K'Nex Building Tips-Ferris Wheels: JOR

I love building with K'Nex. There is so much you can do with them.

I am retired and a Grandfather to six. My son and I started with K'Nex years ago. After getting our first tub, my wife has purchased several sets at garage sales. Our collection (or inventory) is now quite extensive.

One of my favorite projects is large Ferris Wheels (seven to ten feet tall). Some have been powered and some have not. One was even a double Ferris Wheel.

One of these Ferris Wheels used a gravity feed. The support on one side included a (chain) ball-lift which brought the K'Nex balls to the axel of the Ferris Wheel. They then slipped inside of the wheel and rolled out to the edge. The weight of the balls then moved the Ferris Wheel around. It was beautiful. So we know a thing or two about making large Ferris Wheels with K'Nex.

Here are some things to consider when you start any project:

• Time
• Space
• Inventory
• Imagination

Lots of K'Nex pieces.

Time: Understand than any building project will take time. Consider the time to design, construct, change, finish, enjoy, and deconstruct. Each of these take time.

I would not consider starting a Ferris Wheel taller than three feet unless there is over a day to get through all of the items listed above. I could make a small (3' or less) Ferris Wheel in a morning, enjoy it most of the day, and take it apart in the evening. If you are planning a tall Ferris Wheel, expect to take a full day or two just to design and make it. Then there should be at least a day to enjoy it, and another day to take it down.

Space: Be sure there is space for the project. Don't try to build a Ferris Wheel that is taller than your ceiling. Vaulted or high ceilings are great! Build in a place that you can enjoy your project for a while after it is done.

The support structures need to be slightly taller than half of the wheel's finished height. Build these first.

Inventory: Build according to the available K'Nex. You can't build a large Ferris Wheel with only 500 pieces. Some of my best Ferris Wheels included flexible rods, but not all. The axle needs to be strong. The black or orange rods are stiffer and stronger and make better axles. I use steel rods for my really big Ferris Wheels. I have some that fit through the middle of the connectors. Remember that any Ferris Wheel will need supports. The two supports may take more parts than the wheel itself.

Imagination: Dream and do. One way to plan your Ferris Wheel is to make one dimension version on the floor. This can help to know how to build the wedges needed for a wheel. It is usually difficult to connect the differing spokes of your Ferris Wheel, plan and measure before you build.

Ferris Wheels need at least one hub on each side. I use white "full circle" connectors for my hubs. The smallest of Ferris Wheels will need two hubs. For up to 3 feet tall, two hubs should do. This would permit eight spokes. With four hubs you can build up to around 6 feet tall. This would be two-pair of hubs, one for each side, making sixteen spokes. Six hubs could work up to about 8 feet tall. Eight hubs should hold over 8 feet tall.

The really tall Ferris Wheels may require some other type of support. This may include an axle of multiple rods (good luck figuring this one out).

Good luck and ENJOY!