Austin's K'nex Designs

K'nex Ball Machine Gets a Wheel Lift

2012-01-22T20:03:00.001-08:00

I have completed a working prototype of my first Ferris Wheel style K'nex ball lift. The lift measures slightly over four feet in diameter (a far cry from my last K'nex Ferris Wheel), which was the largest I could make it and still have it fit within the space provided. I still have lots of ideas for new lifts and paths, whether or not they end up constructed depends on how much time I have between my classes, and how many Arduinos I can spare for this project.

Automated K'nex Ball Machine Prototype 3

2012-01-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

I have a fully automated working prototype of the overhead crane completed. It is fairly slow, but it will only be one mechanism of many. I am currently in the process of building a ferris wheel lift, which, though common in many ball machines seen on Youtube, will be a first for me.

2012-01-18T16:18:00.001-08:00

New K'nex Ball Machine in Progress

2011-12-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

I am about a week into the construction of my newest and most complex ball machine, which is currently unnamed. The machine centers around a massive two-axis overhead gantry which covers my entire room. When finished, the gantry will be able to automatically detect when a ball has been loaded into it, then deposit it in one of several tracks by the use of a random number generator. This video is the first test of bi-directional motor control in this machine. I will post a new video when I have a test of ball loading and depositing completed.

Continuously Variable Automatic Transmission - Finished

2011-11-19T17:42:00.001-08:00

This is the finished model of my earlier Automatic CVT prototype. It contains 31 gears and roughly 2,500 pieces. The mechanical design has remained unchanged since the prototype, but numerous structural enhancements have been made to allow for operation at much higher speeds and torques. I plan to post a video of the transmission soon.

Continuously-Variable Automatic Transmission

2011-11-12T00:45:00.001-08:00

This is phase two of my attempt to build a continuously-variable automatic transmission for use in gradually accelerating heavy objects to a very high speed without breaking motors and/or pieces. My first attempt was over a year ago (http://knexdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/10/knex-centrifuge-work-in-progress.html) which required an operator to manually adjust the torque output and had no variable gearing ratio. This new design, which uses two differential gear boxes, automatically switches the gear ratio between 1:1 and 1:6. Because the gear ratio is continuous, any ratio between 1:1 and 1:6 is possible, and acceleration between ratios is perfectly smooth. This prototype is fully functional, but still needs to be re-enforced and stabilized. I will post more as I continue work on it.

K'nex Projection Mapping Test

2011-10-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with projection mapping lately, here's one set to music projected on Blue Fox.

K'nex Solar Death Ray

2011-08-24T18:28:00.001-07:00

I think I can safely say that this is BY FAR the most powerful K'nex "gun" ever constructed, even if the main component is not technically a K'nex piece. Rather than blasting its target with a white rod shot shot from rubber bands, the "death ray" hits its target with 9.6 Kilowatts of solar energy, enough to reduce pennies to puddles in seconds.

My friend Paul and I bought a 4 foot by 3 foot Fresnel lens this morning. The obvious thing to do with it, of course, is turn it into giant solar magnifier, so we constructed a 1,500 piece K'nex frame for it. By the time we were finished it was 7 in the evening so the sun was fairly low in the sky, but it still got hot enough to vaporize pennies with ease.

I plan to post a video soon when we get a chance to try it mid-day.

Paul holding the death ray, attempting to melt a railroad spike.
The welding mask is necessary to look at the spot, it would blind you otherwise.

Close-up of the death ray vaporizing pennies.

Penny: before and after.

Small summer projects

2011-08-24T18:26:00.001-07:00

Here's a couple of small projects I built over the summer.

Blue Fox - Final Video

2011-07-14T02:25:00.000-07:00

Ten months of construction, four days of filming, two weeks of editing, here it is. The final video of Blue Fox, nearly a year in the making.

Blue Fox Video Progress

2011-07-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

The final video for Blue Fox is, without a doubt, the most tedious video I have ever tried to make. My friend and I shot over 11 gigabytes of HD video the other night, and after trying 4 video editors (cyberlink, sony vegas, adobe premiere pro, final cut pro) and 2 computers, I still have been unable to find a video editor that won't either throw the audio out of synch or simply crash during the editing. From the looks of it, it'll be a while yet on the final video.

Wind-Powered K'nex Ball Machine

2011-06-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Sam and I built this ball machine over the past few days using the pieces left over from Blue Fox. This is, to my knowledge, the first 100% wind powered K'nex ball machine ever constructed. The 6 foot tall lift hill is powered entirely by a 3.5 foot diameter wind turbine made only with K'nex pieces. It has over 4,000 pieces, stands 8 feet tall and has 50 feet of track. It is equipped with an automatic transmission which ensures that no matter what direction the blades turn, the lift hill always goes the same way, doubling its overall efficiency.
We call it Don Quixote.

Blue Fox - LED ball prototype

2011-06-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

Using 3 button cell batteries and 2 ultra-bright blue LEDs, I created an illuminated K'nex ball, with light shining out both of the holes. The ball is extremely bright, and has a switch on the inside so it can be turned off. The two small blocks of foam keep the electronics centered in the ball so it does not get unbalanced and shield them from impacts.

Blue Fox - Video and possible logo design

2011-05-29T00:08:00.001-07:00

Here is a possible logo for Blue Fox. The final version will be animated. I tried really hard to avoid using blue and orange contrast... but come on! Something is called the blue fox. That can't not be blue and orange. Just saying...

Also, here is 2 minutes of unedited, raw video of the finished machine as it will most likely be quite some time before I get an official video produced, I am still waiting on a friend of mine.

Blue Fox - Path Topology Diagram

2011-05-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

This diagram shows the 17 connections between the 6 towers in Blue Fox. The towers are shown in their actual locations around my room. However, since this only shows path topology, the lines between them only show connections, not the actual shapes and routes of the paths. I used this diagram to help balance the number of incoming and outgoing paths from each tower as I constructed the machine.

