
I developed this as a sideline while modelling a different type of maze that I had invented a long time ago. The maze uses a 3/16 inch (~4.8mm) diameter steel ball bearing which is inserted after printing the maze. Once closed in, the ball is trapped in the maze but can be manipulated by tilting or with a fingernail or a toothpick. The blocks in the maze are slightly different shapes which allow the ball to pass or prevent it from passing. As a result, the course of the maze is difficult to see, it must be explored with the ball. I think this puzzle can be as enjoyable to a sighted or sightless person, depending on tactile feedback rather than visual. I would love to hear from sightless puzzlers who try it. The object is to move the ball from the corner where it was originally placed in the maze to the diagonally opposite corner (there is a raised dot at the latter point.) The prototype is the one on the right in the photo. I printed the prototype in ABS without support and with 0.15 mm layers. There is a small channel printed across the hole in the side of the maze where the 3/16" ball bearing is inserted after printing. This is meant to be filled with a length of 1.75 mm filament to trap the ball in the maze. Clean any printing debris, bits of plastic (I like to call them "tuds") left behind by the hot end from all of the maze paths as these could interfere with the movement of the ball. This design should be scaleable but be sure to use a ball proportionally scaled to the original 3/16 inch ball as the design's tolerances depend on a correctly sized ball.
- 0 inches x 0 inches x 0 inches
- this product is 3D printed
- 16 available colors
- material is a strong plastic
- free delivery by May 06
- 0 parts
