3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Print PDF

Favorite

Motorized Marble Roller Coaster

Step 6Video of original version

Check out the video. The lift on this was crazy-fast, but pretty cool. Note how the ball is actually thrown from the lift and hits the track with quite a bit of speed:

« Previous Step

Download PDFView All Steps

Next Step »

9 comments

Apr 7, 2010. 3:37 PMflopina says:

Cool I wonder if that would be a real roler coaster

Aug 31, 2009. 4:26 PMjunkfactory886 says:

Gotta love the woo-woo noise. May i suggest that you add more pulleys to lower the speed of the conveyor (And add more torque). or lower the incoming volts. GReat job.

Sep 2, 2009. 2:13 AMsgt_pinky says:

Yeah add a resistor between the motor and the power source - but make sure that the voltage you end up with is still within the specs of the motor - otherwise you will burn the motor out.

Sep 15, 2009. 3:45 AM

Kryptonite says:

Or it won't go.

Aug 31, 2009. 6:19 PM

seamster (author) says:

Thanks for the ideas. It looks like I'm going to have to do my homework on gears and pulleys and such. It's all kind of foreign to me, but it sure is fun.

Sep 3, 2009. 11:14 AMxd12c says:

Micro Mark sells a gear box set for motors like that
http://www.micromark.com/MOTORIZED-PLANETARY-GEARBOX,8179.html

Sep 2, 2009. 7:48 AM

russm313 says:

Dude, this is top notch! Of course I wouldn't expect anything less from the man that created the Atari lamp! (still my favorite btw). Excellent work, you've got my vote, even though I've got an entry in this contest too! Awesome, just awesome!

Sep 2, 2009. 8:56 AM

seamster (author) says:

Wow, I really appreciate that. You are the man! I've rebuilt parts of it, slowed the lift down, and it's in the process of being painted. Be sure to check back!

Sep 2, 2009. 11:47 AM

russm313 says:

I can't wait to see the revision.

Sep 2, 2009. 5:15 AMMavamaarten says:

Whoa VERRRY nice xD I have thesame motor laying arround. Did you break open a not THAT old HP printer ? I did xD Maybe I'll try this one day... I just haven't got that much cardboard O_o