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Update #13: new video footage
This is a marble run that I built for the science museum phaeno's kugelbahnen exhibition in wolfsburg. I called it "inclination", because they said I had to give it a name, and because I built it on an inclination. here's a link to the museum's page about the exhibition; http://www.phaeno.de/kugelbahnen.html
What they wanted from me was that I integrate my marble run into the museum (which is an absolutely fantastic piece of work by Zaha Hadid) as much as possible, and because of that I decided to let the ping pong balls rolling on the chute roll off the chute, bounce off the incline and back onto the chute again on three different occasions, as can be seen in the video. It wasn't easy, and I had major issues with the hanging of the marble run because I used fishing string -against my better judgement- to hang it, and the ajustable attachments I used to hang the chute kept readjusting themselves long after the marble run was finished, so that gave me lots of grief, but I learnt alot, what more can you ask?
the best part about hanging my marble run in wolfsburg was getting to know the other guys building up their marble runs, or sometimes just getting to know their marble runs. here's a link to a german tv channel where they talk about the exhibit; http://www.hannover.1730sat1.de/aktuell.html?&cHash=5b9211202780965504e04c1b589b2563&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=14&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=86064
now, regarding the other artists i met;
mark bishof was there most of the time i was there, and his markokosmos basically stole the show; http://youtu.be/KRfdxQtIwUM then there was a very cool minimalistic work called "Odyssey of the spheres" by george rhoads; http://youtu.be/qN2ya48C6Lo in high contrast to everything else was the work of pierre andres who was an influential french artist who died about six months ago. his work is very rough -it looks almost like it was taken straight out of an ethnological museum, and the fact that he always used wood, and that he always made his work to be interacted with, was a lovely contrast to the polished/painted metal, which is favored most as a material for rolling ball machines. on the opening night, i met his grandson, who told me a good anecdote that his grandfather used to tell; during an exhibition years ago, he had seen an old lady push a child away from one of his marble runs so she could use it herself http://pierre.andres.pagesperso-orange.fr/pierre.andres/index.html also a good friend of mark bischof, hans martin wagner was there for a couple of days, installing a huge new interactive piece of his 4 meters which used snooker balls; http://www.kugelbahn.ch/steeple.htm
my favorite was the superplexus, by michael mcguiness; http://youtu.be/9wohFfpLU7s i had trouble concentrating on building my own marble chute once the superplexus arrived, i was always wandering over to try just another round with the superplexus. last but not least, i had a very enjoyable time getting to know the sonic artist rory buckley. regardless of how much time i spend in germany, regardless of how fluent i become in the laguage, i miss my own language, and people whose own language it also is. i just hope i didn't scare rory by being too garrulous. here's his website; http://theshortwave.blogspot.com/
Update #12: still alive -hang in there!!!
For backers only,
Posted on February 15
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Update #11: marble runs are in the mail
i've finally started shipping your marble runs!!!
Update #10: inching along
For backers only,
Posted on December 14
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Update #9: pictures of a 'kickstarter edition' set
here are some pictures of how your marble chute sets will look. each one will have the backer's name engraved on the lid!
as far as the issues with the lasercutter are concerned... they haven't been completely dealt with. i am making progress with you peoples sets, which is the main thing, but it is much slower than it should be, and although the laser we are using is a very good machine, it just so happens that mdf contains alot of glue, and lasercutting mdf creates alot more smoke than even some plastics, so if the filters aren't working properly, that is a major problem.
here's a link to a new video of the marble chute hanging at modulor.
i will post again as soon as the first sets are in the mail, sorry for the major delay, thanks for your patience!!!!
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walter mason on November 20, 2011
the trouble with plywood is that it warps way too much. what i need is 3mm bamboo ply, but until i find that, mdf will have to do :(
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Jeff Easter on December 12
Last update was 3 weeks ago. This would normally not be a problem but I would assume I am not the only person that backed this thinking a Christmas deadline would never be an issue. Also, sent a note a few weeks ago regarding address change and name correction, and have heard nothing back from that either.
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on July 4, 2011.
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Your name is listed on the list of official sponsors on the official website of the world's longest marble chute.
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and you get my smallest marble chute that can be built to a length of over 4 meters, with more than 72 parts. + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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you get better value, with a marble chute that can already go right accross most living rooms, with a length of over 10 meters (approx 10 yards). + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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once again, a distinct value increase. this time the marble chute will be over 15 meters long (approx 15 yards). + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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10 meter set from the $90 dollar reward plus 6 meters of straight rails (this is for those of you with long flat bungalows, chris baker?)
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you get 12.5 meters of the rails I used to build the world's longest marble chute. Obviously there is a longer waiting time for this. First I have to build it, then, when the record has been broken, I take it apart, pack it into a special box which is inscribed with your name as an official sponsor, and that the contents were part of the world's longest marble chute. + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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from a purely material viewpoint, this one has the best value. This gets you the 'delux' model, which can be built to a length of over 25 meters. This one might impress the grandchildren. + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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you get 25 meters of the rails I used to build the world's longest marble chute. Like the $150 reward there is a longer waiting time for this. First I have to build it, then, when the record has been broken, I take it apart, pack it into a special box which is inscribed with your name as an official sponsor, and that the contents were part of the world's longest marble chute. + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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you come and spend 3 days helping me build the world's longest marble chute. This will probably take place in berlin this summer, unless somebody takes the $6000 incentive, in which case it could end up happening anywhere in the world. Traveling and Lodging expenses are covered by you. As far as the date is concerned we can hopefully work a schedule out so that everybody can make it. If you can't make it you get two 25 meter marble chutes as compensation.
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Wholesale offer for toy store owners: spend this amount or more, and you get 30% discount on the current prices listed here. for example: 3 marble runs for $120 and 3 for $40 would total at $480. 30% discount would mean that you would pay $336, saving $144. orders from germany don't have to pay any shipping. orders from europe pay $30. everywhere else pays $60. All limited rewards are exluded from this offer.
Pledge $600 or more Pledge $600 or more
Wholesale offer for toy store owners: spend this amount or more, and you get 35% discount on the current prices listed here. for example: 3 marble runs for $180 and 3 for $120 and one for $90 would total at $990. 35% discount would mean that you would pay $643.5, saving $346.5. orders from germany don't have to pay any shipping. orders from europe pay $40. everywhere else pays $80. All limited rewards are exluded from this offer.
Pledge $900 or more Pledge $900 or more
Wholesale offer for toy store owners: spend this amount or more, and you get 40% discount on the current prices listed here. for example: 4 marble runs for $180 and 4 for $120 and 4 for $90 would total at $1560. 40% discount would mean that you would pay $936, saving $624. orders from germany don't have to pay any shipping. orders from europe pay $50. everywhere else pays $100. All limited rewards are exluded from this offer.
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You get the original prototype, which I cut out with a fretsaw on the kitchen table. AND you get a 'delux' 25 meter version. + your name is listed as an official sponsor.
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I build the world's longest marble chute in your house. You have to have a pretty substantial house for this. (It doesn't have to be your house either, you can arrange for me to hang it up in your local mall -that might just be big enough.) + your name is right at the top of the list of official sponsors.
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I'm English, but I've been living in Berlin for the last 10 years or so. It would probably be most accurate to call myself an artist, but I mostly earn my living doing construction work.
i have really no idea, pedro. there were two tracks, separate, but interwoven, and each of them must be about 60 - 80 meters long.
Wow! Looks like I have to go to Wolfsburg this summer.
Walter I received my first set and it is really lovely!