Welcome to the 2nd in my DT project series! Teachers (and parents of 7-11) year olds, this is aimed at you for you and your kids! My DT club at school particularly enjoyed this project and I hope you do to!

In this Instructable, I'll show you how to make a marble maze/marble labyrinth using materials and tools you can either pick up from a Home Depot / B&Q or from the TTS/Consortium website.

Below is a video I made to show how to make the marble maze/labyrinth. This instructable will follow the video to the letter!

Step 1: Collect Your Tools and Materials

You'll need the following tools and materials:

Materials

Lengths of 2.5mm (thick) x 25mm (tall) wood. I used TTS lengths (available here:

http://www.tts-group.co.uk/shops/tts/Products/PD17... , but B&Q stocks something very similar in the dowel section.

2 x 15cm square MDF boards (2-3mm thick)
1 x 15cm square transparent perspex/styrene (2-3mm thick)

Tools

Hot melt glue gun with melt glue sticks
Pritt stick / glue stick
Scissors
Medium grit sand paper
Pencil
Ruler

Maze template

Attached to this step

Marble maze template.docx
Download

Step 2: Cut Your Wood to Size

Use a saw to cut the wood to the following lengths

Maze edges

4 x 15cm
4 x 16cm

Ramp

1 x 3.5cm (cut ends at 45 degrees - see video)

Maze internal walls (for the printed maze template)

1 x 5cm
1 x 4cm
1 x 3cm
11 x 1cm

Note: If you're designing your own maze, draw the design onto the MDF board first, allowing at least 1cm space between all walls for the ball bearing/marble to move freely. Then, measure each wall and make a list of the pieces you will need.

Step 3: Construct Your Base

For this step, you'll need:

1 x mdf base board
2 x 15cm wood lengths
2 x 16cm wood lengths

First, lay out the wood lengths like in the photo - take note of the notes I've added! The 15cm pieces should be next to 2 opposite sides of the square, and the 16cm pieces should be next to the other 2 opposite sides.

Next, take one of the 15cm pieces and glue it to the edge of the mdf base so when you place the base down on a table, it sits flat. (see pictures)

Now, take the adjacent 16cm piece and glue it onto the base in the same way, making sure it overlaps with the end of the 15cm piece. (see pictures)

Repeat with the other 15cm piece and 16cm piece in turn. (see pictures)

You should now have what looks like a box without a lid!

Step 4: Attach the Ramp

For this step, you'll just need your 3.5cm piece (cut at 45 degrees at either end).

In the bottom of one corner, glue the ramp onto the base so it slopes up towards the top edge of the base wall.

It's important that the ramp is glued so the top of it sits above the maze walls.

All will become clear later!

See the pictures and the video for this!

Step 5: Prepare Your Maze Base

For this step, you'll need these materials:

1 x 15cm mdf base
Optional: Printed maze design

and these tools

Junior hacksaw (and bench-hook + clamp)
Drill
6-7mm wood drill bit (or a drill bit 1-2mm larger than the marble/ball bearing you are using)
Pritt/glue stick

First, if you've printed the design, cut it out and stick it onto the MDF base board. Try to spread the glue evenly to remove bumps (not ideal for traversing a maze!) and smooth out any air pockets/bumps with the edge of a ruler.

All the glue to dry!

Next, use a drill and wood drill bit to bore out the holes, using the edge of the sand paper to smooth down the edges of the holes.

After that, clamp down your base board and use the hacksaw to cut out the square shape in the corner of the maze (where your ramp will pop up through), using the sandpaper to smooth down the edges.

Step 6: Add Supports for Your Maze Base

For this step, you'll need 9 1/2cm pieces of wood.

For this step, we're going to create supports for the maze base to sit on so it's level with the upper level of the walls. 3 pieces of wood glued together give the perfect height.

Starting in one corner (not the ramp corner), glue 3 pieces of wood down one on top of each other with a small dab of glue between each to form a stack. Make sure you press down the stack between gluings to help keep the stack level.

Repeat for the other 2 corners as shown in the pictures and video.

Next, add a dab of hot glue to the top of each of the supporting columns and press the maze base on top, making sure the edge of the maze is level with the top edge of the base edges.

Step 7: Add the Sides of Your Maze

For this step, you'll need:

2 x 15cm wood lengths
2 x 16cm wood lengths

Starting on the edge where the ramp comes up (adds a little support to help the first piece sit at a right angle), check what length the edge piece on the lower base is. If it's 15cm, glue a 16cm piece on top, as if you're laying bricks on top of each other. The overlapping edges will give your maze box greater strength. If the lower edge piece is 16cm, glue a 15cm edge piece on top.

Repeat for the 4 sides of the maze's sides, checking the photos and video to clarify how the sides fit together.

Step 8: Add the Internal Walls of Your Maze

For this step, you'll need the internal wall pieces you cut for your maze.

Starting with the walls pieces touching the edges of the maze, glue along each side that will be touching the base or walls and press them onto the base firmly, making sure they stand at right angles to the base.

Repeat for the remaining wall pieces, removing any stray strands of hot glue as they form - you don't want the ball bearing getting caught in a hot glue spider's web!

Step 9: Add Your Ball Bearing/marble

It may sound strange having this as a step all on its own, but I forgot the first time and then had to prise the perspex lid off to get the ball bearing in!

So, add your ball bearing now before you attach your perspex lid!

Step 10: Attach Your Perspex/styrene Lid

For this step, you will need your 15cm square perspex/styrene sheet.

First, decide where you will add your hot glue to attach the lid. I would suggest either adding hot glue to the top edges of the maze walls, or add hot glue dabs into the corners where the maze edges meet.

Then, while the glue is still hot and molten, line up your perspex/styrene sheet on top of the maze and press it down firmly.

See pictures for closer details.