Blue Fox - DONE!

2011-05-26T00:48:00.000-07:00

My most complex ball machine to date is finally finished after 10 months of construction. It has 22,000 pieces, 120 moving parts, 86 gears, 16 paths, 7 motors and 6 lifts. I’ll make a video later, right now I have a lot of reliability testing to do.

Blue Fox - New Tracks (also 100th post)

2011-05-21T08:38:00.001-07:00

This is my 100th post on this blog!

Also, here is an update on the construction of Blue Fox.
Since finishing the spring semester, I have had tons of free time to resume work, and construction is progressing rapidly. I have already constructed four new paths: The giant loop, the robot arm, a medium-length roller green roller coaster track, and a vertical drop track. At the moment I am working on general reliability as well as balancing the topology of the machine, in other words, making sure a ball lift doesn't have too many inlets or outlets, and that balls spend equal time in each segment. I plan to upload a topology map later, something which I have never done before. With a machine this complex, however, I feel that it is necessary.

I have also reprogrammed the robotic arm. It now operates at nearly twice the speed, as well as taking a new path which avoids the tracks I have placed in its way. I'm still a ways away from completion, however. Because this is the most complex K'nex machine I have ever constructed, reliability testing will take a very long time.

New Track - Giant Loop

2011-05-17T21:12:00.001-07:00

I can not bring myself to construct a large ball machine without including the classic giant loop. Despite my success in constructing the first successful K'nex corkscrew, that track has been abandoned for reliability and space issues. This has freed up space to construct the two new tracks I have posted recently. Due to the space taken up by the loop, the programming for the robot arm track had to be adjusted, slipping the arm through a tiny gap in-between the loop supports and the giant supporting arch. With this track, I hope to add some balance to the flow of the balls from tower to tower.

K'nex Ball Machine Robot Arm Track Test 1

2011-05-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

The robot arm is now fully integrated into the rest of the machine.

2-axis K'nex robot arm proof-of-concept

2011-05-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Bi-directional K'nex Motor Control with an Arduino

2011-05-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

So this is what I'm up to this week, now that I am done with school. I purchased a bunch of new electronic components, as well as two new k'nex motors, and am experimenting with programmable bi-directional control. So far it's working great, I plan to integrate this into my latest ball machine, if possible.

Blue Fox - Interactive 360° Panorama

2011-03-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

I discovered Photosynth recently, so I made a 360 degree panorama of my room/ball machine. This way, you can see the entire machine in a 105 megapixel image rather than one piece at a time, because it really is impossible to photograph it all at once.
Anyway, enjoy! Link

Blue Fox - Preview Video

2011-03-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

This video is now two months old, but I just realized I completely forgot to post it here. You may have seen it on my youtube channel, but here it is.

There are 11 working paths in this video.

K'nex Corkscrew

2011-01-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

Corkscrews are relatively common in K'nex roller coasters, so I decided to make one with a 2-railed ball track. After several days of tedious fine-tuning, I finally have a working model completed. I can not guarantee that this will make it into the final machine, as reliability may become an issue, but here it is now. Filmed at 30, 300 and 840 frames per second.

K'nex Ball Machine - New look, New name.

2010-12-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

I'm going with "Blue Fox" as the working title for my latest K'nex ball machine, which has been recently upgraded with blue spotlights and rope light. It is my goal to have a semi-working model completed by New Years Eve for a party I am hosting. Anyway, enough Tl;DR, have some pictures.

Panorama

Automatic Ball Launcher

Arch going over my desk

close-up of large arch

^.^

What I've been doing lately

2010-11-30T23:43:00.000-08:00

I have not had much time to get k'nex building done, as I have been busy working on a non-k'nex engineering project for my intro to mechanical engineering class. Here is a video of my prototype: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd6GxaG5ZCs

New Ball Machine - Preview Video

2010-11-22T23:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of some of the new tracks I am building for my new ball machine. The machine is nowhere near completed, and a final video will not come until next year. In the meantime, here are four of the tracks in the new machine.

More Ball Machine Progress

2010-11-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

I managed to squeeze some construction in this weekend, and may still do some more. I've got a few new paths in the works, mostly overhead bridges. I don't really know where I am going to go from here, I'm really just playing it by ear. Anyway, have some photos.

K'nex ball machine - Still under construction... slowly

2010-11-04T23:15:00.001-07:00

With school and all I am rather short on free time, but I have been making some progress here and there on my new, still untitled ball machine. 4 new half-finished tracks are visible here, as well as the beginning of a network of overhead bridges. More updates soon, or later, maybe... All I can say for sure is that I will absolutely not finish it this year. I WILL FINISH IT though!

K'nex Centrifuge - work in progress.

2010-10-01T19:59:00.001-07:00

This is a work-in-progress I am simply building to see if I can get it to work. I am testing a K'nex Differential I built which allows me to control the torque coming from a power drill. This means that I can take a constant input of 1350 RPM and gradually accelerate a very large object without damaging any pieces.

This is the bearing the centrifuge arm sits on.

A close-up of the Differential itself

The entire machine. The arm is 3.5 feet long, spins at 220 RPM and pulls 29 G-forces.

Here is a video of the centrifuge in action.

Physics and Illusions

2010-09-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a track based on an idea I had: If I build a downward track made of widely-spaced tubing, and connect that to an upward track made of closely-spaced tubing, the ball should spin faster on the downward track than on the upward track. The result of this, if all goes as planned, is an illusion where the ball actually appears to speed up as it travels uphill. Early tests have been somewhat successful, though the effect is not as noticeable as I had first hoped, but I will keep tweaking the design.

