Introduction: Flex Knex Grenade

About: I'm a inventor, hacker (not a cracker!), lover of my free electrical and parts supplier, etc. I don't normally write bios, so you're lucky to get even this ;-)

Want an easy to make K'nex grenade? Then check this out!

Pros:
Easy to make
Quick to make
Decently small number of pieces (32)
Great fragmentation

Cons:
You might not have the purple flexes

If this is your first time making this grenade, then go to the next step. If you've already made this and just need a visual reminder, click through the pics.


Step 1: Parts Required

These are the parts you need: (see pic)

12 Yellow suns
4 Red corners
4 Purple flexes
4 Blue poles
2 White snowflakes
2 Gray caps (in picture there is one gray and one blue, it doesn't matter which two you use)
2 Gray spacers (or 6 blue ones)
1 Red pole
1 Orange connector

Got it? Let's go!

Step 2: Tensioners

To make the tensioners, take the blue poles and the yellows and assemble as shown.

Step 3: Pin

To make the pin, get the orange connector, red pole, 2 grays, and 2 (or 6) spacers. Assemble as shown. Make sure the end gray cap is at the end of the red.

Step 4: Cage

Pop the orange connector off of the red pole temporarily. To make the cage, take the snowflakes (whites) and the purples and make a ball as shown. Slide and compress onto the red pole and snap the orange connector back on. At this point there is tension from the purples pushing on the snowflakes.

PS: If the purples don't want to stay in the snowflakes, bend them into a half circle with your hands a few times to get them pliable.

Step 5: Cage Shell

Take the yellow tensioners and push them onto the whites as shown. They don't click, they just stay there by friction so be gentle but firm. Once you've attached all four, go on to the next step.

PS: Second picture has a close-up.

Step 6: Bottom Shrapnel

Now we're making the bottom shrapnel. Push the other 4 yellows onto the bottom of the cage (the orange connector end).

Step 7: Top Shrapnel

For the top shrapnel, take the four red corners and put them on the yellow connectors at the gray connector end.

Step 8: Finished!

Now you are finished! To use, take the orange connector off (don't disturb the yellows). The red pole pin will drop out (if it doesn't, just pull it gently). Now, CHUCK IT! 

Now that there are pieces strewn over the floor, pick them up and make it again. Since the tensioner pieces, the cage, and the firing pin are still together, making the grenade will be much faster the second time around.

The harder you throw it, the more spread out the pieces!

See next step for the video! Enjoy!

Step 9: Video

Here is the video. The sound is louder than actual because my camera's microphone is really sensitive. To get the full effect, try it out!