Introduction: K'NEX Star Wars TIE-Fighter

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About: Hello! I'm a maths tutor and primary school teacher and have always had a passion for making things. This started at an early age with LEGO and K'NEX. I share my K'NEX projects on instructables for others to b…

"Can you fly a TIE Fighter?"

- "I can fly anything."

Finn and Poe Dameron

And once you build this TIE for your own, you can learn how to fly one too! In this instructable we will show you how we designed and made this K'NEX TIE Fighter from the Star Wars movies. It reassembles the First Order TIE-figher more than the original TIE, since the colour of the wings is different.

GWorks started with the wing design, but asked Linkin_J_Knex for help with the cockpit in one of the comments under an ible. He then made a clever way to create a spherical shape, in the right scale to the wings, with 4-way connectors and ball joints. Therefore, this collaboration was formed. We are both Star Wars fans and both K'NEX builders on Instructables and like this spaceship a lot.

The actual model was built and photographed by GWorks, and is about 30 cm (1 foot) high. It is completely symmetrical, and therefore Step 3: The Wings has to be executed twice, apart from assembling. The model features laser cannons, dual engines and the possibility to display it on a stand, while showing information about the TIE. The Steps in this instructable are accordingly:

  1. Parts Needed
  2. The Cockpit | Made by Linkin_J_Knex
  3. The Wings & Assembly
  4. The Display Stand

Each step has an appropriate Finn quote to keep the theming right ;)

Step 1: Parts Needed

" ...You need pieces"

"I need pieces, yes"

Poe Dameron and Finn, deciding who's going to build the TIE...

You will need the following to make the TIE figher

Knex pieces: Buy at K'NEX User Group / K'NEX sparesK'NEX spares

Rods:

  • 124x Black rod (16 mm)
  • 34x Silver rod (32 mm)
  • 9x Black rod (32 mm, for aestethic purposes)
  • 2x Flexible purple rod (32 mm, for aestethic purposes)
  • 1x Blue rod (52 mm)

Connectors:

  • 7x 8-way black connector
  • 2x 7-way blue 3D connector
  • 2x 4-way silver 3D connector
  • 32x 5-way grey connector
  • 3x 5-way dark grey connector (for aestethic purposes)
  • 13x 4-way Black connector (otherwise, the model will become green-ish)
  • 12x 3-way dark grey connector
  • 11x 2-way (V-shape) grey connector
  • 63x 2-way (long-shape) brown connector

Clips/Other:

  • 1x Blue spacer (½ width)
  • 53x Black clip with rod end
  • 36x Clip with Ball end
  • 16x Hinge part Black
  • 4x Clip with Socket end
  • 1x Clip blue
  • 2x Interlocking clip Tan/brown
  • 2x Ball and socket Large
  • 2x Stub axle Grey
  • 2x Headtop Translucent red

Panels:

  • 10x Tri panel mini silver
  • 2x Tri panel small silver
  • 2x Square panel small silver

Wheels:

  • 1x Wheel 25 mm Open centre black

Other:

  • 1x A4 Size paper and a colour printer

Step 2: The Cockpit | by Linkin_J_Knex |

"Han Solo, the smuggler?"

- "No! The K'NEX builder!"

Finn and Rey, discussing what Han Solo's role actually was...

In this step you will start your TIE-Fighter, by making the cockpit. First you start by making an internal connection for between the wings. Then you attach the cannons, the front part, and the spherical 4-way connectors. Later you add additional connectors and the back end to make the sphere complete. Then you add the thrusters and lastly you finish with closing up the bottom (but so that it can still be displayed)

Linkin_J_Knex designed the base of the Cockpit, GWorks altered it and built it for the final model.

Step 3: Wings and Adding Them

"We'll figure out how to build it. We'll use the Force"

- "That's not how this instructable works!"

Finn and Han Solo [irritated]

Because you still have to put it together self, and even make the wing TWO TIMES, because they are identical. You start by making the middle using a rather special piece that GWorks bought on KnexUserGroup, then you add the rest of the wing, the typical 6-arm shape of the wing connections and the dark edges.

Once you made two of these, you can add them to the already built cockpit.

Step 4: Display Stand

"I've already fixed it."

- "Well can you un-fix it?"

Rey and Finn, discussing whether to mount the TIE fighter on the display stand, or to play with it.

In this last step, you will build the display stand. The model is sturdy enough to stand on it's own, and to fly around with, but you can also choose to put it on the stand, to show it off to all your friends and family. Make sure you print out the .pdf file that is attached at the end of this step, cut it out, and attach it to the stand.

Happy building!

May the Force be with you!

Linkin_J_Knex & GWorks

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