do you think that you can build the play school rolling ball calendar?
when the ball rolls down those three rampsand when the ball hits the spring the day of the week pops upso they pick different coloured mini ballsso you put the ball in the thing and you pull a blue thing and the ball realeses down the three rampswhen the ball hits the spring and the day of the week pops up like that
Hi @Mitchell11
Are you thinking all plastic - or a combination of wood and plastic? I'm thinking the latter would be easier.
Hello @Mitchell11
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about the rolling ball calendar.
I would suggest Perspex or similar for the walls so that you can easily see through it and is lightweight. If you can source the materials I agree with @Noyade in regards to the mix use of plastic and wood.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
thank you and can you build the play school rolling ball calendar like the real one on tv because i want to use it for my videos in fact i live in perth forrestfield
yes but do you think that you can build that too
While it is possible to construct the device, the flip-to-open mechanism will require careful consideration. The exact method of operation is unclear, but it likely involves the use of springs to activate the sign and a hook or latch release mechanism triggered upon impact by a ball. Although this concept can be generalized, ensuring consistent and reliable operation may be challenging. Additionally, the balls used must have sufficient weight to effectively engage the mechanism.
If you do not have the appropriate tools or experience to build the device yourself, it may be worth engaging a professional handyman or posting the task on platforms such as Airtasker or Hipages to obtain quotes and explore options.
i know and if your building the calendar for me you can show me the photo of how it looks
I've drawn up a sample sketch on how it might be assembled together. But because there are no measurements to base it on, I can only guess as to its actual size. The ball rails will be attached to the Perspex with either glue or screws. Once they are attached, the other panels are placed around it to close the device. But as I mentioned, I've no idea how the spring-loaded device is assembled.
i see that but look at the ramps it needs to be the same from this picture you got that eric
and also someone else is doing it that too
also in the play school calendar they made the ramps by using plastic or perspex to make the red ramp and yellow ramp and the blue ramp.
also i found this on tiktok about the play school rolling ball calendar. Link: https://www.tiktok.com/@abc/video/7369827377922264338
Hey Noyade have you got any photos of the rolling ball calendar that your working on too?
I was thinking a loaded mousetrap @Mitchell11
But before we get there - how far have you progressed with this project?
What balls have you acquired - so to speak?
Billiard?
Snooker?
Or something else?
I think you have a big challenge ahead with the ripples and teeth ramps.
A few millimeters out and the ball will stall.
Are you planning on a jigsaw or band-saw - I think it will not be as easy as it looks.
After I drew this, I googled - 52 to 57mm in diameter.
Hi @Noyade
Using a mouse trap is a great idea, it's mechanism could possibly be adapted to the sign. But I agree with you that the weight and size of the ball will be key to make this work.
Yeah mate - I think the weight and diameter will be critical to this working and with too big a speed-bump - it will stall.
I reckon there was a LOT of trial and error when this was made.
Did you ever see John Waters in his impression of John Lennon concerts? He told a great story about Benita from his Play School days.
Hilarious but probably inappropriate.
Cheers.
Night!
Sorry no, I'm afraid I missed that one. But I'm sure its floating around you tube somewhere.
Have a good one.
yup and another thing is there is a video of the rolling ball calendar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyfQGqd2Utc
yup but i found this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyfQGqd2Utc
but the ramps that's inside inside the ball rolls down in a smooth straight but the ripple and teeth shapes is made of vinyl material or paper that goes on the perspex ramps and in the middle of the inside of the ripple and teeth shapes its smooth and straight that the balls rolls like in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyfQGqd2Utc
Yes, the rails are smooth, after observing the last video you posted it appears that the humps and teeth are just for display and not actually attached to the ramps.
yes because i hope your still working that on my play school prop
so how is the rolling ball calendar prop is coming along? can you show me some photos
Hi @Mitchell11,
We are happy to assist with guidance on how to build your own, but we do not build and ship custom-made projects to our members.
Jacob
i know but what i mean is you can make some parts of the rolling ball calendar play school prop and then get the method and ship them to my house or my dads house and then i can put them all together when i follow the method
Our community is about empowering our users to get stuck in to their own D.I.Y. projects and offering advice when they reach hurdles.
Have you got any tools? Or maybe your dad has some tools that you can use to make it.
We are happy to help you with advice on how to construct it yourself, but unfortunately, we can't build it for you.
You might like to start with the ramps. You could use a handsaw to cut some designs into 42 x 19mm Pine then attach them together in a U shape to create your ramps.
Once the ramps have been built, you can grab some sample pots of paint and paint them to any colour of your choosing.
The great thing about D.I.Y. is you can make it your own. Choose your own colours, choose your own design, make it yours.
Let me know if there are any specific questions you have about how to build your own rolling ball calendar. I am happy to help.
As per @JacobZ 's thoughts above - we're all very happy to help in the ideas department and hardware source, but I for one will not be building this.
You definitely need to source what balls(s) you want, especially to determine the diameter and get a couple of mousetraps to experiment with.
Personally I would ditch the plastic idea completely and go with screwed wood - unless there is a very strong reason for you to reverse-engineer the Play School one? I think a plastic factory cutting everything on a CNC machine and possibly assembling it for you will be cost prohibitive?
I think I do see a mousetrap's spring and simple hinges?
There is also a demarcation line showing that the back has a 'reach in area' to insert the day of the week card.
If you make it outta wood - no front is required.
Note also the ball 'bounces' off the yellow triangular piece and hits that yellow rectangular section which must trip the spring/trap. I originally thought the triggering occurs as the ball passes under this - but my eyes say no - see what you think.
Also note the release rod for the ball/balls changes position from the images above and the YouTube/s you provided.
Please keep us informed.
yeah i know i will ask my media teacher dennis about it or my dad about it
also did you guys ever watch play school when you were young
I sure did. I have fond memories of it from the late 90s and early 2000s.
and i remembered watching it from the 1980s and the 1990s and early 2000s
