Marble Chasers
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As Christmas 2001 approached, the desire to make Christmas gifts intensified. It didn't take long to think of an appropriate project. When I was a little boy, an older gentleman in our church made a marble game that was referred to as a "marble chaser." It kept me busy for hours at a time when I was young and has made many moves with me throughout my life. When I became an adult, it was a favorite for children who were visiting. So what better project to build than a marble chaser for one of my nephews and one of my nieces? The project began at the hardwood store where I purchased some 5/4 Alder wood for the projects.
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The marble chaser is a simple concept. Four rails are attached together with vertical members. Each rail has a declining angle of approximately four degrees. The top three rails have holes at the end of them allowing a marble to drop down to the next lower level. Leather stops attached to the rail ends control the marbles as they drop from one level to the next. The marble eventually travels down the bottom rail and drops into the box where it is recycled using "child power" and dropped back on to the top rail.
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A yard stick is positioned in front of the marble chaser. The total length of the game is about three feet long plus the space required for the box.
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An end view of the marble chaser clearly shows the groove cut in the wood to keep the marbles on the rails. The groove was cut with a router bit using the router table. Also, sturdy feet were attached to the bottom of the vertical members to keep the marble chaser upright.
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Of course a gift like this requires a brand (yep, just like a cattle brand) indicating who made it. I built them and my wife, Nanette, painted them. I think she got the short end of the stick on that deal!
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Oddly enough, finding the marbles for these toys was not easy. Several local sources were contacted before we resorted to the Web to find a source. We eventually ordered them from GlassMarbles.com in New York.
Shown here are the two marble chasers, with marbles, ready to be wrapped and delivered by "Santa" on Christmas Day.
Oh yeah, they were a real hit!
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