could be difficult for some people to see you building like this now, given your style just a couple of years ago, but honestly, I think your style is still there at it's core. Within this machine I can still see mechanisms, and just because you're not primarily using hotwheels track and knex to get there doesn't mean it's a complete "stylistic departure". You've captured the essence of chain reaction art with a new set of objects, and made the machine look more natural without it turning into something too simple. On top of that, you made some nice aesthetic choices as well. I love how the dominoes and blocks in each section match the color of the ball, while not making the ball inconspicuous among the backdrop of similar-colored objects (I'll get more into that later). There's also a really clear contrast between the core ideas using wooden (or elevated) tracks, and the final billiard chain using sticks on the table. The final thing I noticed was that even though there are some tricks that are bigger than others, you made it clear that each trick has equal meaning. Ending each trick the same way was a good technique for making the transition of ideas clear, and gives the machine a nice sense of unity. Then, here's the thing that really makes me love this machine - it really demonstrates the power of staging, and it's the first machine I've seen that really brings this to light. In the mini-golf machine, where some tricks take the focus off the main ball, the "self-powered" aspect here was such a good choice and it makes the machine look so much more elegant and deliberate (not to downplay the mini-golf machine, I just needed an example and I know it excels in other aspects). The main motions and the supporting motions in this machine are super distinct from each other like the jacob's ladder vs its lever system at 0:35, the rolling disc vs the yellow domino at 1:10, or the flipping track vs the gate lift at 1:14. None of the latter motions distract from the former ones and its clear where in the trick we're supposed to look. This is also why the overhead shot works so well in place of the traditional screenlink - the concept of each trick can be easily seen from far away. (I'll add that utilizing gravity on the table, like having balls tip the tracks themselves, helped with staging much more than having an off-table weight do it for them.) And not just in motions, but the objects you used for this machine as well. Nothing of distracting colors, or out-of-place sizes - no objects that draw unnecessary attention just for being those objects. Yet you still included such a wide variety of objects without making anything feel like it shouldn't be there. Deceptive machines can be cool too but this machine obviously centers on clarity, and accomplishes very well what it sets out to accomplish. My favorite trick in the machine may be too close to call, especially since I'll be rewatching this video many times later on. But on first watch, I'd say the rubber band and kapla track is my favorite trick. I wanted to do something with kapla snapping for the Pokemon Feeder, but couldn't figure out how to control it, especially the way you did. The use of kaplas in conjunction with the tape measure is such a neat and clean way to begin the motion (it's also perfect staging, since the trigger isn't too conspicuous to distract from the actual track movements) and the dice is a really subtle way of getting the second track segment to snap after the first. There is nothing that could get in the way of viewing the main motion, on top of it being super eye-catching, and it's the best example of staging in the machine for me right now. I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical during the b-roll, as this machine doesn't have much size (like Kern Center Machine or 6SMIO) or relative density (like Bet-Losing Machine or Vsauce Machine). But this machine really makes up for that and more with its smooth motions and motion priorities, its object choices, and its layout. Your best machine yet! Amazing job!!

[@eliyoutubeacc]

AMAZING! This is so genius!

[@lorennzolictao5019]

I loved how you used billiard balls in your machine! That was awesome!

[@normajeancaballero7959]

🤯🤯🤯Awesome🤯🤯🤯

[@christianmoniot1219]

4 minutes of pleasure

[@alik250]

That was so satisfying

[@yagimmick_system]

awesome your machine👏

[@Taikamuna]

You are a genius

[@eeaahh]

good stuff

[@Hevesh5]

1:02 was my favorite. The pacing and precise landing of not one, but TWO tracks going into place to fill a gap just in time for the billiard ball to roll on it was great. I also like how at 1:24 the billiard balls snake through the entire machine in a specific path. Very satisfying to watch, and even more interesting to make them turn 90 degrees instead of just a linear line. I'm really liking this new machine style you're trying out. Although I still have trouble following things at certain points, I'm not as overwhelmed and completely lost by the density/complexity compared to your older machines. Can't wait to see what more you come up with! And yay you used the vlog background from the airbnb!

[@Flipfinity2]

That was my favorite part too.

[@gianhsu4264]

I mean, amazing

[@TheDominoesBros]

That was INCREDIBLE!

[@NanoDomino1]

So many satisfying movements. Great machine!

[@StickTrickDominoDude]

This was absolutely epic! The first half gave me a really calming feeling which I like in machines and when the line of billiard balls started I was absolutely amazed!

[@DominoERDMANN]

Amazing machine! Really enjoyed watching it 😉

[@kingofdomino0653]

Nice job Lyle!

