Desktop #195

Tracks 1 and 2 finished. Now to track 3. Will just be only track, but will have lots of dips and wavy tracks. Should be fun bendng the hills and corners and watching them being shaped into life.

Awe-Mazing Mazes

I've got a book coming up titled "Awe-Mazing Mazes" that will feature all 16 of my mazes all in one book. Now that we have a good book title, we also made a new Facebook page to share all of our maze related news and pictures. Please visit our page, check out our mazes, and click LIKE to keep updated on all our maze related news.

Facebook: Awe-Mazing Mazes

Tetter Totter with a Catch

I've made this element before: Where the ball gets caught under the teeter-totter, and the next ball that rolls across it releases the caught ball, and then in turn becomes caught, waiting for the next ball to release it. If you can't quite see what I'm trying to say here, then press play below and watch it in action on Desktop #188. This teeter-totter was built by request. And, now, here it is!

Wood Ring Lift

Here's the lift for my next project. It is made from Walnut in three layers. 

This was made for me by my uncle, Gene. I am not setup for wood-work. It's best to leave something of this complexity to the professional. : )

 The drive motor assembly and the two keeper rollers at 4 and 8 o'clock positons still need to be built.

They will be integrated into the frame so it all has to be built at the same time.

It's 3-1/2 ft in diameter. The buyer, a banker, wanted the lettering to show

different "Forces" in the market. The ring will rotate, likely counter-clockwise, and in each hole hold one ball that it will release at the top. 

My last wooden ring project had a mechanism that pushed the ball out from the back. It worked well, but was kind of noisy. This time, I am going to use a "retaining wire" in back that the ball will rest against once it nears the top. The holes themselves have a 2 degree slope so the ball will want to roll out on it's own with just gravity.

More to come as this fantastic Rolling Ball Sculpture takes shape. 

Header for Website...

Here's my sketch of the "font" RBS would use. I just sent this off to someone on Fiverr.com to have them draw me a header based on this scan. 

Lets see what they come back with... Finger's crossed!!

AAAnnnd, here we are!

AWESOME!

Gnome Sweet Gnome

Not very many mazes around here. Lets fix that. Here is a portion of my most recently drawn maze. This is just the bottom left, somewhat enlarged. This is also 100% not edited, and is fresh off the scanner.

I draw the picture in first. Decide where the START will be, and start drawing in the paths. As I go, I make sure I outline the picture or anything important, in paths, so the coloring in later will have clean edges, and the picture is just right.

8.5" X 11" 40# white paper. .05 Mechanical pencil, eraser shield, and wrist rest (to keep my skin off the already drawn lines so it doesn't smudge.)

Once I get done with the drawing, I scan the picture into Photoshop and my lovely wife, Jacqui, edits the maze to made sure there aren't any "orphaned" paths, and to make sure lines are connected, paths don't pinch, and everything looks just as it should.

Next, she'll use Photoshop to color in all of the cells to make it colorful, and bring out the picture. We used to use colored mechanical pencils, but they did not offer too many color choices, and zero way to change it if you didn't like what you had just colored.

So check it out: "Gnome Sweet Gnome" in the Mushroom forest. Make it to the end, and dodge the bees, lol. Knaw, don't worry, the bees are trained and are very friendly. : )

Motorized Desktops

It seems like this size of RBS is very popular. I understand why though, with it's small size, it's easy to transport and show off, and still has all of the cool features you'd see on a larger RBS.

I started to make the helical lift diagonal for a couple of reasons. First I think it looks a lot cooler taking up so much room in the RBS, and striking a bold look by cutting across and up the entire project. It make missing the lift impossible. The other reason, less noticeable, is that it makes my job easier. With the marbles firmly riding in the keeper track alongside the spiral, a lot less of my time is taken to making sure it's exactly right so the marbles stay in juuuust right as I would have to before. Plus, as i said, it looks much cooler.

This project below is also for a photo shoot. I purposefully did not build any track in the center of the frame so the company who is receiving this can put toys inside of the tracks and shoot a promotional video. Sounds pretty cool to me. If I can get a copy of their video sent to me, I'll be sure to post it here.

I also built them some standalone parts. A 6ft long piece of gentle "S" curves. A 3ft long jump, and a 12" diameter spiral of track that has 8 revolutions to use in other shots. I'd love to see how that came out as well.

