Building a Marble Ramp

Introduction

Some people have seen my marble ramps. If you havn't seen one, it is difficult to explain what they are.

Objective

The objective of this project is to have fun while learning to make toys out of readily available materials without spending money. These projects will require the participation of an adult. In fact, the role of the child will depend a lot on age, skill and attention span. Remember, the objective is to have fun, be creative. There is no final design. When you are tired.. its finished. You will learn to work with your child. You will learn her limitations. You will see development of dexterity and communication skills. You will learn to use the internet (visit a web page, send an email)

Preparation

Scissors
Ruler
Paper clips
Glue (Elmer's Glue-All or equivalent)
A marble
Cardboard stock If you buy the cardboard, you are missing the point of the project.

Prefabrication

The pieces you will need are a base, ramp floor pieces, side strips, ells and ramp supports.

Base material

Flat piece of cardboard. I like to write the date on the bottom and sign it. This is to emphasize that it is a unique work of art. People will ask you how long it took to build this thing. To answer you must know when you started. If you finish, remember to write the finish date on the bottom.

Ramp floor pieces

The ramp floor pieces are usually curved pieces about 1 inch wide. The width is not critical. Should be at least wide enough for a marble. Make several at a time to avoid leaving unusable scraps.

Side strips

The side strips are straight and about 1/2 inch wide. The width is not critical but the sides should be parallel. It is a good idea to use a ruler to make lines before cutting.

Ell pieces

The ell pieces are used to attach the side strips.

Ramp supports

Ramp supports are various lengths as the ramp is built up. They may be made from 1 inch wide strips folded into the letter "U" or you can use two strips folded into the letter "L" and glue them together to get the exact height you need.

Strength and Rigidity

As you proceed with construction, you will find a need for more strength and rigidity. The ramps tend to sag and the marbles no longer roll in the expected direction. This calls for more engineering. There are several options. Vertical circular columns can support a lot of weight without saging. A handy answer is the spool from a roll of toilet paper or a roll of paper towels. I have been really inspired at times by mailing tubes.

Design Criteria

Usually one starts construction after design. The design criteria should be established first. Sometimes the design criteria evolve during construction.

Sound

Sound can be one criteria. As the marble rolls down the ramp you may sense an attractive thunk as it hits a bump. Certain sounds may be especially attractive to your cat. The sound of a spiraling marble in a funnel is attractive to my wife.

Fig.:1 Sometimes I try for artistic effect.Most of this structure has no function.

Fig.:2 This model was made for a small rubber ball.

Fig.:3 Some things you may need. Ruler for straight lines, toilet paper spool to build vertical columns, paper clips (essential for holding parts while glue dries), scissors. Strip at right will become an inside rail of a ramp. In back, you see an example of construction in progress.

Fig.:4 Remove ends of the cerial box and save them for later use.

Fig.:5 Making "ells" from the corner of a cerial box.

Fig.:6 Apply a dab of glue to an "ell" piece.

Fig.:7 Attaching the "ell" pieces to the underside of the ramp floor.

Fig.:8 This view shows a short "U" shapped vertical support being held in place by a paper clip while glue dries. The Inside rail on the far side of the ramp has been glued to the "ell" pieces.

Fig.:9 Larger model built for rubber ball rather than marble.

Fig.:10 Larger model: View of bottom shows use of "ells" to connect rail to ramp floor.

Fig.:11 Larger model (inverted view): Another view of bottom shows details of construction. This model makes extensive use of corrogated cardboard for vertical supports as well as segments of the base.