A 3D printed marble track features a neat elevator linkage

There is rarely anything so joyful and relaxing to watch as a simple marble race. Of course, the problem with dropping marbles under gravity is that you eventually have to raise them again. The Marblevator has a mechanism that does just that.

Overall, the build features a relatively simple ball run. It consists of just six 3D printed ramps that the marble tumbles down in seconds. However, the real magic lies in the mechanism that restores marbles from the bottom of the track to the top.

A motor spins a gear, which then spins a crank leading to a multi-arm diamond. On one corner of the diamond is a small protrusion with a magnet attached, which picks up marbles from the bottom of the race. As the mechanism rotates, the diamond moves and brings the ball arm to the top of the ball race. There it is caught by another magnet, which holds the ball for a moment before dropping it back into the course.

This is a simple project that would still make a great desk toy. It's also a great way to learn about link analysis and designing such systems on your own. If you like marbles, you can also consider generating them procedurally. Video after the break.