338 replies to this topic

[ickus305]

Just a few more days and I can take the mess of supports and lift hill out of my office. I built the final lift support a few days ago and started the crest of the lift. The height is just short of 6 feet(~5'10" need to measure to be sure). Before I finish the crest and get into the drop I wanted to get some feedback to make sure it looks correct.

I want to do a first drop like that of Steel Phantom (Phantom's Revenge).
Though I know the angle of the lift is steeper.


Also, how far should I go to put in the gears in to end the chain pull? I figure more or less after that point is where I will start the curve to bring the drop 180 degrees for the turn. I will see how it looks when I get to that point. For now just concerned about getting over the top.


Of course more pictures.




I also think I have the layout figured out:
I want to do an extremely modified version of the old Steel Phantom. (I will not have a 100 foot ravine to go down or a wooden coaster to cut thru). So the layout will be a taller lift (phantoms second drop was ~255 feet, my lift at 1/36 scale will be around 200 feet) with a 180 degree twisting drop a small flat run at the base of the drop (like Phantom), and then (skipping the air hill into the ravine) into a loop, into a batwing, a banking curve into a corkscrew, and then either an over bank, or maybe possibly a helix (Phantom kinda randomly turned to the right at the end), into a the pre-station. This layout should provide some interesting features and also keep the footprint compact enough to fit into the footprint of the coaster that will be removed).

[commando]

dang those are sweet cars....... layout sounds cool two.

[the_burrito_master]

The crest is a little misshapen. try to keep a constant curve on it. You must have a lot of parts to be building this so big, you made it sound like you only had a couple sets to work with.

The trains are amazing tho, nice work.

Did you get the name from world of warcraft?

[Blackkitty]

What TBM said is right the crest looks bad. Also, you can put the gears wherever you want as long and the crain gets pushed over the crest and it does not block or slow down the train. Where you left off is a pretty good spot to put the gears. And btw this is 6 feet tall? That is huge!

[Knexrule11]

Those cars are amazing! I think this is going to turn out as a amazing coaster!

[ickus305]

I will redo the crest. I was not happy with it. I guess I will try to make it more even. If I extend it out to make it go blue, grey, blue will that help?? Or does it need to be tighter??

As for the trains making it over the crest, I am not worried about it. I will have the front car chain dog, and then I will be adding a chain dog on car 3 and also car 5. This will be to help ensure the trains always catch the chains. (My current coaster the front car chain dog will stick and not always grab, this has happened to all of the different cars overtime that I have used.) I will have a small section of chain in the pre-station, in the station, and also just before the lift, to help make sure the trains do not get stuck in the "slow" areas.

I have parts, just not always enough of the parts I want. Things such as red rods I was struggling with and I am also worried about not having enough black cross ties.

The train names come from Robin Hobb- The Dragon Keeper.

[ickus305]

DP

Happy Holidays to everyone.

As a present to myself, I moved the lift into the lobby for the day, and rebuilt the crest of the hill. I hope this looks better. I am much happier with the shape of it now.

Angle one (yes in the background are the other Knex I have put together and that are on display).






Please let me know how it is now.


8 days and the lift will be able to stay in the lobby, until it is finished.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

it could be the camera angle but there looks like there is a slight dip right under Joseph's hands and another right at the gear (those are tough to fix cuz no crossties)

[LaMbChOpZ]

looks good. idk if the camera angle is confusing me, but the slope looks steeper towards the drop instead of constant, but i'll take your word for it. im really liking this coaster, definately gonna follow this utill the end.

[Knexrule11]

The tubes look weak, are they. But I think the crest is fine.

[Blackkitty]

I think you should just keep working on the crest. It needs to be a little more curved. Also, why not make all of you box lengths the same? Like a granite x granite x granite box, so you could add diagonals and laterals. One other thing to note is that I see you have a bunch of gray by gray 3d connectors on the bottom of the lift. They tend to slide apart easily and just using blue 3ds instead, it just makes it a little safer. If you need the pieces, then it is ok.

[ickus305]

Blackkitty: Curve the crest more?? Is it not a curve now? Do you mean it needs to be a sharper angle? As for the grey by grey, I do not have enough blue x blue. I added some rods across after the photo to keep them from coming apart. (I'll have photos later and you will see.)

Knexrule11:The tubes are not fully connected yet (I still have to disconnect things for a few more days). (Just trying to do some prep work before I am able to actually build.)

ForgotToGrowUp: The dips are more or less fixed. By the gears it still dips slightly, but I have an idea of how I need to fix it.

LaMbChOpZ: The crest is slightly steeper towards the drop. Ran the flexies under the rod for the gears. Should the crest be a true mirror image? I feel like when I look at real coaster crests they get slightly steeper on the drop side. But if it should be a true mirror image I can adjust it.

I appreciate all of the help.

[Britfag]

I think by "Curve the crest" he meant it looks like it is made from 3 sections; As I see it, it looks like it has a section that is straighter then the curve should be, a small area that is sharper that the curve should be, and another section that is straighter.

If you made it a more consistent curve it would look better.

[ickus305]

YAY I can actually build and work on things now!!!

First things first. I built the flat floor, and wow did that make a drastic difference in stiffness. It really does not shake at all.

I have been adjusting and readjusting the crest. It should now be parabolic and even on both sides. I'm hoping it looks like one smooth curve, and the bumps are more or less worked out. I keep getting a bump just before the gears. (I keep steeping back, and away and then going and adjust spots as I see them)

I thought about redo the crest and making the boxes the same so I could add the cross supports, but I like the look of it this way and it really doesn't flex or move the way it is.

Also, because there are not any ties where the gear is, I pushed track splices in the space and it kept the track from dipping there and also keeps the diameter more consistent.

Let me know if there are still any issues, I need to attend to.



Also, I started to work on the drop. I only have about half of it finished. Need to make the next few supports to fit the drop and curve of the track. Also, I know I still have 1 or 2 spots that need to be smoothed out better, I have a straight spot, right after my track strengtheners stop.



And here is the full view of where I am at so far. (ignore the track beyond the support, because it simply drops off).


Thanks again for all of the help so far.

[Knexrule11]

Right now the drop is practically straight. It needs to have more shaping.

[2015ASM]

^That and i also so a few rough spots, but im not one to judge

[Eggo]

Its not perfect, but it looks totally epic.

[LaMbChOpZ]

i love it, but there's a big straight spot right after the gears, and continues for a littel while, id just start the turn sooner, but thats just an opinion. and what i meant about the constant curve, is that think of it like a really big circle, you track should follow the circumfrence of that circle, but shouldnt be a complete mirrior image, more like lobsided arc, one side's steeper than the other.

[ickus305]

Thanks for the input on the drop. I did feel it was too straight. But was not sure what was wrong. I will start the turn and twist earlier to give it more shaping. (I hope to update tomorrow).

Yes I know there are a few bumps, I am smoothing them out as I see them. I notice them more when I look at the picture than standing in front of it.

Also, is the shape of the crest ok now?

Cheers

[Maxlaam]

If it looks anything like RCT you know it is wrong. If it would flare out a little more it would already look much better.