Keeping with my theme of DIY projects as gifts, I present to you this little treat, a laser-cut marble machine that comes to us via merry old England. While the mechanism is cool – you turn a little crank and send the balls climbing up a hill and then down a little ramp – the real fun comes in assembling the jolly little machine.
Features
- Marbles!
- Wood cut parts glue together
- Creator is very funny (“Not recommended for people with a “tennis elbow” as enthusiastic cranking could worsen this condition.”)
Info
- MSRP $20
- Shipping now
- Product page
The Marble Machine is fantastic because…
… it’s a complete marble machine that fits on a desk. You can set it up at work and amuse your co-workers or at home where you can stare at it, idly turning the crank as you drink a single malt and contemplate the meaningless treadmill of existence. Or you can pretend the marbles are penguins climbing up and down ice floes. Your choice.
The Marble Machine is a…
… is a complete kit of wooden pieces as well as a “generous supply of steel balls.” It is nearly 5 inches tall. Plus, the creator writes lines like:
Anyone that excited about the prospect of making a little clockwork marble machine deserves our nerdish attention.
The Marble Machine Kit makes a perfect gift for…
… folks who want to spend a little time building a clever clockwork device after gorging on figgy pudding and tripe. These sorts of things are cracking good fun and well worth the effort at assembly. Who knows, maybe the person you give this to will build something a bit more extravagant over time. Might make a good parent/child project for the cold January months.
