Marble Mountain, a themed marble machine (marble run)

Marble Mountain is a large marble machine still under construction. It consists of 25 sections that mesh together to form one kinetic sculpture. Every element is themed (or will be upon completion) to an aspect of my life or to something that I find interesting. Some of the elements include a roller coaster, ski jump, Times Square, Lombard Street, and a skatepark. It took 3 years to get to this point of being able to turn it on and watch it go, and I will continue to work on it and get it fully completed.
Check out my website here: www.thebencompany.com/
Check out my Patreon here: / bentardif
Tools I use: www.amazon.com/shop/bentardif
Follow me on Instagram: / bentardif
A detailed history of the progress can be found at:
/ marblemountainproject
Facts:
-It has a footprint of 12' x 8' and stands 8' tall
-The material of the tracks and supports consist almost entirely of wood
-Everything is custom-made from materials bought mostly from craft and hardware stores (mainly Michaels and Home Depot)
-The lift is 11 feet long, holds 90 marbles at once, and rotates at 1 revolution per second (60 RPM)
-It takes at least 250 marbles to keep it running without delay, but looks better with 300
-There are 32 possible paths for the marbles
-There are 14 rockers that distribute the marbles onto the different paths
-The first year and a half of construction happened in my apartment before moving to a small warehouse
-The original design was smaller and not as cool, so a redesign took place making it much bigger and morphed into a half-conical shape with the lift right down the middle
-I do know how much it cost to make thus far but even my wife doesn't know that number
-It takes just under an hour to set up or tear down Marble Mountain
-Since it is modular, I could remove a section and rebuild it as something else as long as the tracks matched up with the other pieces

[@jeffd4056]

First off That’s cool It was made even better by not having music playing I like hearing the marbles make noise That’s the best part in my opinion

[@nilebes4742]

I agree but my mom hates it lol

[@restassuredworship]

Yep, very good and artistic decision IMO

[@DannySullivanMusic]

I wish there was a gyroscopic, marble-sized camera so we could experience this run in first person

[@malachimerriam1640]

That would be awesome

[@alexreavis1623]

I was literally just thinking that

[@maxgtas]

*32 runs

[@SilentKnight43]

AntMan with a GoPro.

[@landontubes2476]

God yes

[@johnjamesedwards3349]

This needs to be displayed in a museum! Or in a really big mall! And it doesn’t need to be dismantled to become a world landmark!

[@orangepentagon9730]

Maybe in a childrens museum, so kids could interact with the marbles and put them in other locations.

[@eratichumidity3843]

I had to break the news to you guys but, most of the parts of the machine has been demolished

[@schizophreniagaming4058]

@@eratichumidity3843 WHAT D:

[@curtishardman3220]

7 years later this video is still one of the best videos on KZbin

[@sliceofpatrick]

This is what awesome people do in their spare time

[@Brett710]

Would like to see this fully decorated with lights. I think that'd be pretty cool.

[@aaronartale]

+Brett Armstrong and it should shoot fire

[@racegrooves]

Three years to get to this point. Definitely a labor of love! Such a variety of paths :)

[@funfreq9282]

I think it's more of a love of labor!

[@gravitraxtom958]

Wooooooo zoooooo Grood 😃😃😃 maar heelas kan ik dat niet maken 😔😭😳🥺☹️😞😒😫😩

[@MalevolentDivinity]

Man uses entire garage for the singular purpose of a gigantic marble machine. He will be accepted into Valhalla with open arms.

[@TheVarietyGuyTV]

Absolutely brilliant! I loved the rollercoaster section, the ski jump, and the marble race where they jump and go into the huge turn. I applaud how hard you worked, this is really awesome!

[@TheVarietyGuyTV]

Also, some quick curiosity questions (I build chain reaction machines): 1. How or with what did you make the track splitters? 2. Are you just using super glue to hold everything together? 3. Do you cut all this wood yourself out of big wood boards? 4. Why are you so awesome?!?!