[@flippycat]

Nice!

[@vber5109]

this channel is so underrated

[@DominoChallenge]

Even if I wrote a huge paragraph, I wouldn't be able to describe the genius of that !

[@BWRGM]

This is incredible, and I truly love just how clean and concise this machine looks. All the actions and tricks just look so smooth yet complex and ugh I love it. 0:26 is such a satisfying start, classic trick where the tracks all fall into place, though with a twist and nice foreign object use. 0:35 is just insane, I don't understand how you can make that motion so smooth. LIKE HOW? This is just an incredible trick and still leaves me dumbfounded lol. The triple use clear tube at 0:44 is a wonderful foreign object trick! Such a cool object too and I love how just everything is so s m o o t h. 1:03 is like a lateral version of 0:35 and is a nice addition to the flow of the machine. Really nice how fast that trick is and no wait time for the tracks to swing into place. 1:08 is just batshit insane, like HOW DOES IT PICK THAT BALL UP WHILE ROTATING? HOW? 1:22 is by far the most satisfying trick in the whole try not to be satisfied machine challenge. The perfect timing of the pulley along with the track on the car flipping at the perfect time for the ball to roll down *chef's kiss* The long billiard chain at the end is just the cherry on top, and made me instantly rewatch the machine to see how all the balls lined up haha. Overall fantastic machine as always and just raises my expectation which you will undeniably be able to shatter for your next video. Can't wait :)

[@BWRGM]

wait since when did youtube have formatting? I didn't even mean to bold that lol

[@isaacplaksin3376]

I really like all the tracks that something goes over it and then the track moves in front to extend the track!

[@goatbeans1121]

Not enough views for the quality of content.

[@KontraptionKids]

Awesome! You've got such an fantastic style. Every Rube Goldberg artist has a different way of doing things, and yours is really satisfying and complex. We can tell that you put a lot of time and effort into your machines! Keep it up!

[@FullPowerDomino]

Insane machine! Really enjoyed watching it!

[@dredonaut5529]

OMG! I can't imagine the time and effort that was put into this.

[@dominoperson5]

THATS INSANE!!!

[@jurjenbos228]

Those"extra rules" you added make this into one of the most interesting machines I've seen. There is an actual storyline, a good choice of materials and a clear use of space. It looks by lack of s better word "finished".

[@LeviDSmith]

So this is what people do while in quarantine

[@jackofallspades98]

it's also what I do while not in quarantine, but yes.

[@gavinreid7442]

Always liked your machines and still do👍

[@nicholas_plaksin]

Looks awesome! Are you going to do more stuff with Joseph’s machines after quarantine?

[@jackofallspades98]

There is no "after quarantine." It isn't just gonna magically end someday. Besides, I'm no longer even in NYC. I'm sure Joseph and I will cross paths again, but for now we don't have any plans for working together again.

[@nicholas_plaksin]

Got it.

[@berlagawesome]

I love this concept so much!! The balls ending up all in the right place at the end and falling in order is absolutely perfect, I'm literally thrilled. I'm gonna spend the last part of my covid isolation watching the making connections episode if it comes out before Monday :))

[@transrightsbaybee]

this rules

[@RadicalReactions99]

Amazing machine!! This is such a smart concept for a video! I love the idea of having a machine build a billiard ball chain for you. I noticed that this machine had a lot of really smooth motions; a lot of the tricks included very satisfying moving and flipping techniques that were so nice to watch. Your machines always have visually pleasing tricks and satisfying motions, but this one really stood out. Here were my favorite parts of the video: 0:30 - Absolutely CRAZY when that thing flipped. SO cool! 0:43 - I love the swift, smooth sliding of the track and the tube. I also really like how the 3 ball goes through it later at 0:52! 1:03 - HOW did you do that?! 1:08 - Super satisfying! I love how the yellow ball gets picked up by the wheel. How did you get it to stick in there? 1:20 - Ingenious. Love this idea! 1:25 - The finale, where it all pays off, and triggers the ball chain feels so satisfying, because the machine's task is finally completed. Overall, this is an amazing machine. I love the beautiful tricks, the genius ideas, and the creative concept. Keep building astounding projects!

[@ieatatsonic]

I love the little finger pointer. Such a charismatic component. I also love the wheel at the back of the table. Very fun mechanism as well.

