Great things can sometimes come in small packages, sometimes even as small as the palm of your hand. This miniature marble track is a testament to the skill and dexterity of Daniel de Bruin’s machining.
With only a small DC motor powering a single lifting gear, this is a far cry from his usual intricate designs but it is nonetheless fascinating to see the build process from 3D-printing the gear casing, to setting the marble track, to soldering the fun-sized nuts and bolts.
Sometimes we see machine design as an overly complicated task but it does not always have to be that way. The most interesting results sometimes come from the simplest- and tiniest, designs.
This video was not intended to be a tutorial but Daniel was nice enough to include a list of tools and materials to help you get started in this kind of hobby, should you be interested.
Answering popular demand (see what others are saying below), Daniel also made a follow-up video in which he timed the gear revolutions to sync with the travel time of the marble just as it reaches the bottom. Take a look here.
Bonus: To give a feel of how miniature this mini-build really is, Daniel used a universal constant for measuring all things internet.
“The only thing that could make this more awesome is if the track was just long enough to end right as the lift was ready to pick up the bearing again.”
- Do Not Eat Studios
“This is amazing! Watching creative videos like this is what motivates me to continue studying engineering no matter how daunting the math classes get. You are an inspiration man! Instant sub here. Keep making things!”
- David Hernandez
