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Step 4Design your Track Pieces
Design your track pieces for the track materials you are going to use and the size of marbles you plan on using.
Glass marbles tend to vary a great deal in size and smoothness. Marbles that are bigger diameter than the average size are going to roll faster and come off the track easier in curves. Marbles that are smaller diameter than the average size are going to roll a little slower. I recommend using a caliper or a circle tracing template to make sure the marbles you use to design the track and the track elements are consistent in size. Then use these marbles for the track after you complete it. Trust me on this one.
Below is a picture of the track section for this track. Start with a 1/4-inch thick piece of baltic birch plywood that is 3/4-inches wide. Draw the track layout on the piece of wood and then cut it out so it is 3/4-inches wide.
Next you will add the side rails to the track. The sides of the track are 1/8-inch thick baltic birch plywood strips that are 1/2-inch wide. Glue the sides on the center piece one side at a time. You will most likely need a lot of small spring clamps for this operation. The number of clamps you need will depend on the shape and length of the track piece. Luckily these are relatively cheap and easy to find on-line or at home building stores.
Once the glue cures you can remove the clamps and attach the other side.
Once both sides are attached you can again remove the clamps and then sand the bottom of the track smooth.
One note about using 1/8-inch thick baltic birch for the side rails on the track. This section of wood is composed of three plys of wood. If you orient the outside grain of the wood in the up and down direction then you are able to create very tight curves in the track because you are only bending the center ply of wood against the grain. This allows you to get an inside radius on the track as low as a couple inches without having to soften the wood first. I oriented all of the side rails for the track in this direction for uniformity.
Glass marbles tend to vary a great deal in size and smoothness. Marbles that are bigger diameter than the average size are going to roll faster and come off the track easier in curves. Marbles that are smaller diameter than the average size are going to roll a little slower. I recommend using a caliper or a circle tracing template to make sure the marbles you use to design the track and the track elements are consistent in size. Then use these marbles for the track after you complete it. Trust me on this one.
Below is a picture of the track section for this track. Start with a 1/4-inch thick piece of baltic birch plywood that is 3/4-inches wide. Draw the track layout on the piece of wood and then cut it out so it is 3/4-inches wide.
Next you will add the side rails to the track. The sides of the track are 1/8-inch thick baltic birch plywood strips that are 1/2-inch wide. Glue the sides on the center piece one side at a time. You will most likely need a lot of small spring clamps for this operation. The number of clamps you need will depend on the shape and length of the track piece. Luckily these are relatively cheap and easy to find on-line or at home building stores.
Once the glue cures you can remove the clamps and attach the other side.
Once both sides are attached you can again remove the clamps and then sand the bottom of the track smooth.
One note about using 1/8-inch thick baltic birch for the side rails on the track. This section of wood is composed of three plys of wood. If you orient the outside grain of the wood in the up and down direction then you are able to create very tight curves in the track because you are only bending the center ply of wood against the grain. This allows you to get an inside radius on the track as low as a couple inches without having to soften the wood first. I oriented all of the side rails for the track in this direction for uniformity.
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