New Track - Chain Link Bridge

Here I have taken an element I have seen in several youtube videos and super sized it, creating a massive 7 foot chain link bridge made from 78 individual chain links. The bridge measures about half an inch wide and descends 1 foot before dropping the ball into a flapping ball chute. This is the 8th track to be added to the Subatomic Paraball, which, for the first time, means that the probability of a ball traveling down any given track is exactly equal, as there are now 7 evenly located switches. Approximately 500 pieces were used to make this track, bringing the total piece count of the Subatomic Paraball to 18,000! This track branches out from the track which circles my room right at the beginning of the first large bridge using a horizontal switch, descends the chain bridge and falls down a 5 story flapping chute before landing in the basket which catches the balls that come off the Giant Loop. The track then merges with the Giant Loop track, following the roller coaster element to the bottom of the lift. This new track is now the most accident-prone element in the machine as the slightest torquing along the 7 foot chain could send the ball falling 5 feet to the floor below. To prevent this, I attached stays at 2 points along the chain, one of which hangs down and the other is attached to the Giant Loop. Here is a video of this track in action:

New Track - Giant Loop

I have just completed the new Giant Loop track which, as its name suggests, features a giant, 2.5 foot vertical loop at the bottom of a 4 foot hill. Other elements include a jump into a basket and a 10 foot segment of roller coaster track. The loop alone uses about 500 pieces, and all the modifications total about 1,500 new pieces, including the new switch, element-connecting tracks, supports and decorative elements, which brings the total number of pieces to around 17,500. I have also begun planning an 8th track, but am unsure what it will contain at this point.

Edit - here is a video of the completed 7th track.

New Track Under Construction

A new track is currently being added to the Subatomic Paraball which consists of a 2.5 foot vertical loop, the largest inversion in the machine. The loop alone uses over 500 pieces, and with the supports and track this upgrade should end up adding nearly 2000 pieces to the structure, for a total of 18,000 pieces, 7 tracks and 6 switches. Sam Ihlenfeldt and I have spent 10 hours working on this track so our work is done for today, but we plan to continue and will probably complete the element tomorrow.

Blog Online

The Subatomic Paraball has been up for over 6 months now and has been steadily growing ever since. From the original 1-track design of 6000 pieces, the Subatomic Paraball has grown into a gigantic ball machine that fills a room, blanketing the walls with K'nex. The design, loosely based on the Atomic Paraball K'nex ball tower, now includes 6 completed tracks, 5 switches, 11 towers, 115 feet of track, a 7 foot motorized lift and over 16,000 pieces and is still not finished. Plans for a 7th and possibly an 8th track have been made, and some construction has begun Stay tuned for updates. For a video of the current model, go here

Older versions:
Version 2
Version 1