Woodgears Marble Machine

So i designed and built a new and improved version of the machine in 2011.

Woodgears marble machine. Construction was from april 20 to june 25 several hours a day. Marble machines are complicated but useless pieces of toy machinery that automate the process of playing with marbles. This automation could in theory lead to gains in productivity as people are now freed up to pursue more productive goals. A plastic bottle cap shooter.

Marble run blocks build marble runs. It moves over 7000 bearings per hour and holds with 75 bearings. Marble machine 2 1 is a new and improved version of my old marble machine 2 that i build in 2000. People often asked for plans for that machine but the machine was totally cobbled together one piece at a time so it wasn t the sort of thing i could draw plas for.

Marble machine 2 1 crank it for a cacophony. It adds binary numbers. Definitely worth checking out his site and youtube channel if you are into woodworking. Thanks to paul grundbacher for the inspiration.

I also built a wooden light stand for lighting for making better pictures and video based on a design by john heisz. I plan to build more marble machines. Http woodgears ca marbleadd a simulation of the machine. Went over to visit my friend matthias today he runs the woodgears ca website.

Building instructions the plans include an extensive writeup on how to build the marble pump marble run building blocks and marble machine. The marble machine weights 30 pounds stands 30 inches high the base is 19 square and the ring gears are 14 1 2 diameter. Mechanical counter like old car odometers. The moving ramps are based on paul grundbacher s machine etagen.