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