198 replies to this topic

[ForgotToGrowUp]

This is beautiful! I just can't wait to see it finished, a few years in the making! the only criticism I have is that I don't really like the railings, I think they would look much better if they were curved (using flexie rods) but that's just my opinion
Apart from that glad to hear you can see the finishing line

Edit: and by the way, those are sexy trains!

Thanks. Sorry you don't like the railings. As you can see I am pretty invested in the style and want to keep the color scheme I've established. Changing all the rails at this point would take a ton more re-work and I don't think I would like the over all look of it as much, closest I could get is yellow flexis but they are a too bright for the rest of the model.

Absolutely amazing. I hope you can successfully move everything to the cottage without anything bad happening.

Very nice trains, they came out perfect!

Those overviews are just stunning, I love seeing this entire coaster come together.
We need to make a "Most Realistic Model" contest, just so that this could win.

Man this gorgeous! I can't believe my eyes.... Trains are amazing too.

Thanks again. I'm happy with the trains. Like everything else the painting took forever. After it was all over with I think I sprayed over a dozen coats. I first paint the entire body with grey primer both inside and out. That took 2 coats and 4 applications to get both sides. Then I painted the tops with 3 coats of silver for the stripes and to get a little more shine out of the color coats. After masking the stripes I applied 6 coats of red. That's more than I planned but coat #3 I had issues with the spary can spitting and wet sanded them before starting more color coats. After they were all red I peeled off the masking tape and applied 3 coats of clear. Now I need to add weights (I use pennys) and lube them.

[Rollerfreak987]

Considering the time it has taken you to build this, and the amount of effort you have put into this, that deserves an award in itself.

[RCT2123]

This really is a beautiful recreation.

[CCI]

I really like the way you have connectors screwed into the table.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Turned around and ready to move.



Heading that way!



Tight fit



The coaster looked great outside in natural light. Almost want to leave it outside! (winter's coming, no way!)



Another tight doorway. We had to remove that one. Luckily it just lifts out.



In it's new winter home!


the original


Soon to be united!

Edited by ForgotToGrowUp, 07 November 2014 - 05:37 PM.

[-=Zach=-]

Absolutely stunning. It really did look amazing in the sunlight, it's a shame winter's coming.
Connect them!

[CW5X]

One of the finest woodies ever made for sure. Everything you've done here is incredible. After all this time, I'd say it was worth every second.

[Gvus]

My new favorite Knex Woodie for sure.
Is it just me or does it look way more colorful when it's outside.

[Muzz135]

I completely agree about the railings and the colour sceme! But I have to say I think I've changed my mind! This looks stunning and as you mentioned it looks really nice in the natural light, now finish it!!

[Connector1o1]

My new favorite Knex Woodie for sure.
Is it just me or does it look way more colorful when it's outside.

It does look more colorful! I love this woodie ever since I saw it the first time when I started here on SSC. It's absolutely stunning,

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Well it's been a tough winter for me. Last time I posted here I showed the move of Comet from my house to my guest cottage. The intent was to finish it up out there and start seriously shopping it around for display so I could get it out of the cottage in time to rent it in early spring. Started out on a positive note. I built an extension of the platform for the final piece of the ride, the first big turn and first 2 drops. I also built all new legs for the entire platform that eliminated any shaking of the platform. I positioned and attached the big turn to the rest of the ride (took a little modifiying) and secured it to the platform. I completed the track work between the big turn and the rest of the ride.

That's as far as I got. Testing the train was not making it around the second turn. If it makes that with decent speed it will complete the circuit. I have been testing with the train from Whirlwind and it has not been cleaned or lubed for years. So I decided I should focus on weighting and lubing the new red trains and resume testing with them. I think the lift hill is going to have to be at least another 2 granites high to have enough energy to make the circuit. Hoping it does not ruin the look of the ride.

Then winter hit. we have had an unreal winter. We are on the coast and usually don't get really bad winters. First we had a week of subzero (f) temps and a pipe in the cottage froze and burst. Then we got a blizzard and it have had one snow storm after another. Most of the winter I have not even shoveled a path to the cottage. I've barely even seen Comet the last few months. For the first time in the 3 years since I started it I considered giving up on it. But I just can't throw away the time I have put into it.

Hopefully the snow will start to melt and I can find some time. I need to get this done by summer. I may be moving this year and need to get it out of there.

These aren't the latest, they don't show the track work I completed but they are all I had on my phone. Hopefully another update in a few weeks.

[Spaghetti]

I'm glad you're back! The cars are amazing! Keep it up!