More progress

2010-09-18T22:28:00.001-07:00

Now that I have my new motor, I have constructed the 5th and final ball lift for my machine. All of the elements are now physically connected, and the structure makes a complete loop around my room. 2 bridges cross above the door, each going a different direction. I have also added 3 more path switchers, so 4 new paths will be created in this expansion.

Oh and if you haven't noticed yet, it's a fox. ^.^

New Motor- Back to work on the machine!

2010-09-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

I just received my 4th plug-in motor from ebay, so I can begin construction on the 5th (and most likely final) lift tower, which will bring the balls up and over the closet door. Also, here is a picture showing my latest progress on the machine. I rebuilt the towers so they are the same color, and added a new path on the right.

K'nex Tower - Night Photography

2010-09-14T17:14:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite picture of my 38 foot K'nex tower. This picture was taken at 1 AM the day after it was finished, using a 15 second exposure time. Since it was taken at night, you can see the entire tower clearly from top to bottom, unlike the pictures from the first post.

38 Foot K'nex Tower

2010-09-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

This tower stands 38 feet tall and uses about 3500 pieces (new personal height record). It was built in 4 hours by Austin Granger and Paul Davis, and assembled in 3 hours by Austin Granger, Paul Davis and Simon Olson. It took 5 attempts to get the tower to stand, it collapsed during the first 4. The tower DOES stand on its own, but we added the guy wires to counteract the force of the wind, just to make sure it will last during the night. 400 feet of string was used to make the 4 guy wires.

The completed tower

Close-up of one of the 4 guy wires

Looking up the middle of the tower.
The interior X-shaped supports were added every other level near the bottom, but were used less and less frequently as the tower grew in order to reduce weight and wind resistance.
Here the tower has a slight curve to it as we had not yet tightened the guy wires.

Close-up view showing where the guy wires connect to the tower.

For the two or three of you who care... here's how we did it. We assembled the top 20 feet of the tower on the ground, with the guy wires attached, hanging loosely to the ground. One person pulled on 2 guy wires while 2 people supported the middle of the tower, and we hoisted it up to a vertical position. We then attached it to the base, which is weighted down with about 200 lbs of bricks. Next, 2 people got on ladders on either side of the tower while one person disconnected it from the base. The tower was lifted up 4 feet at a time, and a new section was added in-between. The tower remained free-standing for all of the lifts. When we completed the structure, we each grabbed a guy wire and tied it to 3 bricks, moving the bricks around to straighten out the tower. A total of 36 bricks are used to hold up this tower.

Improbable Tower

2010-09-11T13:18:00.001-07:00

My friend Paul (co-designer of Labyrinth) and I constructed this 30 foot, 3000 piece tower in under 4 hours. This build set 2 personal records: Fastest build (3000 pcs in 4 hours) and tallest freestanding tower (30 feet). We were both surprised that this structure stood on its own, because the base was uneven and the tower leaned about 3 feet off vertical at the top. The tower stood for about 20 minutes, until we took it down and rebuilt a shorter, 22 foot version.

Ball Machine Uptade - New Section Partially Integrated

2010-09-08T23:31:00.000-07:00

I have just about finished the new section of my ball machine. Both lift towers are now completed, and it has 3 functioning tracks, including a new 5 foot long bridge which joins this segment to the automatic ball launcher. Within the next few days, I plan to construct the 5th and final lift tower which will carry the balls up and over my closet door, completing the circuit of the machine. I still have no idea how many paths the machine will have when completed, but I am aiming for at least 10.

The new segment, as well as the bridge connecting it to the rest of the machine.

Close-up of where the bridge joins the automatic ball launcher.

Another Ball Machine Update

2010-09-07T23:06:00.000-07:00

I am making great progress on the next phase of my ball machine, which takes balls from the bridge which will go over my closet door and returns them to the beginning of the machine, the automatic ball launcher. Both lift towers are now completed, and the bidirectional Ferris Wheel stands in the center. Every aspect of this section of the tower is being designed to fit with a certain theme. If I construct it right, the tower should resemble something when it is completed.

This section of the ball machine will be home to 6 paths (3 of each kind, mirroring each other) and will contain roughly 5,000 pieces.

Ball Machine Update (about time...)

2010-09-05T21:00:00.001-07:00

Ok, I finally have some ideas for what to do on my ball machine. I am starting by building the most complex chain lift hill I have ever made. Modified from the dual-lift I created for Labyrinth, this mechanism also consists of 2 hills powered by 1 motor. This section of the ball machine will, assuming all goes as planned, be completely symmetrical, and center around my first bidirectional Ferris Wheel. The lift towers hang over the sides of the dresser here for added height, and the return track runs through the middle of the supports on the bottom.

The mechanism contains about 600 pieces and 34 gears.

Automated K'nex Ball Lift

2010-08-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to come up with a new design for a k'nex ball lift that HASN'T been done by shadowman already.... so here it is. By combining lego and k'nex pieces I have constructed a fully automated robotic ball lift. The machine uses the ultrasonic sensor to wait for a ball to reach the bottom, where it is then picked up by the robotic claw and brought up a ramp to the top. This is just a prototype of the machine now. I am expecting the final to have a 5-6 foot long lift hill, and I have no plans to integrate this into my current work in progress ball machine.

K'nex "Leave Me Alone" Box

2010-08-14T16:01:00.001-07:00

I actually finished this last week, I just now got around to making a video....

K'nex "Leave Me Alone" machine - work in progress.

2010-08-05T03:25:00.000-07:00

I have seen tons of videos of "leave me alone" boxes around, and I decided to make my own. I know basically nothing about electronics, so I am attempting to build a 100% mechanical one. This machine is powered by the DC motor, which constantly spins in one direction, even when the machine is not in use. the starting and stopping, and the switching directions is all done mechanically, and I did not "cheat" by making the arm on a reciprocating axle that automatically retracts it regardless of the position of the switch.

