3D Printing Better K'Nex Trains

The stock K'Nex trains are too limiting for my roller coasters, so I made my own! It took seven months and a kilogram of plastic to create the Wildcat 5, the most versatile K'Nex trains!
Please check out the following creators for the extra footage used in this video!
Airtime Thrills: Footage used for the following coasters
Corkscrew
Great Nor'Easter
Pantheon
Steel Vengeance
/ airtimethrills
/ @airtimethrillsrawfoot...
DryEyeBuilds: The incredible replica of Iron Gwazi with K'Nex
• Iron Gwazi - K’nex Rol...
Jaabo37: K'Nex Screamin' Serpent Set
• Vintage Knex Screamin ...
CoasterForce: Iron Gwazi POV
• Official Iron Gwazi PO...
Cedar Point: Steel Vengeance POV
• Steel Vengeance - Offi...
Six Flags America: Superman Ride of Steel POV
• SUPERMAN: Ride of Stee...
Song: Earthbound by Slynk

[@5MadMovieMakers]

Insane turning radius, nicely done!

[@Blitzer1001]

Omg its you!

[@lukerisko7601]

This is so awesome! Working restraints on these would be next level

[@ModeledCoasters]

I'm actually planning on adding that and anti-rollbacks to the next generation! I just need to figure out if I should do lap bars or over the shoulder restraints...

[@DTStudiosMC]

​@@ModeledCoasterslap bars

[@sensitive-g]

Hey man this is actually so incredible. I can't believe you spent 7 months on such a passion project. So much time and research and trial and error went into it, it's actually so amazing to see what passionate people can do. And I'm astonished with the end result, every piece is so thought out and not a detail was missing. Very well done!

[@linkofdoom24]

I remember having this set like… almost 20 years ago. Or at least one like it. Those track tubes and the piece they attached to are vary vivid in my memory.

[@rappersjors7844]

Wow, insane! Can I get the stl files for the trains by any chance?

[@SamuelWallace-zx8vj]

Agreed, it would be amazing if we could print them for ourselves!

[@CoasterGeek987]

These are so cool. Also a really nicely produced video!! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@SSSammyRCT]

Very well made video! Keep up the great work

[@AnIdiotwithaSubaru]

I always hated the stock K'nex trains. I remember begging my mom for this set when I was around 12 years old, building the chain lift, and then it binding up on the first banked turn. I cut the Purple ptfe to do some testing a couple of times and then the rejoined track would also cause tons of issues. These kits were great but I feel like you had to have experience before building with them which is obviously not ideal for a kid just getting into it. I have the later single car mini knex now and I might make a train style car for that. The mini knex has limitations but being able to tear it down and rebuild it endlessly is how the kit should have come from day one. I have also built a 14 foot tall mini knex with a vertical lift that took like 3 min to do a loop. The large cars just lost so much speed so easily.

[@-AxisA-]

Yea Micro Knex is way better than these old models, but even those cars have issues. I saw a video either two days ago or yesterday, where a guy had designed better Micro Knex cars, which went really well on the Micro track without losing much momentum! Just search on YT "Knex coaster car redesign" and I would imagine you find it by that! I definetly reccomend checking him out also!

[@PaintballGargoyle]

Great work! Kinda makes me miss the OG knex coaster from the way early 90’s that did a loop, and that was pretty much it

[@mass-affliction]

its a shame how little exposure people like this get, even though their videos rival some of the top youtubers on the platform, keep making videos because they are extremely entertaining

[@-AxisA-]

Well most people who build & like Knex are either kids or roller coaster enthusiasts who like building Knex also, so I would imagine it's a pretty small/tight/niche community.

[@mnwebsource2286]

That is awesome, thank you for sharing!!!

[@fury9245]

when i was upgrading my Knex trains to bearings. i had to do the same thing you did with painstakenly removing all 40 of the shields. except these were metal, it hurt so bad lol. And these trains are the coolest 3dprinted trains ive ever seen. all of that movement and bearings plus the weight of the PLA for it to be roughly the same weight as the original trains is crazy. just absolutley amazing and i cant wait to see what you do next with these trains!