[Mister Piglette]

The internal supports for the structure of the turn is just gorgeous. Everything is! Keep it up! You're almost done!

[Helmut]

The supports on the inside of the turn look fantastic. I am amazed to see that you are still working on this coaster!

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Here we are again.  Almost the 4 year anniversary of when I started this coaster and I am rebuilding some of the first things I built way back then!

 

Of course life does not make things easy.  I moved last year and am getting married this year and have been incredibly busy.  Moving a coaster like this was not easy.  Now I've moved it 3 times!  I was able to get it out of the guest cottage at my old house the same way I moved it there but had to rent a good size truck to get it to the new house!.

 

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Once there the only place to put it was the garage, too big to get through  any doors.  With the move and a lot of house projects at the new place it had to sit there covered up for nearly 9 months.

 

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About a month ago I started breaking it down into pieces that would fit through the basement door.  Fortunately the door is direct to the outside so I was able to leave the large center structure in one piece.

 

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Here are the major pieces after I got them through  the door.  The big first turn, barely fit, had to distort it a little.  The large center structure took help but it is so solid it could be carried from the ends.

 

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I had to take the legs of the platform to get it down there.

 

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This is all I had to remove from the coaster to get it into the basement. Not to bad.  Obviously all the track tubing is going to be a pain to put back.

 

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I've started re-building it.  One good thing is this gives me a chance to fix a few things I could never get at before.  I mostly rebuilt the track on the run under the structure.  That was the first thing I built and the only part without track stiffeners and stronger supports.  I was losing a bit more speed in that run than I liked.  Hope it helps.

 

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I've been spending a lot of time getting the infield sections to work.  Having to re-test and tweak all the mechanical sections.  I have it all mostly working now from brake run through the lift.  while I have easier access I am going to put in some of the electronic sensors I want to use to control it all.  I still have a lot of coding to do but at least the wiring will be in place.

 

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I've really enjoyed working on it again!!!  I am going on one more ski trip and then am going to start working on the boat, then wedding is around the corner.  Hopefully I keep finding some time to work on it.

 

 

Hey what are people using for photo hosting?  I was keeping all my coaster pics on Picassa but Google phased that out and replaced it with Google Photos.  The new tool sucks for sharing.  It is a pain to upload images from a Mac and impossible to get simple direct links to the images.  

 

I added these as attachments because it was all I could do.  I would prefer to store them elsewhere and link them here.

 

[CW5X]

I now just upload them to the new, improved SSC gallery and link them from there but otherwise, in the past I've used Photobucket and Imageshack. Don't know if pictures may disappear from those after a few years from those so I'd be careful. Glad, once again, to see that you are still going along with this. I can't even imagine working on the same ride for 4 years. 4 months is quite long enough for me (although I still haven't started taken down Awakening). I admire the work and the struggle you've put into this despite all the hurdles you've faced. Hopefully one day, we'll see a happy ending to this epic.

[~stεεlspectrum~]

Wow, the amount of effort you've put into this model is incredible. And it looks amazing - it's one of the most accurate recreations I've ever seen (I love those supports)! Thankfully it's got a permanent home now, even if you have other things to spend time on. Seriously, as much as I love K'Nex and want to see this model finished, I hope it doesn't ever take anything away from your marriage or other important things in life. But I really hope you find some time to work on it

 

Have you had a chance to clean and lube your trains yet? I'd do that first thing after you rebuild the model. Also, I've heard of several people's coasters being affected by cold weather. Cold trains seem to lose speed more quickly, just like real roller coasters do.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Thanks for the support!,  Not getting in the way of life is why this has taken so long.  Fortunately our new house is way to big for us so taking over half the basement is not really an issue.  

 

Funny you should say that, after getting the brake run and station and lift hooked up the train was not making it from the station to the lift.  I tweaked the station exit a little and still only made it half the time.  I spent the time to clean and lube the train and it makes it every time now.  I definitely experienced the cold train issue when I built Vortex.  That cottage was empty all winter and I had to go out and turn the heat up at least 30 minutes before the train would complete the circuit.  The basement is cool but not too cold.

 

This coaster has become a true labor of love, getting everything just right is great fun.   I drove by the real Comet's location recently (about 45 minutes from my house), so depressing to see boxy condos where  the park once stood.  Remnants of the coaster were the last signs of it and they were finally bulldozed about 10 years ago.

[IOAgeek]

Looks awesome putting coasters back together is a pain but had to be done sometimes. Are u going to show this off somewhere or what? Cause this coaster has been up for a long time in my opinion.

Edited by IOAgeek, 23 March 2016 - 10:03 PM.