K'nex Sears Tower (Willis Tower)

This 1:153 scale model of the Sears Tower (Willis Tower) was built in about 8 hours by myself, Sam Ihlenfeldt and Paul Davis. The tower stands 12 feet high and uses about 3,000 pieces. Details include accurate antennas, entrance at the bottom and even air conditioning units. The base of this tower is embedded in 6 inches of ice and snow, and weighed down with 100lbs of bricks, and with the inherently strong 9-column design of the Sears Tower, it is pretty much impossible for this model to tip over, even in the strongest wind.

We were able to build this tower without having to dissassemble the 25,000 piece Labyrinth ball machine.

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New Project - Sears Tower Scale Model

I am attempting a rather unique and ambitious project this weekend. Not so much because the build itself will be difficult, but because I plan to construct a 3000 piece scale model of the Sears Tower (aka Willis Tower) without taking apart my ball machine, meaning I will be extremely short on some of the specific pieces I need. The tower will stand 1.5 feet wide and 12 feet tall (1:150 scale).

What makes this project unique is that it is my first attempt at making a knex tower with an actual foundation. Though the tower will appear to be resting on a blanket of snow when completed, the structure extends more than 6 inches below the surface of the snow, where it is embedded in solid ice and weighed down with 100 pounds of bricks, making the structure almost completely immovable in the event of a sudden gust of wind.

I have finished the foundation and the twin antennae at the top, so all that remains is the middle 8 feet, which should progress rather quickly, as no large amount of design or detail is required.

Labyrinth: FINISHED!

After 2 months and 2 days of work, the single largest structure I have ever built is completed. The Labyrinth contains 25,000 pieces, 261 feet of track, 19 paths, 13 switches, 4 lift hills and 4 motors. Click Here to watch the video!