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This Instructable is for building a marble track around the outside of a room.
This track is built mostly from wood and uses 1-inch glass marbles. There are two lifting devices used to bring the marbles to the top of the track and keep them moving around the room. The lifting devices are run with battery packs with AA batteries and small DC gear motors.
This Instructable is meant to give someone the general ideas for building this type of marble run, but will not go into the detail to build this exact layout.
I built this for my youngest son and it runs around his bedroom. I love building fun things like this for my kids and seeing their excitement as everything comes together.
This track is built mostly from wood and uses 1-inch glass marbles. There are two lifting devices used to bring the marbles to the top of the track and keep them moving around the room. The lifting devices are run with battery packs with AA batteries and small DC gear motors.
This Instructable is meant to give someone the general ideas for building this type of marble run, but will not go into the detail to build this exact layout.
I built this for my youngest son and it runs around his bedroom. I love building fun things like this for my kids and seeing their excitement as everything comes together.
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Signing UpStep 1Tools and Materials You May Need
Materials
The materials and tools you need depends on the type of track you decide to build.
The marbles for this project were purchased from MegaGlass. They are 25mm diameter (about 1-inch) in diameter and were purchased in a bulk bag of 125 count. The price was around $40 at the time of purchase.
Link to marble supplier MegaGlass.com.
The gear motors I used were purchased cheaply off Ebay. I was able to get 4 motors for $18.00. I only used two of the motors for the project.
All of the wood I used for the project was material I already had on hand. If I had to estimate, I would say the cost of the wood materials was around $70.
The battery packs that both marble lifters use were purchased at Radio Shack for $2.50 each.
Both lifting devices use several 1/4-inch inner diameter x 5/8-inch outer diameter bearings. These were purchased on Ebay for $10.00.
All wood pieces were finished with MinWax water based Polycrylic in a clear satin finish. This stuff dries amazingly fast if you haven't used it before. Most of the track parts were spray finished. The spray makes it much easier to apply a finish to the odd shaped pieces.
A quart of this in a can cost me $16.57.
I used 4 cans of spray for about $9.00 per can.
The screws used to attached all of the pieces to the walls were #8 by 2-1/2 inch long. They were purchased at a local home improvement store for $3.50 for the bag.
The spring clamps used to clamp the track pieces were also purchased at a local home improvement store for about $30.
Tools
The tools I used on the project were as follows:
- table saw
- band saw
- oscillating spindle and belt sander
- drill press
- cordless drill
- sanding block
- stud finder
- screwdrivers and wrenches
NOTE: If you plan on using any tool for a project please make sure you are familiar with the tool and all of the dangers associated with it. If you are not familiar with a tool then you should ask someone who is to show you the proper way to use it. A lot of communities have classes at local colleges on the proper use of tools and machinery. There are also local woodworking clubs that offer classes at very reasonable rates for beginners. I highly recommend using these resources for your safety and for the most efficient use of the tool.
The materials and tools you need depends on the type of track you decide to build.
The marbles for this project were purchased from MegaGlass. They are 25mm diameter (about 1-inch) in diameter and were purchased in a bulk bag of 125 count. The price was around $40 at the time of purchase.
Link to marble supplier MegaGlass.com.
The gear motors I used were purchased cheaply off Ebay. I was able to get 4 motors for $18.00. I only used two of the motors for the project.
All of the wood I used for the project was material I already had on hand. If I had to estimate, I would say the cost of the wood materials was around $70.
The battery packs that both marble lifters use were purchased at Radio Shack for $2.50 each.
Both lifting devices use several 1/4-inch inner diameter x 5/8-inch outer diameter bearings. These were purchased on Ebay for $10.00.
All wood pieces were finished with MinWax water based Polycrylic in a clear satin finish. This stuff dries amazingly fast if you haven't used it before. Most of the track parts were spray finished. The spray makes it much easier to apply a finish to the odd shaped pieces.
A quart of this in a can cost me $16.57.
I used 4 cans of spray for about $9.00 per can.
The screws used to attached all of the pieces to the walls were #8 by 2-1/2 inch long. They were purchased at a local home improvement store for $3.50 for the bag.
The spring clamps used to clamp the track pieces were also purchased at a local home improvement store for about $30.
Tools
The tools I used on the project were as follows:
- table saw
- band saw
- oscillating spindle and belt sander
- drill press
- cordless drill
- sanding block
- stud finder
- screwdrivers and wrenches
NOTE: If you plan on using any tool for a project please make sure you are familiar with the tool and all of the dangers associated with it. If you are not familiar with a tool then you should ask someone who is to show you the proper way to use it. A lot of communities have classes at local colleges on the proper use of tools and machinery. There are also local woodworking clubs that offer classes at very reasonable rates for beginners. I highly recommend using these resources for your safety and for the most efficient use of the tool.
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The dipped track pieces are created by gluing two pieces of 1/8-inch baltic birch plywood in the shape of the dip. Once the glue sets the sides are sanded and then the side rails glued in place like the flat pieces of track..
I had trouble keeping the separation between the tracks for the marble to go underneath. I ended up adding a small piece of wood to hold the upper and lower sections of track apart.
Can you make an instructable for making this marble machine on this page?
(the smaller one)
Did you use a template for the big circle and other wheel parts? Could you post a few shots of those?
Okay, I'm asking a lot, sorry about that! But this is really neat! I spent way too much money once on ebay buying SpaceWarp kits but never did get around to building the track-around-the-house! This looks good enough that my wife might actually let me do it!
Thanks for the awesome instructable!
I used a piece of wood for a template for one of the spokes of the wheel. I rotated that piece and traced it to the other spoke locations. I then cur both wheels out at the same time so they would match. Unfortunately I don't have the template piece anymore.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you in getting your wife to let you build one of these.
Thanks for the kind words.
5 stars, favorite, and you'll have my vote!
Link to marble supplier MegaGlass.com:
http://www.megaglass.com/c/toy-playing-marbles.html
Kinetic Sculpture