Name Maze Generator
wijitworks
Turn any name into a ball maze. The letters themselves create the walls and pathways of the maze, making every design unique to the name you enter.
The project generates three pieces that can be laser cut and assembled into a finished maze.
It makes a fun desk toy, gift, party favor, or personalized project for kids and adults.
Before you cut
Choose your ball and maze wall material before cutting.
The Ball Size parameter controls the size of the maze paths, so enter the actual diameter of the ball you plan to use.
Important: The ball diameter must be smaller than the thickness of your maze wall material.
For example, if you are using a 2.5 mm ball, your maze wall material needs to be thicker than 2.5 mm. If the ball is the same size as, or larger than, the material thickness, it can become pinched between the clear cover and backer and may not roll freely.
I used the stainless steel ball bearing assortment linked with this project. It includes several ball sizes, which makes it useful for experimenting with different maze sizes.
What it generates
Clear cover
Cut this piece from clear acrylic. It keeps the ball inside the maze while allowing the name and maze paths to remain visible.
Maze walls
This is the middle layer containing the generated letter maze. The thickness of this material creates the vertical space the ball moves through.
Backer
The backer closes the maze and provides the base for the finished project.
Recommended adhesive method
Applying adhesive before cutting makes assembly much easier.
I recommend applying 3M double sided adhesive sheets to both the front and back of the maze wall material before placing it in the laser.
The laser then cuts the maze walls and adhesive together.
After cutting, simply remove the protective liner to attach the maze wall layer to the backer and clear acrylic cover.
This avoids having to manually apply glue around all of the small maze walls and produces a cleaner finished piece.
Tip: Save the inner cut pieces. With the adhesive liner still attached, they can be used as temporary spacers to help align the maze walls during assembly. Remove them before adding the ball and sealing the maze.
Assembly
Cut the backer and score the guides.
Apply double sided adhesive to both sides of the maze wall material before cutting.
Cut the maze wall layer.
Cut the cover from clear acrylic.
Remove the protective adhesive liner from the back of the maze wall layer.
Carefully align the maze wall layer with the backer and press it into place.
Place the ball inside the maze.
Test the ball before sealing the maze. Make sure it can move freely throughout the paths without becoming trapped between the layers.
Remove the protective adhesive liner from the front of the maze wall layer.
Align the clear acrylic cover and press it firmly into place.
Press around the entire maze to make sure all three layers are securely bonded.
Tip: Cut one letter first. It is a fast, low material way to test path width, wall thickness, adhesive, and ball movement before committing to the full name.
Ball bearings
