[GBC] Logarithmic Ball Counter, free building instructions

[Berthil]

This LEGO Great Ball Contraption counts all balls that pass the module.

Based on the Ball Clock by JK Brickworks/Harley Mayenschein and double Serpent by Fernando Quintara.

Free building instruction and parts list available on Rerickable:
https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-96326/BrickPolis/logarithmic-ball-counter-gbc/

[9v system]

fantastic work @Berthil another really nice module.

[gyenesvi]

That’s an ingenious mechanism, I like the idea of logarithmic representation and the overflow/carry mechanism! It seems to be really reliable too, does it ever miss a ball or is it built in a way that it’s kind of impossible?

[Berthil]

Just now, gyenesvi said:

That’s an ingenious mechanism, I like the idea of logarithmic representation and the overflow/carry mechanism! It seems to be really reliable too, does it ever miss a ball or is it built in a way that it’s kind of impossible?

Thanks! The mechanism as such was also done by JK Brickworks in a Ball Clock with one ball per minute.

Challenge was to convert to 1 bal per second (GBC standard) and make it reliable.

The module is reliable but needs precise fine tuning in everything that has to do with guiding the ball including weight adjustment at the end of the ramps, especially the top one.
It also needs a table that is absolutely flat and level. I will add some height to the exit ramp as sometimes a ball jumps out.

[howitzer]

I love the simplicity of it, no fancy gear mechanisms, but simple ball lift and gravity-operated counting mechanism. The required fine-tuning would worry me though, at least if you wanted to take it to a show or something...

[1963maniac]

Berthil, This one caught my eye last week. It's easy to see what is happening. I've had a rolling ball clock "on the back burner" so to speak and have been collecting ideas on how to do it. I had seen the work of JK Brickworks/Harley Mayenschein, and also Bob Kojima: 

In my version I plan to include seconds and 10X seconds, as well as minutes, 10X minutes and hours. Your design has five ball racks instead of three which works better for me. But, I,m thinking your Logarithmic Ball Counter does not empty the bottom rack of balls. So I,m gonna have to do some redesigning. Do you have the building instruction file that the PDF was made from -that you would be willing to share? I'm ordering parts to build this model and then will redesign it into a clock.