This is a semi-automatic desktop Rolling Ball Sculpture. Fill the queue at the top with as many marbles as it will hold, then press the handle at the bottom to release one or two and get it started. When a marble reaches the bottom, it presses the handle and releases the next marble from the top.

No lift, motor or electricity needed. If you start it with just one marble, this RBS will run for more than 13 minutes all by itself. Once the queue is empty, load it back up and start it again.

This one was built with a double helix running down the center by request. There’s also a tall skinny coil, vertical zig-zag, gravity well, horizontal zig-zag and plenty of long, curving track filling out the frame.

I really like the semi-automatic mechanism on these. It’s about as simple as you can get: one falling marble releases the next one, and gravity keeps the whole thing going.

100% stainless steel, TIG welded.