6mm Marble Machine

myminifactory

I was inspired by the incredible marble machine designed by Tulio, which can be found on Thingiverse at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1385312. I wanted to create my own unique marble machine using a pack of 6mm diameter steel balls, and also considered using airsoft ammunition with the same diameter as an alternative option. To elevate the marbles in a different way, I developed a system where they are pushed into the vertical shaft one by one using a geared wheel. This pushwheel is connected to a wormgear to ensure it remains self-locked and has high torque, allowing it to efficiently push the tower of balls inside the elevating shaft. The marble machine consists of three main components: the base, the elevating mechanism, and the marble track with its nozzle on top. The concept is modular, making it easy to have different track options using just one base. During assembly, a small amount of glue will be necessary for some parts, but I recommend not gluing the track and nozzle if you plan to keep your machine modular. Future releases will include additional track designs, and all parts are designed to print without any support. Here's what you'll need to print: * 1x base_bottom * 1x base_top * 1x pushwheel * 1x drivegear * 1x wormgear * 1x handle * 2x washer * 1x bushing * 1x nozzle * Track (4 revolutions) or track_slower (5 revolutions) The model is designed using millimeters as the unit of measurement. You can see my marble machine in action at https://youtu.be/cC-1rk9BMTk.