[@fury9245]

lol the amount of times i said "trains"

[@ModeledCoasters]

Thank you! Funny enough removing the shields and degreasing the bearings is the most time consuming part of making them followed by me assembling them. The 3d printer does most of the work for this project!

[@TheyMightBeBricks]

1:51 Haha those are my feet at the top. Caught me off guard at first XD

[@keldmore]

oh my god I clicked on your profile expecting you to have at least 100k subs- the work you put in you're sure to blow up soon.

[@user-ir4zl6qt5h]

Amazing

[@daanstobbelaar2147]

Wow huge props for this project, was just looking into buying the old knex trains for a 3d printed coaster but seeing this I am happy that I waited haha. Anyways, keep up the good work and you definitely have a new sub!

[@ModeledCoasters]

The stock trains aren't all bad if you know how to work around their limitations. That's how K'Nex builders have been working with them for the last 20 years! I hope to eventually make them available for other builders, but I have some improvements I need to make first. A train of three costs nearly three times as much as the stock trains and I'm working on trying to find a way to make it less expensive!

[@Neighborhoodwatchtactical]

@@ModeledCoasters can you provide the expensive way? Too I’m very interested in this

[@coverts5t]

@@ModeledCoasters I'm EXTREMELY INTERESTED in your trains. Please make a few for me!!! WHAT'S THE PRICE??????

[@calmprisoner8658]

Nice stuff man 👍

[@ModeledCoasters]

Thank you very much!

[@ilikeoctothorp6236]

Normally i dont sub to channels but the way explained got u an extra sub

[@sophiehoskins5642]

You are the coolest person ever.

[@flaredradiators]

as a jazz musician that background music freaked me out lmao

[@TheKnexMaker]

you got a sub from me!!!! amazing!

[@TheOkIshGamer]

very cool vide keep up the good work(:

[@DigicamCreeper]

Had no idea you had this channel. Literally sat here thinking it sounded like Airtime Thrills until I heard you comment on working Steel Vengeance

[@-AxisA-]

Wow I didn't realize it's the same guy who runs Airtime Thrills!

[@girpe5635]

Could you please link a file to this wheel assembly? I'm designing a roller coaster train and I would really like to encorporate it. Thank you in advance

[@ptiyoshi6796]

We want the doc to makes this train !

[@LD-technologies]

nice

[@SolarGrapes]

You NEED to sell those!

[@noahvanevski6892]

These are super cool, I was wondering how does each car stand upright if every bogie is connected to the body via a ball and socket joint, I was also wondering how each bogie can pitch independently?

[@ModeledCoasters]

Thanks! They stay upright by "resting" the chassis on the axles. Printed in the rear of the main chassis are two blocks that lay on top of the axles. It's taken some adjustment, but I've found the perfect height so that they rest on the axles without pinching and interfering with their movement. The front steering axle does not have one of these blocks. As for the individual pitch, the "ball" isn't a single ball in the joint. It's actually a split system of two half-spheres (although they aren't really spheres) combined together in the joint. By splitting the ball into two each side of the axle, and the bogie it's attached to, is able to pitch independently of each other.

[@rcbuggies57]

I would recommend trying sewing machine oil to lubricate the bearings. It's perfect for those rapid moving small parts. It's what I used to make my skateboard bearings roll for years back in the day.

[@ModeledCoasters]

That's actually a good idea! I'm working on the next generation of these trains right now and I'll have to give it a try. Thanks!

[@bl0ckk1ngT0gEtH3r]

GIVE HIM MORE SUBSCRIBERS!

[@duck7077]

PLEASE POST THIS ON THINIVERSE 🙏 THANK YOU

[@gazehound]

Sweet! About the bearings though, with inexpensive bearings, won't degreasing them cause them to rust very quickly?

[@ModeledCoasters]

I've been running the same set for about a year and have had a couple rust. I've found that they need to stay in a dry environment to stay rust free. Sadly this means I'm not building any water coasters with them.

[@ExtremeRCReviews]

Do you have public access to these STLs?

[@Cogster]

do u have 3d print files and a screws/bearings parts list?

[@luperuiz8393]

You've inspired me to build my own knex rollercoaster. Where do you get your knex parts?