Custom rolling ball sculpture work is the name of the game around these parts!

Pinball Ramps, copying habitrails for pinball machine

Making RBS makes me uniquely suited to helping out other people with their projects. Recently I remade 5 pairs of "habitrails" for a pinball machine, or pin. The name of the machine is "Attack from Mars". In the two photos I took here, the original rail is in the center, with the copies to the outside. 100% stainless steel, and 100% hand bent. It takes me about 7 hours to make a pair. 

Starting with the "round" end. I work down to the other end, bending, checking against the original, then welding. Once finished with the rails part, I then have to make and add the other mounts. The most challenging mount is the small trapezoid sheet metal piece on the far right (below). The large ring in the center and right in both photos is a washer, bored out to 1.5" with my lathe.

More than just RBS...

I never thought of making other things besides rolling ball sculpture. I had made a bench quite a while ago but never thought it looked that nice. It was for a potted plant, and did work well for that, just sitting there or having a knick-knack sitting on it too. So I made these two heart chairs. The larger one started out not having a heart back - but as you see here, ended up that way. With the second, smaller chair, I meant to do the heart - and now I have the pair. How would u use them?

Here's my rocking chair. I have one that resembles this one quite a bit right next to me in the shop. Quite comfortable to sit in while "testing" my latest RBS. I'm actually quite surprised it came out as well as it did. Now I'm not sure what to do with it either...

Here's a beach umbrella. It's best as a business card holder but could also just stand alone and make your work space cheerier. I think the umbrella makes you think that it's sunny out, and you need the umbrella to keep cool. The pessimist in us would say it's raining...

Here's the large chair again. I think it needs to have a display item sitting on it. This chair is like a moving shelf and needs a use...

DVD - How to Make Helical Lift

Finally, for all of you out there waiting for a how-to video on How to Make a Helical Lift...It's Finished!

45 minutes of step by step instructions on how I build my Helical Lift and what rolling ball sculpture materials you will need.

It starts with an overview of which motors I use, and why. I show you the mounting pads I use and discuss different materials you could use for a motor mount. I don't show you how to make the mounting pad, but I do explain the parts I use, and why.

Then I show you exactly how I build the spiral that lifts the marbles to the top. I discuss what bearings to use at the top of the spiral, and how I attach it to the frame. As well as how I mount the motor/mounting pad to the frame.

I then show how I build the upright keeper track that holds the marbles in as they are lifted to the top, how I install it, and finally I talk about how to add the feeder and exit tracks.

If you have wanted to try your hand at making a Helical Lift but have been unsure of where to start, this is for you. After watching this DVD you will know what steps you need to take, and why. Why buy an RBS when you can make your own? Not only will you have a cool rolling ball sculpture to show to your friends and relatives, (not to mention kick back and watch on your own!) you can impress them further by telling them you made it all by yourself. : )

Get this DVD now. Kick start that hobby, and make your own RBS to watch!

Go here: http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/videostore/

I am sold out of track clamps, but should have some in a month or so. I'll update this blog when they are done.

Payments only accepted through PayPal.
Contact me if you are interested... matthew.gaulden@gmail.com

Desktops #54 and #55

After making this many desktops they all seem to blend together. But, there are a few details that separate them into groups. My most recent group of desktops has had a flat steel plate. The steel plate allows the marbles to roll and spin around, hit each other, and act unpredictably. I've done plate in much earlier desktops, and really liked it, so I'm not sure why I didn't keep on adding it to every one. Now, it has decidedly replaced the tipping arm. The tipping arm is OK. But it doesn't allow the marble to be itself...

And, as an added bonus it increases the length of time it takes the marble to travel from the top to the bottom.

I've also been adding a lot more of the wavy track to each one. In the past, I would make the tracks have tight corners and go in and out of the frame, making the most of the path the track could take. Now, I've found that the wavy track adds a very nice dimension curvy track cannot. Combining the two - curvy and wavy track, is very satisfying. It's neat to watch the marble dip down and then come back up, take a sharp corner, then roll over a couple humps before going into the steel plate or spiral.

Watch these two, #54 and #55 to see what I'm talking about.

