Marble Racetrack -- Noisy kids toy!

Art Mulder

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London, Ontario
I built this several years ago, but just revisited it recently to put together a more detailed web page with many more photos.

I also put together a video (at bottom) as you really need to see and hear this to appreciate the noise.


Overview: Drop the marbles in at the top, they race down one of two tracks, banging and clattering all the way...



And at the bottom they leave the track, ring the bell, and drop into this sort of catch basin area


I bought this brass counter bell (desk bell) kit from Lee Valley. They don’t sell it any more, but you can find a counter bell at any office supply store, or check amazon


This is a two-dimensional marble toy. (Rear view) all the track pieces are simply glued or tacked to this vertical plywood back.

(If you want a complicated 3-D type of marble toy, I recommend checking out one of Matthias Wandel’s, like this one: http://woodgears.ca/mm2/index.html )


Top Down, watching them roll


Ringing the Bell…


I used 9/16" diameter chrome steel balls. And then made this wooden track sections from 3/4" wide by 1/4" thick stock, glued up into this U-shaped channel.


The base needs to be thick + heavy, so it doesn’t tip. I embedded the back into a dado.


Video link -- check your volume!!!
 
I would not be able to stand that noise in my house! :( But once Jon Boy grows out of putting things in his mouth, I'll have CJ help me one for each of the kids and send them home with them!!:thumb: That is fantastic, great photos and yes, the video was needed to get the full effect!
 
I would not be able to stand that noise in my house! :( But once Jon Boy grows out of putting things in his mouth, I'll have CJ help me one for each of the kids and send them home with them!!:thumb: That is fantastic, great photos and yes, the video was needed to get the full effect!

As every grandpa should Jonathan!!:D

Art that is too cool!:thumb: My grandpa made lots of noisy things for us grandkids and they usually ended up high enough so we couldn't reach them. :D
 
Nice project and great video, Art!

And I'll add my ditto to making a couple of these for (in my case) great grandkids and ship them to them. :thumb:
 
I've had a few similar comments about making one for the grandkids... I think I should have named this "Grandparent's Revenge" or something like that. :whistling:
 
i gave my twin nephews (when they were 2 or 3) one of these each. my sister said the one ran all over the house with his, the other just stood there, running it back and forth, back and forth, back and forth..... :rofl:
 

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i gave my twin nephews (when they were 2 or 3) one of these each. my sister said the one ran all over the house with his, the other just stood there, running it back and forth, back and forth, back and forth..... :rofl:

I've threatened any of my family members that thought of giving that tool of the devil to my now 2 year old that it would be graciously accepted but would likely be behind the car in the morning on 'accident.' :)
 
Better than a set of drums..........or not..... :doh:

Reminds me of a Dennis the Menace cartoon years ago that was published a couple of days after Christmas. Dennis is carrying a drum, and he's running inside exclaiming to his mom "Look mom! Mr. Wilson just gave me a pocket knife and asked me if I know what's inside of my new drum!"
 
Better than a set of drums..........or not..... :doh:

We had a set of drums in the basement for 2-3 three years on extended loan. When we were given them, the drummer "warned" us that things would probably get noisy for about a month, and after that things would either start to gradually sound better, or they'd just get quiet. Ours got quiet. :(
But on the plus side he is now serious about learning his Bass (that's the one I built the guitar stand for)
 
A little brag, if you don't mind...

I built this back in 2007/8 and it was published at that time in Canadian Home Workshop magazine. (it has since ceased publication)
This spring/summer I was approached by the folks over at Scrollsaw Woodworking magazine about publishing it again.

It's now on the newstands both here and in the US, in the October "Gizmos and Gadgets", which is an annual(?) special projects magazine that they put out. (I saw it in Lowes just the other day... I had first thought it was only going to be sold stateside.)

And no, I did not use a scrollsaw once on this project. :rofl:
gizmoscover.jpg
 
I was thinking about your marble game the other day. I thought it would make a nice Christmas gift for one of the grandkids.
I'm heading to Lowes in the morning. I;ll see if they have the magazine. he rubber band machine gun looks like fun as well :)
 
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