How to Make Rolling Ball Sculpture

This page is under construction! So please check back for updated information.

So, you want to know how to make Rolling Ball Sculpture? Well, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve been making RBS for over 18 years and have the experience based on trial and error that will help you get started in making your own RBS. My first advice is that you need to keep an open mind on how it will look and be prepared to make and build things that you can only see in your mind. It does help a great deal to draw out what you’ll be building and know that you might end up making the same item a few times to get it just right. I often make new things and it’s always, ALWAYS, better the second time I do it.
See to the left, track clamps, for holding and spacing the tracks when you weld. Buy them HERE. These are an absolute necessity for building tracks.

To get started on how to make rolling ball sculpture – these basic steps will point you in the right direction:

1. Make the frame. Your supporting structure will be your most important. It will somewhat set the tone for how your RBS looks when not in motion. And it will be what you need to attach tracks and elements onto for support and stability.

2. Make and install the ball lift – you can buy How to Make a Helical Lift here

3. Add the entrance and exit tracks leading into and out of the lift

4. Build and add your track switches

5. Add your large elements first like the Loop d’ loops or Tall skinny coil/spiral or vertical zig-zag.

6. Make the elements you’ll be using such as tipping arms, flat spirals, ball collectors’ other things you like.

7. Make sure all other tracks are built before you add the last, long, track that will weave in and out of the larger elements you added first.

8. Build the “long” track. This track will weave in and out of the already installed elements filling in the entire structure. Be sure to take your time. Keeping the ball slow will help keep in on the tracks and make the corners less problematic. Don’t let the last track be a “race to the bottom” fill things in as much as you can and keep the ball slow as possible.

9. You don’t have to use a motorized lift; you can have the balls released by hand or even have a ball at the bottom press a lever and release the next ball automatically – (semi-automatic).

10. Research on the web how to build fun elements – there are hundreds of great examples that can be adapted to your particular build.

Are you the do-it-yourself type?

I have literally, THOUSANDS of hours of experience bending and welding.

I have the scars and strong hands to prove it.

Welding and steel are often not very friendly to the human hands but practice will make it so that you don’t even feel pain lol.