MK Marble Climbing Machine
The Marble Climbing Machine was produced not by Timberkits, but by Mechanical Kits. Mechanical Kits is the US distributer for Timberkits, but also offers other product lines plus some original designs like the Marble Climbing Machine kit shown here. The kit is very Timberkits-like in design and assembly. Anyone familiar with Timberkits will feel right at home with the Marble Climbing Machine.
--EXTERNAL LINK-- Click image to go to YouTube video of finished model.
Finished model.
Finished model.
Finished model.
Finished model.
Box, parts and instructions.
Box detail.
When attaching the side pieces to the base I used two of the climbing pistons to ensure that the side pieces stayed square while the glue dried.
Ensuring the side pieces stayed square while the glue dried.
I noticed that the return shoot was slightly narrower than the side pieces. So I deviated from the instructions by first assembling the rest of the model before tackling the return shoot and the front. I laid the model on its back and glued in the return shoot ensuring that the top was slightly lower than the return gutter and the bottom was slightly higher than the first piston set to its lowest point. Next I glued a pair of flat toothpicks to the front of the return shoot so as to shim it out even with the width of the right side piece. In this way I was able to securely glue the front side piece to the shoot without pinching any of the climbing pistons.
Ready to attach the front side piece. Note the toothpick shims on the side of the return shoot.
The kit came with four marbles that were not quite round. Sometimes the marbles got stuck between the return gutter and the crest of the back side piece. I used some sandpaper to bevel the top inside edge of the return gutter. Now the marbles always pass down the gutter despite their slight egg-shape.
Marble stuck in the return gutter.
Beveled top inside edge of the return gutter.
Occasionally a marble would jump out the front of the model. I fashioned a wedge-shaped part from a piece of scrap wood and glued it to the top front of the return shoot.
A marble might jump off the front of the model.
My homemade wedge.
Wedge glued in place. This view also shows the gap filled by toothpicks between the return shoot and the front side piece.