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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    1326

    Marbles Track Machine

    My idea to keep me busy during the upcoming winter is to build a Marbles Track Machine. Never built one before neither have any idea of the tricks involved but that’s the challenge.

    Got some YouTube videos to get intial idea of what’s involved and its amazing of the machines some have built, even one guy made a functioning clock, all with marbles.

    I understand these machines use “switches” to direct the marbles to different paths, elevators to raise the marbles for endless loops and perhaps many more details.

    Anyone knows where I can find more info on these machines?
    Nicolas

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Here is one place to start. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q

    And

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-nU21YgXTg

    And watch the rest of the series.
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    1326

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Wow.....amazing but in my age I dont think I will live long enough to make one

    Thanks
    Nicolas

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    1662

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Anyone knows where I can find more info on these machines?
    No, but YouTube and the comments section is a good place to start searching. Anyone offering help with these contraptions is likely to have videos.

    Elevators will need motors to have any reasonable runtime, or at least I believe a weight driven elevator isn't practical. The more purely mechanical bits the more I like watching but that's personal taste. You could really go to town on the electronic control side of things if that's your interest. That's an area of know-how separate from the machine itself.
    Anyone who says "It only goes together one way" has no imagination.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    1326

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Thanks for your time, I have no problem with the electronics but what I’m after is someone had built one to learn from his experience. Anyway I guess I will learn as I go along
    Nicolas

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    1662

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    I’m after is someone had built one to learn from his experience
    Then go where builders post videos.
    A few minutes on YouTube finds this guy.
    https://www.youtube.com/user/motleymdg/about
    which leads to this
    https://www.rollingballsculpture.com/how-to-make-rbs/
    just one example, I'm not even sure if that's if that's the type of "Marble Track Machine" you seek.
    Anyone who says "It only goes together one way" has no imagination.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    1326

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Thanks for the links. Most of us can build a marble machine but the idea is to make one of interest. In the following link this guy build an amazing machine which uses just kinetic energy to make it go for 24hrs.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNipg3AVCG4
    Nicolas

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    1662

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Yikes, that combination of engineering+imagination can not be taught imo. The elevator/'escapement' (weight energy release) must have taken much trial and error even with the calculations.

    I've added 2 more links for your amusement. Good luck with your project.
    507 Mechanical Movements
    A regular contributor on GrabCad:
    https://grabcad.com/library/a-questi...e-wooden-toy-1
    Anyone who says "It only goes together one way" has no imagination.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    1326

    Re: Marbles Track Machine

    Thanks for the links, very interesting
    Nicolas

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