| K'NEX is a brand name of a toy | | | | Yellow |
| construction system invented by Joel | | | | Can form the hypotenuse of a right |
| Glickman, designed and produced by K'NEX | | | | triangle with legs made up of dark blue |
| Industries, Inc. of Hatfield, | | | | rods |
| Pennsylvania. Currently Michael Araten | | | | "Metallic version" is dark gray |
| is the president of the organization. | | | | Alternate colors: gold (used for Lost |
| The toy consists of interconnecting | | | | Mines sets) |
| plastic rods and connectors. It improved | | | | Red |
| upon, and was inspired by, an earlier | | | | Can form the hypotenuse of a right |
| construction toy made of colored wooden | | | | triangle with legs made up of yellow |
| dowels and connecting nodes called | | | | rods |
| Tinkertoys. It is a construction toy in | | | | Alternate colors: metallic green, tan (a |
| the same genre as LEGO and Meccano, | | | | stronger version), golden yellow (the |
| although it uses rods, not bricks or | | | | heads on this rod are longer because |
| metal strips. Until recently, K'NEX had | | | | they are special to the K'NEX Roller |
| not introduced sets containing brand | | | | Coaster) |
| constructions (as LEGO does with Harry | | | | Gray |
| Potter, Star Wars, etc.), but often | | | | Longest of the rods |
| based its sets around popular fads (such | | | | Can form a the hypotenuse of a right |
| as mech warriors and RC cars). However, | | | | triangle with legs made up of red rods |
| in 2001, K'NEX broke from this trend and | | | | Alternate colors: Black (made of carbon; |
| introduced a line of toys using the | | | | a stronger version), neon orange |
| BattleTech/MechWarrior label. | | | | Flexi-rods |
| K'NEX connectors and rods are colour | | | | Come in 4 sizes |
| coded: K'NEX rods come in a range of | | | | A size comparable to a gray rod |
| lengths, each length being a distinct | | | | This rod comes in lime green, a dull |
| color. When the additional length of | | | | yellow, a neon yellow, a dark purple and |
| connections is taken into account, the | | | | a light purple |
| ratio between successive lengths of rods | | | | A size comparable to a yellow rod |
| is 1/?2. This makes the construction of | | | | This rod comes in a bright and normal |
| right-angle isosceles triangles simple, | | | | orange and a neon red |
| and these triangles provide the | | | | A size comparable to a blue rod |
| structural strength in models. Most | | | | This rod comes in a sky blue color only |
| types of K'NEX rods are only very | | | | A size comparable to a white rod |
| slightly flexible, but there are extra | | | | This rod comes in a dark purple color |
| rigid and very flexible versions of some | | | | only (same dark purple as the gray-sized |
| of the longer rods. K'NEX connectors | | | | flexi-rod) |
| connect rods at angles which are | | | | Also note that rods can be combined with |
| multiples of 45 degrees. | | | | connectors to take the place of longer |
| Connections | | | | rods. For example: |
| There are three primary ways in which a | | | | A connector with green or black rods on |
| rod may be joined to a connector: | | | | opposite ends is equal in length to a |
| Most commonly, the rod's head is | | | | blue or metallic blue rod. |
| inserted into a connector's slot. | | | | A connector with white, silver, or black |
| A rod may also be "snapped in" | | | | rods on opposite ends is equal in length |
| perpendicular to a connector. It is | | | | to a yellow, granite, or gold rod. |
| harder to insert and remove rods this | | | | A connector with blue or metallic blue |
| way, but they are for the most part | | | | rods on opposite ends is equal in length |
| immobile. There are four grooves on rods | | | | to a red, metallic green, tan, or |
| which allow for rods to be attached in | | | | golden-orange rod. |
| this method in four different | | | | A connector with yellow, granite, or |
| directions. They can be slid in the | | | | gold rods on opposite ends is equal in |
| slot, but the heads on the rods stop | | | | length to a gray, black, or orange rod. |
| from further sliding. | | | | List of Connectors |
| Most connectors have an eye through | | | | Dark Gray (no alternate colors) |
| which a rod may be threaded. The rod | | | | one slot for a rod and one hole |
| will slide out unless a connection is | | | | Orange (Alternate color: dark brown) |
| made using one or both of the previously | | | | Two opposite slots for rods and one hole |
| mentioned methods. | | | | |
| Special pieces, commonly called 3-D | | | | Light Gray-45 degrees (Alternate colors: |
| connectors, connect differently. | | | | light gray with blue speckles, neon |
| They connect using the first and second | | | | orange) |
| ways mentioned. | | | | Two adjacent slots for rods and one hole |
| Their hole has been removed and instead, | | | | |
| a special locking system is put in. | | | | Red-90 degrees (Alternate colors: dark |
| This locking system allows two 3-D | | | | gray with black speckles, neon red) |
| connectors to be directly attached and | | | | Three adjacent slots for rods and one |
| kept in place. | | | | hole |
| The locking system is the basis for all | | | | Green-135 degrees (Alternate colors: |
| 3-D creations | | | | metallic grey-green, neon yellow, neon |
| Rods | | | | green) |
| The rods come in many sizes. From | | | | Four adjacent slots for rods and one |
| smallest to largest: | | | | hole |
| Dark Green | | | | Yellow-180 degrees (a.k.a. half-moon) |
| By far the shortest, with no room to | | | | (Alternate colors: light gray, gold) |
| snap anything in | | | | Five adjacent slots for rods and one |
| Used only to connect two connectors end | | | | hole |
| to end; It is too small to be used for | | | | Orange tabbed (No Alternate Colors) |
| anything else | | | | This connector is the same as the yellow |
| Alternate colors: black | | | | connector except for the tab on the flat |
| White | | | | side |
| Can form the hypotenuse of a right | | | | The tab is used to connect tubing on the |
| triangle with legs made up of green rods | | | | K'NEX Roller Coaster |
| | | | White (Alternate color: black) |
| If nothing is attached to the end, three | | | | Eight adjacent slots for rods and one |
| connectors can be snapped on. If there | | | | hole |
| is a piece on either end, only two can | | | | 3-D Connectors |
| snap on | | | | Dark blue (Alternate color: metallic |
| Alternate colors: silver, gold, black, | | | | blue) |
| teal, and blue (used for Lost Mines | | | | Seven adjacent slots for rods and one |
| figures) | | | | slot to slide another 3-D connector into |
| Blue | | | | |
| Can form the hypotenuse of a right | | | | Purple (Alternate color: metallic |
| triangle with legs made up of white rods | | | | silver) |
| | | | Four adjacent slots for rods and one |
| Six connectors can be snapped on | | | | slot to slide another 3-D connector into |
| Alternate colors: metallic blue | | | | |