TowerGlass Giant
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Spiral marble run towers
A spiral tower winds a track down around a central core. It packs a long run into a small footprint, so it’s the classic 3D-printed marble run, and it looks great on a desk.
Start from a preset
Each preset opens in the generator, ready to tweak, test and download.
🌀 Classic spiralA single-lane helix around a round core, ending in a vortex bowl. ★ Uses Pro features (free to preview).
🏁 Twin racerTwo interleaved lanes and a fluted core. Drop two marbles and race them. ★ Uses Pro features (free to preview).
🎂 Wedding cakeAn octagonal tower that widens towards the bottom. ★ Uses Pro features (free to preview).
🏟️ Stadium loopLong straights and tight ends around a stadium-shaped core. ★ Uses Pro features (free to preview).
🤏 Pocket miniFits a Bambu A1 mini and uses 6 mm steel BBs.
🔮 Glass giantA 320 mm tower for 16 mm glass marbles on a large printer. ★ Uses Pro features (free to preview).
🧪 Tube twisterAn enclosed tube track around a hexagonal core. The marble can’t fly out. ★ Uses Pro features (free to preview).
Popular spiral marble run towers from the gallery
Tower
TowerStadium Loop
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TowerWedding Cake
00Hw7kGs9
TowerTwin Racer
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TowerClassic Spiral Tower
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How it works
- The track spirals down around a core at a steady slope. The core grows automatically if the levels would collide.
- Curves are banked to match the simulated speed, so the marble stays centred instead of riding up the wall.
- Every level is held up by the core and by supports angled at 45° or less, so it prints with no supports.
Settings you can change
| Core shape | Round, rounded triangle, rounded square, hexagon, octagon, or a stadium (oval) with long straights. |
|---|---|
| Lanes | 1 lane, or 2–4 interleaved helices for racing marbles side by side (Pro). |
| Taper | Positive taper makes the tower wider at the bottom, like a wedding cake; negative makes it narrower. |
| Flutes and twist | Decorative grooves on a round core that twist up the tower. |
| Hollow core | Saves filament and print time. |
| Start and finish | A funnel, open start or gate with a marble queue (Pro); a cup or vortex bowl (Pro) at the bottom. |
Every style also lets you pick your printer, marble size (6 mm BBs to 25 mm shooters), groove shape, slope, wall height, base plate, label and colours.
Printing tips
Towers are tall and narrow, so add a brim if your bed adhesion is marginal. 10 mm steel balls are the sweet spot; use 6 mm BBs for a pocket-sized tower on a 180 mm printer. Slice with supports off, 0.2 mm layers and 3–4 walls. The full print guide covers slicer settings and troubleshooting.
Other styles
- Zigzag marble runs: A zigzag run (or drop wall) sends the marble along a ramp, drops it onto the next ramp going the other way, and repeats all the way down.
- Freeform marble runs: A freeform run wanders across the printer bed in loops and bends, held up by fins with pointed arches (like a Roman aqueduct) or by thin pillars (like a roller coaster).