The Swish Machine: 70 Step Basketball Trickshot (Rube Goldberg Machine) 

My newest machine feeds a SQUIRREL! Check it out! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U3-doqeWHPM.html

So many factors of this machine clearly demonstrate to me that it was created by someone who truly understands the art of machine building, but I'll mention a few of the biggest things that stood out to me. The first was the variety of objects, and your ability to introduce whimsy into the machine, even when it's not mechanically necessary. Often, when building in this style at this scale, there are instances where you need to find an object that fulfills only one specific constraint (often weight, height, length, diameter, etc.). By building with only the objects you already have, you end up with the beautiful byproduct of using objects that fulfill their one constraint, but vary wildly in their other properties. Using a frog statue, or the legs of an office chair, or broom handles simply because they were the right shape really helps add a lot of extra charm to the machine. The variation in the size of the objects used is also managed very well. There are moments where small objects are moving, like the marble, or the Hot Wheels car, or a line of dominoes, but there are other moments with big objects moving, like the target sliding, the swing swinging, or the bike tire rolling. It's clear you put a lot of work into making sure the transition between big and small was always smooth, and that the machine kept a constant rhythm of alternating between large and small objects. When building a machine using primarily everyday objects (instead of the typical "chain reaction" objects like ping pong balls, Hot Wheels tracks, marbles, Jenga blocks, etc.) there are two extremes that you have to be cognizant to avoid. The first pitfall is just repeating the same motions again and again but with different objects (ball on track, bigger ball on different track, ball on board, ball on the ground, smaller ball in tube, blah blah blah). The other pitfall is almost the complete opposite: adding so much distracting infrastructure and complicated mechanisms that obfuscate the flow of motion in the machine. These kinds of machines are impossible to watch because none of the motions seem to cognitively connect. You're left wondering exactly how it transitioned from a basketball rolling to an arrow launching halfway across the lawn, and guessing that it probably had something to do with the big metal tower of gears and levers and pulleys. Suffice it to say, you successfully navigated the challenge of building a machine outside without falling into either of those two extremes. That's very impressive! I'm blown away by this machine, it's seriously shocking the amount of work that went into this, between the building, to the filming, to the way you dealt with the challenges of building outside. Definitely my favorite machine so far this year, and it will be tough to beat!

Have watched dozens of these. But I have never...ever...seen such as this. The scale. The intricacy. The sheer physical expanse. The incorporation of basement/garage/backyard/shed clutter. Hands down the best...*the best*...of these I've ever beheld.

I'm not sure what's more impressive: the engineering to pull off that masterpiece, the time it took to set all that up, or the camera operation to not miss one hit... Just wow.

LOVE that the ramp after the pond is an old poster board about Rube Goldberg machines. LOL Whole thing is brilliant.

The most elaborate Rube Goldberg machine I've seen in my 74 years. The filming, which must have been a real challenge, was also brilliant. Well done!

How this hasn’t broken the internet is beyond me..

This was captivating! The footprint covered probably more than an acre!! The sheer scope of this exercise is mind- boggling!! Conceiving each tiny and large interactive event, and finding material to make it happen! And the time it must have taken!! Hours and days and weeks--even months! Through imagination and excitement, frustration, determination, concentration, excavation, possibly injury, probably wind... and weather!! Positioning and repositioning and repositioning until each airborne segment, and each colliding segment, and each rolling and bouncing and tipping and swinging segment connected "just so!" On and on and on and on and on to the end. And most likely, with each test of each segment, recording it and reviewing it and retweaking it so the final "run through" (distance and speed was sometimes swift) was captured perfectly for my sleepy, sedentary eye to be utterly intrigued, entertained, astonished, surprized and amazed!! One casual dunk of a basketball leading to another has NEVER been so much fun to watch! THANK YOU! :o)

My 2 and 4 year old grandkids loved this!! Great job!

FORGET the entire gargantuan incredibleness of it all........T H A T was probably the best amateur gliding camerawork I have ever seen!!! First I thought it was a drone...but...no propeller sounds. FINALLY at the very end I heard footsteps in the leaves as he flew down the final hillside. AMAZING! You need to apply for work in Hollywood ASAP, dude. Not kidding here. That's flawless camerawork on an advanced level.

That camera work was almost as impressive as the whole setup!

I am a K-5 stem teacher. My kindergarteners are so inspired by you and are building their own swoosh machines!😎

If this doesn't hit a billion, nay 2 billion views it will be a travesty of unparalleled proportions. My God give this man a medal. For not being a lazy SOB like me and so many others this day and age.

Most impressive part: The machine starts in California and ends up making a basketball shot in Maine.

Something like this shouldn’t even be possible to exist. I am absolutely speechless. Also, so many clever uses of objects, like the cinderblocks standing vertically to be used as tracks!

Love what you created! I just spent 3 months in the hospital from Covid. Lost my brother in law in same hospital. When i see your video give me so much joy to watch. Keep doing what you are doing you are a great problem solver!