Anyway, I designed and built this fully working prototype in about 4 hours from about 300 pieces. I plan to encase it in a box in the next day or two, and I will post a video then. This machine is a close runner-up to my automatic transmission as the most complex mechanical device I have ever built with K'nex.

How it Works - WARNING: TL;DR

I will try to explain this as well as I can for the 2 or 3 people who actually care. The blue lever on the far left is the "switch" which turns the machine on or off. When the switch is pulled, a series of needlessly complex linkages cause 2 things to happen. One: the transmission in the center of the device (an extremely downsized, re-designed version of the one found in my automatic transmission) is switched in to the "forward" position. Two: the "clutch" is engaged, by pulling the red gear farthest to the right into position so it meshes with the gear coming off the motor, as well as the drive gear for the rest of the machine. 12 gears later, the large L-shaped arm in the center of the device swings forward and hits the switch. Due to the design of the linkages, this only switches the transmission, but does not disengage the clutch. The transmission reversed, the arm goes back into its resting state. At the end, it engages a rod which slides the clutch gear out of position, stopping the machine in its starting point. (hopefully this will be made clear by a video, maybe...)

K'nex Windmill

2010-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Still out of ideas for my ball machine, I constructed this K'nex windmill in about 2 hours yesterday. It stands 9 feet tall and uses about 700 pieces. The thing that separates this windmill from my previous attempts (which I did not post on the blog) and others that I have seen is that it uses no non-k'nex pieces. The blades are made from 20 k'nex panels, which seem to give me the best weight-to-wind-resistance ratio. Though they are full of small holes, the wind still catches the blades pretty well.

The windmill will turn steadily in winds as low as 3 miles per hour, and can easily reach 60 RPM on a normal day. The shaft of the windmill is connected to a small gearbox, which generates a surprisingly large amount of torque. I may even end up powering a small mechanical device with this if I feel up to it.

The blades of the windmill are about 1.25 feet long, and it sits atop an 8 foot tall tower which is stabilized at its base by 4 bricks.

K'nex Mechanical Tail

2010-07-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I found a video of a mechanism similar to this on youtube a few days ago and I wanted to see if I could duplicate it with K'nex. This mechanical "tail" is about 2 feet long and and has 50 articulating joints. Fishing line runs down holes on each side of the tail, and when one of the lines is tightened, the tail curls up in that direction. This mechanism serves no real purpose and can not really be used for anything whatsoever, it was just a fun side project I decided to try while I think of new ideas for my ball machine.

Close-up of the articulating joints and the fishing line

Tail curling upwards as one side is tight

The tail "wags" in whatever direction the large yellow gear is turned

The tail, and the mechanism which powers it. The large black wheels are on hinges to keep the tension in the fishing line when slack is added to one side of the tail.

"Impossible" K'nex Object

2010-07-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

I have been suffering from 'builder's block' with my new ball machine, so I have had to resort to tinkering around with my pieces until inspiration returns. In the process of said tinkering, I came up with the idea for this 14-piece object, and it took me an hour just to figure out how to build it. I submit that this object is impossible to build OR take apart using one's bare hands. I challenge you to prove me wrong! Good luck!

note - I am not Superman (or Chuck Norris) so I did not build this with my bare hands, nor have I been able to get it apart. I constructed this with the help of 2 vices and a hammer, and it wasn't until the third try that I succeeded without breaking a piece.

Ball Machine Update - Track 2 Complete

2010-07-11T21:43:00.001-07:00

I have finished construction of the second path which links the ball launcher to the first chain lift. The path consists of a half-helix, 2 long bridges and a jump. I will try to upload a video of the two paths running together tomorrow.

Here is a close-up of the jump.
The path for the jump actually travels through the middle of the arch support.

An overview of the new path

Details of the two long bridges and the start of the jump

Ball Machine Update

2010-07-10T22:57:00.000-07:00

I have finished the first track of my new ball machine. This is by no means the final layout for this track, but it gave me a chance to test a new element I designed, which is a tightly wound, banked helix which wraps around a column made of gray rods. About half way through the video the track enters a horizontal switch, for which the second path has yet to be constructed. I plan to start work on this tomorrow. I have also completed a vertical chain lift which brings the balls back up to my ceiling to carry them across the giant arch to the next phase of the machine, which is also under construction, but has been postponed due to design issues.

Here is a closeup of the purple tubing spiral. The design still needs work, as the balls tend to fly off the track here.

Design Experiment - Twisted Tower

2010-07-10T16:05:00.001-07:00

This latest ball machine is all about experimenting with new designs. It has a launched ball lift and is supported by systems of arches. To add to this, I have designed a new type of K'nex support tower, modeled after the Turning Torso residential skyscraper. By pure coincidence, 6 stories of this design will create a tower that rotates exactly 90 degrees, allowing for a twisting tower that lines up with the rest of the structure. Here is the first of possibly many twisting towers to appear in this structure. This tower will support the apex of a chain lift, as well as some path switchers.

New K'nex Ball Machine

2010-07-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

I am 1 day into the construction of my latest large-scale k'nex ball machine. In order reduce the impact on the functionality of my room, the supports for this ball machine are arches, which allows for large spans and minimal floor space. I have placed my automatic ball launcher at what is now being called the 'start' of the machine near the ceiling. Other lift designs will be used elsewhere to carry the balls to this level. So far I have about 10 feet of track completed, including a horizontal path switcher and a helix.

Each of these supports is a half arch supported by k'nex on one end, and leaning against the corner of my room on the other end. They are held up by friction alone, no supports are fastened to the walls.

This is a prototype for a horizontal path switcher.

Another view of the arched supports, showing the track and the helix.

