44 replies to this topic

[Steelwheels33]

This is my first Knex project in 9 years. I am calling it the super dooper looper because that is what my dad used to call the small looper (Black Widow i believe) at Riverside in Agawam, now Six Flags NE.  It is going to be a 2 -3 inversion looper with an overbank and a helix at end. The last custom looper I made had a launch mid way through (it was huge) and so this time I am going to let gravity and momentum do all the work. I sold all my pieces a while back so I am starting over there. Updates may be slow as I wait for my Ebay orders. Space will be an issue too, so we'll see.

 

-Steelwheels

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[thegamingninja]

nice,  cant  wait!

[CrayCray for coasters]

cool

[Steelwheels33]

Yay...update!  I got more parts and many more are on their way. I have also included a layout preview that I drew up real quick. I think about 4 - 5 elements will be enough. So far I am fairly happy with this drop. I am playing around with flair ideas for the lift hill so that's why the flags look weird.

 

Any thoughts?

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[rgarner42]

Looks good. 

Shaping of the drop is nice, just a small straight spot where the cog for the chain is. 

I like the look of the layout you have planned too. 

 

I would suggest you start layering the flexi's instead of using the ladder connectors though, it will making shaping easier. 

Edited by rgarner42, 16 April 2020 - 04:01 PM.

[Steelwheels33]

BTW guys this is Chaindogg33 back in action, I only changed my profile name. Steelwheels33 is the name of my "production company" when I made Knex and Coaster Dynamix model videos.

Anyway, after my brother selling all my Knex and a long long time, here is the latest...

The train (4 cars) does not make the loop. It gets like 3/4 through the climb. Guys, am I being too ambitious or do I just need to clean/lube the train, add weights and reinforce the track?

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[thegamingninja]

looks good, maybe make the start and end of the loop less tight, look at pictures of real loops to get the idear, and yh weight and oil works well

[RidesByDaan]

The track itself looks supported. I'm not sure about the lack of a backbone from the main structure itself. Does the loop shake when the train goes through? 

Apart from that, u can clean ur train wheels. They tend to collect hairs and dust what slows them down. Weighting is a other option, just stuck some cions or an battery at the bottum of each car. I can also see that u are using the people in ur train. I'd suggest to remove those as well. They cause quite some drag. 

The loop itself does look nice! I like the box u created around it. 

[Britfag]

I like the box too, but maybe connect the box supports to the floor more  

[RCT2123]

Looks good!  Toss a few diagonal box supports to the bottom of each side of the loop and you're good.  That loop is pretty circular too, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  It's just going to pull some crazy Gs :-D

[Steelwheels33]

Hey guys I'm back and things are better than ever. After properly lubing and weighting my trains, she goes to the loop no problem. I will link a video soon.it really drives home the importance of lubing your trains and making sure they're clean. The weight also seemed to help a lot.

I have posted a Youtube tutorial on properly disassembling, assembling, cleaning, and weighting trains. Please search for it under the tutorials forum in Knex building help.

Till next time...

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[Steelwheels33]

Here is a link to a video so you can see how the train goes through the loop no problem now 🤓

[Steelwheels33]

Update!! Got the over bank going on. The train barely makes it over though. More to come...

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[thegamingninja]

nice, but thats a lot of speed loss. or maybe im just used to watching people use them ball bearing trains now lol. looks good though, just a bit sharp at the bottom of the start of the bank. on a real coaster that would be some high g's and that can also lose you speed 

[FrIeDeGgS]

It looks good overall, and I like that you went for a different shape of loop but it still came out nice! Only thing I notice is that around the middle of the incline into the overbank looks straight, but that can be fixed easily by bringing that part down a bit.

[Steelwheels33]

Thanks guys! Ya, i need to really focus on shaping here. The trains are lubed/weighted and the track is supported. I think there are a couple opportunities for shaping the loop itself too. I might add more weight to the trains too.

[Steelwheels33]

This coaster is really starting to come together now. I finally have a vision for exactly how the layout is going to circle back in. As you can see I've completed my over Bank turn and it Nestels back in beside the first Hill drop with a 90-degree turn which is also angled at 90 degrees from level.

My next element after the 90 degree turn will be an Immelman. The Immelman will exit underneath the lift Hill. After that I think I will only have enough speed left for a couple of helixes. Possibly a corkscrew or an inline twist if speed permits.

I took the feedback on shaping and really focused on getting the loop and the incline to the overbank shaped better. there's still some shaping/heartlining to be done on the transition from the overbank drop to the 90-degree turn.

Any thoughts?

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[FrIeDeGgS]

The overbank is looking pretty good now! Though I feel that the immelmann might have to be pretty tiny, especially with having to take that heavily banked turn first.

[thegamingninja]

I like it, looks good

[RCT2123]

That banking at the bottom looks great.  Shaping is really solid.  Keep it up.