This will have 20 million views one day. This was Amazing

This is incredible! I can't imagine how long it took to setup after each fail. What part of the machine was the most difficult?

I love this so much. Maybe my favorite touch is when the same object is used twice: for example, at 0:20 the bullseye knocks down the volleyball, and then becomes part of the ramp for the skateboard a moment later. Or at 0:32 the ramps for the billiard balls become dominoes. Ingenious.

This should generate hundreds of job offers from tech startups or even (or especially) established creative vendors like Google or Tesla. This young man's work illustrates the unteachable skills of problem solving, patience, and obsession towards a goal. Man, if you can build an outdoor Rube Goldberg machine like this, you can build anything. And you should.

Fantastic camerawork!

I love these type of videos

Let's list all the impressive things about this machine : it's outside (how about the rain and wind ?), the number of steps, the diversity and size of the objets, it's so big you that have to run in differents places to follow it, and all of that built in only one month. Did you dig the path for the basket ball ?

Saw this on our local news programme in Devon, UK last night and just had to watch it again....and again....and again....unbelievable !

I hope this wonderful manchild uses this for his college admission 'essay'. I'd admit him if I was involved with that kind of thing. WONDERFUL! Thank you young sir!! You have made my day and I see great things in your future. What a creative fellow you are.

I think this is the most impressive Rube Goldberg Machine I've seen. For starters, the whole build is outside and subject to the wind and other interfering elements, which is very impressive in and of itself. Another impressive aspect is the inherently simple construction of the individual components. I didn't see a single screw anywhere; it's all just tape and stuff leaned against each other. The last is more about the video: the camera work. The organic wide sweeping shots, and close ups, and fluid means of following the action give us the feeling of a god watching his creation go out and do its thing as well as displaying the grand scale of the whole contraption. Well done!

This is insane!!!!!!!!!!! Keep up the great work. Best trick shooter ever?

Just watching this with my kids after seeing this a year or two ago. Still incredible and inspiring. Thank you for sharing this gift with us!

That was amazing! My 4th graders LOVED IT!!!!! SPEECHLESS!!!

amazing!!!!!!

You are so Creative! Fantastic Video👍

Not only incredibly impressively conceived and executed but also perfectly shot. I’m very glad I watched your behind-the-scenes supplemental video. Super cool. And nice to see Rube Goldberg getting a shout out, especially from someone so young!

We loved your Rube Goldberg in 3rd grade---WOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!

Amazing job

Your trickshots are the best!!!

Amazing! Great work. You are a credit to your generation! America needs more people like you.

Truly magnificent. Thanks and best wishes from North West England.

Unbelievable. One of the most creative machines I've seen in a long time. I commend you for using so many unconventional materials in such brilliant ways that exploit the simple machines that can be seen in all everyday objects, this is a style of rube goldberg machine building that has been dying out but this machine brings new hope and possibility to the style, at least for me. The journey it takes you through is so immersive - I kept thinking it would end but then an entirely new section would be opened up to my disbelief. I was surprised by how smoothly you made each element transition into the next, and also how you incorporate your environment into the machine's aesthetic, like in the marble track taking the shape of the little pond, and working around and with the playground was awesome. Also the camera work is stellar and an enormous congrats on getting this to work in one take!! :D

I keep thinking that the machine is about to end, but it just keeps going!

148 people are just jealous they didn't pull this incredible feat off. I remember making a much smaller one of these in middle school, so fun! This is beyond epic! Well done!

This is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen!! You're awesome man!! What makes this so cool is that you've used all sorts of household stuff in a creative way and the course is so long, yet you made it work!!! Super impressive. Wish you lots of success. Keep doing your thing!

One of the most complicated and satisfying video I've ever seen! Good job!

THIS IS INSANE!!

My wife doesn't usually like this sort of thing, but she was laughing and ooh-ing and ahh-ing throughout the video. 5 minutes later she's watching it for the third time and saying how good this was. I agree. Two thumbs up!

utterly blown away!!!! ive always wanted to build one of these so bravo!!!! showed it to my grandkids ages 7 and 10 now they want to build one too they loverd it!!!!

CRAZY!!!

Woowwwww😱🔥🔥🔥

I appreciate this a thousand times more because of Quarantine. It's the little things...😊

Major props for also including the name of Rube Goldberg briefly near the end on the whiteboard. He would be so proud of this!

This is a masterpiece. So difficult to do outside!

That’s so impressive! That takes a lot of patience and work. Good ideas! 👍

WHO TF can dislike this video?! Probably people who can't be this cool.

This was so much fun to watch!!! I can’t believe you actually dug a smooth track to the water after all the other work!😄

I was highly impressed that a lot of the mechanisms would overlap each other. For instance the giant board had to be in place for the ball to come back over it. Those were nifty setups he had going there. I wish I could give you several thumbs up. You deserve them.