The automatic ball launcher sits atop my shelves, near the ceiling. Supports hang down from the launcher to carry the weight of the left arch.

Automatic Launching K'nex Ball Lift

2010-06-23T09:06:00.001-07:00

This is a new K'nex lift mechanism of my own design. Rather than slowly lift a ball to the top of a tower, this lift launches balls up a small incline with a rubber band driven hammer. All the elements of this lift run off a single motor and 14 gears. The lift took about 5 hours to design, build and fine-tune and uses about 600 pieces. If I have the space and the time, I plan to integrate this lift into my upcoming large ball machine.

Here is a video of the lift in action

Overview of the entire machine

Note that half of the pegs have been removed from this gray gear.
This gear powers the red gear for 1/2 rotation (pulling back the hammer)
before disengaging it and letting the hammer swing back to hit the ball.

World's Largest K'nex Loop - FINISHED!

2010-06-10T23:48:00.000-07:00

The loop is finally finished!

K'nex Coaster Update 4 - almost there

2010-06-09T23:32:00.001-07:00

I have started building the return track. I am still waiting on my 100+ feet of rail to come in the mail, so I have built this track by splicing together small lengths of track, which will later be replaced. The return track starts with a 4.5 foot climb up a hill, then down into a diving turn which sends it back in the right direction.

Because I am building outdoors, supports can be placed wherever I need them and then anchored in place by pounding k'nex rods into the ground. This eliminates the need for bulky bases and allows for strong tracks from very few pieces.

Another view of the diving turn.

Worlds Largest K'nex Loop: Test Launch 1 Successful!

2010-06-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

I finished the runway and launch mechanism today and completed several dozen test runs with a 100% success rate! I was surprised at how little force is needed to launch the cars all the way through the loop, I built a 15 foot runway and it only takes about 3 feet of acceleration track to make it through. Here is a video both in real time and at 210 frames per second showing one of my test launches.

All that remains now is the return track. Construction will begin on that tomorrow.

K'nex Coaster Update 2

2010-06-08T00:22:00.001-07:00

I have finally assembled the loop's structure after nearly a week of bad weather. I took advantage of a sunny day and built not only the entire structure, but the track as well. The loop is now 100% finished with a functioning and tested track, so all that remains to be done is the launch track (construction starting tomorrow) and the return track at the end. I am still waiting for about 100 feet of new roller coaster tubing to come in the mail, but I should be done within the next week.

Here is the completed loop structure supported by a gigantic A-frame, one of the largest, if not the largest structures I have ever built. The loop stands 12 feet tall and 12 feet wide. I have no idea how many pieces are in it, an estimate will come later.

K'nex coaster update

2010-06-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have most of the superstructure completed, and it is now awaiting assembly in my yard. The two large half-circle pieces will soon be joined together to form the largest K'nex vertical loop ever built (to my knowledge). The loop will be 12 feet in diameter and will be the main attraction of the launched rollercoaster. The launch track will lead directly into the loop, followed hopefully by a return track consisting of a few small hills. The loop will be supported by the large frame on the bottom, and a 13 foot A-frame on the top. One of the legs of the A-frame can be seen in the grass on the left side. I hope to finish the structure tomorrow and start track assembly for testing by this weekend.

New Record-Breaking Roller Coaster Under Construction (Railgun 2?)

2010-06-02T00:10:00.000-07:00

I have started construction of a new record breaking k'nex project. I will provide more information and photos once construction has progressed a bit further, but the design is a step up from that of Railgun. This will be another launched roller coaster, though for financial purposes I will most likely go for a traditional rubber band launch mechanism (rocket motors are very expensive.) The record I am attempting to break has, to my knowledge, never before been set (or even attempted.) The superstructure required to hold up this coaster is quite large, and will take quite some time to construct. I plan to finish the main element this weekend for some test runs, and the complete track within 2 to 3 weeks. Photos coming tomorrow.

Automatic Touch-Sensitive Reversing Transmission

2010-05-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

This is a proof of concept for a 2-setting automatic K'nex transmission. This mechanism is not intended for use in any future project, I simply had the idea and wanted to see if it would work. The wheel on top of the mechanism spins continually in one direction until its movement is interrupted. The machine detects the rotational force applied on the axle and automatically switches gears, reversing the direction of the wheel to avoid stress on the motor.

This machine was designed and built in about 4 hours from nearly 500 pieces and 33 gears.

Video of the mechanism in action:

Close-ups of the switching mechanism:

The red gear in the upper right slides along the length of the red rods depending on the tension of the chain. This gear rides on a cart which triggers the transmission when it reaches a certain height. There are 2 of these tension mechanisms in the device, one for each direction of rotation.

K'nex Dome

2010-05-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

School's out, so I am able to begin building massive outdoor structures again. Here is the first of what I hope will be many.

This K'nex dome spans over 14 feet and is almost 6 feet high at its center. Each leg is 10 feet long, but only 3 inches thick. I designed this dome to test a modification of the k'nex arch I used in The Labyrinth. The dome was built in 10 hours by Austin Granger and Sam Ihlenfeldt and uses over 5,500 pieces.

Under Construction

Testing the design strength with 4 legs

All 8 legs in place

Center of the dome

Close up of one of the legs

This is not a ferris wheel...

2010-04-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is a flywheel and lateral support bearing for my upcoming large project. I will need 2 more of these 3-foot wheels to complete it. These wheels will support a large, rotating shaft which should experience considerable stress. I will be installing this wheel in a prototype bearing-housing and testing its functionality soon, updates by this weekend.

Something New....

2010-04-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

Labyrinth deconstruction has begun, and I am in the planning stages for my first (of hopefully many) large-scale summer construction projects. The build will probably get started this weekend and I will post pictures when I get far enough along. I don't want to say what it is yet, but if it works, it should be a world's first!

