Feel like a puzzle? Simple Marble Run v1.0.9

I haven’t removed any pictures. They are on the previous post.

Added original pictures to the main post.

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Thank you for this!

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Sorry, got myself confused between versions.

This was a fun build! The small gear is a bit tight in the frame, but everything spins. I used M4 hardware, which seemed to work well as a metric substitution.

Unfortunately, the marbles I have are a bit too large to run through it.

Thanks again for posting this!

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Wow, thank you very much!
Great work on the design and layout.
I´ll try to put it together using only the pictures. If I hit a snag I´ll PM you.

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That is amazing! You did a great job without ANY instructions!

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I got a few things wrong, but it was a lot of fun figuring it all out. The cross-shaped bolt was a mind trip!

I had glued the frame together before I assembled the crank, which may have been a mistake. I ended up having to glue the gears into a stack outside the frame, which made it a lot easier to put it all together. I am also not sure I stacked the rings correctly on the crank, but it all works.

I am really amazed.

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I had fun with that one. It went a through a few iterations, but I like how it turned out.

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Saw it and had to do it. Thanks for an evening well spent.

I had a bit of trouble with Somme of the small bits and had to cut additional friction pins. I also messed up one of the cross supports and had to re-cut that also.

Used the bolts I had on hand.

I also put the gear/crank in last. That presented a challenge. I am guessing the ramps should go on last. That would have saved the other across support also.

Thank you so much. Such a pleasure. I’m sure once we get back in the office this will be a sure conversation piece.

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Yeah, mine is definitely going on my desk at work. This Glowforge has made being stuck at home bearable. It has given me plenty to play with!

@drvegetable - did you use BB on this? I ended up using draft board. I kind of wish I had used BB.

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Same. It’s one of the reasons we pulled the trigger on the purchase.

The last week has been a blast!

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@Thumper369 I see you used a doubled nut on the main wheel axel. I like that! So you don’t have to worry about it getting tighter or looser.

I realized I had a couple extra crank-axel spacers in there too. If you used every piece, it could be a tight fit.

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That’s what I get for putting it together without any spare parts! :stuck_out_tongue:

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I want to make a more complicated one with a second wheel at 90 degrees from the first. And I just had a successful test with gears to make the transition!

These tests have shown me some minor improvements that can be made to the original design also, so I will try to get those updated.

I might be able to remove the need for additional hardware, but fear that may reduce the stability and strength of the structure.

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Thanks, @drvegetable and @Thumper369 for the great pictures!

I know some instructions would be a great help to putting together, but other than that is there anything you think needs to be fixed with the design?

I have had instances where the ball could sometimes jump off the ramp in the corners. If the problem persists I may try to raise the edge in the corners…

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Looking forward to it. I would love to test build it when ready.

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I think the instructions would be great. Mainly for not putting on the ramps too early and for how many discs to put inside on the crank. Also placement of the gear set. Not sure if it was supposed to be flush with the side or spaced ( I opted for extra space).

Here are some more pics from all angles if it helps to find my other errors.

The friction pins are fantastic! Unless they don’t go in. With draft board they tended to split apart.

It took a min to make sure I understood what was scrap and what was pieces. Good use of space, but it left me wondering a few times. the extra circle around the end piece on the crank for example.

I have two issues with operation that don’t bother me. Sometimes the balls I am using get stuck in the divots and stop and sometimes they jump the rail, but that’s mostly if I move it or hold it un-level.

Thanks! Hopes this helps.

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PS. If any of those are useful feel free to use them elsewhere

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I am waiting for my balls to arrive before cutting this - I know I will be sad not to be able to play with it without balls!

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Bill, thanks again for continuing to improve this awesome design!

I still don’t have any marbles small enough to run through this, so I can’t comment on things skipping rails, etc.

I made mine out of birch plywood, and the friction pins worked very well - though I needed a pair of needle nose pliers to set them in place. I did have to empty the crumb tray to retrieve a couple of the pins. I cut mine using version 1.0.5 of your SVG file, FWIW.

One thing that might help the design hold together a bit would be if there was a tab or something on the bottom slide (the one where the marbles re-enter the wheel) to attach the top to the side of the main frame. I have this glued into the feet, but it isn’t really adhering to the side of the model as well as I would like.

For anyone building this, pay close attention to the position of the circular cutouts in the middle ramp. These are clearance for the axel bolts, so make sure you have the right side up when you put this ramp together.

I was nervous about glueing things before I knew that I had everything in the right place. I found that the basic frame would (mostly) hold together once I had bolted the big gear wheel into the frame. Then I could mount all the spacers, etc., and glue it all down. I should have installed the small gear and crank before I glued everything.

The only major thing I think I got wrong (not counting the several times I had to un-glue things to fix mistakes) is the order that the rings are supposed to be stacked on the crank. I think the crank would turn more freely if I had used the “washer” shaped rings on the inside of the frame, but I used the ones with the cross shape on the inside instead.

My wife asked me what the heck I was so busy building. She usually just rolls her eyes when I’m messing with my maker toys, but when I showed her the finished product, she said she wants one for her desk.

I’m going to need to order a lot more marbles!

EDIT: Thinking out loud here, but if marbles are skipping the rails, it seems that you could just cut a second outer rail piece (and make longer friction pins?), then just glue the new layer on top of the original rail. Or maybe just make the friction pins longer and mount the rail with a slight gap underneath?

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