[@BenTardif]

+TheVarietyGuy Ha! Thanks! To answer your questions: 1- The splitters are made of wood just like everything else. A stationary nail holds the splitter in place as it teeter-totters back and forth for each marble. 2- Wood glue. Pounds and pounds of wood glue. 3- Michaels carries 12"x24" ply at various thicknesses as well as thin and bendable balsa wood. That is a large portion of the wood used. Other larger boards/planks were purchased at home depot. 4- Just cuz

[@TheVarietyGuyTV]

Thank you for all the info and keep up the great work!

[@BenTardif]

Yes I am familiar with some of what you do. I got my inspiration for the content from 25 years of being alive and a piece called Metropolis II is what inspired me to build.

[@BenTardif]

+Jelle's Marble Runs Yea I'll make more but much much smaller single themed ones.

[@holymoley9501]

Akron Children's hospital in Ohio had a marble tower. But not as good as this one. Maybe you should consider asking to put it in a children's hospital. It would make a lot of children happy.

[@Ahem2002]

I was smiling when I saw it (with mouth open) so yeah, definitely!

[@vance4994]

Ray Albright It isn't finished yet. He said that in the description.

[@holymoley9501]

Whether it's still in progress or not, my suggestion is to donate it to a hospital when he is done to make a lot of kids happy.

[@vance4994]

k

[@olliej111]

Ray Albright what a beautiful idea.

[@andresgobea4527]

4:39 When That one friend gets left behind.

[@alluim2543]

Andres Gobea :( sad but XD THO XDDDDDD

[@Rubiksmaster64]

Lol

[@tylerchiu7065]

Hey, stop talking about me

[@giacomorapuzzi9866]

You should do a 1 hour version of this, I could watch this all day!

[@gamingultracheap-budgetgam8541]

It's like an amusement park for marbles. How fun.

[@AmpersandsDeadChannel]

but they don't have to pay for it

[@debcoz2441]

But I'm with gaming ultra cheap!

[@ConceptofKobi]

I could watch this ALL day long. Very satisfying.

[@nataliewertz9857]

This kinda reminded of the marbel machine that my hospital had. Me and my parents would watch that thing when every we had time in between appointments.

[@ToyTubeTV1]

Inspiration.

[@emekmek3197]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX6qYqGihs5omMk ,

[@yengc5349]

TOYTUBETV

[@parouuu]

Hypnotizing, that"s really cool ! You can be proud

[@secondghost]

I could watch these marble machines all day. I don't know why but they are hypnotizing.

[@yshmaelbaguyo1214]

metal makes you hypnotizes?

[@mrhyde112OI]

+Yshmael Baguyo dont be childish its not about just metal, its about the art of mathematics, architecture and perfection to its finest... so enjoying to watch and it must of been an amazing and growing experience to be able to make such a machine.

[@larry12345]

i spent the last 7 minutes n 26 seconds watching marbles go around a contraption and every second of it was so satisfying. great craftsmanship and engineering!

[@Lol_itsAdrian]

This marble run video is one of my favorite ones out of all the marble videos

[@Guywithcrazyideas]

Love the sounds.

[@fruit5003]

When i saw the title, i was mainly thinking Wintergatan.

[@vaiosan775]

You too? ! :-D

[@ihsankur6658]

Same

[@vermister341]

me too

[@KaityKat117]

came here on suggested videos from wintergaten's channel. o3o

[@lyricclarke9674]

Iron Lightning I loved it

[@monkeseeaction21987]

Wintergatan's marbles: going on a strike after seeing the life quality of these marbles.

[@FoamySlobbers]

this is an ugly machine though. his plays music.

[@FoamySlobbers]

@mrSquid see my comment above. ugly has never been cool.

[@kaminu_]

You know what time and hard work is when you have this in your garage.

[@claudiocruzat4768]

this is ...i felt like a child again!!! thanks....you are a genius..a real renaissance guy..

