Was chatting with David (@Photomancer) the other day about marble runs and I ran across this interesting large one.
My favorite two features are the marble race and the roller coaster. I think the thing that intrigued me the most about these features was the drastic changes in speed. I think the roller coaster did this the best, would be a pretty cool feature to incorporate.
I like marble machines and people love to gaze at them… but for how long depends upon the execution.
Most marble machines pay no attention to theming or sound effects. Just a noisy clanking maze of pipes and chutes. Which is entertaining enough on its own… but still… not much longevity there.
I like how this one has recognizable features like the Golden Gate bridge, the Painted Ladies, Lombard Street, cannons, decorative ball (NYE in NYC?). It doesn’t quite go far enough, but it’s already better than most. However, it does not take sound effects into account.
I’ve long envisioned a machine which carries out a suitable theme filled with artistic elements like a small town or cityscape like a model train set… and the movement of the balls trigger wind chimes and wave sounds when traveling over sheets of metal. The timing of which is designed to trigger at complementary moments and in even-order harmonics like a tube amp so that you want to hear it again and again (like pinball bells). This would give it more permanent staying power versus a momentary “huh” moment before moving on.
George Rhoads is a marble machine artist who has been doing public installations for years. His works are more minimalist but well-executed. I’d like to extend upon his style with longer-running less whimsical and more “Zen” styles of movement and sounds. Maybe an elaborate scene from a Kurosawa film with a small gong? 
Definitely could use more audible parts to it like bells, strings, wooden planks being hit, like that other video posted here a while back.
I realize I’m a bit odd on this, and a minimalist, but generally find “noise” annoying, or worse, and generally don’t care much for the “bells&whistles” business, though I find a certain tranquility in mechanical things doing what they do. I found the sound of this device refreshing compared to many of the others I’ve seen which include clanging bells & other cacophonous annoyances. There is another I saw recently themed so the marbles were “bullet trains” and the metal track made appropriate “train noises” which i quite liked as well. And the music machine posted recently was quite impressive, so purposeful “noise” is good with me…
I’d like to see Nick’s idea come to fruition so i can judge, but give me the sounds of marbles on wood any day over superfluous gonging…
I saw an artist by the name of Jeffrey Zachmann at the Main Street art festival in Fort Worth. He has some amazing kinetic sculptures to sell. They start at about $10,000. I was mesmerized by the things. He has a waiting list for his sculpture and you can find them all over the world.
I would love to build something like this, but the complexity is somewhat overwhelming. I know @Photomancer and I discussed this one night in CA, too. Below is just one example of his sculpture. You can go to his site and see them in motion, too. http://www.zachmann.com/812
Another issue with the sculpture is the sheer size of it. Really only useful for public viewing and not easily accessible… would be better if viewers could get closer and possibly walk within it.
I’m a longtime fan of Rowland Emett who created numerous Rube Goldberg drawings and contraptions. His most recognized work was featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBJGpNTP_lY
Many of his machines incorporated an incredible number of delightful artistic touches. The Rowland Emett preservation society has a nice video here… a feast for the senses:
The Scottish Rite children’s hospital has a gigantic ceiling-mounted kinetic sculpture in this style… not sure who built it. But really cool to see in person.
Coloneldan, I’ve seen Zachmann’s sculptures at MSFWAF over the past several years. The scale and attention to detail is impressive. Perfect for selling as artwork to hang on the wall. However, I always found his sculptures to be a little too noisy and clanky… too much for a home environment in my opinion.
Andrew Carson makes wind sculptures which are similarly zany but don’t make much (if any) noise at all… which I like. I’m not opposed to using sound as long as every aspect of it is deliberately crafted to enhance the experience… otherwise it’s often overlooked. We live in a culture which is too noisy as-is… art should remind us of this & provide some respite.
I would love to see kinetic art as a theme for a Maker’s Make display (including marble runs, Rube Goldberg’s and anything with moving parts). It might take a long time to prepare, and it might even take teams of people but wow, what a neat challenge that would be!! I know it’s impractical, but it would certainly stretch both my imagination and my skills to create something like that.
Electro-mechanical pinball is interactive kinetic pop art too.
Well how about that… just looked up at the TV and saw this ad. Kinetic art destiny calls!
I agree. The booth at MSFWA was incredibly noisy with some 10 or so of his sculptures going simulataneously. There was a park there next to the fair which had some of the kinetic glass sculptures. They were amazingly colorful and very quiet as they were moved by the wind. I liked them very much as one of my hobby interests is in stained glass.
