13 replies to this topic

[Connector1o1]

Hey guys, I actually have something very interesting to show that I think you will like.
I bought some interesting chain links from a Construction Camp using K'nex which happens every year near where I live. It is a 5 day week where kids 4-16 get to come and build each day from 9:00am to 11:30. It is a well run camp and I used to attend. Because I am one of the only people that really knows how to help kids with K'nex mechanical issues, I was asked to be an instructor. Pretty cool right? I may not be the best coaster builder, but the average joe can tell that I know my way around K'nex lol. It's a lot more work then attending lol. Each year kids build crazy contraptions, from roller coasters to 17 foot tall towers; if they imagine it they build it.This is thanks to the millions of K'nex the camp has to offer. But besides the K'nex to build with, the person who runs it also has a stand where she puts some sets and bags of pieces on. It takes up about a whole room so there is a lot to buy. These particular items were interesting. I asked the instructor who runs it what set its from, but she said she doesn't really know, but she is pretty sure it was from a rare ball machine set.
These chain links are pretty cool, so enough chatting here they are.




^This picture proves they were not painted, because they are transparent. They do not glow in the dark, so I don't know what the point of them is. But I think there pretty freakin kewl.
Any idea what set its from guys? I have found several uses for them. On of the uses I found was puttin a link to mark when the chain has made a full revolution. I like to know that because I usually check the chain for weak points, like when one side pops up.
Anyway, I thought they were neat. Tell me what you think about them, ever seen any before?

[austron]

I have a black rod that is this color, and until your post, I had never encountered any other pieces this color.


I too initially thought it might be some sort of glow-in-the-dark piece, but clearly this is not the case, and I've never been able to find any instances of these pieces in a set.

My theory is that these are the result of a mistake in the injection molding process causing the plastic not to be dyed. Either a malfunction in the dye injector, or running out of dye all together.
The raw ABS pellets that K'nex uses to make their parts are not dyed when they go into the machine, and are instead mixed with dye during the molding process. They look like this:

The exact same off-white translucent color as the pieces we both have.
Since the K'nex factory is almost entirely automated, it is quite possible that an injection molder making chain links could have run out of dye and simply kept making parts and automatically putting them into boxes before an employee noticed. Then, when they made it to the distribution center, they were mistakenly packed into a Ball Factory or roller coaster or other such set by an unobservant employee.

That's my theory as to where these parts come from, anyway, but I too would like to know if anyone else has seen these before or has any ideas of where they might come from!

[Rollerfreak987]

^I have a few of those rods too, they've got the strength of the black rods.

I haven't seen an instance outside those rods, so it's interesting to see the chain links, they probably are indeed quite rare.

[Gvus]

I don't have anything like that, my most "rare" part is a micro grey rod that must have got screwed up in the molding process as it has no end bit on it, it is not snapped off it is smoothly rounded off, so you can tell it was made this way.

[austron]

Could it be a gray one of these? Micro Red X - Rod
They made these rods so that pieces like this Micro Orange X-Rod Lock can slide over them, rather than being snapped on, similar to a Lego Technic axle.

[Zorn]

I have a black rod that is this color, and until your post, I had never encountered any other pieces this color.


I too initially thought it might be some sort of glow-in-the-dark piece, but clearly this is not the case, and I've never been able to find any instances of these pieces in a set.

From my knowledge the only set that contains those clear rods is the Starburst Spinner, which only has 2 per set.

http://www.knex.com/...inner-15142.pdf

[Coasterman345]

I found a few of the old tan clips in a purchase of a few older sets once. Never saw anything like this before, pretty cool.

[CW5X]

I don't think I've seen any of these before. I haven't opened all the bags in my collection yet but after a quick scout, I don't think I have this sort of thing. It's one thing to see that colour on a rod or connector but interesting to see that you've found these chain links. They could certainly be a nice touch added to your coasters.

[soggyhotdoggg]

From my knowledge the only set that contains those clear rods is the Starburst Spinner, which only has 2 per set.

http://www.knex.com/...inner-15142.pdf

Yup. I have those two rods as well. I also have a singular brown rod the same length as a standard red. I think that also came with the Starburst Spinner. That set also gives you grey length rods that are blue. It would be kinda cool to see a K'nex tube supported coaster with those blue rods instead of the grey rods...

There are a couple parts that were used in some K'nex sets that are no longer found in any of today's.
Vertical Vengeance came with a motor to be used only for the red micro-x-rods that came with the set. I also haven't seen the use of the VV set gears or even the Serpent's Spiral gears in any other sets. I personally thought those gears were much better in dealing with chain slippage which occurs often on the newer single black ones.

[austron]

From my knowledge the only set that contains those clear rods is the Starburst Spinner, which only has 2 per set.

http://www.knex.com/...inner-15142.pdf

Huh, I never knew that set had clear black rods. I guess that solves that part, at least. We just need to figure out where the clear chain comes from, now.

[FrIeDeGgS]

There are a couple parts that were used in some K'nex sets that are no longer found in any of today's.
Vertical Vengeance came with a motor to be used only for the red micro-x-rods that came with the set. I also haven't seen the use of the VV set gears or even the Serpent's Spiral gears in any other sets. I personally thought those gears were much better in dealing with chain slippage which occurs often on the newer single black ones.

I have some of the gears in that set, only because I ordered them online. I like the different rod lengths they had in VV, wish they would put them in the extra parts thing, they seem really useful.

Also, look at the video for VV, they stole sounds from RCT http://www.knex.com/.../product/16844/

[Zorn]

Yup. I have those two rods as well. I also have a singular brown rod the same length as a standard red. I think that also came with the Starburst Spinner. That set also gives you grey length rods that are blue. It would be kinda cool to see a K'nex tube supported coaster with those blue rods instead of the grey rods...

I keep my eye out for that set in hopes of someday having enough blue rods for that very propose... It's a hard to find them for a good price though.

[Jacob060]

I got a white rod too.

[Jacob060]

I got mine from a box of 200 knex when i was little. I think I got 2, but lost one.