Knex ThatThing Ball Machine Instructions

by knexpert#10829476

3.4K1629

Intro: Knex ThatThing Ball Machine Instructions

Hey guys, this is my final ball machine for a while so I hope you enjoy it! If someone could tweak my design I would greatly appreciate it! I also decided to show you the crazy guy behind the curtain! Cheers!

P.S: This is the beta instructions, and a video will be posted soon.

Update 15-5-19: Added pictures of the original build from a while ago.

Update 15-5-19: Fixed fatal mistake with drive shaft for crane in step 1( added pictures of corrected shaft)

Update 21-5-19: Fixed fatal mistake with the connection with the claw and the drive shaft. Look for the annotation in step three.

STEP 1: Base and Gears

Since this was sort of a Rushed instructable, you will be seeing chunks of things instead of pieces but you'll have more than enough views to make it. I also corrected a fatal mistake with the drive shaft. The first two pictures show the correct build of the shaft.

STEP 2: Supports

Big step!

STEP 3: The Claw!

Time for that new lift!

STEP 4: Path 1

The bridge is 36 yellow rods long.

STEP 5: Path 2

Almost done!

STEP 6: Original Build Pictures

This machine was actually built 2 years ago and I used these pictures to copy it for the instructions. You can see some subtle differences like how it is geared differently for an electric motor which I omitted for convenience. If I could just see the connections from the crankshaft to the crane it would be working perfectly. Darn!

29 Comments

GWorks 9 years ago

I like this better than those immensly big ball machines... Sure they are pretty awesome, but this is better available to more people as you don't need a ridicoulous amount of K'nex and still contains some paths.
I wonder how it looks when it's all moving ^^ And just one motor? Nice :D

knexpert#10829476 9 years ago

Thanks! Yeah, Ballbuster was the biggest pain to make instructions on. Lately I've been trying to make smaller machines.

Quidditch33 8 years ago

ahhh good ol ballbuster, im actually currently making it in my bedroom. Thanks Knexpert! You have some of the best knex instructions ive ever seen! No lie!

knexfun101 8 years ago

Awesome! I'll be waiting for the video!

That_Jamie_S_Guy 8 years ago

How do you start making ball machine instructions? I want to make instructions for mine but I don't know where to start! would anyone please help me?

knexpert#10829476 8 years ago

I take pictures of the finished product, then write down the order of parts. I then take the ball machine apart in reverse order of the list and sort the parts to their steps. I then start putting the machine back together.

That_Jamie_S_Guy 8 years ago

Oh OK :D Sadly I took it apart but soon I'll work on a new one! :D

knex akbar 8 years ago

you can also start with the machine, take a part away from the machine, take pictures of it and go on like that. that way you don't have to reassemble the machine and you have all the pictures for the instructable.

OfficialKNEXGUY 8 years ago

Hey Knexpert, i have the yellow and red balls i ordered of or KNEX.com and i was wondering if Ionization takes those types for balls because i don't have the black and white balls.

Thanks!

-OfficialKNEXGUY

knexpert#10829476 8 years ago

They might, I never tested them on it before but they might work:/

knex akbar 8 years ago

big air ball tower balls or loopin lizard should work too, irc the only thing in ionization that actually needs the newer balls is the lift(not sure about this. i only had a ball that was the same size but not the same weight when i build it.). you might have to make a few changes here and there to make it work 100% though.

knex akbar 8 years ago

I'm at step 3 now, and what do you mean with the 4th picture? i'm a bit confused, should I move the blue rod with the grey clips to where there are green rods connecting the 2 yellow connectors?

knexpert#10829476 8 years ago

The pivoting point is the blue rod with the two yellow connectors snapped on both sides. The annotation shows that the blue rod with the grey connectors should go in the slot where the green rods are. I figured this out the hard way:/ Hope this helps!

knex akbar 8 years ago

Thanks! I didn't change anything at first just to see how the lift worked, but the lift didn't go low and high enough to grab and release the ball, so I placed it in the green rod position and now it works(almost) perfectly.

I'm still going to modify some parts of this machine to make it work 100% all the time.I will show you the pictures of the changes I made if more people are having trouble getting this machine to work.

knex akbar 8 years ago

Done :D

The machine works about 99% of the time,I had to make some minor changes but once again another fantastic design by you.

Can't wait to see what's coming next!

Gargamel-Knex 8 years ago

Woaw! Nice ballmachine.. And euh that person :0
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