Sears Tower Meets Baseball Bat (high speed)

2010-03-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Does this really need any explaination?

Video 1 (420 fps)

Video 2 (420 fps)

Batter: Simon Olson

Labyrinth in slow motion (210 FPS high-speed video)

2010-03-25T20:50:00.001-07:00

I just got a Casio Exilim ex-fc100, which can shoot high-speed video at up to 1000 FPS. To test it out, I filmed one of the racing tracks of Labyrinth at 210 frames per second (7 times slower than normal).

Also, just for fun, here is my finger being caught in a mouse trap at 1000 frames per second!

HAPPY PI DAY!!!

2010-03-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

A little something I whipped up in flash for Pi Day 2010.

Sears Tower Model Loses its Foundation

2010-03-10T18:05:00.001-08:00

Today was 40 degrees and rainy. As a result, the model sears tower now has absolutely no foundation, except for the bricks in its base. When I arrived home today, I found the tower leaning at a dangerously steep angle, but not breaking. I could technically say that this structure was so strong, the earth itself failed before the tower did...

Anyway, I have since taken down the tower, as it will no longer be able to stand up to the wind without its foundation intact. I am working on plans for a much larger outdoor project to be started this spring, however.

K'nex Sears Tower (Willis Tower)

2010-02-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

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.

More images:

New Project - Sears Tower Scale Model

2010-02-19T23:58:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-08T15:25:00.001-08:00

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!

Labyrinth Update

2010-01-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

Winter break is over and work on The Labyrinth has slowed down, but it has not stopped. I have added 2 more tracks (with 6 unique elements between them) to the machine. The largest and most obvious track is a 8 foot arch bridge which spans the width of my room, crossing over my bed and desk. This track features several elements which I have never even attempted to build before, but it works perfectly.

right end of arch bridge

The second track is a pinball-type element consisting of a 5 foot long sloping pegboard. The ball drops on to the board and gradually works its way through the pegs, exiting in one of 3 slots at the bottom. These 3 slots then lead into 3 different tracks, which all deposit the ball at the bottom of lift #3. The pegboard alone contains 1300 pieces.

Pegboard

Paths exiting pegboard

Labyrinth: Almost There!

2010-01-01T15:58:00.000-08:00

I missed my New Years Eve deadline do to piece shortages, but I continue to make progress. Labyrinth now has 14 tracks, 4 lift hills, 4 motors and an uncountable number of pieces. (I still estimate around 20,000. I will do a more accurate estimate later. I have also wrapped the entire structure in Christmas lights for the holiday season.

Labyrinth: 13 tracks, no end in sight.

2009-12-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

I have gone beyond my estimation of a 12-track ball machine with the completion of my 13th track yesterday. I now have an estimated 16,000 pieces invested in this machine which is still growing daily.

Labyrinth: Vertical Race Completed

2009-12-20T14:37:00.001-08:00

The largest track of the entire structure, the vertical race, has been completed. This track took 2 days to build, stands 7 feet tall and uses 3000 pieces. It also has its own motor. Basically, the vertical race is its own ball machine, but it will have a track branching off of it which integrates it with the rest of the tower.

Labyrinth: The Vertical Race

2009-12-19T14:13:00.000-08:00

I am almost finished with the vertical race track. This is the largest and most complicated track in the machine, as it includes the tallest tower, its own dedicated lift hill and motor, and over 3000 pieces (as many pieces as in the entire Big Ball Factory) The two massive, 900-piece ball drops are in place, supported by the large lift tower. Construction of the switch is underway and should be completed soon.

Labyrinth: New pieces, New tracks, New tower.

2009-12-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

I have come up with a new design for a very cool track, but it will require the construction of a 7.5 foot lift tower using yet another motor. The track will use two extremely tall flapping ball chutes (as seen in the Big Ball Factory) side by side. Using my design for a simultanious ball release mechanism, I will drop one ball down each chute at the same time and they will race to the bottom. I am done with the semester and am in winter break, so I will be building a lot. More updates soon.

Labyrinth Preview Video

2009-12-16T21:38:00.000-08:00

Since the labyrinth works perfectly in its half-completed state (i weighed down some of the switches so the balls only go down the 5 finished paths), I filmed this preview video showing my progress so far. Enjoy!

Labyrinth: 5 paths down, 7 to go!

2009-12-16T12:40:00.001-08:00

The Labyrinth now has 5 paths crammed into the corner above my computer, with several more still under construction. This machine uses about 7,000 pieces so far, but that number will start to get much larger. soon. I have recently acquired about 5000 pieces from ebay and craigslist (the first actual money I have spent on k'nex in over 2 years) and have more pieces on the way. I also got a third motor, which MIGHT be used to power a fourth lift-hill, giving the Labyrinth a total of 16 tracks. If that did happen, it would not be for a few months though. I am still rushing towards a New Years Eve completion.

K'nex Ball Machine Update (working title: Labyrinth)

2009-12-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

My new K'nex ball machine, which is now known as The Labyrinth, is progressing smoothly. I have completed 3 tracks spread across 2 towers, and 3 more are under construction. Judging by how crowded this machine is at only 1/4 completed, by the end it should be a very intense ball track. More updates late next week. (finals coming up...)

Knex Ball Tower 3 - New Tower, New Tracks

2009-12-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

The new desk in my room is preventing me from constructing a single massive tower like the subatomic paraball, and the dual-drive mechanism for the two lift towers raised them an additional 6 inches. As a result, I know there is no way I can a room-circulating path in this machine, as it has only about 3 feet of vertical drop available. Rather than do away with this path, I decided to simply construct a third lift tower, using the powerful 12v motor I used to drive my ferris wheel. Now I have got 2 motors powering 3 lifts which branch into 12 paths. So far, 3 paths are under construction simultaneously, and I have no plans for what to do with the other 8 (assuming one will be used for the room-circulating path. With the weekend approaching and winter break in a couple weeks I am sure to be making much more progress soon.

