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