Cardboard Ping-Pong / Marble Ball Run

Making a rolling ball sculpture - otherwise known as a marble run - is a feat of physics and kinetic motion, and for some of the less sciencey-minded folk, it can be a creation of sheer, fun luck! Did you know that the longest marble run ever made was in Switzerland in 2017 and measured 2,858.9 meters / 9375.59 feet long?!? Wowee.

There are so many inventive ways you can make a ball travel along a path to a chosen destination. Some are the creations of beautiful complex minds, and some are so beautifully simple. Here we will demonstrate a few techniques to help a ping-pong sized ball travel along a cardboard trail using Makedo and our friend GRAVITY. And the best part is, we don't have to rely on any un-eco tape from falling away by the momentum or weight of it all.

Would love to see your interpretations and creations too. 😍

To make a nice tall structure for our run to attach to we connected one moving box on top of another using Makedo Scrus, and wrapped the ball-run across the front two perpendicular panels. You could also use any large piece of cardboard, just ensure it has sufficient structural support to keep it upright.

Supplies you'll need are cardboard, Makedo cardboard construction tools and connectors, and if possible, some 3D printed brackets*.

* Print your own brackets from our free designs on Thingiverse or easily substitute for cardboard versions that you make yourself.

Three styles of pathways:

Ensure that the pathway width is slightly greater than the width of the ball you are using. Here the ping-pong ball is just under 2"/5cm in diameter.

Pathway 1 - U Shape: Has three sides that each range from 2-2.7" / 5-7cm in width, and were scored using the Makedo Fold-Roller.

Pathway 2 - L Shape: Has only two sides and are attached using either cardboard brackets or 3D printed brackets.

Pathway 3 - Flat Shape: Is a single piece of cardboard (like a driveway) and attached using two angle brackets (we cut square holes out of it just for fun).

To counter the bouncy and unpredictable nature of the ping-pong ball, we created a catchment.

Create an archway and cut 5x slits from the outer edges, which will allow the cardboard to be overlapped and screwed together. Cut out a smaller archway from the centre, big enough to fit the ping pong ball through it. Leave enough cardboard intact below the archway shape to fold up and attach with Makedo Scrus on either side, and also to attach to the main structure.

In order for the ball to roll inwards towards the hole, attach 2x Makedo Scru+ for the catchment to rest against, as you can see in the above image.

Funnels are a great way to catch and slow down the ball before directing it further along the path. We tried two different funnel designs on our ball run, and will look at the version at the end of our run in detail here.

Start by cutting a circle that's wider than the tube it will sit above. If you don't have a tube, you could use a small tissue box. FYI - we found a paper-towel tube was too narrow for the ping-pong ball, but could work for you if you're using a marble or smaller sized ball.

Cut out a hole in the centre that's larger than the ball size (here that's 2"/5cm). Like you would to a pizza, score lines through the circular cardboard using the Makedo Fold-Roller.

Cut from the edge to the centre along only one of the lines. Overlap one of the pizza slices onto the other and secure with a Makedo Scru, creating the funnel shape.

Make 2x brackets by cutting two smaller pieces of cardboard and scoring width-ways through the centre. Now attach the funnel to the tube, by securing the brackets with Makedo Scrus. To have this sitting off the wall, we've used a 3D printed bracket (or you could make a similar shaped piece using cardboard).

Attach a pipe under the funnel to direct the ball towards the finish line.

Feel free to get creative with your finish line. Celebrate the conclusion of your ball run!

In our run, the ball landed in the hands of one our young builders... how will yours land? Let us know by posting below.

Don't forget that this project is all about experimentation and exploration. Even a tiny rotation or change of angle can make a significant difference! Enjoy watching your ball travel through the structure that you have made, with all the twists, turns and drops from top to bottom.

Makedo cardboard Marble Run on YouTube