The Ultimate Guide to K'nex Ball Machine Elements

Here it is - a giant guide to masses of different elements for your ball machines. This technically is not an instructable per se, rather, it is an add-on to HOW TO MAKE A BALL MACHINE.

Step 1: The Path

This is the simplest Element. It is, in fact, hardly an element but rather a connector of elements, though it can be used as an element when combined with Path Curves.

Step 2: The Orange Slide

This is also a pathing of types, but it allows balls to travel at higher velocities and allows for many more twists and turns.

Loops and turns work well, however, at high velocities ball fly off the track on curves, so add guard rails.

Step 3: Ferris Wheels

Ferris wheels are big cheeses - they take up large amounts of space and pieces, but in the end they turn out fickle. If you can get them to work well - good for you. It all depends on the way you build yours.

Step 4: Freefall

Possible the dullest element around. Here, the ball simply falls down a chute. it's mainly used for connecting Elements.

Step 5: The Classic Spiral

This is a spiral originally seen in the Big Ball Factory. It can be extended or shrunk to your needs. It is a fine and classic addition to any ball machine.

Step 6: The Dual Windmills!

This is an original that I am allowing to be modified. In this, balls go though a boxy maze in which it passes though freely rotating wheels.

Step 7: The Maze

This one is from the Trampoline tower, i believe. it's a vertical drop with failures that allow the ball to slip though.

Step 8: The Pathing Spiral

This is a derivative of pathing - essentially, curved pathing wrapped around a single tower.

It only works on a blue rod tower, however.

Step 9: The "Flippers"

There's no better name for these anyway...
The ball falls onto this and flips over directly underneath the other side. It looks cool in rapid sucession as well.

Step 10: The Trampoline

Featured in the "Trampoline Tower". Balls bounce off these and into a designated target (Hopefully a Basket).

Step 11: Baskets

These are often useful to catch flying balls(No pun intended).

Step 12: Green Roller Coaster Pathing

This is basically 3-Railed Green Roller Coaster Pathing from the Screaming Serpent. It works Okay, but I prefer Orange Tubing.

Step 13: Red Ball Dropper

This is a small (tiny actually) element which receives a ball, lowers its arm, and deposits the ball on the opposite side. Featured in NANO.

Step 14: Gray Slide

Another novelty path. This uses far too many pieces and is pretty useless outside of a short transport.

Step 15: Ball Arm

This is an element originally viewed in the Big Ball Factory. In this, the ball falls onto a platform, which then falls and deposits the ball further along.

Step 16: Them Red Stairs

Yes, here is another element from the BBF featured in my -xXxXx-. Here is a slope, without much freedom for turns. It sure looks pretty cool though.

Step 17: The Tilted Orange Path

This path is really useless, but it was shown in the -xXxXx-.

Step 18: Horizontal Path Seperator

This is similar to a Regular Path Separator but it is tilted Horizontally.

Step 19: Ball Alternators

These are like very simple red ball drops. They receive and deposit balls, usually onto other Balll Alternators.

Seen in the -xXxXx-.

Step 20: Path Derivatives

Not exactly an element, but rather it's to say that paths can be used as elements.

Step 21: Fiinishing Statement

Again, these are not ideas to be directly copied. Rather, they are ideas to be toyed and tinkered with, ideas to be developed.


Thank You For Reading,
Trainman 2000