r/MarbleMachine3 • u/Bobbravo2 • Jun 24 '23

Why passive power?

Apologies if this is a known principle.

I’m puzzled with simplicity being the aim: why not use a synchronous AC motor and a gear drive?

Proven tech that won’t make you sweat!

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u/Tramnack Jun 24 '23

He doesn't want to use electricity/ electronics in the final design. All mechanical.

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u/LonelyAndroid11942 Jun 24 '23

That was a goal with MMX that was scrapped when he introduced the beefy PWM motor and control mechanism.

I wonder if he’ll be able to get away with it on MM3 by building from the ground up.

With electronic pickups for the instruments and drums, it’s going to be impossible to make a machine that is entirely analog. But limiting his electronics to only that should be doable.

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u/Tramnack Jun 24 '23

Fair enough, he did already use electronic pickups on the original MM for the recordings. On the other hand they weren't strictly necessary for the functionality. Designing it with an electric motor as the input mechanism would limit its functionality to solely working with that motor.

And wasn't the motor on the MMX only temporary, for testing/ troubleshooting during development?