[@teddytron2000]

Whoa! That was so awesome! Every single trick was completely unexpected and insane! I'm loving your new building style! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around how you're able to think of ideas like these! Also, the ending was super creative! The only thing that would have made it better is if the balls had been in numerical order at the end. Other than that, this video was perfect! Totally worth waiting 3 months for this! Also, now I know what you were talking about in your comment on my last video about how everyone's doing billiards themed videos now. XD

[@jackofallspades98]

I wouldn't say this is my "new building style," although there are definitely things I learned and discovered during this process that I'll carry with me going forward. This machine is particularly segmented, which is definitely the right choice for this premise, but I would likely choose to build a machine with much more overlap between tricks next time. And about the sequence of the balls, I considered putting them in sequential order, but there were three problems. The first is that I wanted each of the holding cells (the module funneling each ball into its position in the chain) and the blocks bracing the curves in the final path to be color-coded to the balls. I was using dominoes and counting blocks for those modules, and I didn't have enough variation in color choices to differentiate red (#3, #11) from maroon (#7, #15). So I would have had to skip the #7 ball entirely. Second problem is that the sequence is 10 balls long, and it has to end with the #8, which would totally break the ordered sequence. Finally, the third reason I couldn't do sequential order is that I wanted an equal number of solid balls and striped balls. What I ended up doing was putting them all in order, taking out the ones I couldn't use (#7, #15), choosing three more to "sacrifice" (#4, #6, #13), then taking one from each end of the line (so that solids and stripes would alternate, and so that #8 could be last). That's how I ended up with the pattern 14, 1, 12, 2, 11, 3, 10, 5, 9, 8.

[@teddytron2000]

@@jackofallspades98 Oh, so THAT'S why you didn't use either of the maroon balls! XD Also, about the "new building style", I was referring mainly to the materials, especially the lack of Hot Wheels tracks. However, when I really think about it, I can definitely see your typical style of building in there, just done with different materials.

[@jackofallspades98]

@@teddytron2000 oh yeah haha Hot Wheels is pretty much gone for good. These new wooden tracks are a huge improvement!

[@TheContraptionKing]

Wow! You might be surprised to hear this, but this is my favorite machine you have built! The machine is clean and easy to follow even though there is intricate mechanisms behind each trick. My favorite trick is easily the zig-zag Jacobs ladder board. The way it flips so seamlessly and is controlled in a tiny space without any huge weights falling off the table is so cool. I also enjoyed the hamster tube trick and the trick at 1:20. Overall the machine feels really colorful and clean. The wooden tracks also make the machine feel really solid opposed to hot wheels tracks that can bend/flex. Also, the whole idea of the machine assembling the billiard chain is really neat and adds a whole extra step to the complexity of the machine. Once again a fantastic video from you. ;) P.S. I really enjoy your BTS videos and I can’t wait for the making connections!

[@MrJ01]

very nice and you have won biliards

[@donlyphans7801]

You've outdone yourself! It would have been amazing without linking all the balls together at the end!! I can only imagine what it'd be like to have such a compact machine with heavy pool balls causing vibrations at every turn!

[@KineticArt-nc8gt]

When I watched this video I realized their was a tape measure on the side of the table table, And then I realized that the tape measure was actually part of the machine.

[@amphioxusanniversary]

*Harold Hill:* And all week long your River City / Youth'll be fritterin' away / I say your young men'll be fritterin'! / Fritterin' away their noontime, suppertime, choretime too! / Get the ball in the pocket / Never mind gettin' dandelions pulled... *River City youth:*

[@TheVarietyGuyTV]

Such a satisfying machine. I really dig the challenges you set up for yourself, and as you mentioned in the extras video, I think it’s really impressive how I didn’t even notice that you weren’t using domino-string or other table edge releases. The Jacobs ladder and the elevator were awesome, and I really like the wheel that picks up the ping pong ball as well. The Kapla tracks were clever too- thinking about this made me realize how well paced this is. The machine just feels like it moves so deliberately and so seamlessly between steps, balancing complex tricks with occasional bursts of action like the Kapla or the Jacobs ladder. Also seems like a machine where nothing would fail very frequently (regardless of the actual stats) which is a testament to what everyone points out about how clean and polished your machines continue to be. Really awesome machine here.

[@tjdomino2787]

I love how all of the balls become a giant table-wide billiard ball chain in the end.

[@chineason]

32.

[@АлександраСтаростина-ч8э]

В домино была китайское буква И

[@theSamsungeditLetterbrand]

1 ball 2 ball 3-ball 4 ball 5 ball 6 ball 7 ball 8 Ball 9 ball 10 ball 11 ball 12 ball 13 ball 14 ball 15 ball 16 ball 18 ball 19 ball 20 ball What is nothing ball Nothing