Amazing skills

The greatest of all time. The best I've ever seen.

Nice work! I and my toddler loved it…he kept saying “Look at that!” excitedly.😁

Speechless rn. The amount of work that goes into your vids is incredible

Your patience is absolutely amazing and you are very hardworking keep up the good work

I hope you get into the Guinness Book Of World Records! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

This has to be one of the most masterful things I've ever seen. It's ingenious. If only I could just get inside your mind for 5 minutes, it would be epic!

Someone needs to hire this guy. I don’t think a space shuttle has this level of engineering. 😮

This is absolutely crazy. I could never think to build any of those contraptions.

Just Amazing, the best I have seen. Congratulations

My smile keep getting wider as the "steps' progressed! 😃

This is by far your best chain reaction! Loved that it was outside! Super original

Absolutely insane! The caboose on top of the swing set and the basketball dirt luge are my favorite parts

I have never been so enthralled by a video. Absolutely amazing from concept to execution. Subscribed!

Hell, I'm just impressed by the filming!

I saw this on ESPN, and it is so cool! Shoutout to you for putting in all the hard work to entertain us during quarantine

I so enjoyed this and felt all the pain you must have endured in producing this phenomenal demonstration of clover uses of so many objects and physical interactions

Brilliant. Thanks so much for your swish machine (and the short video about it how you making it is great also). A lot of students will be watching your work this Fall. For one, you have made my work as a teacher easier. We need your positivity in these difficult times. Cheers.

So great! Looks like the one basketball came a little close to going off the cinder blocks! Whew...!

This is unbelievable. Outdoor, so many steps, perfect run filmed in one take. Insanely impressive!

What miserable cow gave this video a dislike?! This is what it’s like when you have an imagination and creativity. Awesome job! My 80 yr old mother is who sent me this video...so awesome job from her too!

💕 this was great. Thank you 👍

What interests me, beyond the fun of these machines is all the props required.

It's difficult for me (as a former physics teacher) to pick which element was my favorite. That being said, I could imagine about 8-10 that you really had to troubleshoot to make sure they worked perfectly. That was impressive - and awesome.

This is one of the most amazing things I've seen.

Hello random person scrolling through the comments of this amazing video, I wish you a great day and stay healthy and well from COVID 19. Have a lovely day. :)

Absolutely love this! That was so crazy-cool-stupid-awesome-fun and entertaining! Thanks!!

Insane machine. These tricks are there in our community since a long time but the way u created them with everyday objects is just flawless. Nice work

How on earth..... your chain reactions have improved so much and you were able to do a huge one OUTSIDE!! So impressive, and this deserves to go viral.

Total respect! That is an achievement!

I'd say "For the Win!" and *That* shot is worth way more than 3-points!! Well, very well, done!

This is incredible, I can't imagine how hard it is to build a machine this long completely outdoors.The whole sequence from 0:15 to 0:29 really blew me away. This is one of my favorite machines of the year so far and can't wait to see what you make next!

OMG😱 Unbelievable👌💪👍

Genius. Your estimation, hard work, and persistence show how awesome you are. Congratulations.

Fricken cool! So much thought and planning surely went into this. Awesome how everything worked all the way thru.

QUALITY CONTENTTTT! THIS IS THE CONTENT THAT DESERVES VIEWS. I'm so happy for you! And your genuine joy at the end of the video is just so heart warming. Keep doing what you're doing. You will shine!

Bro!! This might be the most insane trick shot I've ever seen!!! Great job dude!

I would be ashamed not to like a video as incredible and laborious as this

This in equal parts cannot possibly be real but cannot possibly be fake. Easily my favourite of this kind of contraption, and the camera work was incredible. Seemless control and execution

NOW THIS IS CONTENT

Mic drop And I have no words You are the man creeeeeeeeeee

once the bicycle tire was triggered, knew i was in for a treat. my favorites were the swing seat, the shovel, and when the football hits the gatorade bottle. every sport ball seemed to be in that one... but of course the kaboose. the matchbox too, so enjoyable... peaceful. then your awesome backyard. am grateful for your videos, they remind me to never take for granted my own childhood in new england

Hi, know I'm very late to the game but I just saw this on a Facebook repost on a page "LADBible Australia" (they gave credit, thankfully). As with previous comments, I am amazed at the length, the setting (outdoors!), and the camerawork. I have *one* suggestion that I think would've been the absolute icing on this cake for consideration in a future video-when I saw the archery target, I was hoping against hope that somehow it would circle back and fire a pre-drawn bow into the bullseye. I know, incredibly challenging, potentially dangerous. But oof would I love to see it! Regardless, incredible job friend, 10/10 from 2022.

I don't know what to say... this is beyond incredible mate!!! So creative! Huge respect 🙌🏼

Dude, that was awesome! Definitely one of your best videos yet!

Quite possibly the best of those machines that I have EVER seen. Truly remarkable and entertaining. Respect.