Introduction: K'nex Ball Machine Rujebime, Elements

About: I like to build with K'nex and Lego.

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

Have fun!

Step 1: Medium Ball Arm

The Medium Ball Arm is a general-purpose, easy-to-mount ball arm. Like all the ball arms I designed for Rujebime, the Medium Ball Arm features a built-in balance adjuster. I used a Medium Ball Arm on Path 2 of Rujebime.

Step 2: Large Ball Arm

The Large Ball Arm is a general-purpose, easy-to-mount ball arm. Like all the ball arms I designed for Rujebime, the Large Ball Arm features a built-in balance adjuster. I used a Large Ball Arm on Path 2 of Rujebime.

Step 3: ​Seat Zigzag

The Seat Zigzag makes the ball bounce off of seats form the Musical Ferris Wheel set. You cannot make the Seat Zigzag any taller. I used a Seat Zigzag on Path 4 of Rujebime.

Step 4: ​Twisting FYOWP

"FYOWP" stands for "Find Your Own Way Path," which is what I call any element where the ball bounces down through a forest of pegs or rods. The Twisting FYOWP is unique because its rods are at all different angles, hence the "Twisting" part of its name. I used a Twisting FYOWP on Paths 4 and 9B of Rujebime.

Step 5: ​Roller Coaster Station

The Roller Coaster Station allows balls to ride K'nex roller coasters! Below are some tips for building your roller coaster. I used a Roller Coaster Station on Path 5 of Rujebime.

Roller Coaster Building Tips

  • You can make the roller coaster car go up pretty much any type of roller coaster lift when the car has a ball in it. Just don't make the lift too steep or the ball will fall out.
  • If the car goes upside-down, the ball will fall out.
  • One way to get the ball out of the car is to make the car go upside-down over a catch basket or white snowflake floor.

Step 6: Push-Arm Halfpipe

A halfpipe is what I call any element where a ball rolls back and forth on a track until it stops rolling and then leaves the track. Many halfpipes either make the ball fall of the side of the track on its own or fall through the track on a built-in ball arm. The Push-Arm Halfpipe, however, makes a second ball activate a ball arm that knocks the first ball off the track. The Push-Arm Halfpipe contains a slightly modified version of one of my favorite Sandroknexmaster elements, the Side Exit Arm. Thank you, Sandroknexmaster, for designing such an awesome ball arm! I used a Push-Arm Halfpipe on Path 7 of Rujebime.

Step 7: Improved Three-Ball Release Mechanism

This is an improved version of the Three-Ball Release Mechanism I designed for my ball machine Grid Tower II. For the Improved Three-Ball Release Mechanism, I made a few slight changes to the frame, added an entrance track on the top, and improved the holding track so that the balls can enter and leave the element more easily. I used an Improved Three-Ball Release Mechanism on Path 8 of Rujebime.

Step 8: ​Improved Trapdoor Track

This is an improved version of the Trapdoor Track I designed for my ball machine Grid Tower II.
For the Improved Trapdoor Track, I redesigned the frame, modified the trapdoor so that balls can more easily roll over the trapdoor, and added an exit track to for balls that roll over the trapdoor. I used an Improved Trapdoor Track on Path 9 of Rujebime.

Step 9: Yellow-Gray Ball Arm Stairs

Yellow-Gray Ball Arm Stairs are just what they sound like: stairs made out of yellow-and-gray ball arms. Yellow-Gray Ball Arm Stairs require a lot of white rods and gray connectors, but they make an interesting thudding sound when a ball rolls down them. I used some Yellow-Gray Ball Arm Stairs on Path 9A of Rujebime.