#54





#55



Like 'em?
Both are for sale right now. See details on my website:


http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/pages/desktop54.html - #54
http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/pages/desktop55.html - #55

New Desktops

So here they are. I made these three at the same time, and all have the same birthday, September.

The thing that makes each desktop special is the track. They do have the same frame, track switches, tipping arms, spirals and loop d loops...but the thing connecting all of these is...track. The sculpture can look quite unique if for instance one desktop had long, slight curved, flowing tracks that went around the outside of most of the piece, and the other desktop's track was very twisty with lots of hairpin corners and weaving in and out of the frame supports. They would look very different.

So check these three out and see how different types of track can make the desktop sculptures very individual and one of a kind.

Desktop #44:


Desktop #45:


Desktop #46:

If you're interested, all three of these are available to purchase. Check them out here:
http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/pages/desktop44.html Sold
http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/pages/desktop45.html Sold
http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/pages/desktop46.html Sold

Track Clamps for sale

Yes, you read that right! If you're into RBS, but find it frustrating trying to keep the tracks in place when soldering or welding, then these clamps will fix that problem!

The body is made from 3/4" x 3/4" solid aluminum, with the grooves that fit 1/8" wire. The grooves are made for two sizes of railing. The smaller size is for 1" balls, and the larger size is for 1-3/8" balls. Here you can see the advantage of holding the track firmly when welding on a spacer. I can make you a custom distance for another size ball. Cost is $15 extra per clamp.

This is the clamp taken apart, and also shows a 1" marble.

Here's a 1-3/8" ball. I know, I know, billard balls are usually 2-1/4" but these are miniature.

Clamps....they just look nice and will make your RBS building much, much easier. I made these clamps all by hand. ALL ARE SOLD until I make more. Then I will have to make more. Get them before they are gone....

These Clamps are available now for $40 each. Or 3 or more for $35 each.
I recommend at least two clamps, but one will do the job.
Email me @ matthew.gaulden@gmail.com to purchase. I accept paypal only.

New Sculpture - Wall Mounted #85

Not much time to write anything here now.

I will edit this post later with some description and explanation. I can say it is 62" tall, 28"wide and 16" deep with three separate tracks. The balls are lifted back to the top with an automatic chain lift. I am using 1-3/8" billiard balls. All welded stainless steel.

Until then folks, enjoy the video.

How to Make Spirals - Video

For all of you out there that wants to make an RBS but is intimidated with all of the different parts and elements that go into one, I have decided to start a video series to help out. This video "How to Make Spirals" is #1 in the series. I plan to do more more complicated videos on how to make spiral lifts and chain lifts and what rolling ball sculpture materials you may need. etc., but before tackling that, I needed some practice.

This spiral is not the the ball lift, but a spiral of track that the ball rolls into from the outside and makes ever smaller circles until it rolls out the from the center.

This video details what tools I use, shows me bend the spiral with my hands, the aluminum track spacers/holder you will need to hold the spiral in place when welding to it, how to add the entrance wire and exit wire so the transition is a smooth continuous track and how to make the spacers you will use. In this video I use a TIG welder for welding, I am using 1/8" stainless steel wire and 14" bolt cutters cut it.

I decided on something less complicated, but very necessary, like the trusty spiral. This video shows you what tools you need, how to get the spiral bent, and a few handy tricks. Well worth the cost of the video.

The video is available two ways: First is with youtube. I have uploaded the 35 minutes of video to YouTube. Since they do not allow videos over 10 minutes, I had to split it into 4 separate videos. All there, just split up a bit. To be able to view the videos YouTube says you have to be my friend to be added to my private videos. In this case the 4 videos for the making of a spiral. I can have up to 25 usernames set to watch it anytime, if you wanna be my friend. : )
The cost for the youtube video is $10.

I can also send you a DVD - cost $15; which includes shipping. Now I hesitate to do this as I do not have a way to make labels for them yet, and you will only get a DVD with a handwritten title in felt tip marker. Not very nice to look at, but the video would be better quality and you won't need an Internet connection to view it. 35 minutes - .WMV file.

Go here: http://www.rollingballsculpture.com/videostore/

Let me know what other things you might like to see in a "How To" video and I'll see what I can do!

Happy building... ; )