MSRaynsford

This post has long been the most viewed post on my entire blog but this design has long been superseded so I just want to make people aware that a better version exists  This kit is available for purchase through my shop  https://msraynsford.ecwid.com/Laser-Cut-Marble-Machine-Kit-p95446965 I present to you my own hand cranked, laser cut marble machine. These are available to purchase as kits, for self assembly and I intend to run some local workshops for them too. The kit includes all the laser cut wooden parts, the nuts and bolts, and enough balls to fill the machine up and spares. Don't forget to check out my other marble machines too A long time ago in a blog not so far away (this one actually) I ran a project where I laser cut one item per day for 365 days. While I was making the machine triggers  and before I'd committed to running my own Donkey Kong machine  there was a suggestion that I should be making kits like this to sell on the day....

My third marble machine is now ready for release. The turning handle adjusts the low point of the circular track and the ball bearing continually rolls down to the low point. By keeping the low point (indicated by the arrow) just ahead of the ball bearing you can make the marble rotate around the track. You can even speed it up so much that you can make the marble fly right off the track. I didn't previously release the marble roller plans, it was functional but not really working, the gears were a bit crunchy and there was no where easy to hold it. So I took a second shot at it, then a third and finally a fourth shot at the design. Although revamps are easier than the original they're still pretty time consuming, each version gets closer and closer to something that works. (photo of all 4 below) The final design is a lot more solid because of it's low height. The turning handle became just a stub because it's important for this design to turn with consistent sp...

This one has been in development for a few weeks now, every time I seem to get it working the ball jammed somewhere else so multiple prototypes later and hours of tweaking and assembly I'm proud to display Marble Machine #2. For my second marble machine I really wanted to add in an Archimedes screw but the laser only cuts 2D profiles which makes it quite a large challenge, after several failed attempts I realised I could stack parts up to form a spiral staircase. As the width of the material is about 1/4 width of the ball it happily steps up the spiral. Figuring out the run down again was tougher than the spiral because I couldn't get the ball back onto the right side of the machine, then I realised that I could run the ball up the other side of the spiral instead and duplicated everything. This marble machine essentially has 2 lifts and 2 runs. ( svg here ) Made from laser ply instead of MDF this machine looks nicer and feels better than the last machine. It takes a li...

My first collaboration. When I made my first marble machine , it was spurred on by the busted bricks marble machine released a few months sooner. Michael went off and modified his marble machine to produce a simpler version using purely laser cut parts, and 10mm ball bearings. In the meantime I struggled to produce a staircase version of my own so when I heard that Michael was closing shop and leaving the country I enquired about producing a variant of his kit. He cracked all the hard work but I polished it up a bit, exposed the marbles on the staircase and most significantly added a motor to the works.  This kit is now available for sale in my shop .

Frustrated by a lack of progress (and wood) on some of my larger projects with looming deadlines, I instead settled on an easy win last night. Ever since I made the quick and dirty Massive Marble Machine 1  by doubling up the size and thickness of everything I have been meaning to redo the machine with more sensible proportions. Marble Machine 1  turns out to be not such a quick conversion but Marble Machine 4  accepted the conversion willingly. This time I only doubled up the parts that actually needed it, leaving all the other parts as a single sheet.   The steps are all doubled and have massive chunky thickness, I modified the additional steps to keep the slope angle the same. This could be done smarter but I like the chunky appeal. I also doubled up on the cams, this really could be done a better way so I'll change that, but expect this machine to be released into the wilds of the shop soon.

Around three months ago I found out I was going to be exhibiting at Cake International  this weekend, I've been before and as well as the usual demo stalls and retailers there is a vast array of stunning cakes presented as competition entries. I thought I might as well throw my hat in the ring and join in with an entry. I've been working on it almost solidly for the last two weeks, so here it is, an edible version of my marble machine .   'Cake' is rather a loose definition based on most peoples understandings, these are mostly decorative exhibits and the competition itself is heavily categorised, each with different rules about what is and isn't acceptable. Some exhibits must contain cake, some can use dummies instead, some can use internal support structures and some must conform to a theme, you can see the whole categories here . I aimed for category M, 'Pushing the Boundaries' where pretty much anything goes any medium, internal supports a...

I remember seeing this marble machine at a maker faire when it originally came out, I marvelled at the simplicity when compared to my similar Archimedes screw marble machine . It was one of the few times I realised 3D printers were better than lasers for some things. The print ran smoothly although I probably should have scaled it down so that it took less time. The timelapse is acceptable although I still need to work on white balance, exposure and focus (so all the things really). I'm gonna struggle to get larger objects into frame so am currently thinking of better ways to start the print in the middle and have it fill the screen from there, mostly I need a longer ribbon for my camera so I can play with positions more. ( svg here )

  I spent a bit of time this afternoon assembling this interesting little kit from Solarbotics . Now wait a minute I hear you cry, isn't that just your Marble Machine #1 ? The answer is 'yes' and that makes it all the more exciting. I've given Solarbotics permission to manufacture the design on my behalf and they're doing a great job of it, they took hundreds of units with them to the  bay area maker faire  to be sold in the Maker shed and they all sold out.  Anyway back to the kit.... The kit comes in a heat sealed cellophane packet which is a lovely touch. The parts have been rounded up to 4 and half panels which clearly makes them easier to pack. Leaving in all this excess material has left room for helpful assembly diagrams. The parts are cut with sprues holding the pieces in but they are easy enough to remove with a sharp knife. The central axle for the lifting wheel receives a very clever upgrade. The axle is stepped and the holes in the wheel...

A significantly smaller achievement, I revamped the second marble machine at the same time as the first one  and I removed the screw and nut that was forming the handle opting for a wooden one instead. This kit is available for purchase through my shop  http://msraynsford.myshopify.com/products/marble-machine-2

At the other end of the scale it turned out I had some 5mm ball bearings kicking around and some 1.5mm thick mdf so I was able to make marble machines that were half the size of the originals. These machines are teeny and cute and also very postable so they're going up in the store for sale. http://msraynsford.myshopify.com/products/miniature-laser-cut-marble-machine-kit-1