K'nex Ball Machine Ribdul: Elements

Here are the instructions for the elements I used on my ball machine Ribdul.

Have fun!

Step 1: Tire Maze

A maze is what I call any element where the ball bounces down through a forest of obstacles. In the case of the Tire Maze, those obstacles are medium tires. The Tire Maze is quite useful if you, like me, have way more medium tires than you will ever need.

I used a Tire Maze on path 1 of Ribdul.

Step 2: ​Knextus's Spiral Bowl

This is the spiral bowl I used on path 1 of Ribdul. My spiral bowl is based on the second spiral bowl KneXtreme presents in step 26 of this Instructable. However, my spiral bowl has a shallower slope, so it does not require a fast-moving ball.

I used my spiral bowl on path 1 of Ribdul.

Step 3: Seat Stairs

If you haven't already guessed, I love making elements out of the lime-green (or occasionally blue) seats found in various ferris wheel sets. (For another one of my seat-based elements, see step 3 of this Instructable!) Seat Stairs are what they sound like: stairs made out of seats.

I used Seat Stairs on path 2 of Ribdul.

Step 4: ​Angled Panel Maze

A maze is what I call any element where the ball bounces down through a forest of obstacles. In the case of the Angled Panel Maze, the obstacles are medium triangle panels mounted at an angle, hence the name.

I used an Angled Panel Maze on path 2 of Ribdul.

Step 5: ​Dancing Phoenix

This purely decorative element is an expansion for Shadowman39's Linked Spiral element (you can find his instructions in step 50 of this Instructable). The Dancing Phoenix's wings wobble when a ball goes through the Linked Spiral that the Dancing Phoenix sits on top of.

I used a Dancing Phoenix on path 2 of Ribdul.

Note: to build a Dancing Phoenix, you will need the head, lower beak, tail flames, talons, and wings from the Fighting Phoenix set.

Step 6: Brick Cascade

In the Brick Cascade, a ball bounces off a series of shapes made out of K'nex bricks. When building a Brick Cascade, be sure to press all the bricks together tightly.

I used a Brick Cascade on path 4 of Ribdul.

Step 7: ​Micro Rod Zigzag

The Micro Rod Zigzag is what it sounds like: a zigzag made out of micro K'nex that features rods prominently. I like the Micro Rod Zigzag because of the unique sound it makes when a ball rolls down it.

I used a Micro Rod Zigzag on path 4 of Ribdul.

Step 8: ​Purple-Gray Micro Spiral

The Purple-Gray Micro Spiral is a spiral made predominately out of gray and purple micro K'nex parts. I love the sound it makes when a ball rolls down it.

I used a Purple-Gray Micro Spiral on path 6 of Ribdul.

Step 9: ​Flexi-Arch Zigzag

In the Flexi-Arch Zigzag, a ball zigzags through flexi-rod arches.

I used a Flexi-Arch Zigzag on path 7 of Ribdul.

Step 10: ​Giant Orange Flipper

This double-sided flipper is made out of the long, orange, rod-like pieces from the Big Air Ball Tower set.

I used a Giant Orange Flipper on paths 7 and 14 of Ribdul.

Step 11: ​Decoy Ball Arm

I call this element the Decoy Ball Arm because it looks like an ordinary ball arm, but the ball instead rolls down the arm instead of making the arm move. For an even more convincing fake, you can mount your Decoy Ball Arm near a track already on your ball machine so that it looks like the Decoy Ball Arm would dump balls onto the track.

I used a Decoy Ball Arm on path 8B of Ribdul.

Step 12: ​Chimera Arm

The Chimera Arm is a rather unique ball arm. It has the head of a chimera and can balance a ball on its lower jaw.

I used a Chimera Arm on path 9 of Ribdul.

Note: to build a Chimera Arm, you will need the head and lower jaw from the Clawing Chimera set.

Step 13: ​Tetrix Flat Spiral

When I was building my ball machine Concatenation, I discovered that the building system Tetrix Prime can easily be combined with K'nex. I designed two Tetrix-based elements for Concatenation, and now I have designed two Tetrix-based elements for Ribdul. One of these elements is the Tetrix Flat Spiral, which makes a cool sound when a ball rolls down it. You can easily make the Tetrix Flat Spiral shorter or longer, and you can add the entrance track detailed in the next step.

I used a Tetrix Flat Spiral on path 9 of Ribdul.

Step 14: Tetrix Flat Spiral Expansion: Entrance Track

Here are instructions for an optional entrance track you can add to your Tetrix Flat Spiral.

Step 15: ​Balancing Column

In this element, a ball balances atop a flimsy-looking column until a second ball tips the column over.

I used a Balancing Column on path 9 of Ribdul.

Step 16: ​Gear-Headed Ball Arm

I'm always looking for ways to use parts creatively, and the Gear-Headed Ball Arm is one such way. The tip of this ball arm is made out of a large yellow gear.

I used a Gear-Headed Ball Arm on path 11 of Ribdul.

Step 17: ​Confusing Easy Ferris Wheel

This is my Easy Ferris Wheel (see step 11 of this Instructable) attached to the mechanism of Sandroknexmaster's Confusing Ferris Wheel (see step 6 of this Instructable). (I also tweaked the mechanism to remove the need for the special cap gears that Sandroknexmaster used.)

I used a Confusing Easy Ferris Wheel on path 12 of Ribdul.

Step 18: ​Tetrix Cascade

When I was building my ball machine Concatenation, I discovered that the building system Tetrix Prime can easily be combined with K'nex. I designed two Tetrix-based elements for Concatenation, and now I have designed two Tetrix-based elements for Ribdul. One of these elements is the Tetrix Cascade.

I used a Tetrix Cascade on path 13 of Ribdul.