Skip to content

TrackStacker Materials Library Home

Fundamental Ingredients

There are four fundamental materials required in order to create your own TrackStacker Sets -

  • 10mm Glass Marbles

    Any glass marbles 10mm in diameter will function well in TrackStacker. Be cautious of marbles that are too far over or under the nominal dimension of 10mm. 9.5mm - 10.5mm marbles have been tested to work well in all Tracks. We have found Jan’s Jewellery Supply to be a reliable supplier for 10mm marbles in a variety of colors and finishes.

  • ⌀6mm ↧2mm Magnets

    6mm diameter x 2mm depth Neodymium Magnets are also known as Con Magnets in the TrackStacker ecosystem and are typically responsible for attaching Tracks to each other. You can source fridge magnets of this diameter from online suppliers like Amazon.

    Note

    Please note however - neodymium fridge magnets sold on Amazon, though marketed as N35, are generally much weaker than true N35 neodymium magnets. TrackStacker Labs uses magnets that have been custom made in high volume and are true N35 neodymium magnets - giving TrackStacker the signature 'snappy' feel that is so satisfying.

    Using lower grade magnets will result in Tracks that work, but will not be quite as snappy or tactile. When building long chains of elevated Tracks, you will need to use noticably more support when using generic Amazon-grade neodymium magnets.

    All Print-Your-Own Kits sold by TrackStacker Labs come with the same high grade N35 Neodymium Magnets trhat we use for all in-house Track production.

  • ⌀8mm ↧3mm Magnets

    8mm diameter x 3mm depth Neodymium Magnets are also known as Board Magnets in the TrackStacker ecosystem and are typically responsible for attaching Tracks to the Play Surface. You can source fridge magnets of this diameter from online suppliers like Amazon.

    Note

    Please note however - neodymium fridge magnets sold on Amazon, though marketed as N35, are generally much weaker than true N35 neodymium magnets. TrackStacker Labs uses magnets that have been custom made in high volume and are true N35 neodymium magnets - giving TrackStacker the signature 'snappy' feel that is so satisfying.

    Using lower grade magnets will result in Tracks that work, but will not be quite as snappy or tactile. When building long chains of elevated Tracks, you will need to use noticably more support when using generic Amazon-grade neodymium magnets.

    All Print-Your-Own Kits sold by TrackStacker Labs come with the same high grade N35 Neodymium Magnets trhat we use for all in-house Track production.

  • PLA Filament

    TrackStacker Labs recommends fabricating your own Tracks using PLA, but other filaments like PETG, ABS, ASA, PC and PA6 can be substituted if making outdoor grade Tracks. TrackStacker Labs uses BambuLab PLA Matte for all in house Track production. All in-house Tracks are sliced in BambuStudio, but you can use any modern slicer to make Tracks.

    Some Tracks like the Marble Pump may call for the use of higher strength engineering grade filaments like Polycarbonate. It is reccomended to have a printer capable of printing these higher tempertaure materials if you want to build your own Marble Pump. However, if you do not have access to such a printer, you can use 3rd party services like SendCutSend to have your parts made for you. More details available on the Marble Pump Fabrication Page.

Special Ingredients

  • M2 Socket Head Cap Screws

    Some Tracks use standard M2 metric hardware as a fastener for joining cover plates to Tracks like in [MD1] or [<60-D2], and for joining parts within multi-part Tracks like [2T1], [IB2], [DB2] etc. Typically, all Tracks are designed to use M2 x 4mm Socket Head Cap Screws, but there are some exceptions where longer or shorter screws or different head styles may be specified for a particular Track.

    In general it is recommended to keep a variety pack of M2 hardware around if you plan on fabricating a lot of Tracks or plan on designing your own! TrackStacker Labs uses stainless steel Socket Head Cap Screws for all in-house Track production.

    You can usually find assorted packs of M2 fasteners online at reasonable prices. M2 SHCS assorted set on Amazon.

    You can also ususally pick up a larger quantity of M2x4mm SHCS if you are making a lot of Tracks since most all of the Tracks using a cover plate are designed to use M2x4mm screws. M2x4mm SHCS on Amazon

  • M2 Heatset Inserts

    There are some special Tracks like the Marble Pump that call for the use of M2 brass threaded inserts. There are number of different sizes and types of M2 Brass threaded inserts available but the size and shape you will need for the Marble Pump and all other Tracks that call for Heatset Inserts is 3.6mm OD x 4mm length. Make sure to find inserts with a spiral profile like in the image below instead of straight teeth. Inserts with straight teeth (look like tiny little spur gears) are designed for use in injection molds and are not as strong when applied to 3D prints.

    M2 Heatset Inserts on Amazon

    Heatset Inserts have only been specified in Tracks that may need to be taken apart and put back together over the course of their life (for example, replacing a worn out Marble Pump Wheel) and have not been specified for Tracks that dont need to be opened or maintained for proper function (IB4, IB2, etc.)