I apologize for the 7 month delay in posting, but I am happy to report that construction on my latest ball machine (now officially titled Clockwork) is continuing as planned. School and lack of pieces have both caused some delays, but recent generous donations and eBay purchases have got me back on track for a late summer completion date.
Clockwork will be in every aspect my largest construction project to date. It will contain between 35,000 and 40,000 pieces, it will have over 300 feet of track, it will have approximately 20 long, twisting, fast-paced tracks with support for 30 balls at once. It will have at least 4 lifts, and at least 7 motors. Its central element, a computer controlled gantry crane which spans my entire room, is capable of carrying 5 balls at once, can automatically correct mechanical errors, and can randomly select paths in which to drop them.