[@NoahInfinity]

1. I NEED this 2. Now I wish I was a marble in that marble machine.

[@Hairyfeet7688]

DatInkling same

[@yourmomsscrotum5274]

DJ Atlantia same

[@karenacosta6785]

Jessicavicforia

[@michaelandgoodman9788]

Karen Acosta th4t

[@michaelandgoodman9788]

marbles

[@matthewrobertson95]

3:02: Love the section that's themed like a wooden roller coaster!

[@KnightedDuck500]

I used to hatch this video all the time when I was younger, I get nostalgic over it.

[@juansek208]

How can you dislike this video? Are those people dead inside?

[@joel8687]

yes, living dead me thinks..hollow inside - like the tin man.

[@premiermarbleracing]

Spent more time watching this than I should have. Absolutely incredible! I liked how you didn't have any music and just let the marbles do the talking :)

[@potatopotato7883]

Can someone please clap for the effort this man had to do to make this

[@sealver5970]

Imagine making this a backyard design(just like a fountain) I would love this on my backyard. Drinking some tea while looking at satisfying, extravagant piece.

[@misscutetea8764]

The marbles are having one hell of a time

[@RaynDrahps]

OMG! This is just like living in SF including the occasional ski jump!

[@Cruzr1872]

The Ski Jump was really impressive

[@Lazyr7]

In Ben's world we would all want to be a marble

[@no.justno3832]

Hope you get first place in the science fair.

[@cristinafurlong3283]

YOU'RE A MASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@cristinafurlong3283]

+Cristina Furlong FROM A 7 year old who has watched every marble, kinetic machine, knikkerbahn video ever made. We are impressed!! Thanks!

[@BenTardif]

+Cristina Furlong Much appreciated!

[@nullivory]

Sometimes you want to go to places to experience things like a theme park. Sometimes you want to go to places to see things like a tourist going to a city. Sometimes you want to go to places to be with friends. Sometimes you want to go to places to eat good food. Sometimes you want to go to places to buy things. Sometimes you want to go to places to play sports. Sometimes you want to go to some guys garage to watch marble go down a mountain for hours on end.

[@mommabear0722]

lol

[@Katt-ci6gw]

Bingus and sometimes you can’t go ANYWHERE cause covid

[@AmaterianAngel]

I think this is one of the most memorizing videos I've seen on youtube to date...

[@drewzmods5292]

Satisfying video of the day.

[@pringle1154]

It's like that game mouse trap, but like 20 times better.

[@ikebeck5331]

This is amazing. It must've taken a long time. If I built one of these I'd watch It for hours.

[@3ffrige]

Amazing! As a steel ball, you can go bowling, play mini golf, visit the Great Wall in China, go down Lombard street in San Francisco, take a trip across the Golden Gate Bridge, to jump off an epic ramp with your friends all the way down through the Disneyland castle to go up a screw ramp to go down the Swiss alps to do it all over again! What a day to be a steel ball!

[@superzeldabro6231]

This feels like the video you would watch at 2:00am Oh wait 2:00am

[@ExtraPizzaZ]

Yup, 1am here...

[@jinxix2131]

I read your comment and immediately looked at the clock. It's 2.45am...

[@fluz1006]

Me 2pm

[@werelemur1138]

2:28

[@adamlesevic8990]

1:58AM

[@SinjiKazama]

Never thought I would envy marbles

[@zombiehunter7060]

You Sir are a genius!!! Rube Goldberg would be proud to see people still use the idea of a Goldberg Machine to create master pieces such as yours. I salute you!!!

[@Lantaitai]

My son loves your marble machine since he was 2 y/o, and now 3 years old and half, still love it!!

[@joanahkirk338]

Imagine if the marbles were functional hamster-ball-like vehicles in which we could sit within stabilized, yet still capable of feeling the motion, of course. It would be quite intriguing, though certainly it would have to be readjusted slightly, as scaling it up will cause the physics to change a bit. Probably that part where the marbles build up before heading off a giant ramp will be the scariest portion of it considering how high they fly into the air. Though, assuming its safe, would you want to try it? Hahaha... I might... maybe... or I'd get too scared.

[@inFayt_Lies]

Why are we not funding this idea?!

[@inFayt_Lies]

Could be a very fun amusement park.

