Knex Top Thrill Dragster Model

I was getting bored with my Knex Rippin' Rocket Rollercoaster, so I decided to try to make it into a mini TTD. It took two days of leisure work to make the conversion (I just freehanded it). For parts, I used the Rippin Rocket set, some Knex pieces lying around, and a small set that I bought at a garage sale for a buck. Up front, let me say that it is different from TTD in some ways (launches on wrong side, different support structure, and a few other minor things). It is 6'3", a ride cycle takes about 3 seconds (about 4 seconds with the brake that I added last night), and it uses the origional launch motor configuration from Rippin Rocket. When I run it continuously, the batteries from Christmas begin to show their age. It has rolled back a few times. I was thinking about how it would be nearly impossible for it to get stuck at the top, and then it did! That was cool, and I doubt it will happen very often; too bad I didn't have a video clip running ;). Anyways, I wanted to know what you thought of it. Pictures (and video links) are below:

Before:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/RippinRocketOverview.jpg

After:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/MiniTTDOverview.jpg

2nd Hill (Yes, I know TTD doesn't have a second hill)

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/TTD2ndHill.jpg

90 Degree Twist:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/Car90Twist.jpg

270 Degree Twist:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/270Twist.jpg[IMG"][IMG"]

Brake (slows down the car so that the launch motors have more time to warm up between launches)

[url][url]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/Break.jpg

Origional Ride Cycle:

http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/?action=view&current=RippinRocketVideo.flv

New Ride Cycle:

http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/cdrptrks/Knex%20Mini%20TTD/?action=view&current=MiniTTDVideo.flv

So, what do you think of it?
*** Edited 6/4/2006 8:19:19 PM UTC by cdrptrks***

That is pretty cool. I like the cat poster, seems to be looking at the top of the hill.

looks pretty cool.. but to quote my mother.. Clean your room!!! lol anyways that is a real neat set up
*** Edited 6/4/2006 8:44:24 PM UTC by Bill Horvath***

Nice job. I remember a huge thread that used to be up about this same topic. I had the rippin rocket set but did not decide to modify it. Amazing what you could do with some plastic sticks and connectors. Much better then legos. Word of advice, next time you film try not to follow the car. A static shot from back in the room would do much better.

Where do you find rippin rocket sets?

That's pretty cool....and speaking of Knex models, I dont think I posted the pictures of my model "RPM". I'm pleased with my results.:)

Station and OB turn
Midway and enterance
launch and queue
queue
enterance logo and launch building
tophat
going down
trains(complete with OTSR's:))
ready train
looking down launch
warning sign

Wow Adam, you really went all out on yours! It looks great! Is looks like a mesh of MF and TTD; very cool. I found a Knex rollercoaster website (I won't post a link b/c of the spam policy) and many Stratacoster models have been done before. Also, the reason it is so messy is because it is our toy room, not my bedroom, lol. I figured someone would mention the cat poster; it is in the perfect position (it was there before I built the ride). You can find a Rippin' Rocket set on Ebay I am sure, but Toys R' Us, Target, Meijer, Walmart, etc. should have them too. Glad ya'll like it!

A few years back I made a model of TTD and it came out great. I even used a rubber band launch and had it down so it would just barely make it over the top. Then I used the extra knex to attempt to make TTDs station.

Hmm, looks like a lot like Xcelerator.

I've been working on a suspended knex coaster. I'm having trouble with the cars hitting each other in tight turns. Back to the drawing board.

I have never been on Xcelerator (but we are going to Knotts this summer :)). Keep in mind that this wasn't suppossed to be an exact replica, but I appluad those of you who did make an exact replica.

P.S. I lubricated the wheels, and it flies over the hill now :(. O well, maybe I will experiment with a rubber band launch to slow it down a bit.
*** Edited 6/5/2006 3:56:58 PM UTC by cdrptrks***

cdrptrks said:
. You can find a Rippin' Rocket set on Ebay I am sure, but Toys R' Us, Target, Meijer, Walmart, etc. should have them too.

OK thanks

bholcomb said:
Hmm, looks like a lot like Xcelerator.

Yeah it does, I had very little room to work with so that was the best I could do. The difference is that Xcelerators OB turn turns to the left and brakes outside the tophat where as mine turns to the right, crosses over the launch and brakes on the inside.

Oh and Mr. Ninja, why not just put cross bracing between the seats to prevent them from hitting eachother. *** Edited 6/5/2006 7:49:13 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***

I have another treat. Before I made RPM, I had experimented with ways to launch knex trains besides rubberbands.....well one worked like a charm.

I had made a coaster similar to Superman Escape using this method. Its name was Hot Rod, and guess what, I have a video.:)
Ill post it later.

Enjoy:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=30E884C37E0EBE4E

Nice video! How did you get that onride? Can you please pm me (or post here) the details of that launch system?

That's how my girlfriend and I built our latest little K'Nex model - with the drill-powered launch. Unfortunately, it likes to snap chains a lot.

*** Edited 6/6/2006 7:18:19 PM UTC by e x i t english***

I still don't understand very well. Do you mean like a power drill? Sounds cool! Can you still pm me some details/more explination?

You hook a string or some "cable" to your coaster and to a power drill. Hit the juice on the drill to wind up the "cable" and launch the coaster. That should explin it.

TTD, nice video, just need to work on your lighting a little bit.

Actually no. Just fix the chain assembly at both ends.
example
Use a rod as the axle for the forward end assembly making sure that the chain gears are fixed to the axle with 2 gear connectors. Then you fix the chuck of the drill over the end of the rod/axle. Put the chain on and launch.

And John, this was done last year with my friends digital camera...so naturally it gave crappy quality.:) As for the POV, my friend just put his camera on the train, put a rubberband around it and pushed it along the layout.

*** Edited 6/6/2006 10:20:16 PM UTC by TTD 120mph***