Cabinet reshuffle - perfect title. I agree with the other comments about having the tracks go through the wheel. Take advantage of the lack of spokes. Geoff in France.
I think you need something really "watchable" in the centre of the wheel. How about all balls are held at some point on their tracks until something happens in the middle that triggers all of them to start moving again? Maybe a counterweighted vertical arm that carries the ball across a large gap in the centre from one track to another, and as it goes, it trips rods that release the trapped balls for them to continue the journey down. I love complicated mechanisms and surprising cause and effect items. You certainly have the patients and precision and it shows in your great machines!
Hi Ian. You were looking for some suggestions. One of my criticisms of Rolling Ball sculptures is when the ball gets to the bottom too quickly. I personally enjoy when there is lots of meandering or when there are multiple routes down the sculpture. I realize you have limited space so multiple might be a bit of a challenge but serpentine and or holding a ball to be triggered by a later ball is always interesting. In any event, I look forward to the following episodes and seeing the finished product. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the good work.
Love the challenge you've given yourself with the glass cabinet. I love loops but I've found I enjoy the challenge of keeping the balls on the sculpture and moving for as long as I possibly can as well. Serpentines are a great way to control and slow ball speed (as you know). Wondering how many switches you incorporate in the space. I've learned a lot from your videos Ian and also use a homemade resistance soldering unit that you inspired. Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing. You are an inspiration to enthusiasts around the world. Mike
I don’t think you’d have the space but it would be interesting if you managed to get the track to go through the bearing and behind the upright of the tee. Enjoy your time in Thailand
Hi thanks for the idea. It’s a squeeze to get the balls behind the tee (25mm > 18mm). But possible behind the bearing. Thank you for the suggestion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Since the large bearing has pegs separated equal distances on the outer diameter, a down & up rhythm maybe illustrated. Like a conductors wand guiding the viewer to the rhythm of the big bearing. Other mechanisms in contact with the wheel may have diagonal, horizontal, circular wand movements that are derivative to the balls falling downward. More for artistic display. Imagine being 30 feet away, the fluorescent color of thin tin forms move about in a rhythmic fashion and the sounds of the bearings providing the percussion accompaniment
I've got two suggestions: 1: do the balls fit through the wheel and around it? Like a roller coaster going through a Ferris Wheel? 2: maybe a loop exactly in the middle of the wheel. Oh and at first I thought you were going to build a sculpture entirely fitted to the bearing, so it could be turned around. But I can imagine that would be terribly difficult 😅
A wheel fitted to move with the inside diameter may create a smaller diameter lift or pump stair lift mechanism upward. I like a slower flowing machine with short runs that highlight a particular feature. Discontinuous flow with discrete pause and start points. More like a circus act that spot lights a skill at different points of the display. And perhaps spray color that mechanism such as a funnel, loop, lever with one primary color in addition to copper or steel.
Can you have a bit where the ball stops/gets stuck and then the next ball down will dislodge it to carry on ? Your voice is really soothing, i really enjoy your videos, thankyou for making them.
I would like to see if the downward force of the wheel can raise balls upward to start over on the track. At different points of the vertical drop a ball is raised. Perhaps on the free end of the lever, and even on the end that is being pressed downward it may pick up a ball and raise it to a level above. The image is as a ball is meandering down, a mechanism switches the track the ball may follow. One that leads to a line that lifts it back up to top level, one that allows it to continue on. The ball that continues on may be captured by the the lever side being lowered by the big wheel. That side raises the ball above the point where it may roll and be directed downward or be lifted to the very top. Some pass to the very bottom, some are raised above mid level, some are recaptured and raised to the top or roll down to be recaptured below or follow to the big wheel lift. A ball is seen being lifted by levers that are pressed by the big wheel at a more rapid rate than the big wheel lift. As well, it is being handed off to the lever centered higher until the ball is dropped off at the top. Use the downward rotation of the big wheel to raise the ball on a different path upward. Introduce points of uncertainty where the mechanics sorts the direction the ball may take and when it may end its journey at the bottom. Since you have a big wheel, you might introduce a circuit where the ball takes 10 seconds to roll along a path, there are always 6 to start in a stack or line, if there are six ways balls are lifted upward, they may all be timed to arrive at the top holding point, simultaneously the six balls are released from some point to all arrive to form a line of six balls. These six balls are then released every 10 seconds. As certain gates are passed a 10 second hand, or minute hand moves about the center view of the wheel against the glass
Just a thought - once you have established that the bearing fits in the cabinet, wouldn’t it be easier to build the track on the prototype frame and transfer it to the cabinet once it is built ? That way you have better access for soldering and don’t risk damaging the cabinet. Also easier to try things out and change them.
For areas within the sides of the entry to the cabinet it maybe difficult to fit and secure. If the track portion near the sidewalks are established in the cabinet, perhaps your suggestion may be applied. It might make sense if the glass sides are slid into place after the track is created. Then, transferring complications of an easily blended frame may be avoided.
I believe there are potential complications in the transfer process with multiple points weighted and bended along with structure twisting as the center of mass changes as it is being handled without a sturdy reference frame
Hey Simon. It’s a toss up between your suggestion and the difficulties mentioned by jr-vq6vj. I need to secure supports to the wooden frame as I go and the tolerances are very low. Also, the door hole is smaller than the sculpture so it would be a smaller sculpture if I had to feed it in at the end. Why do I like challenging myself this way??? 🤔🤨🧐