[@trolliardgaming3659]

+Jonah Kirk Slamming into the wall after the ski jump wouldn't be too fun, but I like where you're going with this.

[@joanahkirk338]

Some parts would be modified, and that wouldn't function the same, anyways, as the marbles wouldn't have their weight to scale, but modification would still be required.

[@richierichie8022]

Basically what a waterpark is but the people are the marbles lol

[@TyCetto]

This is some of the greatest waste of time, I've seen in a very long time! Love it!

[@fionagreen9322]

this is so calming to watch. I like that you didn't put music over it so that we could hear all the marble sounds

[@lorennzolictao5019]

This is the best marble mountain I have ever seen in this entire world! You really beat the record!

[@samykamkar]

Madness! Love it

[@Luisgvn]

7 minutes well spent

[@DriesGrobler]

+GamingVlogNetwork Yup

[@debcoz2441]

WOAH!

[@nirmalsingh8766]

Very good

[@adambest8817]

Agreed

[@sleepy5203]

watched this 5 years ago and watching it again this is by far favorite video ever

[@UltimateRobot]

This may be the LARGEST Marble machine ever!

[@katiequill8388]

Hat if they invented a machine one day, like a shrink ray, and we could shrink down to fit in marbles, of like the round pod thing in Jurassic World, and ride this! That would be amazing!

[@lautaroricaud1635]

Music Lover Se would die if we were srhrinked and put in that marble mountain XD

[@cracy2786]

Katie Quill maybe put a bunch of pillows or something soft in the ball so we don’t die

[@djmajiktuch82]

Yeah i think being inside one of those would be too jaring and violent for our bodies to indure.

[@Ndude2004]

Also pillows cover view

[@Ndude2004]

I'm sure if they had shrink Ray's they would have the technology to heal injuries from the gyrosphere

[@5MadMovieMakers]

Looks like you're on a roll!

[@hugo2411]

Lol

[@ClivesMadCreations]

+5MadMovieMakers This is so marbleous! And yup, they have truly lost their marbles.

[@cuthon3574]

+Vaglo Creations you couldn't take it..

[@Surl9596]

😑

[@jahascootsyt4669]

oh i just started watching u guys :)

[@etfi8642]

That marble mega ramp was just amazing...

[@krisizcelja]

This looks like the island from Inside Out!!

[@krisizcelja]

well, maybe it looks like 😞

[@8xleveraged]

"ben want to come get drinks this friday" "no i'm busy sorry"

[@bevrix]

How can 2K people not like this video? This is so cool!

[@isobelherms6942]

And here i am today, the first time i saw this i was 10 and here i am as an 14 year old, still impressed about how you did this.

[@danielahenn9193]

Oh my god, this is the best marble run I've ever seen!! :o So much detail. I'm absolutely stunned!

[@Cartoon_Games]

*One might say you lost your marbles but I think it is brilliant*

[@Kevinolsenmusic]

+Captain Clash Mobile Gaming but they're right there...

[@stephaniekwek5102]

This marble mountain is so huge and I love these tracks

[@SplatterFrog]

This is where it all started.... what a great series of videos!

[@areadenial2343]

3:08 That curvy bit is snake alley! I've been there in real life! It's the curviest road in the world!

[@radicallucas13]

That road is in so many movies now it's crazy!

[@That0therG]

you. nintendo. mario kart tracks. design. NOW

[@pikabrook3724]

I believe if he did, the track would never end

[@That0therG]

that's why it's called a circuit

[@no-lifenoah7861]

Shade's Archives BADDUM CSHHH!

[@louisschmitt1241]

Shade's Archives mdrrrr lol

[@princessisabel_98soeru28]

The marbles looked alive! Incredible!

