Prusament Spool Modular Marble Maze balance travel game (Updated)

A super fun marble game for your empty Prusament spool!

Build your own marble run or marble maze using the hexagonal grid on a Prusament spool. Infinitely replayable! The storage bins can be used to convert the spool in a balancing platform. The bins fit into the spool for a compact and robust package, ideal for travel.

Key features

• Endlessly fun

• Multiple games to play in one package

• Easily printable

• Lot's of different tiles to play with

• Compact and travel sized

• Strengthens creative play and dexterity

Endless fun with marbles/ball bearings

During development my kids couldn't wait to play with it and kept asking for the prototypes to play with. They've tested it with steel ball bearings ranging form 5mm to 10mm diameter and printed marbles 6 to 10 mm in diameter. Printed marbles do work and 8mm marble model is included. But a printed ball won't be as round or roll as smooth as a steel or glass ball. The tracks are modeled with 8mm steel ball bearings in mind. Which can be easily found online.

Multiple games to play

1. Build a (single track) marble run and race!
   Complete the run in the fasted time without running off-track.
   

2. Build a maze and try to complete it without running into any traps
   Use the special trap tiles and intersections to make the most interesting maze
   

3. Place two tracks and see which marble wins
   Play it while balancing the board or by using one of the small bins to place the board at an angle.
   

4. Co-op marble run. Hold the game at the same time and complete a (timed) run.
   Play any of the previous games with two or more people
   

5. Or put a track on the board, give it a little wiggle and just watch the marble dance around the track all on it's own

Printing instructions

All models should be optimized for print as placed printing. PLA will probably work, but I'd recommend PETG for the tiles and bins for better durability of the flexing pegs. No supports are needed on a CORE One+. In the default orientation the maximum overhangs are 60 degrees.

Bed adhesion could be tricky, and PrusaSlicer will give warnings. I haven't used any brims or glue for my prints as seen in the photos. But adding one might be necessary if you're having problems. I've made a model with a couple of marbles on runners so that these can be printed without any supports or brims as well.

I've had one "short curve with bypass" lose adhesion in total. I was using the satin sheet during printing of a large set of tiles (the rest were fine). I've rotated the design to ensure better bed contact afterwards. Printing the tile pieces top down will help but will negatively impact the running surface for the marble.

Clearances of 0.25mm are build into the models.

My settings

• Material: PETG (PLA will work but could be less durable)
  Prusament PETG Prusa Orange and Sunlu PETG White are used for the prints in the photos

• Layer-height: 0.2mm

• Nozzle-size: 0.4mm

• No supports or prints needed (except for the marble)

• Infill: 15% Gyroid

• Orientation: As modeled (bins upright, lids top down, tiles sideways)

• Print profile: Balanced

A lot of different tiles to use

There are a great many different styles of tiles to print and use. Simple straights and curves, intersections, hazards and gimmicks. Bridge tiles are needed to cross the label/tag on the spool

Single track

Print more than 10 of each of these for a good set to make marble races. We tend to use the long curve the most.

• Straight

• Short curve

• Long curve

Multi track

Print a few of each of these to make mazes and races

• Three short curves

• Two long curves

• Short curve with bypass

• Three to one

Intersections

Print a few of each of these to have options when building mazes

• Y-intersection left

• Y-intersection right

• 3 way intersection

• 4 way intersection

• 5 way intersection

• 6 way intersection

• 3 way asymmetrical

• 4 way asymmetrical

• Long curve and inside edge

• Long curve and outside edge

Bridges

You'll need at least one of these to cross the label/tag. They can also be used elsewhere on the spool or to connect multiple spools in one big run.

• Straight same side

• Straight opposing side

• Wiggle

• Rocks

• Big bowl

• Two to one right

• Two to one left

• 4 way intersection

Hazards and other special tiles

To add a little whimsy...

• Wiggle

• Dead-end

• U-turn

• Bowl

• Speed bump

• Pit

• Trapping curve

• Wave

• Hook

• Bridge with rocks

Double deck action!

• Drop

• Slide
  Only the split variant will fit in the bins

Step and plain files to use for remixing

• Plain Tile

• Plain Bridge

• Straight

The path profile is defined by a circle with a diameter of 8,25mm combined with a hexagon.

And I'll probably be adding more, so check back in a while.

Compact when not in use

The bins click together to form a ring inside the spool. This holds the bins and the lids firmly in place. The Complete package is just the size of a Prusament NFC spool

Updates

2026-04-18: Fixed clearance issue and orientation in preview. Added Curve short long in both left and right variations.

2026-04-20: Slide, Dead-end, Removal tool added. Made the pegs on the tiles slightly longer for better grip on the inside of the spool

2026-04-21: Split slide to be able to store it in de bins, added drop, wave, hook, arrowhead tiles.