Knex Ball Tower 3 - Update

2009-12-07T20:38:00.000-08:00

I have completed both lift towers and return ramps and added the central ferris wheel tower. (most elements on this wall will center around the wheel, including a 2-foot giant loop).

It's That Time Again

2009-12-06T18:17:00.001-08:00

We have gotten our first snow, so the outdoor projects are done for the year. To keep me from losing my sanity, I have started another large ball machine project. This unnamed project will have 2 separate lift towers at either end of the machine, branching off into anywhere from 6 to 10 tracks. The working design so far is similar to the subatomic paraball, with one large track circling my room and 2 walls full of various tracks. I will be bringing back my favorite elements of the subatomic paraball, such as the chain bridge, giant loop, ferris wheel and spiral bowl. Here are pictures of the construction progress so far. A completed model can be expected in january of 2010.

Drive mechanism completed

First tower completed

Railgun: World's Fastest K'nex Roller Coaster

2009-12-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

The first high-speed test of the Railgun reached nearly 120 MPH

I decided to go for the world record I missed back in 2006 with my roller coaster "Aussam". Though the tallest in the world at the time, Aussam could only reach speeds of about 50 MPH. With other coasters launching their trains at over 70 MPH I thought I would try to knock this record out of the park. The solution: Rocket engines. By using a C11 model rocket engine I managed accelerate a K'nex coaster car up to 122 MPH in only 40 feet. At 50 MPH faster than the previous record, this run will be hard to beat! A video of the coaster can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8-k9l6kU3E

Cable-Stayed Bridge Complete

2009-10-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

I have completed, for now at least, my K'nex cable-stayed bridge. The bridge measures 55 feet long with a 25 foot central span which rises 3.5 feet above the ground. The two supporting towers measure just over 7 feet high and the road deck is 7 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick. The bridge is supported by over 200 feet of cables and uses just over 9000 pieces. If the bridge can support it, I may double the width of the road deck.

Pix or it didn't happen:

Bridge construction delayed... several times

2009-10-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Due to midterms, excessive amounts of homework and cold/rainy days I have not been able to get any work done on the bridge, and have left it sitting in it's half-built, semi-stable state. Of course Murphy's law decided to troll me with a surprise 2-inch snowfall in early October... Naturally the weight of all the snow on the road deck caused half the bridge to collapse. Since one of the towers is now a 2.5 foot pile of rubble I will need to wait for everything to melt and dry off before I can do any more work. I DO intend to finish, however, even if i have to wait out the winter.

K'nex Bridge Setup Begins

2009-10-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

I extended the height of the main towers by another foot and placed both of them outside to begin attaching the road deck. The progress is very slow going because one 5-foot section of bridge takes an hour to construct due to the strength requirements. So far I have both of the lead-in ramps nearly completed, and some test cables in place balanced by a 7-foot section of the main span. The cables in this image are made of K'nex chain, but I will probably end up using rope due to piece limitations.

New Project - Cable-Stayed Bridge

2009-09-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have begun to work on a K'nex cable-stayed bridge with what I hope to be a 25-30' center span. So far I have a prototype for one of the main supporting towers complete, but it turned out smaller than I had expected, falling 2' short of my plans. When completed, if all goes as planned, the bridge will measure over 60 feet long and be supported by 8 pillars (2 main towers, 3 smaller towers on either end).

Compact Model Rollercoaster

2009-09-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

This is not K'nex, but it is still a building system so I decided to post it. I built this model roller coaster in one afternoon from about 700 pieces and contains about 25 feet of track which twists into three inversions, all barrel-rolls. The entire model fits onto a space only five feet long in between two bookshelves.

21 Foot K'nex Tower

2009-09-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

This is a K'nex tower built by myself, Simon Olson and Sam Ihlenfeldt in a little over an hour. It measures 21 feet tall and only 3 inches wide, which could be a record for a height-thickness ratio but it would be too much work to validate that, this is just for fun. The ground the tower rests on is on a slight slant, and the tower collapsed 30 minutes after completion, nearly landing on a surprised biker! The tower has been moved to a more stable location where it remains standing.
The base of the tower is weighted down with bricks for stability.

K'nex Chair

2009-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

This K'nex chair was built in about one week and can actually be used to sit in as it is capable of supporting over 300 pounds. The chair is supported by four legs and contains over 2000 pieces.

New Project - 2 story ball tower

2009-08-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have started work on what will be my largest K'nex ball tower yet. The motorized lift will sit outside my house where it will take balls out from the side door and up through my window. From there the balls will wind through my house and down the stairs to the lift again. So far I only have the main lift support completed. The track will be modular so it can be assembled as quickly as possible. More pics coming later.

Edit: The ball tower is finished and can be viewed Here

Knex Computer - DONE

2009-07-28T00:37:00.000-07:00

All 8 computational bits and the additional operand bit have been completed and the computer can now add and subtract numbers as large as 255, in less than 30 seconds, making it the most powerful, fastest and most compact k'nex computer in the world (to my knowledge). All of its functions are controlled by the "keyboard" at the bottom of the computer which are attached to the "RAM" (the long, dense bit along the very top) by long linkage rods. Video coming soon.

K'nex Computer reaches 5 bits

2009-07-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

My K'nex computer is now more than halfway to completion with 5 fully functioning bits of cpu and memory, as well as 5 keys for keyboard input. I can now add and subtract numbers from 0-31, as well as simply have the machine automatically count up from 0-31 and then start over. At this rate my computer is doubling in power every day and should be completed sometime next week, having achieved 8x the computing power it has at the moment. In order for subtraction to function in binary I am required to add an additional bit, making 9 bits total, though this bit will not be as complicated as the other 8.