[@stephenpowell3724]

I have been a marble fan since I was 5. I'm currently 21 so yes I am intoxicated (cheers!). I have never had the money or time as a kid because I was poor and scrounging to help out. This has brought a tear to my eye. Your creativity is a blessing and you have warned my subscribe . Thank you

[@stephenpowell3724]

Btw I love how you built this. In sections mounted together by the minimum amount of bolts. My grandfather and I love carpentry and we.designed my bed by interlacing pieces whilst the head board holds only 6 bolts. Pure genius you are to build complicity with simplicity

[@dzspdref]

Wife: "So honey what did YOU do today?" Him: "Oh I think I might have lost a few of my marbles. Just call me crazy..."

[@311i0t]

i dont know why i watched this entire video, i have an assignment due in 1.5 hours. i like marbles.

[@ScytheNoire]

Brilliant. Love these marble machines.

[@slightlyaverageamerican9664]

I come back and watch this every once in awhile. Love it!

[@DreadEden256]

In three years, I've made... a mess of my room :-/ So yeah, this is impressive! I found it ilarihous if you picture each marble as a person on a ride of their life! Clustering around the starting line... and literally bouncing off the walls. I don't think this amusement park would be up to safety standards, lol. Nice job!

[@3RIC1IN]

fantastic!! you made the Francisco it so cool !!!

[@srarcade]

I can really appreciate this. I was fascinated by this ball machine at the mall as a kid that was the same sort of thing but with skee balls and musical instruments on the path. ever since I've had a love for those marble maze toys but this is absolutely amazing. I could watch for hours. I can hear the balls screaming "wheeeee!"

[@chevy266nova]

I could look at this all day, Thank you

[@LorenzoStroe]

This is marblelous

[@Munchito696]

+Lorenzo Stroe I didn't have to scroll very far to laugh at the comments

[@undeadskull6272]

Appreciate your hard work

[@TaronTT]

Its pretty good boi! Love EVERYTHING of it!

[@richardlincoln886]

The 'horse' race at 04:00 is fantastic!

[@enricomatejcek5362]

VR, you're the marble, you make directional choices in QTEs.

[@RubberDuckTrucking]

This is mesmerising, thank god the video wasnt 10 hours because i would have got stuck there watching it all haha Keep on keeping on man this rules!

[@pacopiedad6182]

How do people even dislike this?? Respect the craft, people!

[@DFT12394]

Had this on my watch later list for a while. Came across it again tonight. I'm high, it was great. Gonna watch it again!

[@hoseinqadam]

You got a lot of balls mate!

[@dekusenpai3494]

Adam Hosein that sounded wrong

[@davidmorris8319]

imagine having a mario kart track like this :D absolutely amazing

[@metalgamerk9549]

I was smiling all the way through! Wonderful!

[@hortondlfn1994]

One of the most delightfully whimsical projects I have ever seen in my life! Congratulations!

[@enriqueslayer3291]

Thats so fantastic

[@harryscribbles531]

You are a genius my friend best marble run I've ever seen I'm imagining how long did it take you to build this epic masterpiece? And my favourite section is either the Golden Gate Bridge,the roller coaster section, the wooden bridge The castle or the skiing section seriously words cannot express how amazing this is fantastic work

[@billsutherland2128]

Best demonstration of physics I’ve ever seen. Very well done!

[@MrGuy-vw6ti]

wow the marble machines are flawless.

[@TheDIYMaker]

What did you use for the tracks?

[@makutamiserix5612]

Wood.

[@TheDIYMaker]

+Combustiblemonguy Yeah, but which wood? I think it needs a special one

[@BenTardif]

+The DIY Maker Most of the track is 1/4" ply. Some of the curved bits are 3 layers of balsa.

[@TheDIYMaker]

+Ben Tardif Thanks :D

[@videolover2014]

+Ben Tardif Awesome. :-)

[@nateshvarts4816]

You deserve more than 5 million views you are the best person I've ever seen do this

[@lolwhy1535]

This is the best marble run up to date

[@EdsterIII]

OMG DUDE YOU HAVE AMAZING SKILLS. This is unbelievable. I've never seen a set up like this. I've never really heard of marble machines. I mean not like this. Its like a GIANT amusement park for marbles. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Your designs are... well words escape me. Crazy!!!!!

[@TheZombieKillerWhale]

This is dope