[@ModeledCoasters]

That's awesome! I got my kits from local garage sales. However, they're also sold on reselling websites for decent prices. Happy building!

[@coasterdroidgaming3699]

NO ONE AND I MEAN NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE..... 😮 UNTIL NOW......😮😮😮 How about an RMC Single rail, inverted, spinning coaster..... RMC B&M Mack Rides Just mix the 3 together and boom, you got one badass coaster 🎢😮🎉

[@TimeTraveler65]

This is amazing!! Have you by chance thought of opening an etsy shop for your car designs? I'd personally LOVE to see different variations like a 4 seat floorless design, a hanging coaster design, dive coaster design, they all now seem possible and even might spark the knex community to build bigger, better, and wilder, coaster with your new bearings!! keep up the amasing work!

[@ModeledCoasters]

Different variations are something working for the next generation of them. If there's enough interest I may try to do something like an Etsy or eBay store. I'd love to get a four seat floorless design and station combs working on a coaster.

[@BIZFILMZ]

@@ModeledCoastersi would 100% buy if you made one

[@maxgraham7440]

I would also buy them too!

[@BluecatJ]

@@ModeledCoasters Hello, Did you ever find enough people to make it worth your wild to sell these train conversions? I have a rather large project and in need of direction to find the bearing set up because the struggle is real with the stock ones.. Thank you!

[@ModeledCoasters]

There's definitely plenty of demand to try to do a small batch of them. I'm nearly finished with the next generation of my trains which are being designed so I could sell a batch or two. The next generation fixes a couple issues I've discovered while experiencing with the older design. I'm hopeful to show my progress in the next couple weeks!

[@Neighborhoodwatchtactical]

Where can we find the files?

[@andrewslater6846]

The song was just the Licc over and over again

[@ilor15]

Wow that so cool , can I get filles ?

[@banana148]

Where do you get your track? And how many crossties do you need for a coaster

[@ModeledCoasters]

The track was procured from a couple K'Nex kits. Two screamin serpent models and one thunderbolt strike kit. I try to use as many cross ties as possible to keep the track rigid. In my next video I'll be sharing how I 3D print my own track and giving some details on how to do it!

[@xarq0n]

holy shit

[@ThexRedxWarrior]

What are your thoughts on creating an inverted B&M clone using those bogies?

[@ModeledCoasters]

It's actually something I've thought through a fair bit. It would work really well with some minor modifications to the parts. I may try to do it for a future coaster!

[@-AxisA-]

​@@ModeledCoastersI would definetly cheer you desinging inverted cars, flying cars and maybe even wing cars! The ultimate challenge would be making a working 4D Knex coaster car😆

[@thedude4063]

I didn't know Cedar Point had a Wildcat

[@gravity4514]

Any 3d print files or are you selling these?

[@ModeledCoasters]

I'm working on the next generation of them at the moment. After they're finished I may sell a couple or release the files if there's enough demand. I'm hopeful to have them done by the end of the summer!

[@zabudrowful]

@@ModeledCoasters I'd be very interested in the files if you choose to release them. These trains are amazing!

[@ACE37man]

@@zabudrowful Seconded

[@mangoleafs]

next up: lost coaster of superstition mountain

[@NScaleLoco]

Do you sell the trains?

[@ModeledCoasters]

This set I do not. I'm currently working on a new and improved design that I could sell if there's interest. I'm hopeful to show it off in a couple weeks!

[@TheKnextion]

Would you sell me a train assembly like you have made here?

[@Boys-R-Boys-and-Girls-R-Girls]

I know it's a long shot but would you be interested in selling me a set of these?

[@ANAEXISTS]

just make a ride to happness style trains

[@tylerheintzelman3863]

Would you print and sell ?

[@ModeledCoasters]

The next version of my trains are being designed so I can print and sell a couple batches if there's interest. I'm nearly done with them so stay tuned for the next couple weeks for an update!

[@rosettecanlas5671]

drop it at 700 likes lmao

[@H.EL-Othemany]

The music is annoying and a bit louder than necessary

[@robertswickard8355]

Here is an idea , don't make your track so tight in its turns