Introduction
This page used to have only bamboo rolling ball sculptures but since I made some metal ones and I am too lazy to make a new page for them I have just added them to this page and modified it a bit. And it goes without saying I have not quite finished and probably never will... enjoy!
Bamboo Rolling Ball Sculptures
Photos
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Videos
Introduction
There is not a lot of art I particularly like, or enjoy looking at. I cannot distinguish between what I am told is a good painting and what is not. I want action and movement and a still painting can never capture that for me. For what passes off as art nowadays I think I can safely call Rolling Ball Structures art. I spent a long time looking at other people's wonderful creations on the internet and marvelled at the complexity and simplicity of their designs. Some of the mechanisms are ingenious and I encourage you to look at the links page at the bottom of this page and check them out. Sadly I don't have a welder - yet ;) -, materials or the experience to build a metal one so I looked around for alternatives. I must have seen some bamboo skewers in the kitchen cupboard and thought of having a go at building one.
Construction
At the time of building and as I right this now I have still never seen any other RBSs made from skewers on the internet. (If you have
please email me). With no guidance on materials I settled on garden wire to bind the skewers. For the first ever small RBS I
made I didn't strip off the plastic coating which was a mistake because the pieces slipped. With narrow wire you can
tighten the wrapped wire using pliers until it digs into the soft wood. This stops slipping and is relatively durable.
However, after about a year I have needed to re-tighten some joins and the wire has snapped in places.
The only tools I use are pliers and cutting pliers. This means there are no expensive tools to buy and bamboo skewers
are extremely cheap.
There is a major cost in time. I didn't time myself but I imagine I spent between 25-30 hours on the tall one and 15 hours so far
on the smaller one.
The Finished Product
I've decided the tall RBS is now finished. I like the shape and as the saying goes: If it isn't broke, don't fix it!
When I finished the first one I had no intentions in building another but I was still on holiday and began to miss the
time spent constructing something. I decided to go for sometihng different and ambitious by building one with two tracks
instead of one and in smaller base.
This leads to a very tight structure with few gaps. If multiple balls are running down both tracks then the effect is
chaotic, yet pleasing. The taller RBS has more gaps so you can see the track clearly which gives the addtional benefit
of easier repairs.
The tall RBS's running time is about 43 seconds. The dual track one has a combined track time of about 50 seconds.
What next...
Eventually I would like to build a metal RBS but because I have no welder and materials for it then for now it shall
remain a dream. Once I get myself I job then I can fund it!
Which leads on to the fact that I would not mind selling
the tall or indeed the dual track one (However, I think more should be added to it). They take up quite a bit of storage
space and you cannot leave heavy things that might drop and break it. I have no idea on the how long it will last either,
wood is a natural material and you cannot predict what it will do. But they are unique items and you certainly will not
find them mass produced in China! Oh, and you couldn't transport them for huge distances. (I live in South Scotland)
MAKE Fame
My Bamboo Rolling Ball Sculptures were featured in the online version of MAKE in June 2007. A year and a bit later I received an email from Megan Mansell Williams asking me if I wanted to be in the printed version of Make, of course I did! After exchanging a few emails and a Skype conversation she said she had all she needed. In February I checked the new issue online, and sure enough, I'm there!
Around this time I saw a printed version of Make in WH Smiths. It was the previous edition but it was still great to see the magazine in the UK.
Yesterday was the first time I saw a printed version of Make in W H Smiths. It was the previous issue but it was great to see Make on sale here. The edition with my RBS in it came out a few weeks later. I bought it, read it thouroughly and subscribed. At £7.99 it is an expensive magazine but it is worth every penny. There are very few adverts (and those that are there are interesting and relevant) and there is a lot of content packed into it.
Online version of article: Make: Bamboo Rolling Ball Sculpture
Printed Edition: Make Volume 13: Magic (page 25)
Metal Rolling Ball Sculptures
Desktop #1 - video
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My first proper metal RBS. It was made using ** stainless steel and a soldering iron that I got for Christmas (It was on offer for £9.99!). Turned out nicely. Lasts just under 6 seconds and is just under 15cm. I didn't sand the joins as I went along which means there are brown marks and some of the track is a bit wobbly but it is very reliable (no drops) and got me back into the way of making them. It is now sitting on the shelf above my desk at my university accomodation.
Desktop #2 - video
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Main features is the spiral. I didn't manage to keep the track diameter constant which results in the ball slowing down quite dramatically at one point but does prolong it. It doesn't work unless the surface is level. From the top to the spiral the track could have done with being neater but I succeeded in making the ball change speed which makes it more visually pleasing.
Desktop #3 - video
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First RBS to use 13/16" ball bearings. They are more forgiving if the track is too wide/thin but sharp corners demonstrate Newton's Third Law nicely as there is a definite movement of the whole RBS on the table. I like the ending as there is a Newton's cradle affect. I sanded this one as I went along so it is a lot cleaner looking. Visually I would say this is the most appealing one so far. It will be the last one of my Christmas Holidays 2008/2009 as I get distracted by them once I start and don't get much work done!
Links
These are some of my favourite RBSs and websites.
Perpetual Ball Roller - A little machine I made. It's nice to watch!Unigamer's YouTube Videos - These are my videos
Wooden RBS - Has a flip-flop
Yahoo RBS group - The art and enjoyment of Rolling Ball Sculptrures
Flexible Tube RBS - I especially like the lift machine on this RBS
YouTube RBS Videos - You could spend a long time here!
RBSs for sale - Made by Matthew Gaulden
RBS information - A definite site to bookmark
Eddie's Mind - Another excellent site with construction hints
Many different RBSs - A prolific sculptor!
Popsicle Stick Skyscraper - Target of 6ft. Worth donating to
K'nex RC Car - OK, this one is mine!
Contact Me
My email is unigamer @ gmail . com
Feel free to email any questions or RBS's you have made. I like watching them. A lot!