I agree wholeheartedly with your comment about art and living in a noisy culture. [quote=“nickdangerous, post:6, topic:8526”]
We live in a culture which is too noisy as-is… art should remind us of this & provide some respite.
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I’d be interested in participating in the creation of a Rube Goldberg or other kinetic sculpture, but I’ve never built such a thing so I wouldn’t know where to start.
Thanks for the info on Glassinator @nickdangerous
Geez… hundreds of these gizmos on YouTube! A lot of the videos suffer from jump-cut editing and music overdubs… can’t see the machine in action.
I love this one. It isn’t repeatable and takes a while to cycle all the way through… but… the sounds! Wood + marbles is terrific! Also love the surprise magnet rotation… that was unexpected.
Why, of course you can!
I love this one too. Just crazy-large scale with a huge wait-for-it… wait-for-it moment.
An amazing piece!
I’m a self taught beginner, working with an oxy acetylene jeweler’s torch in my garage. I’d like to learn how to use TIG so I can make a cleaner sculpture, and easier. I took a look around DMS a few weeks ago.
Here is the link to my first RBS. Mike’s First RBS It ain’t pretty, but I like it. Hope to do a better vid of it soon. I wasn’t really able to realize my vision for it because I started wide and low. Obviously, I should have made one taller. 'doh!
Is there a RBS group at DMS?
undrdog / mike
This is so amazing! We don’t have a group but it would be a really cool thing to get going here (congrats you just started it 
)
@nickdangerous your knowledge of kinetic art gives me goosebumps. @AlexRhodes and @MellissaRhodes have been talking about an idea for parking day in September - this might be a very interesting thing to explore.
I would love a kinetic inspired show. Noise would be a factor. Lets think about it and what all it would take to make happen. I’m willing @John_Marlow
Awww thanks. I once saw an interactive kinetic art display in elementary school during a field trip and was instantly hooked!
Another favorite is David C. Roy. His sculptures are made almost entirely of wood and are powered with springs… no batteries or electricity needed. I bought this one back in 2011 after visiting his Connecticut studio…
Kindred spirits… a David Roy was my first real art purchase, back in like '98. The one I have is called Fusion. It might still be on his website.
And we have an Andrew Carson, too. 
He is at Ft Worth Main Street this weekend! Go and see his and the RBS artist mentioned above is also there. Amazing work.
While you’re there, get a pair of Piper Sandals. Last pair of sandals you’ll ever need.
How cool! The first time I saw David’s sculptures was at a top-floor art gallery at the West End Marketplace during the early 90’s. I recall seeing “Castaway” there and a few others. Took me 15 years to finally buy one… but it gives me joy every day to see it spinning on the wall. Though I am still pissed at myself for not buying Tangle in 2002… his most incredible piece in my opinion. Also missed out on Tri-Fusion in 2009. Have since learned to pounce on the interesting ones quickly!
I’d also have already purchased one of Carson’s sculptures if I still lived in the mid-cities. Big house, big yard back then. The whirling colors would have looked amazing amid all that greenery.
I guess your next purchase will be an Anthony Howe, eh? Haven’t seen one in person but they sound squeaky in the videos. Might be a dealbreaker for me. Sounds are a big influence upon my purchasing decisions… the quietness of my car… wind chimes… also spend a lot of time rolling tubes through audio amps very carefully to get just the right sound. 'Cause I’m one of those “sensitives” yanno. 
…and now I am off to investigate these Piper Sandals…
I didn’t recognize the name, but seeing the pics, I have seen his on Youtube. Safely out of my budget.
I like sounds, but the right ones. That’s why I don’t have a RBS from the guy out at Main Street. His work is wonderful, but too “industrial” for me. Loud clanks of metal.
Something I want to learn for my own work… I want to learn enough about clockwork that I can make a sculpture (and even little tin toys) that wind up. A wind up piece doesn’t need to be put near an AC outlet. Also, it would be more ren-faire or steampunk-ish. And I need to learn TIG. Didn’t see any classes at DCCC.
I bet you got your David C Roy at Free Flight Gallery, at the West End! I got mine at their location in the Galleria. I loved their aesthetic. They had a dynamite set up with plunger, ala Wile E Coyote, but it was all made of nice wood. Should have gotten it when I saw it…
I’m also very interested in this type of sculpture. There is a whole group of kinetic sculptures based upon wind power.
I like the ideas posted here. It is certainly worth discussing further.