K'nex Computer - Prototype 1 (3-bit)

2009-07-22T23:54:00.000-07:00

I have completed a fully functional 3-bit prototype of my K'nex Computer. The model already stands at its final height of 7 feet and has many features completed and working. The automated ball loading system and keyboard input are functioning as expected and the computer can already add numbers from 0-7. The model is not even half done yet but it is a good start. Included are some pictures of the individual components of the computer:

Here is a cutaway of one "bit" of the CPU. With the ball in this position the bit is in the On, or 1 state. The position of the rocker determines the state of the bit.

This is 1 bit of "RAM", or more specifically, the automated ball loading mechanism. When the switch is in this position, a 1 is stored in the RAM. When a ball rolls over the trap door, it falls through, closing the switch (and removing the bit from memory) and continues through the "FSB" (series of pathways) to the CPU seen above. When all 8 bits of RAM and CPU are in place, the rockers will store the next operation to be loaded into the CPU, if you follow me :P

Though the individual components are quite small, combining enough of them together produces a very large k'nex computer. This view is from the bottom looking up. The dense diagonal row of pieces in the lower right is what is completed of the CPU. The arrows connected to each bit represent either a 0 or a 1 (they are all set to 0 in this picture). Above the CPU is the FSB if you will, though it is really just a series of vertical chutes that connect each bit of RAM to its corresponding CPU bit. The dense area at the very top is the RAM. The chain lift to the left brings the balls up to the top of the computer one at a time and they are delivered to the CPU in a precise order as determined by the switches in the RAM, which were initially set by the users input. Not shown in this picture, a series of very long linkage rods connect each key to the bit of RAM above, allowing the user to input calculations into the RAM directly for later computation. I'm sorry if this is hard to follow, when it is completed I will make a video so it makes more sense.

Mini Project - Starship Enterprise

2009-07-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

I had some extra pieces lying around so I built this scale model of the Starship Enterprise NCC-1701 from TOS. The model measures 4.5 feet in length, and the saucer section is 2 feet in diameter. The model, including the stand, uses about 650 pieces and took 3 hours to construct.

New Project - K'nex Computer

2009-07-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

I have reached a structural limit with my K'nex ball machine and am unable to construct any more tracks for fear of the artificial ceiling collapsing. I have now decided to begin work on a new project, what I hope to be the worlds most powerful and compact K'nex computer in an attempt to surpass the speed and power demonstrated by the K'nex Computer seen here. My computer, if successful, will feature an 8-bit processor, keyboard input and a completely automated calculation process powered by a K'nex motor. If all goes as planned my computer will, like the computer in the above link, perform the calculations using K'nex balls to represent individual bits of data within the machine. A motorized lift and an automated ball input system controlled by a keyboard will eliminate manual loading of the balls into the machine. This new computer will expand on the design of a previous, 6-bit computer I started to construct but failed to complete. More information will be posted once construction progresses further.

Elevated K'nex Ball Machine: Stage 1 complete

2009-07-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

The elevated K'nex ball machine now has 2 working tracks and 15,000 pieces. 3 weeks in the making, this ball machine is finally in a stable, working condition, but is still a work in progress. 2 more tracks are in the works, check back for more updates.

Click Here for the video.

Ball Machine - Track 1 Complete

2009-05-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

After 2 days of hard work, the ball machine finally makes a complete loop. This track contains an estimated 65-70 feet by itself, and takes half a minute for a ball to traverse. By now, the machine contains about 7,000 pieces and runs 7 balls simultaneously, though the current design could support up to 20. I have ordered 220 more pieces online and plan to begin construction on track 2 when the arrive. Multiple tracks will be constructed by placing 2 lift hills side-by-side and having the balls alternate which path they take without the use of switches. At least 1 additional path is planned, more paths will be added if I have enough pieces.

Knex Ball Machine - track test 1

2009-05-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

With the frame structurally sound, I was able to build about 20 feet of test track today, and it works quite well. This may very well not be the final design, but it gives me a good idea of how building from a k'nex ceiling will work. Here is a video of the current track.

Ball Machine - supporting frame nearly completed

2009-05-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

Since this new ball machine will span my entire ceiling unsupported, it requires a massive, multi-thousand piece support structure. The current frame consists of 3 beams making a total of 6 spans, supported by 5 towers around my room. There are also some design tests for the knex "ceiling" which will fill in the gaps between bridges. I have also built some test track coming off the lift hill (not shown.)

After third collapse, ferris wheel deconstruction begins.

2009-05-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

Strong winds yesterday blew the wheel against the side of my house, destroying the base and buckling the top half of the wheel. Repairs at this point are no longer worth my time and effort, so the wheel is coming down. The good news, however, is that construction on my ball machine can resume. More updates soon.

New Structure - Room Ball Machine 2.0

2009-05-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

I will be taking down the Ferris Wheel this week to build my next large project, another large and presently untitled ball machine similar to my Subatomic Paraball. If all goes as planned, this ball machine will be larger, longer and taller than my last, though the main lift is only 4 feet tall. The main superstructure will consist of about 6 large supporting towers which reach my ceiling, all connected by a network of strong bridges. A wall of k'nex will then be built to fill in the gaps between the bridges. The result: A completely free standing k'nex ceiling. The ball machine will twist and loop through the holes in the ceiling on fewer, but much longer paths. Rather than fast short tracks designed to get the ball to the ground, these paths will be slow and twisting, winding around the ceiling until they reach the bottom of the lift. The lift has already been constructed and I will resume building the ball machine when I tear down the wheel.

World's Largest K'nex Ferris Wheel - Video

2009-04-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

The weather was not as bad as predicted, so I was able to film the wheel today. Here is the finished video, with information and original music.

For a higher quality video click here.