| Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Name: | Marble Run (Waterwheel Coaster, COG Coaster, Lift Coaster, Tower Coaster) |
| Brand: | ROKR |
| Level (Complexity): | Medium (4) |
| Type: | Wooden 3D Puzzle / Marble Run |
| Object: | Assemble the model, Play |
| Number of components: | Waterwheel: 238 COG: 233 Lift: 219 Tower: 219 |
| Estimated time: | 2-3 Hours in one sitting |
| Size: | Waterwheel: 254*232*165 mm / 10*9.13*6.5 in COG: 252*230*165 mm / 9.92*9.03*6.5 in Lift: 252*230*165 mm / 9.92*9.06*6.5 in Tower: 252*227*203 mm / 9.92*8.94*8 in |
| Packaging: | Cardboard: 320*235*50 mm / 12.6*9.26*1.97 in |
| Materials used: | Laser cut wood |
| Safety: | Small parts, choking hazard |
| Where to buy: | Check Prices For ROKR Marble Runs |
Description
Marble Runs are always fun to assemble. Whether you build your construction that spans the whole house or just like to assemble a configured set of parts — one thing stands absolutely the same, it is ridiculously fun!
What is a marble run in the first place? It is a certain set of obstacles, usually moving or done in a succession for a small metallic marble. Usually, all you need to do is to start a chain reaction and the magic happens all by itself. Marble will go through the course interacting with different objects and launching some amazing domino effect.
No wonder people love building and assembling those.
So, here comes the amazing ROKR models: Waterwheel Coaster, COG Coaster, Lift Coaster and Tower Coaster.
All these models can be assembled without glue and additional tools. Everything is straightforward and smooth and all you need is a pair of hands and a manual. Okay, and also tweezers, some sandpaper, but that is something you should already possess if you are a fan of Wooden 3D Puzzles.
Let’s take a look at every variation of ROKR marble run and see which one is the most interesting and how are they different:
Waterwheel Coaster (Marble Parkour LG501)
The waterwheel is probably the most complex marble run in the line-up but it possesses the most variety for sure.
The whole course consists of the following obstacles:
- Waterwheel lift
- Moving stairway
- Arched coaster
- Quick vortex decent
All you need to do is crank the handle couple of times and the marbles will circulate over and over again for your amusement.
I love the quick vortex decent part. It is unique to the waterwheel marble run and can only be found in this particular model. That adds some value points to it.
The assembly is not that hard but can take a few hours. The model consists of 238 parts, and considering the variety of obstacles, sometimes it can be quite hard to assemble.
Comparing to other marble runs it stands out with its uniqueness but lacks verticality of Tower and Lift.
Cog Coaster (Marble Squad LG502)
Cog coaster is a clone of the waterwheel, but with a twist!
The obstacle course consists of the following:
- Cog lift
- Moving stairway
- Coaster drop
- Zig-zag entryway
The cog lift is the same as the waterwheel lift and it is connected to the moving stairway the same way it is done with the waterwheel model.
After that it gets interesting. The Coaster drop is a 4-slot tunnel with catholes in it. When all 4 holes are occupied with marbles — it will open and the marbles will drop to the tunnel underneath.
After that, the marbles will separate in two ways depending on the slot they were in above and will go either the high road or the low road to connect to the cog coaster again.
Definitely an interesting approach, but I guess it lack the dynamics of the Waterwheel. Nevertheless, the forked road appeals to me and it was a fun build.
Lacks the same amount of verticality comparing to Tower and Lift, but has its versatility.
Tower Coaster (Marble Climber LG504)
The tower is a marble run that is more on an easier side of the assembly but it picks up in the awesome vertical mechanism that was breathtaking for me.
When it worked I could’t believe I have assmebled it all by myself.
The whole course consist of the following:
- The Tower Elevator
- The Zig-zag Dropdown
Yes, it is only 2 obstacles in this marble run, but those are quite complex and monumental and that brings the feeling of a great and complex mechanism.
It is higher than any other model in the RORK marble line-up so it will stand out.
Lift Coaster (Marble Explorer LG503)
Lift is very similar to the Tower, the same way Waterwheel is similar to the Cog Coster.
BUT, it is a mix between the two different styles. It does have the tower elevator, but at the same time, it has WATERWHEEL incorporated at the top that brings a very cool fleur to the whole construction.
Kinda reminds me of eastern European mining towers.
Comparing to other models this one is a mix of Waterwheel and the Tower and stands out. It is tall and has greatly executed mechanisms at the top.
A fun assemble and eye candy when working.
Conclusion
So, in the end, I could not decide which one would be the absolute winner, every marble run model is unique and has its perks that are absent within other constructions.
I guess if you’d like to go or the maximum amount of mechanisms you’ll be good with Waterwheel or Cog Coaster.
If you’d like some verticality and a bit more complex mechanism — Lift and Tower is your choice.
Whatever it will be, all 4 models have superb quality of woodcutting so there will be no hiccups while assembling.
Where to Buy
Check prices for ROKR Waterwheel Coaster (Marble Parkour LG501)
Check prices for ROKR Cog Coaster (Marble Squad LG502)
Check prices for Tower Coaster (Marble Climber LG504)
Check prices for Lift Coaster (Marble Explorer LG503)
Assembly Tips
- Make sure to use sandpaper for some parts! Yes, it might be time-consuming but is absolutely necessary for a smooth assembly.
Important Notes
FAQ
- How many marbles are in each set?
- Every set contains 10 marbles and all of those can be used at the same time!
- Does a motor kit come together with the set?
- No, it is a hand-propelled model, but it can be modified to work with the motor set. See below.
- Can a Motor kit be used together with the Marble Run?
- It can! You can look here — it is the most recommended one.
- What the size of the marble that goes together with RORK Marble run?
- It is around 7/16″.
- Can it be reassembled?
- Yes, it does not require glue, so you can disassemble and reassemble it at any time. Make sure to be very careful though as you can brake some parts.
- Can you paint RORK Marble runs?
- Yes, but do not use heavy paints such as guache as it can get inside the moving parts and clog them.
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We truly hope that our deeds will help to further popularize intellectual activities and more and more people will become avid puzzlers!
